Magnitude 8.8 quake hits Chile
“A powerful magnitude-6.1aftershock hit offshore central Chile early Saturday (27 February) in the wake of a powerful magnitude-8.8 earthquake, leaving 78 people dead. Following the magnitude-8.8 quake, which shook the capital of Santiago for 90 seconds and triggered tsunami from Chile to Ecuador, more than a dozen aftershocks were also reported in the region — [...]
ODJ: patched up
Tell them everything God has done for you (v.39).
READ: Luke 8:35-39
A couple of years ago an oral surgeon yanked out my wisdom teeth. The bottom two chompers were positioned directly on nerves, and the post-surgery pain was intense. A few weeks later, an infection brought the soreness back. After that, the doctor operated again to remove scar tissue from my jawbone. At that point, I was wondering, “How long, O Lord, until you restore me?” (See Psalm 6:2-3).
It took a long time, but Jesus ultimately patched me up. He did His part, but I didn’t think much about how to respond to His healing work in my life.
I should have taken a lesson from the guy in the New Testament who was indwelt by a bunch of evil spirits. After Jesus healed him and was about to leave town, “The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with Him” (Luke 8:38).
When I read that, it spoke to my heart. I pictured the man pleading to stay with Jesus, and I realized that healing should inspire a new longing for closeness with Him. Our hearts should echo the words of the psalmist, “My soul thirsts for You; my whole body longs for You. . . . I cling to You” (Psalm 63:1,8).
Although the demon-possessed man wanted to hang on to his Healer, Jesus gave Him a different assignment. He said, “Go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you” (Luke 8:39). We too need to proclaim how Jesus has patched us up. It glorifies God and comforts family or friends who might have similar challenges.
Maybe Jesus has stitched up your psyche, bandaged your broken heart, or even taken care of your teeth! If so, consider your response. His healing touch can help us draw close to Him again, and sharing our stories will encourage others to do the same. —Jennifer Benson Schuldt
How have you responded to Jesus’ healing power in the past? How might you encourage others with your story of Christ’s restoring power?
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Loading ...ODB: the country of old age
February 28, 2010
READ: Mark 7:1-13
If anyone does not provide for his own, . . . [he] is worse than an unbeliever. —1 Timothy 5:8
In the book Another Country, author Mary Pipher met with people in their seventies, eighties, and nineties who were confronting many different life situations.
“I wanted . . . to understand the country of old age,” Pipher writes. “We are not organized in a way that makes aging easy.” The root problem, she observed, is that young and old have become segregated, to the detriment of both groups.
This social trend is not necessarily intentional. But many people do ignore and shirk their responsibilities for the elderly. In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees found creative ways to avoid their family duties. In Mark 7:9-13, Jesus rebuked their common practice of dedicating their material possessions to God (declaring them as Corban) rather than using their assets to provide for their parents. Their tradition had violated the commandment to honor their father and their mother.
Our children, work, and church activities can pull us in many directions. But that doesn’t excuse us from honoring our aging parents by making provision for their needs, as much as we are able (1 Tim. 5:8). When the time comes for us to enter the country of old age, let’s hope we’ve set the right example for our own children to follow. — Dennis Fisher
Honoring our parents is learned by example.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...What We Take For Granted
By Julian Abraham Chua, 20, Singapore Ever threw your tantrum before? Ever felt dissatisfied with your life? Ever battled with lust, selfishness, jealousy or greed? Perhaps, that is because we often take life and the privileges we have for granted. For instance, having good health, being able-bodied, having our five senses intact, having close friends [...]
(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: trails
I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return (v.10).
READ: Philippians 1:6-11
During a trip to Israel, I stood in a field just outside of Bethlehem. Some movement to my left revealed a shepherd leading some sheep down a well-worn trail. The winding path was easy to see due to its constant use. As I think about that trail, a thought comes to mind. What trails am I consistently taking in life? There can be good ones—worshiping God, serving others. But there are also negative paths to follow—worshiping material things, living selfishly.
Paul prayed for the believers in Jesus in Philippi, that they would “understand what really matters” (Philippians 1:10). He wanted them to acquire a habit—a trail—that would lead them to a deeper relationship with God and others. What was this trail he wanted them to traverse? Love. “I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding” (v.9).
Did you catch those two key words at the end of verse 9? Knowledge and understanding can be acquired only if we are pursuing paths that lead to Jesus and His love. With that in mind, it’s interesting that the word trail originally meant the train of a robe. As we follow our Shepherd—being found in the train of His robe—we will be found in His love (Ephesians 4:8).
The trail of God’s love leads to lives that are:
• Pure and blameless (Phil. 1:10). Revealing habits that are wholesome and choices that positively influence others for Jesus.
• Righteous (v.11). Containing fruit from the Holy Spirit’s work within us.
Do the terms pure, blameless, and righteous describe the well-worn trails of your life? If not, it’s time to grasp Jesus’ train and acquire knowledge and understanding about what real love is all about. —Tom Felten
What are the trails that mark your life and your values? How can you grow in God’s love so that it will “overflow more and more” from you?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: strength in weakness
February 27, 2010
READ: Matthew 20:20-28
Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. —Matthew 20:26
No one wants to be weak, so we find ways to appear strong. Some of us use the force of our emotions to manipulate people. Others use the force of personality to control people, and some use intellect to intimidate. Although these create an illusion of strength, they are signs of weakness.
When we are truly strong, we have the courage to admit our limitations and to acknowledge our dependence on God. As a result, true strength often looks a lot like weakness. When the apostle Paul prayed that an affliction would be taken from him, God answered, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). Paul responded with these troubling words: “When I am weak, then I am strong” (v.10).
Toward the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, some of His disciples were striving for positions of prominence. Jesus used their argument as an opportunity to teach them that in His kingdom things are different: greatness comes when we willingly assume positions of weakness (Matt. 20:26).
This is a hard truth. I prefer the illusion of strength to the reality of weakness. But God wants us to realize that true strength comes when we stop trying to control people and start serving them instead. — Julie Ackerman Link
God’s greatest power can be displayed in our biggest weakness.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: heard
Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven (v.12).
READ: Daniel 10:1-12
Eight years ago, I came to a point of crisis in my prayer life. We had lost two teenagers who were very involved in our youth ministry, watched our pastor face serious health issues, and traveled a difficult road in our marriage because of all the ministry stress we were facing. Joining my husband in praying with a family during a hospital visit, I was ready to see God move. When I later found out that the little girl had died despite our prayers, turmoil ensued. “Why bother praying?” I said. My husband, facing his own questions, had this answer: “Because God says so.”
Telling them of the widow and the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-8), Jesus admonished His disciples to be persistent in prayer. Interestingly enough, He ends His lesson by saying, “But when the Son of Man, returns, how many will He find who have faith?” (v.8). Countless times I have allowed the outcome to determine my level of faith, rather than letting my faith lead me to a deeper understanding of prayer.
Unable to escape circumstances, we allow them to blind us, and—subsequently—we lose sight of the battle. Daniel, however, submitted to God’s will. In doing so, he refused to be moved from his declaration of faith in the power of God. He knew God would answer (Daniel 10:12-19). In 2 Corinthians 5:7 we read, “We live by believing and not by seeing.” Imagine the turn of events if Daniel had given up when the answer was delayed!
The enemy wants to keep us focused on self and distracted from the battle. While unconfessed sin and unforgiveness keeps our prayers from being heard (Isaiah 59:2; Matthew 6:15), we can know God hears when we submit to His will and remain immovable in our faith (1 John 5:14-15). —Regina Franklin
Have you become discouraged in prayer regarding a particular need? What does it mean to submit to God’s will?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: under new orders
February 26, 2010
READ: Deuteronomy 6:1-9
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. —Matthew 22:37
Herman Wouk’s thrilling World War II novel The Caine Mutiny contains an excellent illustration of what happens when someone becomes a follower of God.
In the novel, a young man from an influential family has enlisted in the Navy. On the day of his induction, his mother drops him off in her fancy car and then kisses him goodbye. He shakes hands with the guard as he enters the building, and the door closes behind him.
His mother, suddenly worried that he might not have enough money, rushes up to the door. But the guard politely stops her. When she demands entrance, he refuses to let her in. She can see her son standing inside the door, so she reaches for the doorknob. “He’s my son!” she cries. The guard gently removes her hand from the knob and says softly, “I know, Ma’am, but he belongs to Uncle Sam now. He’s a sailor.”
When we believe in Jesus Christ and become His followers, we are under new authority. We are subject to new commands. Now we belong to Him. What was once important to us loses its significance. We evaluate things differently. Our new desire is to love and serve the Lord with all our heart (Deut. 6:5-6). Have you joined His ranks? — David C. Egner
Followers of Christ get their marching orders from Him.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...The Streets
By Tracy Phua, Singapore Street evangelism was never really my kind of thing. I simply could not understand how a stranger can pray to receive Christ with another stranger, within minutes of his sharing. Thus, when the camp that I was attending devoted an entire afternoon to street evangelism, I was not excited. When the [...]
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: the evil of inertia
They bound Jesus, led Him away, and took Him to Pilate, the Roman governor (v.1).
READ: Mark 15:1-15
The Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC, supplies a stark reminder of how evil humans can be. I was stunned by the hall of shoes that had once been worn by doomed Jews; the story of the methodical elimination of innocents in Krakow’s Jewish Ghetto; and the grisly death of prisoners in Hitler’s concentration camps.
But most chilling was my recognition that the Nazi officers looked normal. Worse, they looked like me. My ancestors were Swiss-German Mennonites, so I resembled the officers in the pictures. They could have been my Sunday school teachers! How did such normal people get caught up in such a great evil? Somehow, they simply went along with it.
That’s usually how great evils are committed. Pilate wasn’t looking for trouble when Jesus was thrust upon him (Mark 15:1). He didn’t realize who He was, and he didn’t much care. He just wanted the problem to go away.
Pilate made a half-hearted attempt to do the right thing. He invited Jesus to refute the charges and asked the crowd if he should release Jesus as a Passover favor. But the Jewish leaders had stoked the crowd into a mob, and they demanded that Barabbas be freed and Jesus be crucified. Pilate tried one last time, asking the crowd, “What crime has He committed?” When “the mob roared even louder, ‘Crucify Him!’ ” (v.14), Pilate washed his hands of the mess (Matthew 27:24).
It was easier to give in to the cries of the moment than to seek justice for Jesus. Pilate simply went along, and in so doing he crucified the Son of God.
Today Jesus is represented by the poor and needy who are thrust upon us (Matthew 25:31-46). Will we give them a hand or will we shrug and go along?
—Mike Wittmer
How might we balance both justice and mercy? Should we help everyone who is in need, or only those who are in need through no fault of their own?
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