ODJ: theology of the small
Goliath walked out toward David . . . sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy (vv.41-42). READ: 1 Samuel 17 Even though the Super Bowl reigns as the largest US sporting spectacle, the television ads that run during the game have begun to receive almost as much attention as the game itself. Firms spend [...]
ODB: no cause for alarm
December 19, 2009
READ: Ephesians 4:25-32
“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath. —Ephesians 4:26
The sound of the alarm blaring from inside the church struck panic in my heart. I had arrived at church early one Sunday morning, planning to spend a little time in peace and quiet before the congregation arrived. But I forgot to disarm the burglar alarm. As I turned the key, the disruptive and annoying blasting of the alarm filled the building—and no doubt the bedrooms of sleeping neighbors.
Anger is a lot like that. In the midst of our peaceful lives, something turns a key in our spirit and triggers the alarm. And our internal peace—not to mention the tranquillity of those around us—is interrupted by the disruptive force of our exploding emotions.
Sometimes anger appropriately calls our attention to an injustice that needs to be addressed, and we are spurred to righteous action. Most of the time, however, our anger is selfishly ignited by the violation of our expectations, rights, and privileges. In any case, it’s important to know why the alarm is sounding and to respond in a godly way. But one thing is sure, anger was never intended to continue unchecked.
It’s no wonder that Paul reminds us of the psalmist’s warning: “‘Be angry, and do not sin’; do not let the sun go down on your wrath” (Eph. 4:26; Ps. 4:4). — Joe Stowell
Anger left unchecked is cause for alarm.
Source: Our Daily Bread
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Loading ...ODJ: pack mule problem
This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself (v.18).
READ: Exodus 18:14-23
The mule needed a vacation. Ten times a day, he’d been hauling 500-pound loads to a construction site at the top of a hill. Not surprisingly, the overtired animal finally collapsed. Fortunately for the broken-down beast, a group of concerned onlookers demanded that the mule’s owner give him a 3-day rest.
Everyone needs an occasional break from the burden of work—especially those of us who are engaged in Christian ministry. We can really relate to the mule’s plight when the “people issues” pile up and our knees buckle under the weight.
Moses had the pack-mule problem when it came to settling disputes among the Israelites. His father-in-law Jethro noticed, and said, “You’re going to wear yourself out . . . . This job is too heavy a burden for you” (Exodus 18:18). Like Moses, we’ve got to pay attention when people start to notice signs of burnout in us.
Fortunately, being overburdened doesn’t have to end our effectiveness for God. Jethro advised Moses to “continue to be the people’s representative before God, bringing their disputes to Him” (v.19). Moses would have to find a way, however, to share the workload. And he did.
First, he instructed the people in God’s laws so they could resolve many issues themselves (v.20). Then he handpicked some leaders to handle the smaller issues that still needed to be addressed, while he handled the more complex stuff. Just as Jethro predicted, they helped Moses to carry the load, “making the task easier for [him]” (v.22).
Do you have a pack-mule problem in doing good things? Look for people who are interested in how you’re serving and ask for help! After all, we’re supposed to “share each other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). —Jennifer Benson Schuldt
What’s keeping you from asking other believers to help you? How might you encourage someone who is sinking under the weight of doing too many good things?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: Jehovah-Jireh
December 18, 2009
READ: Matthew 6:5-15
Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. —Matthew 6:8
In my early years as a pastor, I served in small churches where finances were often tight. Sometimes our family finances felt the weight of that pressure. On one occasion, we were down to the last of our food and payday was still several days away. While my wife and I fretted about how we would feed our kids in the next few days, our doorbell rang. When we opened the door, we discovered two bags of groceries. We had not told anyone of our plight, yet our provider God had led someone to meet that need.
This reminds me of the Old Testament account of Abraham when he was asked to sacrifice his son Isaac. At just the right moment, God provided a ram instead. Abraham called this place Jehovah-Jireh, “The-Lord-Will-Provide” (Gen. 22:14). He is the One who still cares deeply for His children.
Jesus said, “Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matt. 6:8). He is constantly caring for and seeking the best for us—a reminder that in times of hardship, need, and fear, we have Someone who cares. Peter wrote that we can cast all our cares upon Jesus, because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). We can turn to Him in our time of need. — Bill Crowder
What God promises, God will provide.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...Joy of Christmas: Searching for the Mood
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(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: your role is needed
Our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where He wants it (v.18).
READ: 1 Corinthians 12:18-27
One of my daughter’s high school teachers appeared in the 1986 movie Hoosiers. The film is based on the true story of a small-town high school basketball team in the US and their improbable run to the Indiana state championship. He didn’t have a big role. He had no lines. His name doesn’t even appear in the credits. He was simply one of hundreds of cheering “extras” in the stands. Today he jokingly says that his moment on the big screen is so brief that hitting the pause button is the only way to spot him.
I’ve run across a lot of Christians who tend to hold a similar view about their own role in God’s story. They may believe God has a plan for their life (Jeremiah 29:11) and that they have some kind of a role. But, at best, they see themselves as just “extras.”
Sadly, the experiences of life have led too many people to think that they have a marginal and trivial role to play. But that’s not how God sees it! While talking about the different spiritual gifts and services the body of Christ offers, the apostle Paul said, “Some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary” (1 Corinthians 12:22).
Regardless of our nationality or social standing, every single follower of Jesus plays a necessary role in advancing God’s kingdom. Whether the effect is far-reaching or only touches a few, there are no inconsequential or “bit” parts in God’s service. Every part is essential.
At this time of the year, when we celebrate Jesus becoming human and living among us (John 1:14), don’t forget your role in His ongoing story. Renew your commitment to discover and play your part today.
What you have to offer is unique and is much needed! —Jeff Olson
What spiritual gifts and talents has God given you to use for His glory? How can you encourage others to play their part in God’s story?
(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: the king of fruits
December 17, 2009
READ: Luke 19:12-26
Present your bodies a living sacrifice, . . . which is your reasonable service. —Romans 12:1
The durian, a tropical fruit, is often called The King of Fruits. Either you love it or you hate it. Those who love it will do almost anything to get it. Those who hate it won’t get near it because of its pungent smell. My wife loves it. Recently, a friend, who was grateful for what my wife had done for her, sent her a box of the finest quality durians. She took great pains to ensure that they were the best.
I asked myself, “If we can give the best to a friend, how can we do less for our Lord who gave His very life for us?”
The nobleman in Jesus’ parable in Luke 19 wanted the best from 10 servants to whom he gave money, saying, “Do business till I come” (v.13). When he returned and asked for an account, he gave the same commendation “Well done!” to all those who had done what they could with the money entrusted to them. But he called “wicked” (v.22) the one who did nothing with his money.
The primary meaning of this story is stewardship of what we’ve been given. To be faithful with what God has given to us is to give Him our best in return. As the master gave money to the servants in the parable, so God has given us gifts to serve Him. It is we who will lose out if we fail to give Him our best. — C. P. Hia
We are at our best when we serve God by serving others.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(1 votes, average: 2.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: unfulfilled dreams
I am planning to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellowship for a little while, you can provide for my journey (v.24).
READ: Romans 15:20-24
Paul needed help. He said that his “ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else” (Romans 15:20). This pioneering spirit lifted Paul’s eyes to the western edge of the Roman Empire. He had to go to Spain.
Since Rome was halfway to Spain, Paul planned to break his trip into two parts. He would travel to Rome, and after rest and fellowship with the church there, he’d continue on his way. Paul made arrangements for his journey by writing a letter (Romans) to the church in Rome.
We don’t know whether Paul ever made it to Spain. If he didn’t, then he died with an unfulfilled dream. Yet his effort was not wasted, for in the process of planning his trip Paul wrote the richest doctrinal book in the entire Bible. Our Christian faith would be impoverished without his epistle to the Romans.
Unrealized dreams can yield their own reward. You may feel that you’re spinning your wheels, that life has not turned out as you had hoped. But if you think about it, the simple act of pursuing your dream has already done much good.
Perhaps you never completed your education, yet you are better off for the classes you took than if you had never started. Maybe you were passed over for promotion, yet your quest for a certain job has sharpened your skills and made you a valuable employee. Your cure may not have come, yet your months of prayer and suffering have drawn you to God and softened your heart for others.
Dreams do much good, even (and perhaps especially) when they’re unfulfilled. —Mike Wittmer
What is the unsatisfied longing of your life? Without giving up your dream, why not thank God right now for the good that has arisen from your pursuit?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: becoming whole
December 16, 2009
READ: Romans 7:13-25
Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. —Philippians 2:12-13
When a friend fell off her bike and suffered a severe brain injury, doctors weren’t sure she would survive. For several days she remained suspended between life and death.
The first good news came when she opened her eyes. Then she responded to simple voice commands. But with every small improvement, anxiety remained. How far would she progress?
After one difficult day of therapy, her husband was discouraged. But the very next morning he shared these welcome words: “Sandy’s back!” Physically, emotionally, psychologically, and mentally, Sandy was becoming the “self” who we knew and loved.
Sandy’s fall reminds me of what theologians refer to as “the fall” of mankind (Gen. 3). And her struggle to recover parallels our struggle to overcome the brokenness of sin (Rom. 7:18). If only her body healed, recovery would be incomplete. The same would be true if her brain worked but her body didn’t. Wholeness means that all parts work together for one purpose.
God is the one healing Sandy, but she has to work hard in therapy to improve. The same is true of us spiritually. After God saves us through Christ, we must “work out” our salvation (Phil. 2:12)—not to earn it but to bring our thoughts and actions into agreement with His purpose. — Julie Ackerman Link
To become whole, keep yielding to the Holy Spirit.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: street kid sabbatical
If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself (v.3).
READ: Galatians 6:1-10
I have a soft spot for Uganda’s street kids and have tried to help many of them enter church-based programs that provide food, housing, school fees, and quality mentors. Often, such efforts are rewarding. Occasionally, however, the outcomes are deeply disappointing—particularly when the children I’ve loved and invested in end up stealing from me and returning to the streets.
Last month, after two convincing young storytellers conned me out of several hundred dollars (a story for later), I concluded I’d had enough. I thumbed a text message to the culprits’ mentor that said, “Your boys have pushed me to the limit. So until further notice, I’m taking a sabbatical from helping street kids.”
Minutes after I’d expressed my resolve, a New Testament passage pervaded my thoughts: “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up” (Galatians 6:9).
I tried to distance my situation from the exhortation, but couldn’t. So, I dug further into God’s Word to uncover how I might avoid tiring of “doing what is good” in the future and gain needed discernment in the process. Here’s a sampling of what I learned:
• Recognize that God wants us to give wisely. “You must decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
• Keep in mind that “whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith” (Galatians 6:10).
• Remember that God has created you and me “anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10).
Today, thank God for allowing you to join in His work, and keep doing what is good. —Roxanne Robbins
Jot a note to a generous friend, thanking him or her for helping people who are in need. What good thing has God laid on your heart to do?
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