ODJ: spiritual pursuit
God is Spirit, so those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth (v.24). READ: John 4:4-24 On this day in 1963, the world was shocked by the news that John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, had been killed by an assassin’s bullet. Though it’s not as well [...]
Providential Meetings
By Maulline Onyalo, 22, Kenya Someone defined a Christian this way: “The true Christian is he who gives others the desire to be one also.” One passage in the Bible reflects this definition well. In the story of the Samaritan woman in John 4, Jesus reveals to us that chance encounters are often opportunities for [...]
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Loading ...ODB: out of the mouth of babes
November 21, 2010
READ: Psalm 8:1-2
Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength. —Psalm 8:2
Psalm 8 begins with a startling contrast. David seems to suggest that while God has revealed His glory in the skies, another persuasive answer to His critics comes in the utterances of a child: “Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, because of Your enemies, that You may silence the enemy and the avenger” (v.2).
Why is a child’s praise so persuasive? For one thing, it’s because, unlike the impersonal universe, a child can know and love God.
Jesus quoted Psalm 8:2 when religious leaders were scandalized that children were running around in the temple shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Matt. 21:15-16). These little ones knew—as those leaders did not know—that Jesus was the long-awaited Son of God.
Some of my most memorable moments as a parent came when I knelt beside our children’s beds at night, and they opened their hearts to God. The simplicity of their love and trust as they prayed touched me deeply, dispelled my doubts and fears, and drew me to faith.
We must never take lightly little ones who believe in Christ (Matt. 18:6,10). Their witness is great, as is the witness in the skies. —David Roper
Children are God’s precious jewels— help them shine for Christ.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: Jesus heals
I baptize you with water, but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am (v.16).
READ: Luke 3:15-22
By 2:00 a.m., as reports streamed in from the earthquake in Haiti, Craig Miller knew he had to go. Miller, director of the relief organization Thirst No More, had been able to have two Facebook chats with a medical contact working amid the rubble. The team’s news was dire: They had seen five children die, and they couldn’t provide adequate care for the survivors because they had no medical supplies. Immediately, Miller went into action—leaving for Haiti within hours. He didn’t know if he would be able to get to them in time; but “If I didn’t try,” he said, “I knew for sure they wouldn’t have the supplies they needed.”
Often, the best we can do for others who are in distress is to simply be with them in their trouble. Jesus came to be present with us, to walk amidst our pain, and to experience the fear and sorrows we face. He “faced all the same testings we do, yet He did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
This truth jumps to the fore in Jesus’ baptism, a pivotal time in His public ministry. The other Gospels add details to the story, but Luke narrates with sparse prose. “When all the people were being baptized,” Luke writes, “Jesus was baptized too” (3:21 NIV). Jesus, who had no sin and needed no forgiveness, showed His identity with all people as He went into the water.
Yet Jesus did more than simply appear beside us. He came to heal us. At Jesus’ baptism, John the Baptist proclaimed that He was the one who would baptize us “with the Holy Spirit and with fire,” symbols that promised total transformation (v.16). When Jesus has finished His work among us, we will be more than comforted. We will be changed. —Winn Collier
How have you experienced God’s presence even in your troubles? What does it mean for you to grasp that God wants not only to be with you, but also to heal you?
(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...Charlie St. Cloud: Of Failures and Second Chances
By Tracy Phua, 23, Singapore The recent tearjerker Charlie St. Cloud is based on Ben Sherwood’s best-selling novel The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud. Sherwood crafted the book with a focus on the theme of life. He was particularly interested in the impact of sorrow and death on our lives and how we [...]
(1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODB: misapplied learning
November 20, 2010
READ: Romans 6:1-14
Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. —Romans 6:11
After a 4-year-old got into trouble at preschool, his mom asked him what he had done wrong. He explained, “I was angry with a playmate. But you told me that I should not hit anyone, so I asked my friend to do it for me!”
Where does someone so young learn that? The Bible tells us he did not have to be taught—he was born with it! It is part of the fallen nature that all of us have at birth.
But the Christian does not have to respond according to his fallen nature. Paul reminds us that “our old man was crucified with [Christ], . . . that we should no longer be slaves of sin” (Rom. 6:6). We are “a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17) and have been set free and have become “slaves of God” (Rom. 6:22).
Yet, as Christians we do still struggle with our flesh and its sinful desires (Rom. 7:18-19). But now that “we are alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord,” we can respond in a God-honoring way (Rom. 6:11).
Instead of being like the young boy who tried to get revenge, we can obey the instructions of Romans 6:13, “Do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God . . . as instruments of righteousness.” —C. P. Hia
We gain the victory when we give up sin’s pleasure in exchange for Christ’s power.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: wisdom of a president
Do not depend on your own understanding (3:5).
READ: Proverbs 1:1-7
With the death of former US President Gerald Ford in December 2006, many Americans found renewed appreciation for the man who steadfastly served following the resignation of President Richard Nixon. Many people knew that he had spent years of his life in public service before becoming President. But few knew the integral role his Christian faith had played in shaping his leadership skills.
During his years in the White House, Ford prayed Proverbs 3:5-6 every night, just as he had since he was a young boy. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” According to King Solomon, the purpose of Proverbs—as revealed in Proverbs 1—is to:
• Teach people wisdom and discipline (v.2).
• Help people understand the insights of the wise (v.2).
• Teach people to live disciplined and successful lives
(v.3).
• Help people do what is right, just, and fair (v.3).
• Give insight to the simple (v.4).
• Give knowledge and discernment to the young (v.4).
• Enable the wise to become even wiser (v.5).
• Let those with understanding receive guidance (v.5).
• Develop proper fear of the Lord, the foundation of
true knowledge (v.7).
President Ford understood the merit of a regular dose of Proverbs. He also embraced fellowship and accountability and surrounded himself with wise people who encouraged him to stay true to God, Christian disciplines, family, and friends.
Today, take time to meditate on the wisdom found in God’s Word. It’s something we all desperately need. —Roxanne Robbins
What has God revealed to you about true wisdom? Which proverbs have you taken to heart recently?
(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODB: national pride
November 19, 2010
READ: 1 Peter 2:9-17
You are a chosen generation, . . . a holy nation . . . that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness. —1 Peter 2:9
My wife, Martie, and I have grown to love England—its history, culture, and people. One of our favorite activities when we visit is going to outdoor concerts (also known as proms) on the sloping lawns of ancient estates. “The Last Night of the Proms” event is the best, with fireworks and hundreds of nationals waving little British flags to rousing patriotic tunes.
We loved joining the celebration—until the summer our children came with us. When we started waving our flags with all the enthusiastic Brits, our kids were aghast. I can still hear them shouting over the music, “What are you doing?! You’re Americans!”
God must often feel like that when we blend in and live like the “locals” around us. I can almost hear Him saying, “What are you doing living like that?! You belong to My nation!”
Peter reminds us that we are different from the locals—we are a “holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9). Being holy means that we are unique, set apart for Jesus, becoming like Him, and reflecting His countercultural ways of living. It means that we are forgiving in the face of cruel offenses; and merciful, gracious, truthful, and loyal to our promises. It means being just like Him.
So let’s start waving the flag of holiness as members of the “Jesus nation”! —Joe Stowell
Our loyalty to Jesus should be seen and heard in our lives.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: déjà vu
Surely the Lord will strike Saul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle (v.10).
READ: 1 Samuel 26
David was caught in a living nightmare. Once again, Saul was hot on his heels. The king had taken 3,000 of Israel’s elite troops and was hunting David down in the wilderness of Ziph. The events in 1 Samuel 26 have a sense of déjà vu about them—they’re remarkably similar to what took place in chapter 24.
In the first encounter, David was retreating as Saul was advancing. But in chapter 26, Saul’s soldiers are camped out and David is on the offensive. His scouts located Saul’s camp and David, accompanied by at least two men, goes to check it out. What’s he up to? we wonder. Surely, he won’t attempt to assassinate Saul, for he was conscience-stricken when he previously cut off a portion of Saul’s robe (24:5).
David had come for Saul’s spear and water container, and that was all. He commanded Abishai not to kill Saul for basically the same reason (v.9) he verbalized in 24:6,11. But David went beyond what he had said before, assuring Abishai, “Surely the Lord will strike Saul down someday, or he will die of old age or in battle” (26:10). After his experience with Nabal and Abigail (ch.25), David knew that God could accomplish His will in any number of ways. It’s important to note that David didn’t simply know that God defends His own. He believed it. His whole plan hung on it. He staked his life on it. We see from his example that faith and action go hand-in-hand. His plan was totally dependent on God for success.
In 1 Samuel 26, David dealt with a similar situation with greater confidence and wisdom than in chapter 24. Can that be said of us? How are we living out the wisdom He has taught us through previous life experiences? —Poh Fang Chia
Is there a particular experience that God is bringing you through over and over again? What lesson is he teaching you?
(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...5 Ways to Waste Money in College
By Chaz Oswald, 22, USA I slept walked to the kitchen to cook porridge for breakfast. To my horror, there was an army of ants feasting on last night’s dinner crumbs. Living in an apartment with guys, I guess such a scene is not surprising. Before cleaning up the mess, I watched in amazement as [...]
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