Entries by YMI

ODB: Jesus Loves Me

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July 8, 2013 

READ: Romans 8:31-39 

Keep yourselves in the love of God. —Jude 1:21 

On cold days, our old dog moves around the yard, finding a sunny spot to stretch out on the grass to keep herself in the warmth of the sun.

This reminds me that we must “keep” ourselves in the love of God (Jude 1:21). That doesn’t mean we have to act in some special way to make God love us (although our desire is to please Him). Because we are His children we’re loved no matter what we do or fail to do. It means instead that we should think about His love and bask in its radiance and warmth all day long.

“[Nothing] shall be able to separate us from the love of God” (Rom. 8:39). He loved us before we were born, and He loves us now. This is our identity in Christ; it is who we are—God’s beloved children. That’s something to think about throughout the day.

Five times in John’s gospel he described himself as the disciple Jesus loved (13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7,20). Jesus loved His other disciples too, but John reveled in the fact that Jesus loved him! We can adopt John’s theme—“I am the disciple Jesus loves!”—and repeat it to ourselves all day long. Or we can sing that familiar children’s song in our hearts, “Jesus loves me, this I know.” As we carry that truth with us throughout the day, we’ll bask in the warmth of His love!

— David H. Roper

I am so glad that our Father in heaven
Tells of His love in the Book He has given;
Wonderful things in the Bible I see—
This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me. —Bliss

God loves us not because of who we are,
but because of who He is. 

ODJ: bring it on

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July 8, 2013 

READ: 2 Corinthians 12:5-10 

Three different timesI begged the Lordto take it away (v.8).

Australian-born evangelist Nick Vujicic entered theworld without arms or legs. Throughout his life he’s had a deep desire for God to make him whole. Nick has even prayed that he would grow appendages. Once, he and some Christian friends fashioned arms and legs out of clay and prayed for the limbs to become flesh. Although it didn’t happen, Nick still prays, “Please give me arms and legs. But if You don’t . . . I trust You.” He says his commitment to Jesus is simply to “want His plan”.

Like Nick, Paul suffered with an affliction that God didn’t take way. He described it as a thorn in the flesh—a messenger of Satan (2 Corinthians 12:7). Some think Paul endured epilepsy, migraines or even eye problems. The apostle said, “Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away” (v.8). He pleaded, and it wasn’t a one-off request.

Although God didn’t give Paul what he wanted, He did give him something else—grace. In response to Paul’s prayers, He said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (v.9). God wasn’t simply refusing to help. He was saying “no” to Paul’s request so that He could use the apostle’s limitations to reveal His limitlessness. Paul’s frailty would showcase God’s might.

When God says “no” to our requests, we might assume He doesn’t care about us. The truth is the opposite. Even if we keep asking Him to fix the problem, we can also pray beyond that request.

Getting started might sound something like this: God, help me to rely on Your grace in this situation. I know Your strength can shine through my weakness—so Lord, bring it on. Unleash Your power in my life. Please use my pain for Your glory.

—Jennifer Benson Schuldt
› Matthew 12:22-50

MORE
Read Matthew 26:42-45 to see how Jesus responded to God the Father’s answer of “no.” See Acts 28:7-9 for abit of irony regarding Paul’s situation.  
NEXT
Why is it difficult to accept a “no” from God? How might you encourage someone who is prayerfully struggling with a persistent problem?  

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Welcome To All!

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July 7, 2013 

READ: Isaiah 55:1-9 

Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. —1 Samuel 16:7 

A beautifying project on the main road of my town prompted the demolition of a church built in the 1930s. Although the windows of the empty church had been removed, the doors remained in place for several days, even as bulldozers began knocking down walls. Each set of doors around the church building held a message written in giant, fluorescent-orange block letters: KEEP OUT!

Unfortunately, some churches whose doors are open convey that same message to visitors whose appearance doesn’t measure up to their standards. No fluorescent, giant-size letters needed. With a single disapproving glance, some people communicate: “You’re Not Welcome Here!”

How people look on the outside, of course, is not an indicator of what is in their hearts. God’s focus is on the inner life of people. He looks far below the surface of someone’s appearance (1 Sam. 16:7) and that’s what He desires for us to do as well. He also knows the hearts of those who appear to be “righteous” but are “full of hypocrisy” on the inside (Matt. 23:28).

God’s message of welcome, which we are to show to others, is clear. He says to all who seek Him: “Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters” (Isa. 55:1).

— Cindy Hess Kasper

Thank You, Lord, that You welcome all into
Your family, and You have welcomed me. Show me
how to be as accepting of others as You are.
May I reveal Your heart of love.

No one will know what you mean when you say,
“God is love”—unless you show it. 

ODJ: holy living

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July 7, 2013 

READ: Matthew 6:7-13 

Our Father in heaven, may Your name be kept holy (v.9).

Our Father in heaven,” Jesus taught us to pray,“may Your name be kept holy” (Matthew 6:9). We affirm today that Your name, Yahweh, already is holy because it describes You—pure, perfect, far removed from evil, error and corruption.

And yet in praying, “May Your name be kept holy”, we acknowledge our part, as Your people, in revealing Your holiness to others. By our words and deeds we can either represent You well, or we can cause Your name to be blasphemed by the world (Romans 2:24).

God, we confess today that we have in many ways tainted Your holy name. We ask humbly, and urgently, that You right what we’ve wronged, and make Your name holy once more. We beg your forgiveness . . .

•

For church ministers who have betrayed the trust of

children. They have violated their innocence in Your name.

•

For televangelists whose ministries have collapsed in

scandal. They have ruined lives in Your name.

•

For crusades and wars fought for the “Prince of Peace”—for acts of brutality done in Your name.

•

For the coldness of some of our churches and the superficiality of others; for the ways we’ve clung to archaic tradition or run with the latest fad.

•

For clothing ourselves in riches while the poor starve; for cheapening the bonds of marriage by relaxing sexual ethics; for pursuing success at the expense of principle; for the self-centredness of our dreams; for the myriad ways we have refashioned You into a god who endorses whatever we want endorsed.

Holy God, we’re so sorry. We repent. Empower us to live lives like Yours. For You are pure, loving and good—and You call us to be like You. May your name be kept holy. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.—Sheridan Voysey

MORE
Read 1 Peter 1:15 to hear the call to holiness, Romans 2:17-24 to see what happens when we neglect it, and Nehemiah 9:5-37 for another prayer of repentance.  
NEXT
Is there a specific sin God is calling you to repent of today? Is there anyone to whom you need to show God’s work in your life by apologising? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Avoid Dehydration

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July 6, 2013 

READ: John 7:37-39 

If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. —John 7:37 

A couple of times in the past few years I’ve experienced dehydration and, believe me, it is not something I want to repeat. It happened once after I suffered a torn hamstring while cross-country skiing, and another time in the 115-degree heat of an Israeli desert. Both times I experienced dizziness, disorientation, loss of clear vision, and a host of other symptoms. I learned the hard way that water is vital to maintaining my well-being.

My experience with dehydration gives me a new appreciation for Jesus’ invitation: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37). His announcement was dramatic, particularly in terms of the timing. John notes that it was the last day of the “great feast”—the annual festival commemorating the wandering of the Jews in the wilderness—which climaxed with a ceremonial pouring of water down the temple steps to recall God’s provision of water for the thirsty wanderers. At that point, Jesus rose and proclaimed that He is the water we all desperately need.

Living like we really need Jesus—talking to Him and depending on His wisdom—is vital to our spiritual well-being. So, stay connected to Jesus, for He alone can satisfy your thirsty soul!

— Joe Stowell

Dear Lord, forgive me for thinking that I can do life
without the water of Your presence, advice, counsel,
comfort, and conviction. Thank You that You are
indeed the living water that I so desperately need.

Come to Jesus for the refreshing power of His living water. 

ODJ: the real boss

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July 6, 2013 

READ: 2 Timothy 2:23-26 

The Lord Himself will fight for you. Just stay calm (Exodus 14:14).

Seven months later, American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke some words in response to attacks on American diplomatic missions in the Middle East that echoed my son’s convictions.

“When Christians are subject to insults to their faith, and that certainly happens, we expect them not to resort to violence,” Clinton said. “The same goes for all faiths. . . . Refraining from violence, then, is not a sign of weakness in one’s faith; it is . . . a sign that one’s faith is unshakable.”

Whether from the mouths of babes or seasoned leaders, there’s wisdom in the exhortation to refrain from fighting.

As Scripture strongly states: “Avoiding a fight is a mark of honour; only fools insist on quarrelling” (Proverbs 20:3); “An angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin. Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honour” (29:22-23); “A hot-tempered person starts fights; a cool-tempered person stops them” (15:18); “Greed causes fighting; trusting the Lord leads to prosperity. Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe” (28:25-26).

As followers of Jesus, let’s adhere to the apostle Paul’s advice, “Don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone . . . and be patient with difficult people” (2 Timothy 2:23-24).

—Roxanne Robbins
› Matthew 11:1-30

MORE
In 2 Timothy 4:7, what does Paul mean whenhe says he has “fought the good fight”? How does this type offighting differ from violence and retaliation? 
NEXT
What has caused quarrels or fights in your life recently? How can you apply Scripture to help heal your relationship(s)? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Battling Ego

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July 5, 2013 

READ: James 4:6-17 

God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. —James 4:6 

When a general returned from a victorious battle, ancient Rome would stage a parade to welcome the conqueror home. The parade would include the general’s troops, as well as trophy captives who had been brought along as evidence of the victory. As the parade made its way through the city, the crowds would cheer their hero’s success.

To prevent the general’s ego from becoming unduly swollen, a slave rode along with him in his chariot. Why? So that as the Roman throngs heaped praise on the general, the slave could continually whisper in his ear, “You too are mortal.”

When successful, we too may lose sight of our own frailty and allow our hearts to fill with destructive pride. James pointed us away from the danger of pride by pointing us to humility and to God. He wrote, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). The key to that statement is grace. Nothing is more wonderful! The Lord alone deserves thanks and praise—especially for the grace He has lavished on us.

Our achievements, success, or greatness are not rooted in ourselves. They are the product of God’s matchless grace, upon which we are eternally dependent.

— Bill Crowder

New mercies every morning,
Grace for every day,
New hope for every trial,
And courage all the way. —Mc Veigh

God’s grace is infinite love
expressing itself through infinite goodness. 

ODJ: learning humility

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July 5, 2013 

READ: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 

If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall (v.12).

Last month, as my wife was using our riding lawn mower, she accidentally hooked the bottom of the mower on one of the swings of our swing set. It dangerously lifted the front tyres off the ground! So as I was recently cutting the grass, her scare reminded me to slow down to first gear. I confidently manoeuvred around the swing on my left—but I failed to see the one on the right. Suddenly the mower reared up on its rear wheels and then tipped backwards. After hitting the ground and rolling clear of the blades, I realised that my mower now lay upside down on its crushed steering wheel.

My wife couldn’t believe what I’d done. After what had happened to her, she wondered how I could have been so careless. But that was the problem. It had happened to her, a rookie driver. I had mowed our lawn for 8 years without incident. In fact, I didn’t even know it was possible to flip a riding mower on level ground—and I didn’t think it could happen to me.

I had failed to fully learn from my wife’s example. In1 Corinthians 6 Paul tells us that we should learn from the Israelites. Their stories of disobedience “were written down to warn us” not to “crave evil things as they did, or worship idols” or “engage in sexual immorality” or “put Christ to the test” or “grumble as some of them did” (1 Corinthians 10:6-11). We are worse the moment we suppose we’re better, for we become sloppy when we think we’ll never fall.

If “pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18), then we must live humbly and alertly before God. What sin are you sure you would never commit? Look out! You’ve just let down your guard.

—Mike Wittmer
Luke 7:1-17 ‹

MORE
Read Mark 14:27-31, 66-72 to learn the danger of overconfidence. 
NEXT
What sin are you inching towards because you’re sure you’d never actually do it? What do you think God wants you to do about it? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Eternal Eyesight

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July 4, 2013 

READ: 2 Corinthians 4:16–5:8 

We do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. —2 Corinthians 4:18 

I received good news at my eye checkup last month—my faraway vision has improved. Well, I thought it was good news until a friend informed me: “Faraway vision can improve as we age; close-up vision may diminish.”

The report made me think of another kind of improved faraway vision that I have observed in some Christians. Those who have known the Lord for a long time or who have gone through great trials seem to have a better heavenly vision than the rest of us. Their eternal eyesight has gotten better and their close-up “earthly” vision is diminishing.

Because the apostle Paul had that type of eternal vision, he encouraged the church in Corinth: “Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory . . . . The things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:17-18).

For now we struggle with our “eyesight.” There’s a tension between enjoying all that God has given us in this life, yet still believing what theologian Jonathan Edwards said about our future: “To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here.” Seeing Him will bring perfect vision.

— Anne Cetas

Lord, we know that our life on this earth is but
a moment compared to eternity. Help us to enjoy
the time we’ve been given, and use us to tell of Your
love and goodness until that day when we see You.

Keep your eyes fixed on the prize.