ODJ: unbelieving evangelists
He told them, “The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!” (v.11). READ: John 9:1-38 Since its release in 1979, the Jesus film has been watched by more than [...]
ODB: showing real love
February 14, 2010
READ: John 13:1-5,33-35
By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. —John 13:35
Chinese New Year happens to fall on the same day as Valentine’s Day in 2010. While these two festivals have very different origins, there are some similarities in how they are celebrated. In both cases, loved ones give gifts to express love for one another. Whether it is giving roses to your beloved on Valentine’s Day or hong bao (red packets with money) to family and friends on Chinese New Year, they represent tokens of love.
Our Lord Jesus Christ commanded His disciples to “love one another,” because “by this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).
The love that our Lord wants His disciples to have for one another is different from the romantic kind displayed between loving couples and the brotherly kind shown between friends or family. It’s an unselfish love. The Greek word John used in Jesus’ command is agape—God’s kind of love that expects nothing in return. That was what Jesus showed to His disciples when He “poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet” (v.5). That is the kind of love He displayed when He went to the cross for us.
Today, look for someone to whom you can show such unselfish love. — C. P. Hia
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. —Galatians 6:2
Source: Our Daily Bread
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Loading ...ODJ: struggle to surrender
The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” (v.24).
READ: Mark 9:14-27
Recently, I found myself chuckling over a radio commercial for car stereos. A couple of men joked about two things you don’t want to do on your own. The first was to perform surgery on yourself: “Hmmm . . . I think I’ll take out my appendix this weekend.” That’s definitely not a good idea. The second was attempting to install your own car stereo system. I have to agree with them on that one too—don’t try to do it on your own.
After I stopped laughing, I realized these guys were on to something. There are many things we shouldn’t try to tackle by ourselves. Generally speaking, it’s not a good idea to go through life in complete solitude. Going through life without regular involvement with others isn’t healthy and can be dangerous (Hebrews 3:13). And it’s truly unwise to fly solo without God (James 4:7).
Surrendering to God is not a one-time event. We need to come daily before Him and center ourselves in His friendship and authority. Some days we surrender gladly and willingly. Other times it’s not so easy. Painful experiences can wear down our faith and tempt us to assume the worst about God.
When we find ourselves in a crisis of faith—tempted to go it alone—it’s important not to pretend that everything is okay. Faking surrender can be just as bad as not surrendering. That’s why it’s important to be honest.
Like Gideon or Jeremiah, there are times we have to wrestle with doubts before we can truly surrender to God (Judges 6:1-22; Jeremiah 20:7). While we may still have some questions, a sincere desire to surrender can emerge from our hearts—one that reflects the words a struggling man once expressed to Jesus, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). —Jeff Olson
What doubts have you been wrestling with? Why is it vital that you bring them to God and not keep them to yourself?
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(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...Best Love Note Ever
Read: 1 John 3:1-3 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! —1 John 3:1 Some people looking for love have found help in an unusual place—a taxicab in New York City. Taxicab driver Ahmed Ibrahim loves to set up blind dates for his [...]
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODB: reunion dinner
February 13, 2010
READ: Revelation 19:1-9
Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb! —Revelation 19:9
Many Chinese go to great lengths to attend a traditional annual reunion dinner with their families. Held on the eve of the Lunar New Year, the reunion dinner usually takes place at the home of their parents or eldest sibling.
Chinese working overseas have to arrange their travel bookings early to ensure they have tickets for the heavily booked airline flights and bus journeys. To fail to book early is to risk missing out on the family reunion.
The Bible tells of an even more important reunion dinner in heaven. Revelation 19:9 calls it “the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Unlike the Lunar New Year reunion dinner, however, no one knows the date for this event except God (Matt. 24:36). Nor do we have to worry about making travel arrangements.
Who is invited to this heavenly reunion dinner? All those who belong to God’s family will be there, “those who believe in [Jesus’] name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13).
Will you be at the reunion dinner in heaven? You can secure your place at the heavenly banquet by trusting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior today. — C. P. Hia
Christ believed is salvation received and heaven assured.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: sisera’s surprise
Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. May she be blessed above all women who live in tents (5:24).
READ: Judges 4
Taking online quizzes is popular on Facebook. The quizzes range from “What Disney character are you?” to “What Bible character are you?” I wonder how a person would react if the Bible character quiz revealed that they are most like Jael.
Who’s Jael? She’s the woman who drove a tent peg into an army general’s head. While we could debate the ethics of Jael’s action, a song in the next chapter of Judges sure celebrates what she did (5:24).
To understand why, let’s take a look at the historical background. For years, Jabin the king of Canaan had oppressed Israel. The instrument of their subjugation had been Sisera, the king’s general. He had 900 chariots (4:3), which was some serious military hardware.
No unbiased onlooker would have expected Israel to win the battle when they fought against Sisera at Mount Tabor. But God promised Israel victory. When Sisera’s army was thrown into disarray as God’s power surged through the Israelite forces, the Canaanite general sneaked away on foot.
Sisera sprinted to the tent of an ally, Heber the Kenite, whose wife was named Jael. I’m sure the last thing on Sisera’s mind at that moment was that Jael would drive a peg into his head. But that’s exactly what happened!
God chose to use a non-Israelite woman, with no fancy tools, to save His people from a powerful enemy. He can use us too, regardless of our perceived weaknesses.
In her book A Woman God Can Lead, Alice Mathews writes: ”It is our choice whether or not to fulfill our calling by using all that God has given us for His glory. . . . We let Him confound the mighty by using us in all our weakness. He is the One who raises up and puts down.” —Poh Fang Chia
How do you view your strengths and weaknesses? What has God given you? How are you using whatever you have for the glory of God?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Love is a Blessing
“I wrote this poem when I fell in love with someone, only to realize that she has fallen in love with my friend. They became a couple. And since she was my best friend, I gave her my full support. Through this experience I know that LOVE is actually the gift of God.” – Eri [...]
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODB: send the light
February 12, 2010
READ: Philippians 2:12-18
Become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. —Philippians 2:15
American businessman Mark Bent has spent $250,000 to develop and manufacture an affordable solar-powered flashlight. Thousands have been distributed free or at low cost to people living in African refugee camps. One daily solar charge provides 7 hours of life-giving illumination for people in homes, schools, and medical clinics where darkness had encouraged crime and violence.
The contrast between darkness and light is a prominent image in the Bible’s presentation of Jesus the Messiah. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined” (Isa. 9:2). “In [Jesus] was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it” (John 1:4-5).
It’s our privilege as followers of Jesus to be His light-bearers today. Paul urged the Christians in Philippi to become “blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15).
Instead of being afraid or oppressed by the spiritual darkness around us, we can rely on the grace that God gives His children to shine for Him. — David C. McCasland
Jesus came to give light to a dark world.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(1 votes, average: 2.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: have you had enough?
God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives (1 Thessalonians 4:7).
READ: Proverbs 6:12-19
A 2008 Barna Group survey asked adults what immoral behaviors they had engaged in during the past week. Of those surveyed: 28 percent had used profanity, 20 percent had gambled, 19 percent had viewed pornography, 12 percent had gossiped, 12 percent had gotten drunk, 11 percent had lied, 9 percent had sex outside of marriage.
The survey also revealed devastating results for adults under 25: 64 percent had used profanity, 38 percent had sex outside of marriage, 37 percent had lied, 33 percent had viewed pornography. Among believers, using profanity (16 percent) and pornography (12 percent) were the most common sins.
Living in a morally decadent world, the apostle Peter cautions us not to live like it. Outlook determines outcome. So Peter tells us to have the right attitude so we can live righteous lives (1 Peter 4:1).
• Be ready to suffer (v.1). Peter reminds us, “Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but He died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but He was raised to life in the Spirit” (1 Peter 3:18). Our identification with Christ’s suffering means victory over sin, for we died to sin and “now we also may live new lives” (Romans 6:2-4).
• Be ready to do the will of God (v.2). We’re not to live selfishly for the world’s pleasures (v.2). Instead, we should be eager to do God’s will. He desires that we be holy, avoiding all sexual sin (1 Thess. 4:3).
• Be ready to face God (v.5). Be warned. There is a holy God to whom everyone must give a personal account (Romans 14:12). God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing (Ecclesiastes 12:14).
To live holy lives, we begin by telling God, “I’ve had enough. I’m finished with sin.” —K.T. Sim
What immoral behaviors did you engage in during this past week? What is one persistent sin that you’ll say “I have had enough” to? Ask Jesus to free you from that sin.
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: the other side
February 11, 2010
READ: James 4:13-17
What is your life? It is even a vapor. —James 4:14
When someone said to my friend, “See you in a year,” it sounded odd when he replied, “Yes, see you on the other side.” He meant that he’d see him on the other side of a one-year deployment for the US Navy. But because the phrase is often used of heaven, it made me think about the uncertainty of life. I wondered, Who will be here in another year? Who might by then be on the other side—in heaven?
We certainly don’t know what the next year—or hour—will bring. In his epistle, James wrote about this uncertainty. He rebuked the greedy merchants for boasting about what they would do that day, the next day, or even the next year (4:13). Their sin wasn’t that they were making plans; it was forgetting God and arrogantly boasting about those business plans.
James reminded them: “What is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (v.14). Commentator Peter Davids says that James was pointing out their foolishness and saying, in essence, “Come now, you who make plans—you don’t even understand how little control you have over life itself.”
No part of life is outside the control of God. So when we make plans, we need to remember, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that” (v.15). — Anne Cetas
Write your plans in pencil and let God have the eraser.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(1 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5) Loading ...
