Entries by YMI

ODJ: keep all


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January 20, 2013 

READ: Leviticus 19 

You must be careful to keep all of My decrees and regulations by putting them into practice. I am the Lord (v.37). 


I love knowledge. As a child, after stumbling across a picture Bible in the library, I wanted to read the real Bible. I had the impression that it was simply a thick book with tiny words, full of information like an encyclopedia. But as I read the real Bible I realised that knowledge is good but wisdom is much, much better. 
Today I recognise that I need to view life in the light of God’s Word. It’s not simply about knowing His Word, I need to have a comprehensive working knowledge of it. As finite beings, however, we have a natural tendency to emphasise certain passages in the Bible and to neglect others. 


For example we might frown if someone considers getting a tattoo: “Do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:28). Yet, we might politely excuse that same person for missing church, or turn a blind eye to her disrespect toward the elderly. In the same passage, God said, “Keep my Sabbath days of rest, and show reverence toward my sanctuary. I am the Lord” (v.30) and “Stand up in the presence of the elderly, and show respect for the aged. Fear your God. I am the Lord” (v.32). 


So, how can we “be careful to keep all of [God’s] decrees”? (v.37). 


John MacArthur’s prayer gives us a clue, “God, we know [that knowing You and Your Word] is more than academic. We know it’s more than just reading and mentally comprehending. It’s to be filled with that knowledge, to love it, to cherish it, to find ourselves saturated by it and in our minds to be able to draw principles that can be applied in acts of spiritual understanding and issue in a worthy walk.” 


May this be our prayer too. —Poh Fang Chia





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Note how John MacArthur’s prayer echoes the words of the apostle Paul in Colossians 1:9-10. 
 
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How can you ensure that your study of God’s Word isn’t merely academic? What would it take for you to acquire a comprehensive working knowledge of the Bible?
 

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ODB: Ready For Glory

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January 19, 2013 

READ: Philippians 1:12-23 

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. —Psalm 116:15 

On March 1, 1981, preacher and Bible commentator D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones lay on his deathbed. From 1939 to 1968, he had served as the pastor of London’s Westminster Chapel. Now at the end of his life, Lloyd-Jones had lost the ability to speak. Indicating that he did not want any more prayers for his recovery, he wrote on a piece of paper: “Do not hold me back from glory.”

Because life is precious, it can be hard to let our loved ones go when the time comes for them to depart this earth and go to heaven. And yet God has set a time when He plans to call us home. Psalm 116:15 tells us, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.”

When Paul saw that death was near, he was encouraged by what awaited him in heaven: “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8).

No matter where Christians are in life’s journey, their ultimate destination is to “be with Christ, which is far better” (Phil. 1:23). This should give us confidence in facing life’s challenges and comfort when other believers leave us for that glorious home Christ has prepared.

— Dennis Fisher

The glories of heaven await
All those who believe in God’s Son;
The trials of this life will fade
When we see the Heavenly One. —Sper

Life’s greatest joy is the sure hope of heaven. 

ODJ: He broke our fall


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January 19, 2013 

READ: John 10:1-20 

I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd sacrifices His life for the sheep (v.11). 


Have you, like me, ever had a person in your life who in many ways is a friend, but is also your toughest critic? If so, do you wonder how to respond properly to this person? 
Last year Brad Pitt was hobbling around with a cane after having torn his ACL—a ligament in his knee. He told reporters, “I was carrying my daughter down the hill and I slipped. It was either her or me” who would get hurt. Brad Pitt loved his daughter so much that took the brunt of the fall for her. Obviously, Pitt is not Jesus and tearing an ACL wasn’t death, but his sacrifice for his daughter is an illustration of the way Jesus sacrificed His life and carried wounds and death in His body for us. Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11). 


One of the responsibilities of a good shepherd was to protect the sheep from danger. He would lie across the opening of the gate at night to ward off dangerous predators. He would not just lie there to frighten away wild animals, but if necessary the good shepherd would give his life for his sheep. 


When Jesus said He was the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep, He knew that humanity was in mortal danger from sin and the only way people could be saved was through His supreme sacrifice. He knew He would die (v.11). 


Jesus is our Good Shepherd, and He proved it by giving His life for our benefit (vv.14,17-18). He was falsely accused, condemned to die, mocked, beaten beyond recognition, spat upon and nailed to the cross. He took the pain and punishment that should have been ours. He absorbed the impact of sin and death in His own body so that He could overcome our fall and save our lives. 


Just as He has sacrificed His life to save ours, we’re obligated to thank Him and make sacrifices to break the fall of others. —Marvin Williams 








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Based on 1 John 3:16, what should be your response to Jesus’ sacrifice for us? How will you live this out? 
 
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How can you show your gratitude to Jesus today for His sacrifice for you? What sacrifice can you make for someone else this week?
 

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ODB: You’re Necessary

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January 18, 2013 

READ: 1 Corinthians 12:14-26 

But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it. —1 Corinthians 12:24 

The story has been told about a conductor who was rehearsing his orchestra. The organ was giving a beautiful melody, the drums were thundering, the trumpets were blaring, and the violins were singing beautifully. But the conductor noticed something missing—the piccolo. The piccolo player had gotten distracted and hoped his instrument wouldn’t be missed. The conductor reminded him: “Each one of us is necessary.”

This was essentially the same message Paul communicated to the Corinthian believers in his first letter to them (12:4-7). Every Christian plays an important role in the body of Christ. Paul gave a list of gifts of the Spirit and compared their use to the functioning of the various parts of the human body for the good of the whole (vv.8-10). The Corinthian believers may have had different cultural backgrounds, gifts, and personalities, but they were filled with the same Spirit and belonged to the same body of Christ. Paul made special mention of the parts of the body that were weak and obscure, and taught that all believers play a necessary and significant role. No one part was more necessary than any other.

Remember, Jesus has given you a significant part to play and will use you to build up His people.

— Marvin Williams

The church, a living body, containing all the parts—
It lives, it moves, it functions, and touches many hearts;
When each part is committed to do the Savior’s will,
His members are united, His purpose they fulfill. —Fitzhugh

As a member of the body of Christ,
you are a necessary part of the whole. 

ODJ: toughest critic


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January 18, 2013 

READ: Proverbs 25:11-13 

Honest words can be painful, but what do your criticisms amount to? (Job 6:25).


Have you, like me, ever had a person in your life who in many ways is a friend, but is also your toughest critic? If so, do you wonder how to respond properly to this person? 
In my case I know my friend means well, but she often forcefully sends critical comments without seeking my consent to receive her insights. With that in mind I so appreciate how Paul pursued the consent of his friend Philemon (Philemon 1:14). 


When my ‘frenemy’ sent me an unsought email a few weeks ago, listing my faults and suggesting that I have only two areas of giftedness, naturally I was upset. Yet, rather than praying and asking God how to handle the insults, I did a Google search. I looked up “bully” and other synonyms that I felt described my overbearing, highly opinionated friend.


It was easy to find words and articles to confirm that my friend was speaking inappropriately to me, but I was still left without a solution. So I called a wise friend. She suggested that instead of turning to the Internet, I turn to God. “Ask the Lord to help you filter the letter,” she said. “Ask Him to help you cling to what is true and expose the lies. Ask God if the enemy is trying to tap into lies you believe about yourself through your friend’s letter.”


Her advice reiterated the proverb that states, “Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket” (Proverbs 25:11). It’s good for us to listen to advice (v.12), but we should ask God to help us discern whether or not the criticism is valid. If our messenger is trustworthy, even if the message brings conviction and points out areas where we need change, it will yield refreshment (v.13). Make sure you gain permission before bringing criticism to a friend. —Roxanne Robbins 


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What do you think is the difference between constructive criticism and destructive criticism? (See Proverbs 15:31.)
 
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When insulted by a friend, consider this passage by Andrew Peterson, “What defence have I but to flee? Not to flee from the enemy, but to the protection of the King” (Behold the Lamb, 2011). How can you be more Christlike in your criticism?
 

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ODB: Trouble

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January 17, 2013 

READ: John 16:25-33 

In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. —John 16:33 

I was glad to see the final days of the year draw to a close. It had held so much sorrow, sickness, and sadness. I was ready to welcome January with its very own brass band!

But as the first month of the new year arrived, so did one bit of sad news after another. Several friends lost their parents. My dad’s brother slipped away in his sleep. Friends discovered they had cancer. A colleague’s brother and a friend’s son both died tragically and abruptly. Rather than the sad times ceasing, the new year seemed to bring a whole new tsunami of sorrow.

John 16:33 tells us, “In the world you will have tribulation.” Even God’s children are not promised a life of ease, of prosperity, nor of good health. Yet we are never alone in our trouble. Isaiah 43:2 reminds us that when we pass through deep waters, God is with us. Although we don’t always understand God’s purposes in the trials we experience, we can trust His heart because we know Him.

Our God is a God of abundant love and “neither death nor life. . . nor things present nor things to come [will ever] separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39). When trouble comes, His presence is His promise.

— Cindy Hess Kasper

Swift cometh His answer, so clear and so sweet;
“Yea, I will be with thee, thy troubles to meet;
I will not forget thee, nor fail thee, nor grieve;
I will not forsake thee, I never will leave.” —Flint

Faith is believing that God is present
when all we hear is silence. 

ODJ: what God looks like


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January 17, 2013 

READ: Colossians 1:15-23 

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God (v.15).


In March of 2012 Americans listened with regret and repulsion as we heard reports of an American soldier in Afghanistan who went on a killing spree in a rural Afghan village. This rogue soldier massacred 16 civilian Afghanis. This is an absolute horror. The aftermath compounds our grief because these evil actions (and several other travesties) will, for some, define American ideals to their Afghani neighbours. Because of the actions of one violent man, many will believe that Americans are filled with hatred and are to be feared. Who can blame them? When someone acts in our name or on our behalf, we’re represented by their actions.
In a way, we could say that God represented Himself (and His reputation) in Jesus—the Son of God who has been part of God’s work in the world from the beginning. Through Jesus, God “created everything” (Colossians 1:16). Through Jesus, God rules over “thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities” (v.16). In Jesus, we see God in action. 


Jesus, however, does more than represent God. Rather, Jesus actually embodies Him. Jesus Christ shows us what God looks like. Jesus is the visibility of Him—God with skin on. As Paul says, “God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ” (v.19). 


If we want to know what God is like, we look first at Jesus Christ. We can’t know all there is to know of God, not by a long shot. But we can know a lot. We know that He is full of love. We know that He cares for justice and rebukes hypocrisy. We know that He loves the outcasts and misfits. We know that He heals the sick and forgives the sinner and longs for us to experience life to the full.


We know that God does all these things because Jesus does all these things.


—Winn Collier





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Pick any story in one of the four gospels. Read the story slowly with this question in mind: What does Jesus’ action and heart reveal to me about God? 
 
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What is your biggest question about God’s will or God’s love for you? What does Jesus’ life and teaching say to your question?
 

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ODB: Upside Down

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January 16, 2013 

READ: Isaiah 55:6-13 

My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways. —Isaiah 55:8 

There are a lot of things that intrigue me about Jesus. One of the aspects of His ministry that has always produced jaw-dropping, head-scratching responses is His upside-down teaching about life.

As we journey through life, we may get to the point where we think we’ve got it figured out and our thought patterns and responses for navigating through life are deeply engrained. Yet Jesus interrupts us in the midst of our routines and calls us to a new and better way. But beware! This encounter with the ways of Jesus will be challenging.

Consider these paradoxical propositions: to live you must die (Mark 8:35); to gain you must give (Matt. 19:21); “blessed are those who mourn” (5:4); to rule you must serve (Luke 22:26); and suffering has purpose (5:10-11).

It is pronouncements like these that make people think Christ is strangely out of touch. But we are the ones out of touch. He is not upside down, we are! We’re like children who think they know better than their parents what is best.

No wonder God has told us, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways” (Isa. 55:8). So, rather than relying on our mixed-up instincts, let’s ask Him to help us reflect His ways.

— Joe Stowell

Lord, You know what is best, and You desire to lead
us in paths that are right and good. Give us the
courage to trust and to follow You in the ways
of righteousness for Your name’s sake. Amen.

What may seem upside down to us is right side up to God. 

ODJ: in a word


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January 16, 2013 

READ: Numbers 12:1-8 

Moses was very humble—more humble than any other person on earth (v.3, emphasis added).


This past week I’ve been working on a labour of love. My wife, Lynn, is reaching a significant birthday milestone, so I’ve decided to throw her a party. One game I came up with is “Lynn in a word.” The idea is for party attendees to think of a word that describes Lynn best and write it down on a note card. On the other side of the card, they’ll write their name. At the party Lynn will draw the cards from a basket and then the individuals whose cards are selected will take a few moments to tell a Lynn anecdote and why they selected the word they did.
From Numbers 12 we see a word used to describe Moses: humble (v.3). His brother and sister, Aaron and Miriam, had felt that Moses was wrong in marrying “a Cushite woman” (v.1). (You’ve gotta love siblings—always picking on their brothers or sisters.) But God rejected their criticism (v.8) as He affirmed that Moses was humble (by allowing v.3 to be written down), and by also saying, “He is the one I trust” (v.7). Wow. Imagine if God used the word trust as the best label for you!


Think of other people in the Bible. What word would you use to define Abraham? Jacob? Deborah? Ruth? David? Jeremiah? Mary? Peter? 


What word would God use to describe you?


Our character is revealed throughout our lives—good times, bad times, and everything in between. During Jesus’ final hours before His death, He said to His disciples, “I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you” (John 13:15). He said this after living out humility and washing their feet.


What could be the best word God might use to describe you? Humble would be nice. But Christlike would be best! —Tom Felten


MORE
Read John 13:34-35 and note a key character quality that Jesus lifted up for us.
 
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How has your character been revealed this week? What will it take for you to become more Christlike? 
 

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