Entries by YMI

ODB: Songs Born Out Of Struggle

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May 4, 2013 

READ: Psalm 31:9-20 

Have mercy on me, O Lord . . . ; my eye wastes away with grief, yes, my soul and my body! —Psalm 31:9 

In a documentary film about three legendary guitarists, Jack White described the first essential for writing a song: “If you don’t have a struggle already inside of you or around you, you have to make one up.”

The songs that mean the most to us give expression to our deepest feelings. Many of the Psalms, often called “the Bible’s songbook,” were born out of struggle. They capture our disappointments and fears, yet they always point us toward the faithful love of God.

In Psalm 31, David wrote: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; my eye wastes away with grief, yes, my soul and my body!” (v.9). He speaks of a trap set for him (v.4), his own sin (v.10), abandonment by friends (vv.11-12), and plots against his life (v.13).

Yet, David’s hope was not in his own strength, but in God. “I trust in You, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in Your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me” (vv.14-15).

The Psalms invite us to pour out our hearts to God, because He has stored up His goodness for those who trust in Him (v.19).

— David C. McCasland

God gives to His servants this promise:
You’ll not have to face life alone;
For when you grow weak in your struggle,
His strength will prevail—not your own. —Hess

When in your deepest need, find God’s comfort in the Psalms. 

ODJ: stay hungry


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May 4, 2013 

READ: Hosea 13:1-6 

When you had eaten and were satisfied, you became proud and forgot Me (v.6).


It’s often more difficult to stay on top than it is to get there. This is true in sports: a young boxer trains hard as he fights his way through the ranks, but once he wins a championship he becomes lazy and loses his title to a new, hungrier challenger. This is also true in business. A rising star puts in long hours as she climbs the corporate ladder, but she loses her edge when she begins to enjoy the wealth and privileges that come with her success.


This is also true in our walk with God. Have you ever been spiritually dry? Your heart yearned for God in what seemed like a barren wilderness. You fought the malaise until finally you broke through. God mercifully illumined His Word as verses leapt off the page and into your heart. You shouted His praise and poured out your love and adoration. You thought you had tasted heaven.


If this has happened to you, you know that the days that follow a spiritual high are extremely dangerous. Firstly, we may become tempted to chase ever-escalating emotions. But feelings are fickle, and it’s impossible to create a high, let alone to stay there. 


Secondly, we may become content and overconfident in our spiritual life. We recklessly click on websites, watch films and share gossip that we normally wouldn’t. We feel so close to Jesus that we presume these actions must be okay, simply because we’re doing them. And so we fall—sometimes hard—and the cycle starts all over again. 


How can you stay hungry when you are spiritually full? Remember where your food comes from. God told Israel, “I took care of you in the wilderness, in that dry and thirsty land” (Hosea 13:5). When you’re full of gratitude, there’s no room for pride (v.6).—Mike Wittmer


MORE
Read Philippians 3:12-21 to discover how we can stay hungry in our walk with Christ.
 
NEXT
Do you feel spiritually full or hungry? Which is better? What can you do to thrive in both situations?
 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Momma’s Rules

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May 3, 2013 

READ: Ephesians 4:17-32 

Put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt. —Ephesians 4:22 

I met a delightful woman named “Momma Charlie,” who has raised a dozen or so foster kids. These youngsters were assigned to her by the courts, and she gave them a home with stability, guidance, and love. She told me that every time a new child arrived, the first order of business was to explain “Momma’s Rules.” These included behavioral standards, plus chores that would provide much-needed help in the busy household while teaching accountability to kids with little previous training.

Some of the children may have balked at “Momma’s Rules,” thinking they were robbing them of fun or pleasure—yet nothing would be further from the truth. Those standards allowed for an orderly household where both Momma and the children could find life enjoyable and peaceful.

Similarly, some look at the standards God set forth in the Bible as obstacles that prevent us from enjoying life. However, the boundaries God places actually protect us from our worst inclinations and foster healthy responses to Him.

In Ephesians 4, for example, Paul provides some guidance for how we are to live. As we live by these and other loving instructions from God, we find protection and the opportunity for true, lasting joy.

— Bill Crowder

Father, thank You for the boundaries of life that
protect us from sin and from ourselves. Give us
the wisdom and grace to respond gratefully to
Your Word in areas of danger and temptation.

God’s Word is the compass that keeps us on course. 

ODJ: he said, she said


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May 3, 2013 

READ: Genesis 3:1-19 

Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden? (v.1).


A radio broadcast of H. G. Wells’ novel The War ofthe Worlds panicked thousands of listeners back in 1938. People who tuned in actually believed that aliens had landed on a farm in New Jersey and were preparing to attack America. They mistook a work of fiction for actual current events! A series of phony news bulletins featured a reporter giving an ‘eyewitness’ account of terrifying happenings. As a result, confused citizens swarmed police stations and hundreds of people required medical help for shock and hysteria.


Confusion was a key factor in the fall of humankind. Most of us know the story: the snake struck up a conversation with Eve by asking, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” (v.1). No! Eve corrected the serpent, but she didn’t get God’s statement right; she added something. She claimed that God said, “You must not eat it or even touch [the fruit]; if you do, you will die” (v.3). But God never said anything about touching the fruit.


The snake carried on his campaign of confusion. “You won’t die!” (v.4) he said. He insinuated that sampling the ‘illegal substance’ would make life better for Eve because she would become “like God, knowing both good and evil” (v.5). Eve took the bait, but life did not improve. When she and Adam nibbled the forbidden fruit, “at that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame” (v.7). (Can’t you hear the snake sniggering in the background?)


Today Satan confuses people by lying about what God has said and suggesting that consequences for sin don’t exist. He uses various opening lines: Just once won’t hurt . . . no one will ever know . . . everyone’s doing it. Accurately quoting God’s words and acting on His truth when tempted (Psalm 37:31; Matthew 4:1-10), however, means we won’t become bewildered by lies.—Jennifer Benson Schuldt


MORE
Read Proverbs 30:6 to see why it’s important to handle Scripture accurately. Compare John 8:44 with 12:44-46 to see where we should place our trust.
 
NEXT
What aspect of God’s Word has Satan tried to twist in your life? How can the Bible help you combat the temptation you face today?
 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: A Plea For Prayer

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May 2, 2013 

READ: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 

Brethren, pray for us. —2 Thessalonians 3:1 

A missionary recently visited the Bible study I was attending. She described what it had been like to pack up her household, part with friends, and relocate to a distant country. When she and her family arrived, they were greeted with a flourishing drug-trade and hazardous roadways. The language barrier brought on bouts of loneliness. They contracted four different stomach viruses. And her oldest daughter narrowly escaped death after falling through a railing on an unsafe stairwell. They needed prayer.

The apostle Paul experienced danger and hardship as a missionary. He was imprisoned, shipwrecked, and beaten. It’s no surprise that his letters contained pleas for prayer. He asked the believers in Thessalonica to pray for success in spreading the gospel—that God’s Word would “run swiftly and be glorified” (2 Thess. 3:1) and that God would deliver him from “unreasonable and wicked men” (v.2). Paul knew he would need to “open [his] mouth boldly” and declare the gospel (Eph. 6:19), which was yet another prayer request.

Do you know people who need supernatural help as they spread the good news of Christ? Remember Paul’s appeal, “Brethren, pray for us” (2 Thess. 3:1), and intercede for them before the throne of our powerful God.

— Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Commit to pray and intercede—
The battle’s strong and great’s the need;
And this one truth can’t be ignored:
Our only help comes from the Lord. —Sper

Intercede for others in prayer;
God’s throne is always accessible. 

ODJ: forever sacrifice


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May 2, 2013 

READ: Leviticus 1:1-13 

God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time (Hebrews 10:10).


An attempt by climbers in 1936 to scale the north face of the Eiger, a mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland, is depicted in the film North Face. Two German mountain climbers, Toni Kurz and Andi Hinterstoisser, battle the elements and other challenges during their ill-fated attempt to be the first team to reach the summit. In one powerful scene, Andi must cut his own rope and fall to his death in order to spare Toni’s life.


Tragically, just a short time later, Toni succumbs to the freezing conditions. Andi’s sacrifice to save his friend was exemplary. But Toni still died. Jesus’ sacrifice for us, however, allows us to be set free from guilt and spiritual death forever (Hebrews 10:10). He alone could do what countless sacrifices of the past could not.


In Leviticus 1, one of several sacrifices that God required under the old covenant is presented. The burnt offering (v.3) was an offering of atonement to cleanse and restore worshippers from the guilt of their sin. It’s interesting, however, that this required sacrifice actually reminded God’s people of their ongoing struggle with sin.


The people were required to sacrifice a male animal with no defects (vv.3,10). But these imperfect ‘perfect’ sacrifices needed to be done year after year. God would accept the death of the animals as a means of purifying His sinning people (v.4). But later, their sin would lead them back to the altar once again.


When Jesus died on the cross He was the only one who could provide atonement for our sins—for He was truly perfect. And “by that one offering He forever made perfect those who are being made holy” (Hebrews 10:14). 


If you’ve received Jesus as your Saviour, you’re no longer under the curse of sin and death. Because of Jesus’ perfect eternal sacrifice, your guilt has been replaced by God’s grace.—Tom Felten

MORE
Read Hebrews 9:11-14 for a greater understanding of why Jesus needed to go to the cross and what He accomplished there.
 
NEXT
If you’ve been saved by Jesus’ sacrifice, why is it important that you don’t continue to feel guilty for sins He’s forgiven? What does Jesus’ death on the cross mean to you?
 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: All That Is Precious

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May 1, 2013 

READ: 1 Peter 2:1-10 

Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious. —1 Peter 2:4 

Throughout my life, I’ve accumulated a lot of stuff. I have boxes of things that at one time were important but over time have lost their intrigue. And, as an unrepentant collector, I’ve realized that the thrill is in searching for and acquiring a new piece to add to the collection. Then my attention turns toward the hunt for the next item.

While we pile up many things that are important to us, very little of it is really precious. In fact, over time I have learned that the most precious things in life are not material items at all. Rather, it’s the people who have loved me and built into my life who are precious. When I find my heart saying, “I don’t know what I’d do without them,” I know that they are indeed precious to me.

So when Peter refers to Jesus as “a chief cornerstone, elect, precious” (1 Peter 2:6), it should resonate in our hearts that He is truly precious—our prized possession above everything and everyone else. Where would we be today without the constant unfailing companionship of His faithful presence, wise and perfect guidance, merciful patience, comfort, and transforming reproof? What would we do without Him? I can’t even imagine!

— Joe Stowell

Lord, help us not to focus on fleeting treasures but on
You, our most precious treasure. Teach us the joy
of reveling in You and Your loving presence
and provision in our lives.

Of all that is precious, Jesus tops the list. 

ODJ: daily bread


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May 1, 2013 

READ: Matthew 6:9-13
 

Give us today the food we need (v.11).


I work for a Christian ministry whose flagship publication is titled Our Daily Bread. Maybe you’ve heard of it. ODB is a popular daily devotional that has blessed millions of readers since its debut more than 50 years ago.


The title for this beloved devotional was borrowed from what is traditionally known as “The Lord’s Prayer” (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4). Lately I’ve been reading up on the meaning of the original phrase.


I learned that the Greek word rendered “daily” (Matthew 6:11 KJV) by most modern Bible translations is absolutely unique in Greek literature—it doesn’t appear anywhere else. Over the centuries some have thought that the word refers to ‘bread of today’ or the ‘bread of tomorrow.’ Others have taken it to mean ‘just enough bread to keep us alive’ or ‘the bread we need’.


In his book Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, Kenneth Bailey suggests that a second-century Syrian translation of The Lord’s Prayer gives us one of the best insights into the meaning of this rare word. The translation is rendered in English, “Give us today the bread that doesn’t run out.” Bailey believes that this was Jesus’ intended meaning, as it speaks to the universal human fear of not having enough to survive. 


If we run out of the basic necessities of life such as food and water, we’re finished. It’s the same fear that gripped the widow in Zarephath as she prepared to make one final loaf of bread for herself and her only son before they died (1 Kings 17:8-12). 


It’s clear that Jesus taught us to pray for deliverance from this basic human fear that can utterly demoralise the human spirit. Praying for “our daily bread” is asking the Giver of all life for the food we need (physical and spiritual) to sustain us today, tomorrow and forever.—Jeff Olson

MORE
Read John 6:32-35 and see what Jesus says about the “bread of life”. 
NEXT
How has Jesus’ daily bread been meeting your needs? Why is it vital that we continually seek the daily bread that only He can provide?
 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Fantastic Offers

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April 30, 2013 

READ: 1 Peter 1:3-9 

[God’s] abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus. —1 Peter 1:3 

I am amazed at the unbelievable offers that flood my e-mail box every day. Recently, I added up the offers of free money that came to me in a week, and my “take” totaled $26 million. But each of those offers was a fraud. Every one—from a $1 million prize to a $7 million offer—was nothing but a lie sent by unscrupulous people to squeeze money from me.

We’re all vulnerable to fantastic offers—to scams that in reality pay off with nothing but trouble. We are offered false hope that ends in dashed dreams.

There is one offer, however, that is genuine, though fantastic beyond belief. It’s the offer God makes to us—salvation through faith in Jesus’ finished work on the cross: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). It is an offer that cost Him greatly—and we get the benefits. The book of Romans tells us, “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (4:25 niv).

By saying yes to salvation, we can have hope (Titus 1:2), peace (Rom. 5:1), forgiveness (Eph. 1:7), incomparable riches (2:7), and redemption (4:30). This is the real deal. Jesus’ death and resurrection guarantees it.

— Dave Branon

Amazing love! How can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
—John Wesley. © 1951 Singspiration

Our salvation was infinitely costly to God,
but it is absolutely free to us.