ODB: no laughing matter
November 14, 2010 READ: Philippians 1:12-20 All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. —2 Timothy 3:12 As my wife and I were walking through a shopping mall, we came to a T-shirt stand. While browsing the shirts and their often humorous sayings, I noticed one with a disturbing message. It [...]
ODJ: family feud
I call on the God of our ancestors . . . to serve as a judge between us (v.53).
READ: Genesis 31:17-55
A Sicilian man wasn’t a criminal, but he asked police to arrest and jail him. When local authorities refused, he entered a nearby store and swiped a pack of gum. Then he threatened the store clerk and waited for the cops to show up! His motive? He was trying to avoid spending time with his relatives on New Year’s Eve.
Some of us can relate to this guy—we’re willing to do almost anything to evade certain family members. But avoidance rarely offers lasting peace.
Fed up with his father-in-law, Jacob packed up his family and vanished without leaving a forwarding address. When Laban finally caught up with them, he scolded Jacob for leaving so suddenly. Then, “Jacob became very angry, and he challenged Laban” (Genesis 31:36). Since his attempt to tiptoe away had failed, Jacob realized there was no way around an honest discussion of past (and present) offenses with the father of his wives.
Rehashing wrongs only intensifies our urge to escape, unless forgiveness is involved. Jacob had to forgive Laban for manipulating him relationally (29:25) and in business matters (31:7). And Laban had to forget about his missing idols (v.30) and the farewell party he never got to host (v.27). With their issues in the open, the two men promised not to harm each other (v.52). Instead of distancing himself, Jacob had taken a step closer to Laban, agreeing to leave his grievances in God’s hands. Laban reciprocated and asked God to be their judge (v.53).
In the end, Laban kissed his kin and blessed them (v.55). While not every family feud has a tidy resolution, there is a better chance for harmony when we stop avoiding our family issues, face the hard work of forgiveness, and call a truce with the relatives we’d rather renounce. —Jennifer Benson Schuldt
How might you handle a family disagreement with someone who isn’t willing to discuss it openly? Why is running away from family disputes counterproductive? How does God view our disputes?
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Loading ...ODB: significant
November 13, 2010
READ: Psalm 139:1-16
My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret. —Psalm 139:15
An old TV sitcom featured an estab- lishment that the patrons seemed to frequent on a daily basis. The concept was that it was a welcoming place where “everybody knows your name.”
We all want to be accepted, to fit in somewhere. But some people live on the margins of life where it can be difficult to feel they have any value or significance, or that they matter to anyone. Children sometimes experience this: Too tall—when other kids haven’t had a growth spurt yet. Too fat—when the other kids are thinner. Too smart—when their classmates are struggling. Or “not smart enough” in comparison with others. Being different as a child can result in being mocked or bullied. But an adult who doesn’t fit into the mold may just be ignored—so insignificant that he or she feels invisible.
But what a great significance we have in God’s eyes! We were so valued that He sent His Son to pay the price for our sins and to allow us to have a relationship with Him. We were created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27), and He has designed us and been involved in every detail of our life since before we were born (Ps. 139:1-16). Whether or not we always feel significant, we are deeply loved by our Father. —Cindy Hess Kasper
The God who created the universe is the God who loves you.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: as goes the king
The one who rules righteously, who rules in the fear of God, is like the light of morning at sunrise, like a morning without clouds, like the gleaming of the sun on new grass after rain (vv.3-4).
READ: 2 Samuel 23:1-7
King David’s last words remind us that our lives rise and fall on leadership. A righteous king brightens the lives of his people like a quiet sunrise, while one who “oppresses the poor is like a pounding rain that destroys the crops” (Proverbs 28:3). Leaders who bring peace and prosperity are revered and celebrated, but the names of wicked rulers are treated with contempt.
David’s son Solomon was one of the good ones. His name means shalom, the Hebrew term for peace and prosperity, which is what his wise reign brought to Israel. The Queen of Sheba was overwhelmed by the splendor of his court and exclaimed, “How happy your people must be! . . . Because God loves Israel . . . He has made you king over them” (2 Chronicles 9:7-8).
It goes without saying that Hitler was a bad leader. As terrible as his reign was for the countries he invaded, it was even worse for his own people. During World War II, Karl Barth wrote: “We must certainly feel sorriest for the poor Germans.” Many of them knew that their side was wrong, but fear led them to follow their leader.
The importance of good leadership is why Paul commands us to “pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:2). As goes the king, so goes the kingdom.
Besides praying for our leaders, we must understand that we are kings too. God made us in His image to govern creation on His behalf (Genesis 1:26-28). We all sit on various sub-thrones beneath the universal reign of God. Consider your realms of responsibility—in your home, church, work, and neighborhood. Do you lead others like a warm sunrise or a driving rain? —Mike Wittmer
Write down the names of five people who look to you for leadership. Are they happy to follow you? Why or why not? What can you do to bring them shalom?
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(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODB: more than loaves
November 12, 2010
READ: John 6:25-36
You seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. —John 6:26
Seventeenth-century Quaker leader Isaac Pennington said, “The Lord has been teaching me to live upon Himself—not from anything received from Him, but upon the life itself.” The people in John 6 wanted to live off Jesus, but not for the same reason. It was not because their hearts were loyal to Him, but because their hearts were loyal to what they thought He could provide for them—namely, food and deliverance from Roman oppression.
Jesus’ provision of the loaves and fish was a confirmation in their minds of what He could do for them. Jesus knew that behind their interest in Him was their hope that He would become a different kind of king, so He withdrew from them (John 6:14-15). The next day they looked for Him and found Him, making their quest successful (vv.22,25-26). So they continued to follow Him because of what they thought He could provide. But Jesus turned the tables and identified Himself as the Bread of Life (vv.32-33). They wanted a better life from Him, but He told them He came to offer them eternal life (v.40). Only those who believe in Jesus can find true fulfillment—now and forever.
Follow Jesus, not just because He can provide “the loaves,” but because He can satisfy your deepest hunger—the quest for eternal fellowship with Him. —Marvin Williams
You can experience complete fulfillment if your life is filled with Christ.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: wanting justice
Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness. . . . Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city? (4:11).
READ: Jonah 3:6-4:3
Evil is everywhere. Last year, not far from where I was living, 57 civilians were massacred by political rivals. Many of these people weren’t simply killed. It was brutal. Deep in my heart, I must confess that there was a personal cry for justice—I wanted God to severely punish the perpetrators.
The whole point of the book of Jonah is not about a big fish. It’s actually about a God who extends His love—even to the worst of us. Jonah was sent to announce God’s judgment to the citizens of Nineveh, a city of especially brutal people. They committed horrifying acts against conquered foes.
Jonah quite naturally didn’t want to take God’s message to them. So he headed by ship in the opposite direction (1:1-3). That’s where the big fish comes in (vv.15-17). Through divine intervention, Jonah eventually arrived in Nineveh with the Lord’s message for the people. But instead of ignoring it, the people actually repented (3:7-9). Ergo, no judgment (v.10). Jonah was furious (4:1-3).
We do have a God of justice who declares: “I will take revenge. I will pay them back” (Romans 12:19). In an obscure prophecy found in the book of Nahum, God declares what He would eventually do to Nineveh (chapters 2-3). Justice.
But we also have a Savior who, as He was being crucified, called for His executioners to receive mercy: “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Mercy.
Mercy and justice: two sides of the same coin. It’s a message God wants us to convey to everyone—even to the worst among us. —Tim Gustafson
Why is it appropriate to want evil people to face judgment? Why is it dangerous? What happens when you take God’s judgment into your own hands?
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(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...A Nepali Lady and My Grandmother
By Eugene Seah, 23, Singapore As we sat around the fire keeping ourselves warm on a wintry Nepali dawn, my Nepalese friends shared the gospel with the lady who was toasting our breakfast. She replied, “If by believing in your God I can don’t work, then I’ll believe!” How would you respond to that? Personally, [...]
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ODB: selfless love
November 11, 2010
READ: Philippians 2:20-30
For the work of Christ [Epaphroditus] came close to death, not regarding his life. —Philippians 2:30
On December 4, 2007, a 19-year- old soldier serving in Iraq saw a grenade being thrown from a rooftop. Manning the machine gun in the turret of his Humvee, he tried to deflect the explosive—but it fell inside his vehicle. He had time to jump to safety. Instead, he threw his body over the grenade in a stunningly selfless act that saved the lives of four fellow soldiers.
This almost unexplainable act of self-sacrifice may help us understand why the Bible tells us that there is a kind of love that is more honorable than having great knowledge or faith (1 Cor. 13:1-3).
This kind of love can be hard to find—leading the apostle Paul to lament that more people care for themselves than for the interests of Christ (Phil. 2:20-21). That’s why he was so grateful for Epaphroditus, a co-worker who “came close to death, not regarding his life” in order to serve others (v.30).
If we think we could never put our own life on the line for others, Epaphroditus shows us the first step with his selfless example. Such love is neither normal nor common, and it doesn’t come from us. It comes from the Spirit of God, who can give us the desire and ability to feel for others some of the inexpressible affection God has for us. —Mart De Haan
You can measure your love for God by showing your love for others.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: if tomorrow never comes
What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that” (v.15).
READ: James 4:13-17
A heartbreaking story on the cover of the newspaper had everyone talking. A groom was found dead hours after his wedding dinner. One of his friends said: “He was a very cheerful person and had just gotten married. Nobody could believe he was dead just hours after celebrating his wedding.”
Life is truly uncertain. Everyone is just a heartbeat away from eternity. First Chronicles 29:15 states: “Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace.” It usually takes sad news, however, to drive home the reality of our frailty.
James 4:13 warns against speaking arrogantly about our future. We’re too limited to even understand what lies ahead, let alone take charge of it. We’re not the master of our own destiny, for we don’t even know what tomorrow will bring (v.14). We’re like a mist. Our lives are so short—here today, gone tomorrow.
How should we live in light of these truths? We should learn to embrace God’s plan for us (v.15) and do all the good we can (v.17).
We embrace God’s plan by acknowledging His sovereign rule over us. We say, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that” (v.15). We don’t make plans and then simply ask God to bless them. Instead, we should include God in every decision because He is over all of life.
Elisabeth Elliot observed, “God is God. Because He is God, He is worthy of my trust and obedience. I will find rest nowhere but in His holy will, a will that is unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what He is up to.”
Next, we should do the good we can. As God’s Word has instructed us in good works, we must be faithful in doing them. That makes for a God-honoring today and tomorrow. —Poh Fang Chia
What does your planning say about you? Are you self-confident or God-reliant? How do your plans acknowledge God’s plan?
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