Entries by YMI

ODJ: strong as an ant

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June 11, 2013 

READ: Proverbs 30:25-28 

Ants—they aren’t strong, but they store up foodall summer (v.25).

Thirty-five years ago Thomas Daigle and his wife signed a home loan. On the way out of the bank he found a penny on the ground. On a whim, they said they should save pennies to pay off their loan. Decades later they had amassed 62,000 pennies. They hauled the accumulated coins to a bank teller to finish off their mortgage’s balance. It took bank employees 2 days to count the coins, but the Daigles’ mortgage was no more.

Proverbs speaks of ants as a noble example of the plodding power of simple diligence—sticking to your work day after day (Proverbs 30:25). Ants are fascinating. If you sit near one of their colonies and watch them in action, they’re a wonder. Tiny creatures, it takes them an hour to cover ground that would be only a few steps for me. Yet they stick to their laborious task. Even if I tire watching them, they will still be busy hours later when I return.

Ants aren’t powerful creatures. They don’t strike fear in your bones as a lion would, and they don’t have the strength of a rhino or the speed of a cheetah. However, ants quietly do what needs to be done. They survive through the winter with the nourishment they need because they continue the tedious preparation in the “summer” (v.25).

Our lives are often like the actions of ants. It seems as if we’re simply trudging through our duties. Hour after hour it seems that we’re making little to no progress. We wonder if our tedium matters. We grow weary of much work and little result (v.1).

However, we work for the One who is Lord over the earth (v.4), the One who sees the end. Keep working. Keep watching.—Winn Collier

Luke 2:21-39 ‹

MORE
Read Hebrews 11:6, remembering that “sincerely” can be translated “diligently” (NKJV). What does this say to us about our plodding faith? 
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How does your life resemble the life of an ant? In what area of your life is God speaking hope—encouraging you to keep moving? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: A Letter From C. S. Lewis

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June 10, 2013 

READ: 1 John 2:9-17 

I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. —1 John 2:12 

In September 1961, Harvey Karlsen, a high school student in Brooklyn, New York, wrote to C. S. Lewis in England. Harvey had read Lewis’ book The Screwtape Letters and asked the author, “When you wrote this book, did Satan give you any trouble, and if he did, what did you do about it?”

Three weeks later, Lewis penned a reply in which he affirmed that he still had plenty of temptations. He said that in facing them, “Perhaps . . . the most important thing is to keep on; not to be discouraged however often one yields to the temptation, but always to pick yourself up again and ask forgiveness.”

The New Testament letters of John are filled with encouragement to persevere in the face of temptation. “I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one” (1 John 2:12-13).

Whatever our age or experience, we are in a spiritual battle together. “The world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (v.17).

Let us cling to God and keep on!

— David C. McCasland

Lord, I get discouraged when I’ve given in again to one
of Satan’s schemes. I’m thankful, though, that Christ
paid for that sin on the cross. Help me to confess it and then
to keep on relying on You for my spiritual growth.

To master temptation, let Christ master you. 

ODJ: not leaving

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June 10, 2013 

READ: Amos 7:10-17 

I’m not a professional prophet. . . . But the Lord called me away from my flock and told me, “Go and prophesy to My people in Israel” (vv.14-15).

I am just 3 months into my elected role as youth deaconess in the local church that I attend, and I’ve already received three requests from people who want to step down from serving. A few have simply gone MIA (missing in action). So I feel like a general who’s trying to rally his army to fight a battle even as he’s losing his soldiers.

I was discouraged until I studied Amos 7:10-17. The prophet was a shepherd from Tekoa (in Judea) who was called to prophesy in the northern kingdom of Israel. During his ministry he was grossly misrepresented by Amaziah, who distorted his message and cast doubts on his motives (v.10). Given the circumstances, Amos could have become despondent. His ministry was unappreciated.

Then Amaziah ordered Amos to go home (v.12). Essentially he was saying, “Amos, get out of this place where your message isn’t accepted. Go home to the place where things are familiar and secure!” But Amos stayed the course. God had given him a commission, and the prophet recognised that his ministry and his location were God’s choosing (v.15).

Bible teacher Alistair Begg says, “When one is effectively involved in serving God, there will be opposition, persecution and trial. Consequently, there is no ideal place to serve God anywhere in the world except the place in which He has set you down.”

As I think about my role at church, I now realise that I was mistaken. I’m not the general; God is. And He’s working in His church so that “she will be holy and without fault” (Ephesians 5:27).

May we one day be able to say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful” (2 Timothy 4:7). Keep fighting! Keep running! Keep believing!—Poh Fang Chia

› Luke 2:1-20

MORE
Read Matthew28:18-20 for God’sclear commissionto all believers. 
NEXT
What could discourage you from fighting the good fight of the gospel? What will enable you to press on? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Obedience Is Worship

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June 9, 2013 

READ: 1 Samuel 15:13-23 

To obey is better than sacrifice. —1 Samuel 15:22 

While I was traveling with a chorale from a Christian high school, it was great to see the students praise God as they led in worship in the churches we visited. What happened away from church was even better to see. One day the group discovered that a woman had no money for gas—and they spontaneously felt led by God to take up a collection. They were able to give her enough money for several tankfuls of gas.

It’s one thing to worship and praise God at church; it’s quite another to move out into the real world and worship Him through daily obedience.

The students’ example causes us to think about our own lives. Do we confine our worship to church? Or do we continue to worship Him by obeying Him in our daily life, looking for opportunities to serve?

In 1 Samuel 15 we see that Saul was asked by the Lord to do a task; but when we review what he did (vv.20-21), we discover that he used worship (sacrifice) as an excuse for his failure to obey God. God’s response was, “To obey is better than sacrifice” (v.22).

It’s good to be involved in worship at church. But let’s also ask God to show us ways to continue to give Him the praise He deserves through our obedience.

— Dave Branon

Lord, I want my worship of You to extend beyond
the walls of my church. Help me to listen to
Your prompting and to serve others wherever
I can—no matter what day it is.

Our worship should not be confined to times and places; it should be the spirit of our lives. 

ODJ: boys to men

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June 9, 2013 

READ: 2 Timothy 1:1-5 

I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois andyour mother Eunice.And I know that samefaith continues strongin you (v.5).

Studies of children who grow up in fatherless homesreveal that they often face major challenges in life. The statistics are alarming. Youths who grow up in fatherless homes are twice as likely to end up in jail as those who come from traditional two-parent families. Eighty-five percent of children who exhibit behavioural disorders and ninety percent of homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes—32 times the average!

Timothy was of mixed parentage. His mother Eunice “was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek” (Acts 16:1). While the Scriptures mention his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice, nothing much is said about his father. Some scholars believe that this is true because of his father not being a believer in Jesus. Others say that his father may have died while Timothy was young.

We’re left to conclude that his dad didn’t play a big role in his spiritual development and growth. Instead, Timothy was “taught the holy Scriptures from childhood” and was led to salvation by his mother and grandmother (2 Timothy 1:5, 3:14-15). He later became Paul’s protégé (1:2).

Growing up in a fatherless home, Timothy could well have been a child at risk by today’s reckoning. But a godly mother and grandmother made up for that disadvantage and ensured that he was taught God’s Word from a young age. The faithful teaching of God’s Word and the godly influence of these two women helped Timothy to grow in his faith.

Timothy also was blessed to have the great apostle Paul as his spiritual father (1:2-4). And, more importantly, he knew God as his heavenly Father. That truly helped him grow from a spiritually immature boy to a man of God.—K.T. Sim

Matthew 1:1-25 ‹

MORE
Learn how God cares for the fatherless and orphans by reading the following verses: Deuteronomy 10:18, 24:19-21, 26:12-13; Psalm 68:5, 82:3, 146:9; Jeremiah 49:11; James 1:27. 
NEXT
Which ‘young Timothy’ can you be a parent (father, mother), grandparent or mentor to in your family or community? Why is it vital both to mentor others and to receive mentoring ourselves? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Where Did I Come From?

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June 8, 2013 

READ: Acts 17:22-31 

[God] has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth. —Acts 17:26 

My 7-year-old African-American friend Tobias asked me a thought-provoking question the other day: “Since Adam and Eve were white, where did black people come from?” When I told him we don’t know what “color” they were and asked him why he thought they were white, he said that’s what he always saw in Bible-story books at church and in the library. My heart sank. I wondered if that might make him think he was inferior or possibly not even created by the Lord.

All people have their roots in the Creator God, and therefore all are equal. That’s what the apostle Paul told the Athenians: “[God] has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26). We are all “from one blood.” Darrell Bock, in his commentary on the book of Acts, says, “This affirmation would be hard for the Athenians, who prided themselves in being a superior people, calling others barbarians.” However, because we all descended from our first parents, Adam and Eve, no race nor ethnicity is superior or inferior to another.

We stand in awe of our Creator, who made us and gives to all “life, breath, and all things” (v.25). Equal in God’s sight, we together praise and honor Him.

— Anne Cetas

Every life has been created—
God’s handiwork displayed;
When we cherish His creation,
We value what He’s made. —Sper

God loves each of us as if there were only one of us. 

ODJ: if . . . then

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June 8, 2013 

READ: Genesis 28:10-22 

If God will indeed be with me and protect me on this journey, and if He will provide me with food and clothing, and if I return safely to my father’s home, then the Lord will certainly bemy God (vv.20-21).

With our house on the market, my husband and I regularly spend time looking at online real-estate sites. Planting a church 35 miles away, we eagerly anticipate the day when we will be able to live in the community where we will be ministering. As we wait, we could easily fall prey to the temptation of“if . . . then”. If You promise us success, we will go; if You promise us a great house, we will move. But a commitment to “if . . . then” does not set a strong foundation for weathering seasons of uncertainty.

Running from his own deception (Genesis 27:5-34), Jacob was desperate to know that his future would still be intact. Like Jacob, we know in principle that God can be trusted to fulfil His promises and provide for our needs. But, like Jacob, we often live out an “if . . . then” existence in an attempt to make life safer and more predictable (28:20-22). At Bethel, he said, “If Godwill . . .” and “if He will provide”.

We’ve all prayed something like this: “God, if you move on my behalf and fulfil my request, then I will give You more of me.” But when we make these types of promises, we are in some way questioning God’s plans. As if signing a contract with another person, we leave ourselves an exit clause. God, however, isn’t into contractual agreements. He’s the God of covenant relationship (v.15), one that is exemplified by sacrificial love (John 3:16).

Accustomed to manipulating so that he might get ahead, Jacob didn’t yet understand that God wasn’t going to let the promise of a great nation (Genesis 15:5-7) rest on an “if . . . then” agreement. God wanted Jacob’s love. So He wrestled with Jacob, not to defeat him, but that Jacob might become God’s glory revealed (32:24-32).—Regina Franklin

› Luke 1:57-80

MORE
Read 1 Samuel 1:10-28. Hannah makes what at first glance appears to be an “if . . . then” promise. How can we see a demonstrationof total surrender inher story? 
NEXT
What “if . . . then” agreements have you brought before God? What would it look like to surrender totally to Him in covenant trust? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Guarding Hearts

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June 7, 2013 

READ: 2 Timothy 2:10-18 

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth. —2 Timothy 2:15 

For years I taught adult Bible-study classes in a local church and took great pains to consider Scripture carefully before answering questions during the lessons. Later, during a lecture in my first semester of seminary at age 40, I learned that I’d given a woman who had attended one of my classes a terrible answer to her heartfelt question. I was certain my response had been causing her distress over the 2 years since I had seen her, and I was eager to correct myself for her sake.

Racing home, I called her and instantly burst into an apology. A long pause was followed by her saying in a puzzled tone: “I’m sorry, but I’m having trouble placing you right now.” I was neither as memorable nor as damaging as I had believed! It was then I realized God is at work guarding His truth even as we grow in our understanding of His Word. I’m thankful He protected this woman’s heart.

We are human and will make mistakes sometimes as we share God’s Word with others. But we have an obligation to diligently seek His truth and exercise care when we talk about it (2 Tim. 2:15). Then we may boldly proclaim Him, praying that His Spirit will guard not only our hearts but also the hearts of those we seek to serve. God and His Word are deserving of the greatest care.

— Randy Kilgore

The words I spoke but yesterday
Are changed as I read Your Word;
I see more clearly Your perfect way,
And my heart is deeply stirred. —Kilgore

Let God’s Word fill your memory, rule your heart,
and guide your words. 

ODJ: bwana asifiwe!

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June 7, 2013 

READ: Psalm 150 

Let everything that breathes sing praisesto the Lord! Praise the Lord! (v.6).

Bwana asifiwe!” is Swahili for Praise the Lord! As I travelled from the dry place of Tala to the slums of Kawangare to the densely populated and dangerous ghetto of Korogocho in Kenya, this is the way every believer greeted me.

Living under the constant pitch of despondency, Bwana asifiwe? Surrounded by the dark shadows of squalor, poverty and destitution, Bwana asifiwe?Living in the ubiquitous presence of systemic evil and limited options to escape it, Bwana asifiwe?I wondered, how could they praise God in such uninspiring and unfavourable conditions?

I received my answer while sitting in a worship service at Redeemed Gospel Church in Korogocho. In their worshipful dancing, exuberant singing and sacrificial giving, these brothers and sisters reminded me that many times praising the Lord must happen from a place of obedience—not circumstance.

In Scripture God’s people are commanded to offer Him praise. All people to whom God gave breath were to use it to praise Him (Psalm 150:6). Obedience to this command to praise the Lord was a recognition that God, despite circumstances and conditions, was worthy of His people’s praise (Deuteronomy 10:21) and that He would not share His glory and praise with another (Isaiah 42:8).

Obedience to the command to praise God was an act of declaring His nature, praising His goodness (Psalm 135:3), ascribing to Him greatness (104:1), telling of His righteousness (98:8-9), singing of His faithfulness (89:1), and giving thanks for His strength (59:16) and salvation (18:46, 95:1).

God alone deserves our praise. We praise Him from a place of obedience and recognition of His goodness. When we trust that God is good and He works positively for good even in unfavourable circumstances, we too—from a place of obedience—can say, “Bwana asifiwe!”—Marvin Williams

MORE
Read Acts 16:16-34 and see how two believers praised the Lord in unfavourable circumstances. 
NEXT
When have you praised God out of obedience and not due to circumstances? Spend a few minutes praising the Lord right now. 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)