ODB: short-timers
February 22, 2010 READ: Romans 5:1-5 Hope does not disappoint. —Romans 5:5 I served in the Armed Forces many years ago and have always been thankful that I was able to give those years to my country. I must say, however, that my most memorable time in the service was the brief interval when I [...]
ODJ: disappointed
Put your hope in the Lord. Travel steadily along His path. He will honor you by giving you the land. You will see the wicked destroyed (Psalm 37:34).
READ: Genesis 29:14-30
Few joys surpass that of a soldier and a family reunited after an extended deployment. And few things exceed the disappointment of such a hope deferred. Imagine the scathing disappointment of a battalion that received orders to another spot in the war zone for an additional 3 months—less than 48 hours before they were to return home!
The story of Jacob is deep with disappointment. In love with his boss’s daughter Rachel, Jacob agreed to work 7 years for the right to marry her. But after holding up his end of the bargain, he got a wedding night surprise. In the morning he discovered not Rachel but her less attractive sister Leah in his bed! (Genesis 29:22-25). Disappointed—furious, actually—Jacob agreed to work an additional 7 years for Rachel.
What about Leah’s disappointment? Her father had resorted to treachery to get her married off to a man who didn’t love her. And don’t forget Rachel’s disappointment. For years, she had waited for her fiancé to finish his work and marry her.
Disappointment is the way of life. Altered plans disappoint us. People disappoint us. If we’re honest, we might even admit sometimes God disappoints us. Psalm 37 contains a promise: “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires” (v.4). Then why do so many godly people live with disappointment? The verse is taken out of context. Read the entire psalm. The psalmist took a long view, noting how the wicked will receive justice in due time. He advised, “Travel steadily along His path. He will honor you by giving you the land” (v.34).
For Jacob, for Rachel, for Leah, the result was the nation of Israel. It was through Leah’s son Judah that God blessed the world with Jesus the Messiah—the One who will never disappoint us. —Tim Gustafson
What disappoints you? Are you letting this disappointment keep you from trusting God? Are you afraid to be honest with Him about your disappointment?
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Loading ...The Value Of Friends
READ: 1 Samuel 20:12-17 Jonathan . . . loved [David] as he loved his own soul. —1 Samuel 20:17 John Chrysostom (347–407) was one of the great preachers in the early church. He was given the name Chrysostom, which means “golden-mouthed,” because of his eloquent sermons. Here is one of his insights on the value [...]
(4 votes, average: 4.75 out of 5) Loading ...ODB: running in the right direction
February 21, 2010
READ: John 6:53-69
Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” —John 6:68
One of the most difficult experiences in my years as a pastor was telling a member of our church that her husband, her son, and her father-in-law had all drowned in a boating accident. I knew the news would shatter her life.
In the days following their tragic loss, I was amazed as she and her family responded with unusual faith. Sure, there was deep brokenness, haunting doubt, and confusion. But when nothing else made sense, they still had Jesus. Rather than deserting Him in the midst of their desperately difficult days, they ran to Him as the only source of hope and confidence.
This reminds me of the reaction of the disciples to Jesus. After some of them “went back and walked with Him no more” because He was hard to understand (John 6:66), Jesus turned to His inner circle, and asked, “Do you also want to go away?” (v.67). Peter got it right when he responded, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (v.68).
Whatever you face today, be encouraged by the words of Peter and by the example of a family who went through the fire with their faith intact. As long as you’re running in the right direction—to Jesus—you’ll find the grace and strength you will need. — Joe Stowell
When all is lost, remember that you haven’t lost Jesus. Run to Him.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: positioned
He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love (v.16).
READ: Ephesians 4:4-16
It’s a very important job.” Serious and maternal, my 9-year-old sought to convince her younger brother to help her with a small chore. Trying to carry eight individual rolls of toilet paper from the kitchen to the bathroom, she wanted Micah to walk behind her to make sure none of them fell. Usually kindhearted and generous, he had some difficulty grasping the importance of her request, but eventually tagged along. Humorous as it was, their interaction made me think of the body of Christ.
Created to live with purpose, we want to know we have something to give. We were also created with the desire for belonging. While God intended to meet these desires with Himself, we often look to the tangible to find fulfillment, even in the body of Christ.
If we believe our importance in the body of Christ comes from whatever position we hold in the church, that distorts our purpose—and that of the church. But God established the church to be a representation of His glory, not our own. When we base our sense of purpose on what those in leadership ask us to do, we set ourselves up for disappointment and open the door for offenses. To function well as the body of Christ, each of us must:
• Recognize that God, not man, is the One who positions us for ministry (Ephesians 4:7,11).
• Submit to the God-ordained process of being equipped for ministry and be willing to train under those whom God has put in place (Ephesians 4:12).
• Grow to be more and more like Jesus (v.15).
• Know your part and help others grow spiritually (v.16).
The church exists to show the goodness and glory of God (1 Peter 2:9). Do we as His body reveal Him? —Regina Franklin
How have you been looking to others to validate your value in the body of Christ? What offense toward another Christian should you address?
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(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...A pic taken for a friend
Photo submitted by Laura Valentina, Indonesia
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODB: parked for now
February 20, 2010
READ: Numbers 9:19-23
I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. —Psalm 40:1
Parking my car has been a lifelong problem for me. It really wasn’t a high priority with my driving instructor, so I never learned to back up into a parking space until many years later. He also skipped the parallel parking lesson, and I still avoid that unless there’s enough space for two or three cars.
I’ve also struggled to understand a statement I heard when I was a young Christian: “God can’t steer a parked car.” I took that as a challenge to shift my life into motion, and along the way God would guide me in the right direction. It’s an interesting thought, but it’s not always the way God works. Occasionally, God does want us to “stay parked” for a while.
At times, when Moses was in the wilderness, God kept the Israelites in one place. He led them by a cloud, and when it stayed still for many days, “the children of Israel . . . did not journey” (Num. 9:19). Waiting isn’t always easy, but sometimes God wants us to stay right where He has put us. The psalmist reminds us, “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart” (27:14).
You may feel that you’re stuck and just spinning your wheels in your service for God. But keep your heart open to God’s leading. Then you’ll be ready to shift gears when you hear God say, “Let’s go this way.” — Cindy Hess Kasper
God orders our stops as well as our steps.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(4 votes, average: 4.75 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: perfect path
God knew what would happen, and His prearranged plan was carried out (v.23).
READ: Acts 2:22-28
My wife and I had prayed. We had sought God. We had sought godly counsel. Now we presented our plans to a group of people who would help us realize a vision for ministry or shut it down. They chose the latter.
We’ve all felt the pain of having plans dashed and dreams deferred. The confusion and disillusionment that follows can be overwhelming. Where’s God in all of this? What are His plans for us?
God has a perfect path that He continues to blaze in this world. His plans can’t be shut down. “It will all happen as I have planned. It will be as I have decided,” God spoke through Isaiah (14:24). In the New Testament, Peter stated, “God knew what would happen, and His prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed” (Acts 2:23).
These verses reveal that God’s perfect path—a path that once led Jesus to the cross—lies before us. And though He allows His creatures to choose or reject Him (Deuteronomy 30:15-16; John 14:15-17), God will arrange things so that His “prearranged plan” will come to fruition.
These truths can be a great encouragement to us when we feel that the path we’re on has taken a wrong turn. Peter pulls from Psalm 16 as He proclaims, “I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me” (Acts 2:25). My God is still with me even when the path is confusing. “My body rests in hope” (v.26). My hope is in God and not my circumstances. “You have shown me the way” (v.28). God will reveal His perfect path to me.
Several years after our ministry plans were shelved, the very thing we had hoped and prayed for became a reality! But it happened in God’s perfect timing and at just the right place along His perfect path. —Tom Felten
What “bend” in life’s path has caused you to become confused or frustrated? How will you seek God’s perfect path?
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(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...Old Testament Law
By Chaz Oswald, 21, Michigan Reading through the Old Testament can sometimes be challenging. It is especially so when God’s Law which is revealed in the Old Testament seems inapplicable or even outright insupportable to what we are taught in the New Testament. At first glance, we can mistakenly believe that the God of the [...]
(3 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5) Loading ...ODB: if day
February 19, 2010
READ: James 1:1-11
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. —James 1:2-3
February 19, 1942, was a fascinating day for Canada. It was “If Day”—a World War II staging of a fake Nazi invasion of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The intent was to show what it would be like “if” Canada fell under the harsh occupation of Nazi forces, and so that Canadians would support the war effort more fully.
As one person described the event: “If Day brought home the reality of Nazi occupation. Manitobans got a very bitter taste of nearly every aspect of Nazi brutality.” The key word there is nearly. While “If Day” was a valiant attempt to educate people about danger in the world, it could not begin to recreate the actual suffering that was sweeping Europe.
Real trials in life are not ifs—they are whens. In fact, life’s most profound lessons cannot simply be observed, they must be experienced. It is there, in actual seasons of heartache and loss, that we gain greater insights into life, faith, and our need of God. To that end, James wrote, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience” (James 1:2-3).
Trials come because we live in a broken world, but we decide if we will learn the lessons taught. There are no “ifs” about it—it is an important way to grow. — Bill Crowder
Tough times can teach us to trust.
Source: Our Daily Bread
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