Entries by YMI

ODJ: the King’s speech

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August 7, 2013 

READ: Luke 4:16-30 

The time of the Lord’s favour has come (v.19).

The film The King’s Speech is based on the true story of England’s King George VI. After his brother abdicated the throne in the late 1930s, the new king enlisted the help of an unconventional speech therapist to overcome his problem with stuttering. Together they worked to find the king’s clear voice and his ability to deliver a stirring speech that his nation could stand behind as it prepared to stand against Nazi aggression.
At the start of His public career, Jesus gave a king’s speech (Luke 4:18-19,21). To announce and define His kingship, He chose to read from what is now known as Isaiah 61. It’s a Scripture passage that proclaims the arrival of the year of Jubilee—“the year of the Lord’s favour” (v.2 NIV).

For the Jews, Jubilee was a year like no other. As the Israelites crossed into the Promised Land, God declared that every 50th year there was to be a year of forgiveness and a fresh start. It was a year when all debts were to be cancelled, all land returned and all slaves set free (Leviticus 25:8-13).

But the Jubilee that Jesus referred to in His speech was the Jubilee of all Jubilees! It went beyond financial debts, slavery and land ownership. And it wasn’t just for the Jews. Jesus, the true King of the world, was announcing a worldwide forgiveness, rescue and restoration of all that was broken in mankind.

Sadly, the people listening to Jesus rejected His speech. They initially liked what He was saying, until they realised His Jubilee was also for outsiders (Luke 4:22-30).

Most of us who are reading Jesus’ speech today are the very outsiders He had in mind. Let’s stand with our King and proclaim His Jubilee for all!

—Jeff Olson

› Luke 12:49-59

MORE
Read John 14:27 and see what God has promised for those who believe in Him.  
NEXT
How can you celebrate the Jubilee that has come through Jesus? How are you sharing it with others?  

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: The Standoff

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August 6, 2013 

READ: 1 John 4:1-6 

He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. —1 John 4:4 

When a local bookstore rearranged its shelves, I noticed an increase in the number of titles relating to sorcery and witchcraft. In fact, the religion section had become a virtual “standoff” between light and darkness. Christian titles flanked one side of the aisle, while roughly the same number of occult books lined the other side.

Sometimes we may think of God and Satan in the same way I thought of the books in that bookstore. We see them as opposing but equal forces with the same unlimited power. However, God is God and Satan is not. God is stronger than any force of darkness. He does what He pleases (Ps. 135:6), while Satan’s power is limited to what God allows. When Satan supposed that misfortune would make Job curse God, God told Satan, “Behold, all that [Job] has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person” (Job 1:12). Satan had to play by God’s rules.

Because God is in charge over everything, as Christ’s followers we don’t need to be paralyzed by fear of Satan’s power over our lives or the lives of the believers around us. He tempts us and tries to influence us, but the Bible assures us, “He who is in [us] is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

— Jennifer Benson Schuldt

All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all! —Perronet

The powers of evil around you are no match for the power of Jesus within you. 

ODJ: multi-hat syndrome

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August 6, 2013 

READ: Deuteronomy 10:12-22 

What does the Lord your God require of you? (v.12).

A pastor recently listed 36 different ‘hats’ he might wear. The roles included community activist, theologian, financial advisor and life coach. These roles evolved from the different needs of churchgoers. While it’s important for all of us to respond to others’ needs, if the demands consume us, we may begin to serve people instead of serving God.
To prevent this, we need to orient ourselves around what God desires from us. But what does God want from us? After posing this question to the Israelites (Deuteronomy 10:12), Moses announced this answer: “He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases Him, and love Him and serve Him with all your heart and soul” (v.12).

God wanted to be at the centre of the Israelites’ lives. They were to respect Him as the owner and creator of everything (v.14; Psalm 89:11). They were to “obey the Lord’s commands . . . for [their] own good” (Deut. 10:13). They were to love Him exclusively—to “cling to Him” (v.20).

Interestingly, their service to others, especially foreigners, was to be a reflection of God’s mercy and fairness to people who had significant needs (v.18). Everything in their lives was to flow from the person of God and their relationship with Him.

Is your life centred on God? Preacher Vance Havner said, “It’s ironic that people who work in God’s name often have the most difficulty finding time for Him. The parents of Jesus lost Him at church, and they weren’t the last ones to lose Him there.”

If you’re losing Jesus in your service for God, rekindle your relationship with Him. Renew your hope and confidence in the Lord today (Jeremiah 17:7-8). —Jennifer Benson Schuldt

MORE
Read Psalm 63:4-8 for a snapshot of David’s devotion to God. See Micah 6:6-8 to see what God does and doesn’t want from us.  
NEXT
Why isn’t it enough just to reshuffle our priorities when we feel overwhelmed? How can we avoid burnout by keeping Jesus at the centre of our lives? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: The Other Eighty Percent

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August 5, 2013 

READ: Psalm 69:29-36 

Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them. —Psalm 69:34 

Recently I saw a billboard stating that 80 percent of all life on Earth is found in the seas. That staggering number is difficult to process, largely because most of that life is out of sight.

As I considered this, it reminded me of how much greater God’s creation is than we typically appreciate. While we can easily have our breath taken away by a majestic mountain range or a panoramic sunset, we sometimes fail to see His extraordinary work in the details that require more careful study and examination. Not only is much of God’s creation hidden by the oceans, but other parts are also too small for our eyes to observe. From the microscopically small to the unsearched reaches of the universe, it is all the work of our Creator. In those magnificent structures—seen and unseen—God’s creative glory is revealed (Rom. 1:20).

As we grow to understand the wonder of creation, it must always point us to the Creator Himself—and call us to worship Him. As the psalmist said, “Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them” (Ps. 69:34). If creation itself gives praise to the Creator, we can and should certainly join the chorus. What a mighty God we serve!

— Bill Crowder

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed! —Boberg

The wonder of creation causes us to say,
“What a wonderful God!” 

ODJ: Spirit power

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August 5, 2013 

READ: Romans 8:1-13 

You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you (v.9).

Last year a man wrote his own obituary before he died of cancer. The obit revealed the man’s sense of humour, but it also detailed some serious confession. The 59 year old came clean about stealing a safe from a business as a young man and lying about a doctorate degree he hadn’t earned. In death, his secret sins were exposed. His posthumous spilling of the beans revealed transgressions he had likely pondered for many years.
Paul wrote that we don’t have to “think about sinful things,” for “those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit” (Romans 8:5). This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t feel guilty for unconfessed sins of the past, but that we can be victorious in overcoming the urge to pursue sinful stuff today.

Paul explains that “letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace” (v.6). Without the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we’re doomed to spiritual “death” (vv.2,6). But, Paul says, “[Believers in Jesus] are not controlled by [their] sinful nature. [They] are controlled by the Spirit of God living in [them]” (v.9). The Spirit has allowed us to be set free from the power of sin and death.

Now, does this mean that we’re impervious to sinful desires after receiving salvation in Jesus? No. Though we have the Holy Spirit within us, we are still able to sin. But He is greater and stronger than any other force we will encounter on earth, and that’s why we can walk in life and light with Jesus.

As Paul says, “If through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live” (v.13). May we live in the Spirit’s power today! —Tom Felten

› Luke 12:1-21

MORE
Read Galatians 2:20 and consider what it means to receive new life in Jesus by the work of the Holy Spirit. 
NEXT
How can the Holy Spirit help us when we’re tempted to sin? What can keep us from relying on His sin-resisting power? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Take Time To Ponder

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August 4, 2013 

READ: Luke 2:8-19 

Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. —Luke 2:19 

Parents love to remember the developmental milestones of their children. They will record in a baby book when their little ones first roll over, then crawl, and take their first steps. Often they will take photographs and save baby clothing to bring back the memories of those precious experiences.

According to Luke 2:19, Mary, the mother of Jesus, kept a baby book of sorts—in her heart. She treasured the promises that had been given about her Son and “pondered them.” The Greek word for “ponder” means “placing together for comparison.” Mary had heard of great things concerning her Son from angels and shepherds (1:32; 2:17-18). As His life unfolded, she would compare those promises with how her Son acted to fulfill them.

Our faith will be strengthened and we will be encouraged when we meditate on what the Scriptures say about God and compare it with the way He works in our own lives (John 14:21). He is a God who answers prayer (1 John 5:14-15), comforts us in our suffering (2 Cor. 1:3-4), and provides for our needs (Phil. 4:19).

When we take time to ponder, we will see the faithfulness of our great God.

— Dennis Fisher

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow—
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! —Chisholm

God gives by promise that we may take by faith. 

ODJ: in the end

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August 4, 2013 

READ: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 

He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end (v.11).

As I looked at the goldfish crisp on the floor of my kitchen, I reminisced about the tiny hands of my children and an earlier season in life. Though the fallen crisp was the result of a recent forage, the image made me realise how quickly time passes. As I dealt with sleepless nights, teething babies and potty training, I would have been hard-pressed to believe that the end was soon in sight. The hands that once cupped goldfish crackers now grip a sports bag, textbooks and an iPad.
The Author of what we call time, God, reminds us that He has always been (Revelation 1:8). Our days are numbered on this earth, while eternal life is what God has promised us (John 3:36). Living the dual existence of the eternal and the temporal isn’t always easy, as the writer of Ecclesiastes vividly relays in his musings on the meaning of life. In addition, when we deal with painful seasons, disillusionment can readily cloud our vision (Ecclesiastes 2:13-17).

In these times, however, we must hold fast to the truth that God’s knowledge extends far beyond our view. Ecclesiastes 3:11 reminds us, “He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” We don’t have to stay stuck in whatever difficult season is upon us. Likewise, when God takes us through rigorous times of training (James 1:2-4), we find hope in knowing there’s a finish line ahead.

Beyond living for the moment, we must be a people who patiently await God’s next move. We must let go of anger, give up stubbornness, and let go of yesterday. For, in the end, we will reign with the One who has always been and who always will be! —Regina Franklin

Luke 11:33-54 ‹

MORE
Read Revelation 21:1-7 and consider your current circumstances in light of what God considers to be the final, unending chapter for those who are in Jesus. 
NEXT
How can you balance the knowledge that your decisions have eternal impact with Jesus’ admonition to focus on today? (Matthew 6:34). How are you awaiting God’s next move for you? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Corine

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August 3, 2013 

READ: 1 Peter 4:7-11 

Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. —1 Peter 4:9 

A group of us were helping to put together packets of material at an Our Daily Bread event in Orlando last winter when Corine greeted us. It was mid-morning, and she was sure we must be hungry and thirsty. I told her we were “fine,” and she replied, “I know you’re fine, but you need something to eat.” A few minutes later she came back with cold water and snacks.

Throughout the 2 days we were there, Corine came by to check on us, bring us food or water, and take away our trash. On one occasion, I thanked her and said, “You have the gift of hospitality, don’t you, Corine!” She looked down and replied, “I don’t know. But you write the devotional articles, and I’ll clean up. And God will be glorified.”

Corine’s desire is to bring God glory by helping people. She definitely has the gift of hospitality and practices it well. God has graced each of His children with skills and abilities so that He can minister to others through us. You can find those gifts listed in Romans 12:4-13, 1 Corinthians 12:27-31, Ephesians 4:7-12, and 1 Peter 4:9-11.

The Lord has gifted us “that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever” (1 Peter 4:11).

— Anne Cetas

All Christians have been gifted
By grace from God above,
Equipped to build and strengthen
The church in faith and love. —Fitzhugh

You are one of a kind— designed to glorify God as only you can. 

ODJ: greater than our shame

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August 3, 2013 

READ: 1 Chronicles 10:1-14  

Saul took his own sword and fell on it (v.4).

God is greater than our shame. Because Saul failed to realise this, his life ended tragically. The Israelites were engaged in a fierce battle and suffered defeat at the hands of the Philistines on Mt. Gilboa. That day the Philistines killed Saul’s three sons and wounded him. Humiliation, torture and death were likely to follow his capture. Unable to endure the shame, Saul committed suicide. Beneath this desperate act, however, lurked the larger and the darker issues of disloyalty and disobedience to God.
Saul’s suicide is one of several recorded in the Old Testament (Judges 9:50-57, 16:21-31; 2 Samuel 17:23; 1 Kings 16:15-20; 1 Chronicles 10:4-5). The common psychological denominators seem to be shame arising from guilt, defeat and failure (2 Samuel 17:23; 1 Kings 16:18; Matthew 27:5; Acts 16:27). In each death, the individual usurped God’s sovereignty.

Since God is Creator, He has authority over His creation and ultimately controls life and death (Genesis 2:7; Job 1:21; Psalm 139:13-15). Therefore, taking life—including one’s own—is sin (Exodus 20:13). It violates God’s commands to love and respect ourselves and others (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 7:12; Ephesians 5:29).

Shame and humiliation can be difficult to bear and often lead people, even some believers in Jesus, to adopt the easiest and most immediate way out—suicide. Yet, God is greater than our shame, and nothing can separate us from His love in Christ (Romans 8:35-39), not even suicide.

In our darkest days, let’s find hope among fellow believers as we look to the One who took our shame on Himself so that we might have abundant life (John 10:10; Hebrews 12:2). —Marvin Williams

› Luke 11:14-32

MORE
Read 2 Samuel 17: 1-23 and consider why Ahithophel took his life.  
NEXT
Think about a time in your life where you felt the darkness of shame overtaking you. How did God meet you in that time and show you that He was greater than your shame? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)