ODJ: consumed
Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be (v.21). READ: Matthew 6:19-21 An Ethiopian farmer hid more than $12,000 in a haystack—which unfortunately was home to some hungry rodents. Just three weeks after he stashed the cash, he discovered that rats had chewed through almost one-third of his savings! When I [...]
ODB: fragile existence
November 12, 2009
READ: Job 1:8-22
We should not trust in ourselves but in God. —2 Corinthians 1:9
The geological features at Yellowstone National Park fascinate me. But when I walk among the geysers, I’m aware of how close I am to danger. I am walking atop one of the largest, most active volcanoes in the world.
When I read the book of Job, I feel as if I’m walking through Yellowstone on a day when the volcano erupts, exploding the earth’s fragile crust and bringing disaster.
Like tourists at Yellowstone, Job was enjoying life. He was unaware that only a hedge separated him from disaster (Job 1:9-10). When God removed that hedge and allowed Satan to test Job, his life exploded (vv.13-19).
Many believers live in circumstances where it seems as if God, for some reason, has removed His hedge of protection. Others, also for reasons unknown, live in relative calm, seemingly unaware of their fragile existence. Like Job’s friends, they assume that nothing bad will happen unless they do something to deserve it.
As we learn from Job, however, God sometimes allows bad things to happen to good people. Although disaster can strike at any moment, nothing has the power to destroy those who trust Christ (2 Cor. 4:9). No disaster can separate us from God’s love. — Julie Ackerman Link
God’s love still stands when all else has fallen.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(2 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)
Loading ...ODJ: to the rescue
Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today” (v.13).
READ: Exodus 14:5-31
Back in the Garden of Eden, after Adam and Eve sinned and slinked off into hiding, God came looking for them. Commencing with these words spoken to Adam, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9), God launched the largest rescue mission known to man. Though we—the human race—betrayed our Creator and fell into the grip of sin and Satan, God did not turn His back on us. Even before He pronounced judgment, God promised that One (whom we now know was Jesus) would eventually come, defeat Satan for good, and rescue us from the kingdom of darkness (v.15).
God’s desire to liberate the human race is one of the central themes of the Bible. The exodus, where God dramatically delivered the Hebrew slaves from the bondage of Egypt, is the crowning event that points to God’s ultimate intentions in the Old Testament.
After 400 years of slavery, Moses showed up on the scene and demanded that Pharaoh let God’s people go. When the king refused, God unleashed one terrible plague after another on Egypt (Exodus 7-12). Finally Pharaoh relented and granted the Israelites their freedom. After a short time, however, he changed his mind and pursued them with a vengeance (14:5-9).
The next part of the story is my favorite. Pinned against the shores of the Red Sea with Pharaoh’s army bearing down on them, Moses assured the people: “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today” (v.13). God drowned Pharaoh’s entire army in the depths of the Red Sea—“not a single one survived” (v.28).
God rescues. Through Jesus, He desires to save us and bring us back to Himself—so we live for Him and strive to spread His rescuing message to others.
—Jeff Olson
How has God rescued you? What will you do today to communicate His saving message to others?
(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Right Intentions For Attending Church
By Julian Abraham, 19, Singapore I’m a follower of Jesus Christ but I don’t follow His teachings. Sounds strange? Ironic? Familiar? As a Christian, one of the subtlest yet deadliest ways to fall into sin is skipping weekly church service. Why? The influences week in week out from sources like school, friends, television, movies, advertisements, [...]
(4 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: seeing the light
Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind” (v.39).
READ: John 9
Thanks to cornea transplants, some people who were born blind have gained functional use of their eyes. Nevertheless, success is rare. In his book Catching the Light, author Arthur Zajonc described the plight of one young patient this way: “The light of day beckoned, but no light of mind replied within the boy’s anxious, open eyes.”
In John 9, Jesus healed a man who was born blind. Medically, this is a double miracle. First, there’s the miracle of bringing about sight without doing a cornea transplant. Second, the man’s mind was illumined so that it could process what his eyes were viewing. But the greatest miracle is the healed man’s profession of faith (v.38). John’s account reveals that Jesus is the light of the world (v.5), and He can bring light to our eyes and to our souls—physically and spiritually (v.39).
The thought of physical blindness scares me. I imagine myself groping in darkness, unable to see the beauty of my surroundings. That was our spiritual state before Jesus came into our life. Man, by nature, is spiritually blind. Without God’s illumination, we can’t see Jesus’ beauty or the hope of eternal life. And no transplant or human effort can cure this disease.
But Jesus can! He came to fulfill the messianic promise that “when He comes, He will open the eyes of the blind” (Isaiah 35:5).
The story of Jesus healing the blind man ends with a splendid reversal of roles: The man, who was assumed to be in spiritual darkness, could see God’s light, while the Pharisees, who could see physically and were thought to be enlightened, were shown to be spiritually blind (v.41). What’s the message? To recognize that Jesus is the source of light and life—He opens our spiritual eyes to His beauty and all that is truly real. —Poh Fang Chia
Do you feel that you can’t see Jesus’ beauty? Why?
(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: humble valor
November 11, 2009
READ: Philippians 2:19-30
Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem. —Philippians 2:29
A report by the Chicago Tribune said: “Scores of Americans, from clergymen to lawyers to CEOs, are claiming medals of valor they never earned.” Fabrication of war records and bogus claims of bravery are more widespread than imagined. One man, who falsely claimed a Navy Cross, later felt shame and said that real heroes rarely talk about what they’ve done.
Heroism is marked by an unselfish risking of life for the benefit of another. In Philippians, Paul commends two of his colleagues as true heroes of the faith. Timothy’s unselfishness and proven character gained Paul’s praise as a true son who had served with him in the gospel (2:22). And Paul described Epaphroditus as “my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier” (v.25) who risked his life for the work of Christ (v.30).
Paul told the believers in Philippi to “hold such men in esteem” (v.29). Honoring fellow believers for their unselfish service to God is a biblical mandate. It is not hero worship, but an attitude of respect for a life well lived.
Through a word of encouragement or a tangible expression of appreciation, who can you honor today for their humble valor in serving the Lord and helping others in His name? — David C. McCasland
Faith in Christ can make extraordinary heroes out of ordinary people.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(1 votes, average: 2.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: encouraging the rejected
Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them . . . how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus (v.27).
READ: Acts 9:26-28
Several years ago, a 30-something new believer attended our worship service. He had long, multicolored, spiked hair. He was dressed in dark clothes and had multiple piercings and tattoos. It was a good thing that only the pastors knew he had AIDS. Some people openly gaped and others just gave him that “It’s good to see you in church, but please don’t sit next to me” smile and stare. Yet, during the greeting time, there were some who went out of their way to welcome and accept him. They were a wellspring of encouragement to one who had experienced his share of rejection among “Christian” people.
Barnabas was a wellspring of encouragement to Saul, a man who had been rejected because of his past (Acts 9). When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, three years after his conversion, many disciples were afraid of him and doubted his transformation (v.26). For Saul had previously been a vicious persecutor of Christians. But Barnabas, a Jewish convert, saw God’s work of grace in Saul’s life and became a bridge between him and the apostles (v.27). Saul needed someone to come alongside, encourage, teach, and introduce him to other believers. Barnabas was that bridge and source of encouragement. As a result, Saul was brought into deeper fellowship with the disciples in Jerusalem and was able to preach the gospel freely and boldly there (v.28).
Becoming a bridge and source of encouragement to those who have a sordid past, but whose lives have been changed by God’s grace, is risky. Yet, we are called, like Barnabas, to take that risk and make them feel welcomed and valued. God gave His own Son to welcome us into His family. We should be willing to give sacrificially as we encourage and welcome others. —Marvin Williams
What can you do to welcome and encourage people who visit your church this week? Why is it important to look beyond their physical appearance as you encourage them in Jesus?
(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: God’s embrace
November 10, 2009
READ: Romans 12:3-11
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another. —Romans 12:10
Soon after her family left for the evening, Carol started to think that her hospital room must be the loneliest place in the world. Nighttime had fallen, her fears about her illness were back, and she felt overwhelming despair as she lay there alone.
Closing her eyes, she began to talk to God: “O Lord, I know I am not really alone. You are here with me. Please calm my heart and give me peace. Let me feel Your arms around me, holding me.”
As she prayed, Carol felt her fears beginning to subside. And when she opened her eyes, she looked up to see the warm, sparkling eyes of her friend Marge, who reached out to encircle her in a big hug. Carol felt as if God Himself were holding her tightly.
God often uses fellow believers to show us His love. “We, being many, are one body in Christ. . . . Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them” (Rom. 12:5-6). We serve others “with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:11).
When we show love and compassion in simple, practical ways, we are a part of God’s ministry to His people. — Cindy Hess Kasper
We show our love for God when we love His family.
Source: Our Daily Bread
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When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings (v.6).
READ: Psalm 84:1-12
Situated between old neighborhoods and new businesses, a 30-year-old community pool seems oddly out of place. The old pool and its adjacent building sag from forlorn neglect. Left uncovered, the pool fills with rain and debris; its algae-coated, muddied contents belying the cool, crisp water of youthful summers long past. More than an eyesore, it withholds hope. Not far down the road, though, the irony of nature withstands the passing of time. Hidden from view, a natural spring is hardly noticeable as overgrown bushes and vines guard its never-ending flow of fresh water.
Difficult places determine who we become. The psalmists knew times of great intimacy with the Lord, but they also knew hard places of struggle (Psalm 42:3). Their hope rested in the presence of God. Convinced of God’s sovereignty, the author wrote, “A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else!” (84:10).
Contrary to what we may believe, we are not victims of our circumstances. We can, however, allow bitterness and offense to drain every bit of hope we have (Hebrews 12:15). Even worse, we can enter into a stale, stagnant acceptance that God has simply called us to travail in our existence (Numbers 21:5).
“Those whose strength comes from the Lord” (Psalm 84:5), however, keep His worship at the forefront, and “they walk through the Valley of Weeping” (v.6). A place of surrender, the valley teaches us that there is no one like our God. This act of submission releases His presence in our lives. Unlike the bitter rainwater in the old pool, the dry places in our hearts fill with life-giving water when we choose to praise Him. Moreover, when we understand that God’s love for us is bigger than our trials, what seems to be nothing more than overgrown chaos reveals hidden springs of life. —Regina Franklin
What Valley of Weeping are you walking through (or have you walked through)? Why does the enemy want to keep us from worshiping the Lord? How does worship change us and our view of God?
(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: the heat of our desire
November 9, 2009
READ: Psalm 42
As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. —Psalm 42:1
Pastor A. W. Tozer (1897-1963) read the great Christian theologians until he could write about them with ease. He challenges us: “Come near to the holy men and women of the past and you will soon feel the heat of their desire after God. They mourned for Him, they prayed and wrestled and sought for Him day and night, in season and out, and when they had found Him the finding was all the sweeter for the long seeking.”
The writer of Psalm 42 had the kind of longing for the Lord that Tozer spoke about. Feeling separated from God, the psalmist used the simile of a deer panting with thirst to express his deep yearning for a taste of the presence of God. “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (vv.1-2). The heat of his desire for the Lord was so great and his sorrow so intense, he did more weeping than eating (v.3). But the psalmist’s longing was satisfied when he placed his hope in God and praised Him for His presence and help (vv.5-8).
O that we would have a longing and thirsting for Him that is so intense that others would feel the heat of our desire for Him! — Marvin Williams
Only Jesus, the Living Water, can satisfy the thirsty soul.
Source: Our Daily Bread
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