Break Free From Pornography Addiction
By Rev Paul Baxendale Addictions are the new afflictions of today’s youth. Sexually-charged messages are presented through the mass media on a daily basis, and readily accessible. This poses an acute danger, especially with teenagers spending more than seven hours a day on the Internet—the gateway to all kinds of content. It is no coincidence [...]
ODB: first impressions
October 23, 2010
READ: John 7:14-24
Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. —John 7:24
A while back, Our Daily Bread published an article I wrote about a young woman who wore a T-shirt that said, “Love Is for Losers.” In it, I commented on what a sad message that was, and I wrote about the hurt this motto represented.
To my surprise, one of our readers gave that message a completely different slant. She sent a note informing me that her daughter and her daughter’s friends—all tennis players—wear shirts with that slogan. In tennis, a “love” score is zero. If your score in a game is “love,” you lose—so in tennis, love really is for losers. That mom’s note gave me a new perspective on that saying.
This incident reminded me how easy it is to make wrong first judgments. Based on incomplete or inaccurate information, we can jump to wrong conclusions and make poor value judgments about people and situations. And that can cause great hurt to others.
Speaking to people who had misjudged Him, Jesus warned, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24). We need to be careful that our judgments are backed up by the right information (the truth) and the right attitude (the compassion of Christ). Try this motto: “Righteous judgment is for winners.” —Bill Crowder
A snap judgment has a way of becoming unfastened.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ...ODJ: who’s in your five?
Then He appointed twelve of them and called them His apostles. They were to accompany Him, and He would send them out to preach (v.14).
READ: Mark 3:13-19
Who’s in your Five?” is the slogan of a cell phone company which offers its customers unlimited calls to their five favorite people. The advertisements for this plan remind us that we are not vitally important to everyone and that everyone is not equally important to us. We all must choose whom to let into our inner circle. If you could call five people for free, who would they be?
We all have pretty much the same number of essential people. It doesn’t matter how large your life becomes. You may be the pastor of a large church, the CEO of a multinational company, even the president or prime minister of an entire nation. Still, you truly matter to only a select group of people. Your death may bring sadness to your fans and followers, but it will be a severe shock only to those who are in your “Fave Five.”
Jesus came to save the world, but even He invested His life in a small circle of friends. Jesus chose 12 men to be His disciples, and of these He was especially close to just three. Peter, James, and John accompanied Jesus during His most important moments. They went with Him to the Mount of Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36) and most of the way into Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46).
If the Son of God poured His life into His select group of friends, we should ask how we are caring for our core group. The measure of a life is not riches or respect, power or beauty. It’s not even about accomplishing great things for God. No matter your station or status in life, the ultimate test is the same: Who’s in your Five, and are they better off for being there? —Mike Wittmer
Who’s your Fave Five? What can you do to let them know how much they mean to you? How can you help them grow in their faith in Jesus?
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(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODB: learning from the redwoods
October 22, 2010
READ: Isaiah 65:17–66:2
As the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people. —Isaiah 65:22
North America’s Pacific Coast Redwoods are some of the biggest trees in the world. The tallest on record, Hyperion, soars 379 feet into the air.
During a visit to California’s Muir Woods National Park, I was surprised and overwhelmed by the enormity of those redwoods. Trees as tall as a 30- story building seemed to press me into the forest floor while drawing my thoughts upward.
The memory of what I felt at the base of some of the tallest and oldest trees in the world has left me with lingering thoughts about their origin. Those redwoods, like the family tree of our own humanity, are rooted in a Creator who is infinitely and eternally greater than His creation.
The prophet Isaiah caught a glimpse of this God. In a vision that mingled the wonders of a Messianic kingdom with the promise of a new heaven and earth, he describes One who makes the skies His throne and the earth His footstool (Isa. 66:1).
Yet Isaiah saw something even more overwhelming. He saw a great God who wants His people to “be glad and rejoice forever in what I create” (65:18). In response, let’s bow before Him in humble adoration (66:2). —Mart De Haan
God’s work of creating is done; our work of praising has only begun.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: measured
Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God (v.16).
READ: Galatians 2:11-21
After a 7-year hiatus of staying home with our children, I returned to teaching this year. Acclimating to the demands of being a high school English teacher, I realized I had not missed grading essays. I love watching students grow in their writing, but the rigor of reading and grading 25 essays at a time can be mind-boggling. To keep from losing sight of the standard I’ve set, I often use a grading sheet denoting the value for each aspect of the assignment. Rubrics keep me sane as I wade through comma splices and run-on sentences.
While we rarely receive a grade for our varied activities in a day, we are surrounded by performance evaluations. From the movies we see to the cars we buy to our applications on Facebook (and even the devotions we write), we can measure and be measured. Living in a society where ratings determine value, we can mistakenly transfer this mindset to our spiritual growth.
Salvation can’t be earned (Ephesians 2:5-9). Understandably though, our humanity gravitates to anything we can control—even the measurable aspect of spiritual disciplines. In Galatians 2, Paul spoke to this issue in his confrontation with Peter. No amount of Bible reading, prayer, or fasting can earn us any part of God’s inheritance (Titus 3:7). There exists but one measurement for grace: We are given what we don’t deserve.
Works don’t lead to salvation, but good works should flow from the lives of those who’ve been saved (Matthew 5:16). If we understand, “He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy,” we will then “devote [ourselves] to doing good” (Titus 3:5,8).
Rubrics may provide an earthly standard of measurement, but for our salvation there’s just one standard—the blood of Jesus. —Regina Franklin
How have you wrongly relied on works to assure yourself of God’s love for you? If intimacy with God can’t be earned, what place should spiritual disciplines have in our lives and why should we practice them?
(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Fear
By Issac Tan, 20, Singapore Fear is a funny word. The very essence of the word can send shivers down our spine and stop us dead in our tracks. From the uncertainty of what lies ahead to the imagining of what sleeps under our beds, a variety of things could bring on this crippling oppression. [...]
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODB: safe room
October 21, 2010
READ: Proverbs 18:9-12
The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. —Proverbs 18:10
In some homes, owners have built safe rooms—special places where they can go for protection should someone break into the house.
In Proverbs 18:10, Solomon reminded God’s people that God is their “safe room” and that they could find total security in Him.
In verses 10 and 11, he described two types of security to which some people run: the name of the Lord and wealth. The name or character of God is described as a “strong tower.” As a captured city might take refuge in a fortified tower, so the righteous could run to the Lord and find complete safety.
On the other hand, the wealthy imagined their riches as a high point of safety. Solomon sought to tell his readers that money might give a sense of security but it would be a false security that could lead to laziness, pride, and destruction. Yet people who are humble and find their complete security in the unchanging and holy character of God will find true safety.
Wealth may not be your particular “safe room.” You might tend to run instead to something or someone else when adversity comes. But we all need to learn to depend daily on the Lord and find a high point of safety in the safe room of His name. —Marvin Williams
The name of the Lord is our safe room.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: single or married?
I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible (v.35).
READ: 1 Corinthians 7:25-40
As a single woman, for years my view of marriage was based more on what it takes from a life than what it can add to it. But over time, I’ve been able to better understand marriage by studying God’s Word.
In 1 Corinthians 7:8-9, Paul’s general advice is that it’s better to stay unmarried because of the opportunities it provides to serve Christ without distraction. The reasons given are: (1) Single people will not have to deal with the unique problems that married people face (vv.25-28). (2) Because the end is near, Christians shouldn’t let marriage and the things of the world become their dominant concerns. Their primary focus should be Jesus and eternity (vv.29-31). (3) Since marriage brings earthly responsibilities, singles will be able to devote their lives more fully to serving God (vv.32-35).
But if marriage comes with so many disadvantages, why did God institute this covenant relationship? Here’s where the whole counsel of God’s Word is vital! While singles may have fewer everyday concerns than married couples, it’s also true that two is better than one (Ecclesiastes 4:9). We can see God’s blueprint for marriage in Genesis 2:18-25. This passage reveals that, in marriage, the man and wife complement each other in His service.
There’s also a selflessness in marriage that one can never attain alone. It’s a relationship in which living for another’s best interest is put to the test, and yet—at the same time—can be extremely rewarding. A God-honoring marriage is also a strong witness of Christ’s love for the church (Ephesians 5:21-33).
Our primary concern should always be our relationship with Jesus—regardless of marital status (Luke 14:26). So whether you’re single or married, keep seeking Him and rest in what He deems best for you. —Poh Fang Chia
How could you use your current marital status—whether single, dating, or married—to serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible? Why must Jesus be our primary focus regardless of our life situation?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: well-chosen words
October 20, 2010
READ: 1 Corinthians 2:1-9
[I] did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. —1 Corinthians 2:1
When I was a kid, I learned a big word that was fun to pronounce: “antidisestablishmentarianism.” What a mouthful! I recently took the time to look it up. The dictionary defines it as “the doctrine or political position that opposes the withdrawal of state recognition of an established church.” The definition is almost as difficult as the term itself. Neither I nor my school friends knew what it meant. But using the big word made me look knowledgeable.
When the apostle Paul ministered to people, he didn’t try to impress others. In his letter to the Corinthians, he wrote: “When I came to you, [I] did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God” (1 Cor. 2:1). “Excellence of speech” is the translation of Greek words meaning “high-sounding words” or “pompous speech.” This implies using words to exalt self instead of to instruct others. Paul was a brilliant scholar who expressed the deep things of God in Scripture. Yet he did not use lofty language to elevate his self-importance.
As we grow in our understanding of God’s Word, let’s follow Paul’s example and guard against parading knowledge for knowledge’s sake. Instead, let’s use well-chosen words that build up and encourage others. —Dennis Fisher
It’s not the words we know that show wisdom, but how and when we use them.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: the grapevine
A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t hang around with chatterers (v.19).
READ: Proverbs 20:15-19
I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” a song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong in 1966, was recorded by Gladys Knight and the Pips and later by Marvin Gaye. It became one of the biggest hits on the Motown label. Its point was that while the telegraph is obsolete, the informal transmission of information, gossip, or rumor from person to person is still going strong.
Solomon said that not only is grapevine gossip wrong, it is dangerous, unwise, and ungodly. The original word for gossip meant “birds picking up seed.” When applied to a person, it meant one who was an information scavenger, picking up seeds of information (rumors or facts) about others and foolishly or maliciously spreading them around. Solomon not only called this person an information scavenger, but he also categorized him as a fool (Proverbs 10:18).
Grapevine gossip leads to disastrous effects. It separates close friends (16:28), betrays a confidence (11:13), shames and saddles him or her with a bad reputation (25:9-10), perpetually fuels the embers of a quarrel (26:20), and is an indication that the person is not walking obediently with God. Therefore, God condemned grapevine gossip and implemented a zero tolerance policy for it because it tears the fabric of holy communion with Him and holy community with others (Lev. 19:16).
In our world of email, text messaging, Instant Messaging, Facebook, Twitter, and other communication and social media outlets, it’s extremely easy for any of us to become information scavengers and grapevine gossips. We can resist these temptations by avoiding people who talk too much (Proverbs 20:19), asking God for strength to avoid sinning with our words (Proverbs 10:19; Psalm 39:1), talking to God, and saying only what will build up rather than tear down (Ephesians 4:29). —Marvin Williams
What are some ways you can prevent unwholesome talk from coming out of your mouth? What words can you use to build up and give life to another person this week?
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