Forget Me Not
By Tracy Phua, 22, Singapore On my most recent trip to Nepal, I visited a village school that a Nepalese friend of mine helped to start up. Upon arrival, I was greeted by toothy grins and cheeky looks from the 72 students. It was definitely love at first garland as they piled never-ending heaps of [...]
ODJ: trials and temptations
And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one (v.13).
READ: Matthew 6:9-13
Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil (Matthew 4:1-11). Each test was a temptation or enticement to sin. It’s not a sin to be tempted. But there exists in every trial a potential for us to disobey God. Job, severely tested by Satan (Job 1-2), didn’t sin against God (2:10). Mrs. Job, however, responded differently: “Curse God and die,” she said (2:9). Her response shows the potential danger in every trial or temptation we face. That’s why we need to pray, “Don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13).
To resist temptation, we need to:
• Be alert to the dangers of evil around us. Satan asked permission to test Peter (Luke 22:31). Because Peter did not heed Jesus’ warning, he denied the Lord (Luke 22:34,56-62). Jesus said, “Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation” (Matthew 26:41).
• Resist the devil with the Word of God. In Luke 4, Jesus responded to Satan’s temptations by quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3 (v.4), Deuteronomy 6:13 (v.8), and Deuteronomy 6:16 (v.12). Just as Jesus used the Scriptures to overcome Satan and temptation, so should we.
• Trust in God who is faithful. God uses the trials of life to perfect us (James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-8). If these trials couldn’t build us up, He wouldn’t allow them. Surely, our heavenly Father will be with us in whatever we face. We persevere because He provides us with His all-sufficient grace (2 Cor. 12:8-10). Our fear of failure is dispelled when we realize that God may place a load on us but will never overload us. He will provide a way out so that we can endure. He is the faithful God we can trust in the midst of any trial (1 Cor. 10:13).
—K.T. Sim
What trials of life are you going through at this moment? What potential danger to sin exists in these trials? What must you do to overcome the temptations?
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Loading ...ODB: a helping hand
October 14, 2010
READ: Proverbs 31:10-20
She reaches out her hands to the needy. —Proverbs 31:20
In the 1930s, jockey Johnny Longden was rammed in mid-race. While thundering steeds came up from behind, Johnny was thrown sideways off his horse. Seeing his predicament, another jockey reached out and attempted to push Longden back up on his mount. Unfortunately, he pushed too hard and Longden flew over the horse onto the other side. Still another jockey nearby grabbed him and was able to help him safely back on his horse. Amazingly, Johnny Longden won the race! A newspaper dubbed it “the ultimate impossibility.” Helping hands had not only saved him from severe injury and possible death, but allowed him to win the race.
As believers, we are to offer a helping hand to others as well. In Proverbs 31, we read of the virtuous woman who “extends her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy” (v.20). For centuries, the compassion of this woman of faith has been an inspiration to both men and women. She helps to remind us that extending ourselves to others is a biblical virtue to be exhibited by all believers.
There are many who are struggling or have fallen on hard times and need our assistance. Who in your life needs a helping hand? —Dennis Fisher
God often sends His help by way of human hands.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...A Yellowstone Reflection
By Jill Phua, 18, Singapore Click to download this wallpaper This is one of my favorite photos. It was taken in Yellowstone National Park, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, USA. The picturesque scenery reminds me that God is our Creator and that He is sovereign. In comparison with the majestic mountains and lakes that our Lord has [...]
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: inconvenient compassion
Jesus saw the huge crowd as He stepped from the boat, and He had compassion on them and healed their sick (v.14).
READ: Matthew 14:13-21
Unlike us sometimes, Jesus didn’t allow circumstances to dictate whether or not He chose to act compassionately. We need to take that to heart, for unchurched people are looking for reasons to attend a church and associate with believers in Christ. Nearly 60 percent of non-church-attenders say they would be more likely to step inside if they felt the church “cared for them as a person” (2009 Lifeway survey).
Jesus cared for individuals even when He faced bitter times. John the Baptist, the man God used to “prepare the way” for Jesus and who had baptized Him, was brutally executed by Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee (Matthew 14:6-11). When Jesus “heard the news,” He experienced sadness and grief and left on a boat to go to a remote place (v.13). His heart was heavy as He dealt with the death of John and perhaps considered His own future sacrifice. During His moments alone on the boat, per His consistent pattern, it’s likely He prayed—calling out to His heavenly Father.
When Jesus stepped from the boat, He was greeted by thousands of people. They had left their homes and towns to follow Him. But now they were in the wilderness without food. Though still grieving, “Jesus . . . had compassion on them and healed their sick” (v.14). What’s more, He provided for their physical needs by giving them all a miraculous meal (vv.20-21). To show compassion will often require us to leave convenience far behind. The times we’re called to display it may be when our own hearts are heavy or when we’re tired. That’s the perfect time to call out to our heavenly Father, seeking His comfort and counsel. Then we can pour out Christlike compassion on the people around us who are looking for the reality of Jesus in our words and actions.
—Tom Felten
What keeps you from having a more compassionate heart for those who don’t believe in Jesus? How does Jesus’ compassion inspire you?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: approachable
October 13, 2010
READ: Mark 2:13-17
Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance. —Mark 2:17
When people ask Michael St. Jacques, a Franciscan brother, what he’s wearing, he says, “It’s called a habit.” He wears the distinctive brown robe for a definite reason. St. Jacques told Hemispheres magazine, “We have the choice to wear it, and a lot of us make a real effort to because it acts as a magnet. People tell me things they’ve never told anyone. Complete strangers will confess something they did 30 years ago and ask if God can forgive them.” You might say that Michael is clothed in “approachability.”
Throughout the Gospels, we find that all types of people approached Jesus wherever He went. They came to be taught, helped, healed, accepted, and forgiven. When some criticized Jesus for associating with tax collectors and sinners, people they considered undesirable, Jesus said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Mark 2:17).
Do people see us as aloof or accessible? When we become so focused on our own plans that we have no time for others, we are not clothed with the spirit of Christ.
When the Savior lives through us, His open arms invite people to open their hearts and unburden their souls. —David McCasland
Being available for the needs of others honors Christ.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: it feels so right
There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death (v.12).
READ: Proverbs 14:1-12
In 1977, singer Debbie Boone recorded “You Light Up My Life.” The song quickly shot to the top of the charts and became one of the biggest hits in the 1970s. While the song was originally written as a romantic love song, Boone claimed to sing it to God.
One of the most familiar lines in the song says, “It can’t be wrong when it feels so right.” That’s certainly true when it comes to our drawing close to the pure presence of our Creator. And it can sure seem right in human relationships too—but that’s not always the case. They can most definitely be wrong even though they feel right.
Take King David. I have no doubt that when he watched Bathsheba bathe and then took her into his bedroom, she lit up his life. It felt so “right” and easy to justify enjoying the charms of another man’s wife (2 Samuel 11:1-4). That’s the deceptive nature of any form of sexual immorality. But the excitement never lasts. In fact, it’s like the calm before the storm.
David’s infidelity with Bathsheba erupted into a pregnancy, murder, a cover-up, and ultimately the death of an innocent child (2 Samuel 11:5-12:18). In a sexually permissive world where we’re bombarded with the message “if it feels good, do it,” it’s important to remind ourselves and each other of the bigger picture. What makes marital infidelity—and any form of sexual immorality—wrong is its destructive nature. Indulging in it eats away at our hearts and tears apart our relationships. Most important, it’s sin in God’s eyes.
Now, God isn’t trying to take the pleasure out of life when He prohibits sexual sin. Instead, He’s a loving Father who is trying to protect His children from doing great harm to themselves and others. —Jeff Olson
Why can’t relationships be trusted simply because they “feel so right”? What good things happen when we abstain from sexual sin?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: why is there color?
October 12, 2010
READ: Psalm 19:1-6
The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. —Psalm 19:1
Why do some trees turn into a collage of radiant maroon, red, orange, and yellow colors in the fall? Trees are green in the summer because chlorophyll, a green pigment in the leaves, absorbs red and blue light from the sun. The light reflected from the leaves appears green to our eyes.
Chlorophyll is an unstable substance, and bright sunlight causes it to decompose rapidly. Therefore, plants must continuously synthesize and regenerate it. The shortening days and cool nights of autumn, however, interfere with this process. As chlorophyll breaks down, the green colors of the leaves begin to fade. Some trees change from green to bright yellow as the chlorophyll degrades. In others, the action of sugar in the leaves creates a red pigment, causing the leaves to turn maroon, purple, and bright red as the chlorophyll fades.
But why do we have color? It seems to serve no practical purpose—at least none that scientists can discern. And why are there photoreceptors in our eyes that enable us to see it?
I believe that God’s goodness is the point of His creation. He is “good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works” (Ps. 145:9). He colored the world for our childlike delight. He’s like that, you know. —David Roper
God’s glory shines through His creation.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: perspective
Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness (v.28).
READ: Matthew 23:5-7,13-28
Still half asleep, I gradually found my way to the bathroom to begin my morning routine. Grabbing my toothbrush, I coated it with toothpaste and sat down on the edge of the bathtub. Because I don’t normally sit and brush my teeth, my position afforded me a new perspective of the bathroom sink. Previously hidden from view by the faucet’s spout, a fine layer of unidentifiable matter coated the edge where the faucet met the white porcelain. I realized my “working mom” style of cleaning needed some modifications.
Like the unseen grime on a sink, sin thrives in places beyond the view of others. So when we wage war against spiritual enemies, we need help. For our hearts can deceive us (Jeremiah 17:9). Surrounding ourselves with godly people who can speak the wisdom of God’s Word into our lives heightens our advantage in the battle (Proverbs 24:6). When we withhold information or spin the truth to make ourselves look good, however, the good counsel we receive can become sullied. Before long, one speck of grime adds to another until our hearts become a musty grave of hidden thoughts and desires.
Sadly, in the past I’ve whitewashed the tomb of my heart by pushing undesirable responses below others’ perceptions. Then, not so strangely, I’ve wondered why I felt like I could never be good enough. I hadn’t yet learned that coating the outside doesn’t change the heart. Dressed in layers of self-righteousness, I was naked and blind (Revelation 3:17-18)—desperately needing God’s perspective.
True godliness demands the demolition of any manmade construction. Exposing our failings is never easy in the moment; but when we live from the inside out, life becomes real. And our perspective becomes a great deal more accurate.
—Regina Franklin
In what ways have you tried to control what others think of you? What excuses have you used to keep from being transparent with others? What area in your heart do you desire for God to purify?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Not a Wasted Life
By Danny Wira Dharma, Indonesia Have you ever felt unsure about what to do next, and while you’re deliberating, the clock is ticking, eventually time made the decision for you? Sounds familiar? Frankly speaking, I experienced that a lot. While reading Ephesians 5:15-16 recently, I was drawn to one particular word: “Be very careful, then, [...]
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