ODB: indestructible!
August 22, 2009 READ: Hebrews 7:11-21 [Christ] has come . . . according to the power of an endless life. —Hebrews 7:16 The space shuttle reenters Earth’s atmosphere at more than 25 times the speed of sound! Friction from wind resistance raises the spacecraft’s outer temperature to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. To keep the shuttle from [...]
ODJ: hope at last
He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing (v.18).
READ: Deuteronomy 10:17-19
You won’t find it [Kibera] on your tourist map—or any other map. It’s a squatters’ camp, an illegal, forgotten city, and at least one third of Nairobi lives here,” explains BBC East Africa Correspondent Andrew Harding. Located in Kenya, Kibera is an enormous slum.
And it was there that a friend and I encountered an elderly man in a shabby suit who epitomized faith. “I’ve just come from church,” he proclaimed. Undaunted by the trash and wretched stench that permeated his 600-acre neighborhood, he thanked us for visiting and added with a smile, “The Lord loves us [slum dwellers] and will provide for us.”
That man profoundly grasped these truths:
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God “lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, placing them in seats of honor. For all the earth is the Lord’s, and He has set the world in order” (1 Samuel 2:8).
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God “rescues the poor from the cutting words of the strong, and rescues them from the clutches of the powerful” (Job 5:15).
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God “will listen to the prayers of the destitute. He will not reject their pleas” (Psalm 102:17).
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“What we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory [God] will reveal to us later” (Romans 8:18).
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God, who “did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all,” will “also give us everything
else” (Romans 8:32).
• Nothing can ever separate us from Christ’s love, not even severe financial poverty. “Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? . . . No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us” (Romans 8:35,37). Amen. —Roxanne Robbins
How has God met your deepest needs? What will you do today to help others see their circumstances through the eyes of faith?
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Loading ...ODB: real rewards
August 21, 2009
READ: Matthew 5:3-12
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. —Matthew 5:3
I once viewed the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12 as a kind of sop Jesus threw to the unfortunates: “Well, since you aren’t rich, and your health is bad, and your face is wet with tears, I’ll toss out a few nice phrases to make you feel better.”
Unlike medieval kings who threw coins to the masses, though, Jesus had the advantage of dangling real rewards before His audience. He who came down from heaven knew well that the glories of the kingdom of heaven would easily counterbalance whatever misery we might encounter here on earth.
Among many Christians, an emphasis on future rewards has gone out of fashion. My former pastor Bill Leslie used to observe, “As churches grow wealthier and more successful, they’re less likely to sing ‘This world is not my home, I’m just a passin’ through’ and more likely to intone, ‘This is my Father’s world.’ ”
We dare not discount the value of hope in future rewards. One need only listen to the songs composed by American slaves to realize this consolation of belief. “Swing low, sweet chariot, comin’ for to carry me home.” “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen, nobody knows but Jesus.”
Over time I have learned to respect, and even long for, the future rewards Jesus has promised. — Philip Yancey
Dark trials will be rewarded by bright crowns.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: who cares?
Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated Me! (3:8).
READ: Malachi 1:6-14
The book of Malachi was written around 420 BC as a warning to the nation of Israel. God accused the priests of offering “defiled” sacrifices (Malachi 1:7). Specifically, He was concerned with the nation’s direct disobedience in not giving Him their best (v.8), and for withholding the tithes He had commanded them to give for His work (3:8-14).
So what does this have to do with us? We don’t bring God animal sacrifices. The death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ was the one-time sacrifice for our sins (Hebrews 10:1-18). Malachi doesn’t apply to us, right? Surely we’re not guilty of giving God blemished sacrifices! Or are we?
Let’s look at just a couple of areas where I give God “blemished sacrifices”:
Time. I get up in the morning and have a hundred things to do. So I race into my day planning to take time to pray and read God’s Word in a minute. All throughout the day, I sense a nagging urge to spend time with God. Eight or nine hundred minutes later I’m tired and ready for bed. Not only did I not give God second-best—I didn’t give Him anything!
Money. There are so many things I need! I tell myself I’ll give money to the Lord’s work next month, when I can afford it. But the biblical principle is clear: God wants our best in every area. He doesn’t need my money; He wants me to invest it in His work so that He’ll have my heart. “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (Matthew 6:21).
Because of Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice, we don’t sacrifice bulls and goats anymore. But God should still come first in every aspect of our lives—time, money, talent, friends, choices. What sacrifices do you need to make today?
—Tim Gustafson
What kind of “sacrifices” do you give to God? Are you stealing from God by giving Him second-best?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: I know I can
August 20, 2009
READ: Ephesians 3:14-21
[God] is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. —Ephesians 3:20
Remember the story of The Little Engine That Could? That determined little train climbed the steep hill by chanting positively, “I think I can. I think I can.” And then, as it gained more resolve, it declared, “I know I can. I know I can.”
No one would disagree that followers of Christ should think and live in a positive way. But do you ever find yourself depending too much on your own abilities rather than on the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit?
In John 15, Jesus explained our need for complete dependence on Him when He said, “He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (v.5). Paul reminded us that we “can do all things through Christ who strengthens [us]” (Phil. 4:13), that “the excellence of the power [is] of God and not of us” (2 Cor. 4:7), and that we are “strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man” (Eph. 3:16).
Because of God’s power, we can do whatever He asks of us—through Him. We can base our confidence not in our own abilities, but in God’s absolute promises.
So, today, with exceedingly more power than the little engine could ever muster, we can say, “I know I can. I know I can—because of Jesus.” — Cindy Hess Kasper
God’s requirements are met by God’s enabling.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: all the folk
The Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?” “I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?” (v.9)
READ: Genesis 4:1-12
In the 1930s, Spain endured a civil war when General Francisco Franco joined a coup to unseat Spain’s leftist Popular Front. While 500,000 died in the conflict, another 114,000 simply “disappeared” in the first years of Franco’s rule. When Franco died in 1975, no one was initially willing to investigate this dark history. After years of the victims’ families pressing for answers, however, Judge Baltasar Garzon ordered a criminal investigation to begin in 2008—including opening 19 unmarked mass graves. The process, though gruesome and unsettling, will be necessary for Spain’s healing.
In the first of many gruesome accounts recorded in Scripture, Cain murdered his brother Abel because of his jealousy over God’s positive response to Abel’s sacrifice (Genesis 4). Cain lured his brother out of their house and into one of their family’s fields. Once he had his brother alone, his seething anger erupted and “Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him” (v.8).
He knew he was guilty, but when God confronted him about the whereabouts of Abel, Cain played dumb. “I don’t know . . . . Am I my brother’s guardian?” (v.9). God, however, would not leave him alone, pressing further: “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground!” (v.10).
In the end, Cain had no choice. God forced him to own up to his evil actions. And once Cain faced his sin, he lamented that he would be removed from God’s presence.
Though many of us expend a great deal of effort attempting to cover our sin and hide our guilty secrets, it only exacerbates our shame. Our hope depends on a deep healing—and healing can only happen if we open ourselves to this deep work. We must come clean—acknowledging our failures and desperation to God. For to be healed for our future, we must be honest about our past. —Winn Collier
What have you been trying to hide from God? How does your hiding work against your healing?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Book Review: Run To Glory—The Story of Eric Liddell
By Tracy Phua, Singapore Run to Glory, is a biography about Eric Liddell—evangelist, Olympic winner, speaker extraordinaire, man of faith and hope, and so much more. The book gave a rather concise overview about his life and showed how Eric stood firm in his beliefs. It also showed us how God led him through every [...]
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Featured Artist: Joeyee Watt
Our new featured wallpaper artist Joeyee Watt. Check out his designs! “Hi. My name is Joeyee Watt. I’m 21 and I’m studying Interactive Media Design. I love to sing and I love to dance. As a dancer, I can do jazz (modern, lyrical, street jazz) and ballroom dancing. I also enjoy jogging and playing badminton [...]
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: it’s all about the heart
August 19, 2009
READ: Matthew 15:7-20
Those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart. —Matthew 15:18
Every time Susan opens her mouth, it sounds like the blare of an ambulance siren. This TV commercial uses humor to indicate that a dental problem could reveal a more serious physical ailment. So she’d better see her dentist soon!
The commercial made me think about what comes out of my mouth when I open it. Jesus said that our words come from our heart (Matt. 15:18). He offended the Pharisees when He said, “Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man” (vv.11-12). They thought they were right with God because they followed strict rules, including ritual cleansing of their hands before eating and eating only “clean” foods. Jesus upset their pride.
Jesus upsets our pride too. We may think we’re godly people because we go to church regularly or pray, but then we gossip or talk about people behind their backs. James 3:9-10 says, “With [our tongue] we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men . . . . Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. . . . These things ought not to be so.”
If a siren blares from our mouth when we open it, we need to examine our heart and ask the Lord to forgive us and to help us be a blessing to others. — Anne Cetas
Every time you speak, your mind is on parade.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: freak folk
Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason? (v.13).
READ: Psalm 73
Freak folk, psych folk, and folk-pop are terms used to describe genres within folk music. Musically, freak folk features acoustic instruments, mostly guitar and occasionally violin or flute, accompanied by percussion instruments such as bongos. Psych folk is a blending of folk music and psychedelic rock or pop. The varieties of folk music just keep unfolding.
The Bible has its own kind of folk music. It’s found in the Psalms. These marvelous ancient “folk” songs recount the experiences of various men and women. They tell the tale of the emotional upsets, problems, and disturbances that believers in God endured.
Take Psalm 73, for example. It starts like some of the folk songs of our day, with the author (singer?) grousing about injustices in the world. The lyrics are striking in their brutal honesty. Asaph, David’s chief musician, was wondering if his pursuit of living for God had been worthless (vv.13-14). Self-centered, irreverent people were “enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply” (v.12). They mocked God and seemed to be getting away with it. Asaph wondered if he was a freak for keeping his heart pure. Was it worthwhile?
But as he went into the sanctuary of God, he found new perspective and understanding (v.16). Asaph was reminded that the wicked and their ways would come to an end. He sensed anew his need for a change of heart before God (v.21). And he understood that nothing in heaven or on earth was better than being near the Sovereign Lord (vv.23,28).
We learn from this timeless tune that when we turn our eyes to God, we gain His perspective. We see that life is not all bleak and dreary. And we see clearly that God is in control and that He does care for us—His Jesus freaks.
—Poh Fang Chia
What situations today might make you feel like a freak for following God’s instruction? How can you keep Him at the center of your vision?
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