ODB: conflict resolution
October 15, 2009 READ: Philippians 4:1-9 I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. —Philippians 4:2 Today is observed in many countries as International Conflict Resolution Day. Its purpose is to encourage people to use mediation and arbitration rather than the legal system to settle their differences. [...]
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From OneTimeBlind When our desires conform to God’s will, we’re not likely to waste time wishing for things that can’t satisfy. Real joy comes not in getting what we want, but in wanting to be close to God. — David C. Egner
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Loading ...ODB: be still
October 14, 2009
READ: Psalm 46
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! —Psalm 46:10
As I sat in the dentist’s chair, I braced myself for the drilling that would begin my root canal. I was ready for the worst, and my body language and facial expression exposed my sense of dread. The dentist looked at me and smiled, saying, “It’s okay, Bill. Try to relax.”
That isn’t easy to do. It is actually very difficult to try (requiring effort and exertion) to relax (requiring an absence of effort and exertion). Try and relax just don’t seem to fit together—not only in the dentist’s chair, but in the spiritual realm as well.
Far too often I don’t limit my efforts of resistance to visits at the dentist’s office. In my relationship with Christ, I find myself not pressing for God’s purposes but for my own interests. In those moments, the hardest thing for me to do is “try to relax” and genuinely trust God for the outcome of life’s trials.
In Psalm 46:10, we read, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” In the moments when my heart is anxious, this verse reminds me to “be still, and know.” Now, if I can only put that into practice and rest confidently in His care, I’ll be at peace. — Bill Crowder
God knows the future, so we are safe in His hands.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: the hardest thing
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (v.34).
READ: Luke 23:23-34
In the US presidential election of 2000, Senator John McCain lost his momentum and ultimately his party’s nomination when someone spread rumors that he had fathered a bi-racial child out of wedlock. Besides its overt racism, the slander was particularly despicable because the child in question was a handicapped orphan that John and his wife Cindy had adopted from Bangladesh.
Seven years later, as her husband was running for president again, a friend asked Cindy what she would do if she encountered the person who had spread the vicious rumor. Would she want to stab him in the back? “No,” she answered, “I’d stab him in the front.”
Who can blame Cindy McCain for nursing a grudge all those years? She had sacrificially given of herself for her child, only to have that loving act twisted and thrown back in her face.
But here’s the thing. We who have received the forgiveness of Christ are obligated to pass that same forgiveness on to others. If we don’t, Jesus said we are like a debtor forgiven of “millions of dollars” who demands payment from someone who owes him “a few thousand dollars” (Matthew 18:23-35). A few thousand dollars is a lot of money, but it is much less than what God has forgiven us.
But forgiving others is hard! Actually, it’s impossible. On our own, we will continue to do what comes naturally and dream of paying back those who have hurt us. But with the empowering Spirit of Jesus, we can follow the example of Jesus, who in the act of providing forgiveness for the whole world also asked forgiveness for the people who were killing Him (Luke 23:34). Forgiveness is an act of God. If He lives in you, you can and must do it. —Mike Wittmer
What does it mean to forgive? How can you tell that you’ve forgiven someone?
(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: olympic extravaganza
October 13, 2009
READ: 1 Kings 10:4-10
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. —Matthew 5:16
The opening ceremony of the Beijing Summer Olympics on August 8, 2008, impressed the world. I saw it on TV as more than 90,000 people watched it live in the Bird’s Nest Stadium in Beijing. It was inspiring to hear about China’s 5,000 years of history and the inventions she had contributed to the world: paper-making, movable-type printing, the compass, and fireworks.
The Queen of Sheba was greatly impressed by what she saw during her visit with Solomon (1 Kings 10:4-5). The sights of Jerusalem so overwhelmed her that she exclaimed, “The half was not told me” (v.7). Above all, she was impressed with Solomon’s wisdom (vv.6-7). She was convinced that the subjects of Solomon were happy because they continually stood before him and heard his wisdom (v.8). She concluded by praising Solomon’s Lord for making him king so he would “do justice and righteousness” (v.9).
Solomon’s impact on his people made me wonder about our contribution to the world. We’re not concerned about impressing others with our possessions or abilities, but we all should want to make a difference in the lives of people. What if there was one thing each of us did today that caused people to praise the Lord? — C. P. Hia
Christians are windows through which Jesus can shine.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: deep waters, dark nights
“Don’t be afraid,” He said. “Take courage! I am here!” (v.50).
READ: Mark 6:45-51
In the film The Perfect Storm, a captain and crew head out for what they hope will be an uneventful fishing expedition. In their quest for a bountiful catch, they motor far past their normal fishing location. There they find great success, but as they turn for home they encounter the horrifying combination of two powerful weather fronts and a hurricane. The crew struggles as they attempt to cut through deep waters, a dark night, pounding waves, and shrieking winds. Ultimately, the fierce weather overwhelms them.
As the disciples made their way across the Sea of Galilee to Bethsaida, they too found themselves in a ferocious storm—experiencing turbulent, deep waters and a dark night. They struggled to sail through pounding waves and shrieking winds. Though they could not see Jesus, Jesus could see them (Mark 6:48). He saw their exhaustion, desperation, and even their lack of progress. Not only did He see them, He came to them in an unexpected and powerful way, walking on the water (vv.48-49). When Jesus walked on the water, He gave them a glimpse of the unlimited power of God. Though they couldn’t speak, Jesus spoke to them: “Don’t be afraid. . . . Take courage! I am here!” (v.50). His words and presence gave them courage.
If you’re experiencing deep waters and dark nights, remember three things: (1) When you can’t see Jesus, Jesus sees you. He sees your hard work, exhaustion, sorrow, fear, and your lack of progress, and He cares deeply for you. (2) When you can’t come to Jesus, Jesus comes to you—in unexpected and powerful ways. His coming is not always to deliver us, but to remind us that He’s still in control and will not let us be overwhelmed. (3) When we can’t speak to Jesus, Jesus speaks to us. He speaks powerful words of assurance: “I am here!” —Marvin Williams
What price did Jesus pay to bring you under His wings? How will you live out the compassionate, redeeming nature of Jesus today?
(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: details, details
October 12, 2009
READ: Philemon 1:4-16
In everything give thanks. —1 Thessalonians 5:18
Details make a difference. Ask the man from Germany who planned to visit his fiancée for Christmas but ended up in snowy Sidney, Montana, instead of sunny Sydney, Australia.
Prepositions in our language seem like insignificant details, but they can make a big difference. The words “in” and “for” are an example.
The apostle Paul wrote, “In everything give thanks” (1 Thess. 5:18). That doesn’t mean we have to be thankful for everything. We need not be thankful for the bad choices someone makes, but we can be thankful in the circumstances because the Lord can use the resulting difficulties for good.
The letter to Philemon illustrates this idea. Paul was imprisoned with Onesimus, a runaway slave. He certainly didn’t have to give thanks for his bad situation. Yet his letter is full of gratitude because he knew that God was using it for good. Onesimus had become something more than a slave; he was now a beloved brother in the Lord (v.16).
Knowing that God can use all things for good is more than enough reason to give thanks in everything. Giving thanks in difficult circumstances is a small detail that makes a big difference. — Julie Ackerman Link
God has not promised to keep us from life’s storms, but He will keep us through them.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: gentle answers
A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare (v.1).
READ: Proverbs 15:1-5
Feeling anger emanating from every place inside me, I reached in the drawer for a folder and slammed it on the desk. The loud noise satisfied my irritation, but only for a moment. My frustration only deepened as I realized how emotionally intense I had become. All because of my daughter’s grade school party. Disappointed that she was going to miss the party because of another school event, my 9-year-old had disrespectfully expressed her frustration to me. She was angry that I was requiring her to keep her initial commitment. All my efforts at teaching character suddenly dimmed in light of my own behavior.
No one can incite fury in us faster than our own flesh and blood. As godly as we strive to be, every parent has moments when our words are anything but wise or kind (Proverbs 31:26). Parenting is hard work, as much in learning to crucify our own flesh as in teaching our children to crucify theirs.
As parents, we want our children to receive our correction (Proverbs 15:5) but, as children of the Lord, parents must respect the correction He brings us through His Word (Hebrews 12:6). Because of our sin nature, gentleness is rarely our default response to situations that don’t go our way. Rather, it is a behavior we must allow the Holy Spirit to cultivate in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23).
A sure-fire way to walk in the flesh is to allow a conflict with our children to become a struggle for power. A gentle answer may not turn away our children’s anger, but it is sure to waylay the anger within us. We can allow our emotions to rule or we can walk in the power of the Holy Spirit by adhering to the precepts of His Word, even when our flesh is demanding otherwise (Galatians 5:17).
—Regina Franklin
Why is it difficult for us to follow God’s instruction when it comes to giving a gentle answer? How is gentleness related to the heart of what we’re saying and not just the volume of our voice?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...God’s Judgement On Man And Creation
By Angela Ow “If you don’t want to trust me, I cannot help it.” I heard voices being raised and was woken up from my short nap onboard a double-decker bus. Looking up, I saw a mother and her teenage son, sitting one seat before me, in a rather tense conversation with each other. It [...]
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: go beyond reading
October 11, 2009
READ: Colossians 3:12-17
As the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness . . . longsuffering. —Colossians 3:12
Pastor, where are the Our Daily Bread devotionals?” The words came harshly—almost in anger. The latest edition had not yet been placed in the rack outside the church auditorium. This led at least one reader to confront the pastor about their absence. Although it was not his responsibility to distribute the booklets, he felt terrible about the way this parishioner had reprimanded him for not making sure the devotional guides were there on time.
When I heard this, I was struck by the irony of this situation. Devotional booklets are meant to encourage Christian growth and godly grace. And as followers of Christ who read devotional materials, we hope we are moving toward spiritual maturity that leads to “tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering”—qualities Paul says we should “put on” (Col. 3:12).
Our spiritual disciplines—reading God’s Word along with accompanying study or devotional materials, prayer, and worshiping together—should not be ends in themselves. Instead, those actions are means to becoming more Christlike, more godly, more Spirit-led. Our spiritual practice should lead to having the “Word of Christ dwell in [us] richly” (3:16). That will show in everything we do and say. — Dave Branon
Bible study is not merely to inform us— it’s meant to transform us.
Source: Our Daily Bread
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