Entries by YMI

ODJ: sin’s sting

August 30, 2013 

READ: 2 Samuel 12:7-14 

Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? (v.9).

For 2 years the incumbent President, who was from the rival party, denied any involvement whatsoever. In reality, however, he had ordered a cover up of the incident. ‘The Watergate cover up’ resulted in the resignation of the President of America and the imprisonment of 43 people, including dozens of high-ranking officials.
King David had committed deceit, adultery and murder. But he conspired to cover up his wrongdoings. So God sent his prophet Nathan to confront and uncover David’s sins (2 Samuel 12:1).

Nathan said, “This is what the Lord says” (v.11). He reminded David that there was a higher authority to whom he, even as the king of Israel, must give an account. It was God who had blessed David. Without Him, David was simply a poor shepherd! (vv.7-8). In his covetousness and pride, David had rejected and despised God as his provider and protector! (v.10).

In grace, God removes the guilt of sin (v.13). But through government, God punishes sin. Although forgiven, David paid a heavy price for his sins: “four sheep for each sheep stolen” (Exodus 22:1; 2 Samuel 12:1-4) and his family would “live by the sword” (v.10). The child of adultery died (v.14), and David’s three other sons died “by the sword” in family feuds (13:29, 18:15; 1 Kings 2:25).

David learned that his sins had dire consequences. When we sin, we displease and despise God (2 Samuel 11:27, 12:9-10,14). May we choose instead to walk with Him in truth and honour. —K.T. Sim

MORE
Read Numbers 20:1-13 and Psalm 106:32-33 to see how Moses’ sin of anger dishonoured God.  
NEXT
God forgave David (2 Samuel 12:13), so why was he still severely punished? (vv.10-12). Why doesn’t God’s forgiveness make all things well? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Overwhelming Concern

August 29, 2013 

READ: John 13:31-35 

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. —John 13:34 

A while ago, I wrote an article about my wife, Marlene, and her struggles with vertigo. When the article appeared, I was unprepared for the tidal wave of response from readers offering encouragement, help, suggestions and, mostly, concern for her well-being. These messages came from all over the world, from people in all walks of life. Expressions of loving concern for my wife poured in to the point where we could not even begin to answer them all. It was overwhelming in the best kind of way to see the body of Christ respond to Marlene’s struggle. We were, and remain, deeply grateful.

At its core, this is how the body is supposed to work. Loving concern for our brothers and sisters in Christ becomes the evidence that we have experienced His love. While addressing the disciples at the Last Supper, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples” (John 13:34-35).

Marlene and I experienced a sampling of Christlike love and concern in those letters we received. With the help of our Savior and as a way of praising Him, may we show others that kind of love as well.

— Bill Crowder

Bearing people’s heavy burdens,
Shouldering their pain and grief,
Shows the love of Christ to others,
Bringing them His sure relief. —Anon.

The height of our love for God is indicated by the depth of our love for one another. —Morley 

ODJ: exposed

August 29, 2013 

READ: Ephesians 6:10-18 

Let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armour of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:8).

A close friend of mine is married to a senior leader of an African nation that has for decades been known for extreme persecution. While her husband was serving as a catalyst in seeing that country’s people freed from an oppressive regime, my friend and her three children recently spent a year with me in Uganda.
One evening my son and I went to church with my friend and her family. When we climbed into their armoured vehicle, I noticed that the 4 inch thick bulletproof windows were open. “The windows were not made to go down,” my friend explained. “But mechanics working on the vehicle yesterday were intrigued with the car and tampered with the windows. Now we can’t close them.”

Though my friend’s vehicle is designed to protect against grenades and other weapons, without the car’s full armour intact its passengers are vulnerable.

As believers, we have an enemy that’s on the prowl, looking for cracks in our armour where he can attack. “We are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). That’s why we’re instructed to “be strong in the Lord,” and to “put on all of God’s armour” so that we can “stand firm against all strategies of the devil” (vv.10-11).

Today, and every day, remember to put on every piece of God’s armour: the helmet of salvation, the belt of truth, the body armour of God’s righteousness and the shield of faith (vv.13-17). And as you wield the sword of the Spirit (God’s Word), you’ll be beating back the enemy and thwarting His devastating attacks. —Roxanne Robbins

› Matthew 21:1-17

MORE
Read about the person King Saul’s son Jonathan relied on to carry his armour in 1 Samuel 14:1-6. Which of your friends can help you face spiritual battles?  
NEXT
What will it take for you to be better prepared for spiritual attacks? How can God’s Word help you in these battles? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: A Way Of Escape

August 28, 2013 

READ: Matthew 4:1-11, 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 

[God will] make the way of escape, that [we] may be able to bear it. —1 Corinthians 10:13 

Highway 77, which passes through the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia, features a series of runaway truck ramps. These semi-paved exits appear in an area of the highway where the altitude drops nearly 1,300 feet over the course of about 6 miles. This steep descent combined with the road’s winding path can create problems for motorists—especially truck drivers.

Just as a runaway truck needs an escape route from a highway, we also need “a way of escape” when out-of-control desires threaten our spiritual well-being. When we face temptation, “[God will] make the way of escape, that [we] may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13). God enables us to say “no” to enticement through the power of His Word. Jesus conquered Satan’s temptation relating to food, authority, and trust by quoting verses from Deuteronomy (Matt. 4:4-10). Scripture helped Him resist the devil despite the effects of a 40-day fast in the wilderness.

When we are tempted, we may feel like disaster is just around the bend. Memories of past failure and isolation from others can intensify this feeling. However, we can trust God in moments of temptation; He is faithful. He will provide a way for us to resist sin’s allure.

— Jennifer Benson Schuldt

I need Thee every hour, stay Thou near by;
Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh.
I need Thee, O I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee. —Hawks/Lowry

The best way to escape temptation is to run to God. 

ODJ: heavenly prayers

August 28, 2013 

READ: Revelation 6:1-17 

How long before You judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us? (v.10).

Jay Cutler, an American football player for the Chicago Bears, led his team as they played in a championship game against the hated Green Bay Packers. Cutler was tackled hard a few times during the first half, enough that he took himself out of the game. Some fans became furious when they saw what they thought was a healthy Cutler sitting on the bench. He didn’t appear to be cheering the team on. He simply stared blankly as the Bears lost.
Cutler’s appearance of stoic resignation is how I used to think of heaven: When I leave this earthly contest, I will go to my eternal rest where I’ll sleep a lot. But then I read John’s snapshot of heaven, where martyred saints are shouting to God, “How long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood?” (Revelation 6:10). These saints aren’t resting, they’re actively praying!

Origen wrote that “all those fathers who have fallen asleep before us fight on our side and aid us by their prayers.” Gregory of Nazianzus said that his deceased father “accomplishes there now by his prayers more than he ever did by his teaching.” And Martin Luther told his friend that if he died first he must pull him to heaven by his prayers, “For we confess one God and with all saints we abide in our Saviour.”

Luther was describing the communion of the saints—all Christians, whether dead or alive, remain connected in Jesus. We pray for them, asking God to give a special hug to our deceased loved ones. They pray for us, cheering us on from stands packed with a great cloud of witnesses. Death may have pushed them to the sideline, but they’re still in the game. —Mike Wittmer

MORE
Read Hebrews 12 to learn how we remain connected to other Christians who have died.  
NEXT
How does it help to remember that we remain connected to those who have died in Christ? What message would you like Jesus to pass on to someone for you? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Surrounded By Mercy

August 27, 2013 

READ: Psalm 32 

He who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him. —Psalm 32:10 

It was almost impossible not to see the giant billboard with the red background and huge white letters that shouted: “This year thousands of men will die from stubbornness.” Later I learned that the billboard was one of hundreds just like it targeted at middle-aged men who typically avoid routine medical screenings and often die from preventable conditions.

Psalm 32 deals with the spiritual disease of sin, which can be treated by honest acknowledgment and repentance. The first five verses express the anguish of hiding our guilt and then celebrate the joyful release of confessing our transgressions to God and being forgiven.

This psalm goes on to show that the Lord longs for us to seek His help in difficulty (vv.6-8) and receive His guidance. “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye” (v.8). We are hindered, though, when we stubbornly refuse to follow His direction and repent from our sin.

God’s Word urges us, “Do not be like the horse or like the mule, . . . which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you” (v.9). Rather than hold on to our sin, the Lord offers an alternative: When we humbly confess, His mercy shall surround us (v.10).

— David C. McCasland

Heavenly Father, help us now
At Thy feet to humbly bow;
Take away all thought of sin,
Make us clean and pure within. —Bartels

The first step to receiving God’s forgiveness
is to admit that we need it. 

ODJ: surrendering the Son

August 27, 2013 

READ: Genesis 22:1-18 

God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son (v.8).

God had promised Abraham that he would be the father of a nation that would bless the world (Genesis 12:1-4). This required a son, but no heir had come (15:1-15). And it had been so long since the promise. Finally, when Abraham was 99 years old (and Sarah 90), the Lord appeared again, once more promising a child to Abraham. Sarah laughed (18:12). It was funny—an old man and woman having a baby boy? The joy and the laughter arrived when God’s promise came true, when Isaac was born (21:5).
Life became richly good for Abraham. He had his son, and his family had settled in Beersheba. Abraham beamed with joy. But then a dark cloud shrouded the story, for we read these dreadful words: “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you” (22:2).

Abraham obeyed. Courage and faith moved him, but any father will admit that the request must have seemed insane. Abraham gathered the wood and the flint for the fire. He took his son and the supplies, and they made the 3 day journey up the mountain. What a sorrowful journey that must have been!

Thankfully, the story ends well. Abraham raised the knife to slay his son, and an angel stopped the grievous act. “Do not hurt him in any way,” the angel said, “for now I know that you truly fear God” (v.12).

Only once did God make such a demand of a human. But this story pointed to a day when God would sacrifice His Son Jesus. God spared Abraham’s son because of love; but for the same reason He did not spare His own Son (John 3:16). —Winn Collier

MORE
Read Romans 8: 31-39. Why did God not spare His Son? What connection does Paul draw between God’s unwillingness to save Jesus from suffering and His unwillingness to diminish His love towards us?  
NEXT
What is your reaction to Abraham’s near sacrifice of Isaac? How does this influence your reaction to God’s sacrifice of Jesus? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: What’s At Stake?

August 26, 2013 

READ: Proverbs 19:15-25 

Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days. —Proverbs 19:20 

To stake or not to stake? That’s the question Marilyn faced when she planted a tree sapling last summer. The salesman said, “Stake it for one year so it will be supported in strong winds. Then remove them so it can grow deep roots on its own.” But a neighbor told her, “Staking may cause more harm than good. The tree needs to start building strong roots right away, or it may never. Not staking is best for long-term health.”

We wonder about that question in relationships too. For instance, if someone has gotten himself into trouble, do we “stake him down” by rescuing him, or do we let the person “grow strong roots” on his own by allowing him to face the consequences of his choices? Obviously it depends on what seems best for the person’s long-term spiritual health. What does love do, and when does it do it? Proverbs 19 gives opposite thoughts: We are to have “pity” and lend our assistance (v.17), yet there are dangers in rescuing another because you might need to do it again (v.19). Providing the right help requires wisdom beyond our own.

God hasn’t left us on our own. He will give us the wisdom when we ask Him. And as we lean on Him, our own roots will grow deep in Him as well.

— Anne Cetas

We lack wisdom, Lord, in many situations.
We know we’ll make mistakes, but teach us to
be dependent on You. Thank You that You will
be faithful. Grow our roots deep in You.

Real wisdom is looking at the world from God’s point of view. 

ODJ: grow up

August 26, 2013 

READ: 1 Corinthians 3:1-4 

You are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? (v.3).

A couple in their late 50s recently decided to divorce, but they both refused to move out of their home. To resolve the impasse, a judge ordered that they halve the urban complex. This included the building of a wall to divide the living room on the first floor and sealing of the door that splits the living space on the second. The husband had construction workers build a spiral staircase, allowing him to get more easily from his living room to his dining room. He’s also made his ex-wife’s life a nightmare by yelling and banging on the walls. They each vow to stay in the house until the other moves out.
What a sad picture of childish and divisive behaviour! This is precisely the type of behaviour that the apostle Paul had to address with the Corinthian believers. Though the believers in Corinth had received the Holy Spirit and the mind of Christ, these realities didn’t keep them from exhibiting divisive behaviour. In fact, they seemed to be in the same place as when Paul left them.

Thus, in 1 Corinthians 3:1, he called them mere infants in Christ because they were unable to move beyond milk (basics of the gospel) to solid food (appropriating the gospel to their present behaviour). Their jealousy and quarrelling splintered them into unhealthy factions and showed that they were still under the influence of a value system that was opposed to God (3:3-4).

As believers in Jesus, we must do more than believe the gospel—we need to apply the gospel to every facet of our lives, including our relationships with one another. When we live out the gospel, we move beyond jealousy, quarrels, and factions and grow towards spiritual maturity. —Marvin Williams

MORE
Read Galatians 5:16 and James 4:1. Why do we satisfy the appetites of our flesh and why do we quarrel? 
NEXT
In what areas of your life do you need to grow spiritually? How do your relationships need the power of the gospel?  

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)