ODJ: bubble trouble
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives (v.16). READ: 2 Timothy 3:10-17 The new eco-friendly dish detergent was super-concentrated, so I squirted much less than usual into the dishwasher. I cranked the knob and walked away. Minutes [...]
Superman
By Naftaly C. Sitompul, 25, United States “This way, Dad! Turn this way now!” I called out to him as we danced in front of the television. He happily took my lead. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. After some foot-thumping (and heart-pumping) moment, Dad dropped onto the couch and pant, “Ok, let’s take a [...]
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading ...ODB: Contract Faith
January 13, 2011
READ: Romans 8:28-39
All things work together for good to those who love God. —Romans 8:28
Sometimes people who serve God live with an unstated “contract faith.” Because they give time and energy to work for God, they think they deserve special treatment in return.
But not my friend Douglas. He has lived a Job-like existence in many ways, experiencing the failure of a ministry, his wife’s death from cancer, and injuries from a drunk driver to himself and a child. Yet Douglas advises, “Don’t confuse God with life.”
When troubles come and doubts arise, I often turn to Romans 8. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” asked Paul. “Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (v.35). In that one sentence, Paul summarized his ministry autobiography. He endured trials for the sake of the gospel; yet somehow he had the faith to believe that these “things”—surely not good in themselves—could be used by God to accomplish good. He had learned to see past the hardships to a loving God who will one day prevail. He wrote, “I am persuaded that [nothing] shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ” (vv.38-39).
Confidence like that can go a long way in helping overcome discouragement about how life hasn’t worked out the way we thought it would.
— Philip Yancey
He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. —Philippians 1:6
Source: Our Daily Bread
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: four hearts
Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! (v.8).
READ: Mark 4:1-20
Theologian C. H. Dodd described Jesus’ parables as stories that tease us into thought. They provoke us—shock us even—into deep soul-searching. The first parable in Mark 4 is a good example. Jesus compared His preaching mission to a farmer sowing seed that fell on different types of soil. Jesus’ missional success depended not on His message (the “seed”), but on how receptive hearts were to receive it (the “soil”). He categorized His audience into four heart types: • The hard heart, where the seed can’t penetrate (Mark 4:4,15). I once asked an author if he would ever consider Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah. His reply was that there was nothing that would sway him from his religion. In this case, Jesus’ message couldn’t even get a hearing. • The shallow heart, where initial faith is abandoned because of hardship (vv.5-6,16-17). I knew a girl who needed to decide whether Jesus or her boyfriend would be her priority. She returned to her boyfriend, to the demise of her faith. Her faith wasn’t yet deep enough to face the costs of discipleship. • The distracted heart, where the worries, riches, and pleasures of life compete for our attention (vv.7,18-19). At one time, this was me. When I came to faith, my life changed but my old lifestyle of nightclubs and music vied for allegiance. I gave in and my faith began to wither. • The attentive heart, where the message is received and pursued for life (vv.8,20). This heart produces a miraculous harvest of fruit! Jesus invited His audience to wrestle with this parable and wring out its meaning (v.9). Failure to do so would prove there was little interest in Him and His forgiveness (v.12). Jesus’ invitation extends to us today. How open is our heart to His voice and message? How open is our heart to Him? —Sheridan Voysey
Which heart type would you use to describe yourself—hard, shallow, distracted, or attentive? How can you open your heart to Jesus today?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: Behind the Scenes
January 12, 2011
READ: Matthew 6:1-6,16-18
Your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. —Matthew 6:6
Recently I attended a memorial service for a gifted musician whose life had touched many people. The tribute to this Christian woman included video and audio clips, photos, instrumentalists, and speakers. After everyone had left the church, I stopped to thank the technicians whose flawless work at the control board had contributed so much to this moving tribute. “No one noticed what you did,” I told them. “That’s the way we like it,” they replied.
In Matthew 6, Jesus told His disciples to give (vv.1-4), pray (vv.5-6), and fast (vv.16-18) in order to please God, not to gain praise from people. “When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place” (v.6). Whether giving, praying, or fasting, Jesus said, “Your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (vv.4,6,18).
Something within us makes us want to be seen and recognized for our good deeds. While there’s nothing wrong with encouragement and appreciation, a desire for praise can undermine our service because it shifts the focus from others to ourselves. When there is no public “thank you,” we may feel slighted. But even when we serve God in secret, He sees it all.
— David C. McCasland
It is better to earn recognition without getting it than to get recognition without earning it.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: into temptation
[Jesus] was tempted by the devil for forty days (v.2).
READ: Luke 4:1-13
One of the most distressing portions of Scripture is the part of Luke’s gospel that tells us Jesus “was led by the Spirit in the wilderness” to be tempted by the devil (4:1). The Spirit took Jesus into the dark wilderness? We think of God as the One who keeps danger at bay, not One who invites us to face difficulties. But God never promises to steer us clear of temptation or intense difficulty. Far better, the Spirit promises to go with us into the mouth of the dragon. God went through the tumultuous waters of the Red Sea with Israel (Isaiah 43), and God was present with the young Hebrew men in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3). God was present with Jesus, and God will be with us. In the wilderness, Satan’s temptation was a multistep ploy to get Jesus to go on His own, separating Himself from the very One who was with Him there. Satan tempted Jesus to: • turn stone to bread (providing for Himself rather than trusting God, v.3). • worship Satan and gain all Satan’s domain (grabbing His own kingdom rather than remaining under God’s rule, v.5). • hurl Himself off the temple’s pinnacle (taking life into His own hands rather than simply trusting God’s goodness, v.9). With each temptation, however, Jesus answered Satan with Scripture—rebuking Satan’s words with God’s words. Jesus knew the truth, and He knew God was with Him even in that vile place. I have a friend who’s angry at God for not averting suffering and pain at a particular moment in his life. I believe Jesus was with my friend, however, even in his pain. If he would trust God’s kind presence, he would discover something far better than release from his painful circumstances. —Winn Collier
Read each temptation in Luke 4. What would be your equivalent temptation of turning stone to bread, worshiping the devil, and testing God by leaping off the temple? How would you handle each temptation?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: Why Not Now?
January 11, 2011
READ: John 13:33-38
David, after he had served his own generation . . . fell asleep. —Acts 13:36
I have a dear friend who served as a missionary in Suriname for many years, but in his final years he was stricken with an illness that paralyzed him. At times he wondered why God allowed him to linger. He longed to depart and to be with his Lord.
Perhaps life is very hard for you or a loved one, and you are wondering why God has allowed you or your loved one to linger. When Jesus said He was going to heaven, Peter asked, “Lord, why can I not follow You now?” (John 13:37). You, like Peter, may wonder why entry into heaven has been postponed: “Why not now?”
God has a wise and loving purpose in leaving us behind. There is work to be done in us that can only be accomplished here on earth. Our afflictions, which are for the moment, are working for us “a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17). And there is work to be done for others—if only to love and to pray. Our presence may also be for the purpose of giving others an opportunity to learn love and compassion.
So, though you may desire release for yourself or a loved one, to live on in the flesh can mean fruitfulness (Phil. 1:21). And there is comfort in waiting: Though heaven may be delayed, God has His reasons. No doubt about it!
— David H. Roper
Our greatest comfort is to know that God is in control.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: a healthy lifestyle
So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise (Ephesians 5:15).
READ: Proverbs 4:20-5:2
Recently, I attended a presentation on heart attack prevention. The speaker reminded us to make healthy lifestyle choices that help reduce the risks of having a heart attack. We were told that not smoking, eating the right foods, maintaining a proper weight, reducing and managing stress, and participating in physical activities can contribute to a healthy heart. In Proverbs we find some instruction can make us spiritually healthy (4:23): Keep your mouth right (Proverbs 4:24). Our Lord says, “Whatever is in your heart determines what you say” (Matthew 12:34-37). Our words should be godly (2 Timothy 2:16), wholesome and encouraging (Ephesians 4:29), gracious and attractive (Colossians 4:6). This means speaking the truth in love (Eph. 4:15). Keep your eyes right (Proverbs 4:25). The eyes are the most influential parts of the body. What the eyes see, the heart wants (Genesis 3:6; Matthew 5:28). Keeping our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2) will overcome our “craving for everything we see” (1 John 2:16). Keep your ears right (Proverbs 4:20-22, 5:1-2). Listen carefully to God’s Word. Let God’s Word penetrate deep into your heart (v.21), and you will live (Proverbs 4:4). For God’s words are “life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body” (v.22 NIV; John 6:68). Keep your feet right (Proverbs 4:26-27). Be careful where you walk (Proverbs 4:11-15), with whom you walk (Proverbs 2:20), and how you walk (Jeremiah 6:16). Walk as Jesus did (1 Peter 2:21; 1 John 2:6), led by His Spirit (Galatians 5:16,25), in light (1 John 1:7), in love, in obedience (2 John 1:6), and in truth (3 John 1:3-4). Choose to avoid the risks that lead to spiritual sickness. Use your mouth, eyes, ears, and feet to pursue a healthy lifestyle in Jesus today. —K.T. Sim
What lifestyle choices should you make for a healthier spiritual life? How does Jesus’ example help you live a healthy life?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: Called From
January 10, 2011
READ: Genesis 12:1-9
The Lord had said to Abram, “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.” —Genesis 12:1
One of the smartest people I know is a college friend who became a Christian while studying at a state university. He graduated with honors and went on to study at a respected seminary. He served a small church as pastor for several years and then accepted a call to another small church far from family and friends. After 12 years at that church, he sensed that the congregation needed new leadership, so he stepped down. He hadn’t been offered a job at a bigger church or a teaching position at a college or seminary. In fact, he didn’t even have another job. He just knew that God was leading him in a different direction, so he followed.
When we discussed it, my friend said, “A lot of people talk about being called to something, but I don’t hear much about being called from something.”
In many ways, my friend’s obedience was like that of Israel’s patriarch Abraham, who went out, not knowing where God was leading (Heb. 11:8-10). Difficulties like famine (Gen. 12:10), fear (vv.11-20), and family disputes (13:8) gave reason for doubt, but Abraham persevered and because of his faith God counted him as righteous (Gal. 3:6).
A life of obedience may not be easy, but it will be blessed (Luke 11:28).
— Julie Ackerman Link
You don’t need to know where you’re going if you know God is leading.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: company you keep
We think of your faithful work, your loving deeds (1 Thessalonians 1:3).
READ: 1 John 3:16-19
O ne of the highlights of living in East Africa is meeting men and women from around the world who come through the region to participate in short or long-term missions. Today, for example, while sitting in a Kampala, Uganda, coffee shop, I met a young married couple from Charleston, South Carolina. Amanda and Michael recently moved to Uganda to help their church build a medical center in one of the country’s most impoverished areas. I enjoyed learning about the couple’s work and how the Lord had led them to leave home and serve in Africa. Our conversation reminded me that whether in our own neighborhood or abroad, it’s inspiring to hear about and spend time with people who have experienced God’s love and are in turn sharing it with others. Such individuals strive to live out the essence of 1 John 3 by enthusiastically . . . • Giving up their lives and comforts in behalf of their brothers and sisters around the world (v.16). • Demonstrating God’s love by sharing their money and resources with the poor—showing compassion to brothers and sisters in need (v.17). • Demonstrating love through their actions rather than merely professing love to others (v.18). • Letting their behavior convey God’s truth (v.19). In his bestselling book Today Matters, John C. Maxwell writes, “It’s a fact that you become more like the people you spend time with. If you desire to increase your faith, spend time with others who exercise theirs. Learn from them. Find out how they think.” And, I might add, how they act. As God nudges you to engage in service to others, be intentional about building friendships with people who are already doing so and who can lead you by their example. —Roxanne Robbins
Schedule a meeting with someone who is actively serving others. What steps should you take to serve others in a similar way?
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