ODB: Sin Hurts
April 22, 2011 READ: Hebrews 2:10-18 He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many. —Isaiah 53:12 Sooner or later we all feel the painful effects of sin. Sometimes it’s the weight of our own sin and the shame and embarrassment of having [...]
ODJ: the hard way
Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak! (Matthew 26:41).
READ: Luke 22:54-62
In this devo, I will write about a subject of which I must say—with great confidence—is an area of expertise. Yes, I will be boasting here. For I’ve been well-trained and have lots of experience in it. My subject? Failure. No one wants to experience it, but you and I have both come to know it up close and personal.
The apostle Peter knew what it felt like to fail Jesus. Hours before Peter caved, Jesus warned the disciple that he would deny Him (Luke 22:34). This was more than simply a prophetic possibility. It was a done deal. Later, Jesus took His disciples out to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray and to prepare for “the time when the power of darkness [would reign]” (v.53; Matthew 26:36-45). Prayer strengthened Jesus as He surrendered to God’s will (Luke 22:41-43; Mark 14:36). It could have also provided Peter with God’s peace and power, but he slept instead of praying (v.37).
Peter had underestimated the severity of his trial. His self-sufficiency, self-confidence, and self-dependence ultimately led to self-deception, which fueled his pride (see Isaiah 2:22; Psalm 62:9). Pride was the cause of Peter’s failure (Proverbs 16:18). He boasted too much and prayed too little. Rejecting Jesus’ warning, Peter didn’t seek God’s power, provision, and protection through prayer (Luke 22:32). In the end, the impulsive disciple denied Jesus three times.
When the rooster crowed, Peter was reminded of the sovereignty of Jesus and the infallibility of His Word (v.61). Peter’s word was proved fallible, but God’s Word is infallible.
The crowing of the rooster signaled the dawn of a new day. It also ushered in a new beginning for Peter as he wept bitterly over his failure and repented of it (v.62). What failure against Jesus will you confess to Him today? —K.T. Sim
What does “denying” Christ mean to you in your life? What are some ways Christians are tempted to “deny” Jesus today?
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Loading ...I am Pregnant | King David and King Jesus
By David Wong, 21, Singapore Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.” —2 Samuel 11:5 Samuel chapter 11 opens with David neglecting his kingly duties. It leads to adultery, and culminated in the murder of an innocent man. This week, we will briefly examine the fall [...]
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Short Film: My Last Day
The story unfolds through the eyes of a criminal who receives the same crucifixion sentence as Christ. The criminal’s own guilt causes him to realize more fully Christ’s innocence. “My Last Day” is a short film of regret, repentance and redemption that frames the story of salvation in a new and refreshing way that will [...]
(1 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODB: Moving Past Sinful Failure
April 21, 2011
READ: 2 Samuel 12:1-23
I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins. —Isaiah 43:25
How should we handle moments of faith-failure, when we’ve damaged the kingdom of God in the eyes of our friends and family or dishonored God in our actions?
We can learn from King David after his humiliation in the Bathsheba scandal. Though the terrible consequences of that sin could not be avoided, he found his way back to a relationship with God that made it possible for him to continue to serve Him. We too can find our way back.
David’s pattern in 2 Samuel 12 serves us well: We need to declare our error candidly (v.13) and seek God’s forgiveness. Then we can ask God that others be spared the consequences of our actions (v.16). Finally, we need to recognize that sometimes the consequences simply cannot be avoided and must be endured. While we always mourn those consequences, we can’t allow them to so consume us that we cease to be servants of God (vv.20-23).
Satan not only delights in the moment of our failure but also in the spiritual inactivity that sometimes snares us in our remorse. When we’ve blown our witness, we are and should be humbled. But we should not multiply the damage by retreating into silence and obscurity as ambassadors of Christ. We can move past failure.
— Randy Kilgore
Source: Our Daily Bread
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: adrenaline for the soul
At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (vv.10-11).
READ: Philippians 2:5-11
Using contemporary language, while attempting to capture the depth and vitality of the original words that moved and inspired early believers in Jesus, Eugene Peterson translated Hebrews 12:2-3 this way:
Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how He did it. Because He never lost sight of where He was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—He could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now He’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility He plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! (The Message).
Over the years, I’ve grown to more deeply appreciate the importance of studying how Jesus boldly lived out His convictions (Philippians 2:6-8). I’m often instructed and deeply moved by His surprising acts of compassion, by His strength to confront injustice, and by His willingness to suffer for a greater good.
I can now better see that my favorite class in Bible college—“The Life of Christ”—wasn’t so much about the teacher as it was the topic. While my teacher was excellent (thank you, Mike Sullivan!), the subject was even better! Simply put, Jesus is the most captivating figure to ever walk the face of the earth.
Going over Jesus’ life is more than just an academic or intellectual exercise. This is not about getting pumped full of information so you can pass an exam or sound “spiritual.” It’s about becoming personally acquainted, captured, and loved by the One whose life, death, and resurrection changed everything (vv.9-11).
Celebrate the life of Jesus “detail by detail.” Soak it in. His reality will “shoot adrenaline” into your heart. —Jeff Olson
Why is it vital for us to frequently read the Gospels and meditate on Jesus’ words and actions? How has He inspired you today?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Song: Good Things
The Chinese has this saying “守株待兔”(literally, it means “wait by the tree for the rabbit”)。According to legend, during the Song dynasty, there was a farmer who witnessed a rabbit hitting a tree and died as result. He hence put down his farming tools and waited at that tree for the next rabbit to do likewise. [...]
(5 votes, average: 4.40 out of 5) Loading ...ODB: Knowing God’s Will
April 20, 2011
READ: Ephesians 5:17-21
. . . that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. —Romans 12:2
A young man facing the future and unsure of what the next year would bring, concluded, “Nobody knows what God’s will is.” Is he right? Does a lack of certainty about the future translate into not knowing God’s will?
The concept of knowing God’s will is often limited to discerning what specific situation we will be in at some future time. Although seeking God’s specific leading is part of it, another aspect that is just as vital is to follow the clearly defined elements of God’s will each and every day.
For instance, it is God’s will for us to be good citizens as a challenge to those opposed to Christ (1 Peter 2:15), to give God thanks no matter what (1 Thess. 5:18), to be sanctified sexually, avoiding immorality (1 Thess. 4:3), to live under the Holy Spirit’s control (Eph. 5:18), to sing to Him (v.19), and to submit to other believers (v.21).
As we submit to God in these and other areas, we are more likely to live in what Romans 12:2 calls God’s “good and acceptable and perfect will.” Living with God’s smile of approval leads to His guidance for the future.
As we seek to know God’s will for the future, we must also act on what we already know now.
— Dave Branon
Love and obey the Lord every day, and He will unfold your future.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: counterfeit faith
These teachers oppose the truth. . . . They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith (v.8).
READ: 2 Timothy 3:5-17
After waiting in line at a local store, it was finally my turn to pay. The clerk took my money, held the bill up to the light and then disappeared to confer with her manager. When she returned, she explained that the store had recently received several counterfeit bills. Then she looked at me and added, “You don’t look like a counterfeiter.” She was right; I wasn’t passing funny money. But, I wondered what would make me look like a counterfeiter—shifty eyes, sweaty palms, ink-stained fingers?
During Paul’s day, some spiritual con men were spreading a “counterfeit faith” (2 Timothy 3:8). Paul described these guys in detail so that his protégé, Timothy, could tell the true teachers from the phonies.
These faux Christian leaders were weaseling their way into the homes of vulnerable people. In some cases, they targeted women burdened with sin and “controlled by various desires” (v.6). The false teachers preyed on people who were least able to defend themselves—the kind of people who were “forever following new teachings, but . . . never able to understand the truth” (v.7).
With followers who lacked spiritual discernment, the bad guys were free to “oppose the truth” at will (v.8). In fact, Paul compared them to the ancient sorcerers, Jannes and Jambres, the magicians who tried to duplicate Moses’ miracles (Exodus 7:11). And, just like that devilish duo, Paul promised that someday everyone would recognize the false
teachers as fools (2 Timothy 3:9).
Until that day, we have to look out for spiritual swindlers who infiltrate our homes through television, books, and the Web. The best defense against them is to know the truth. We need to mimic the Bereans, who “searched the Scriptures day after day” (Acts 17:11), refusing to accept the false teaching of a counterfeit faith. —Jennifer Benson Schuldt
How can you guard your life against counterfeit teachings? What would you say to someone who is following a false teacher?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Have You Ever Longed for a Place of Love and Acceptance?
Part 1: Introduction Part 2: Are there Biblical images to speak to the 21st Century? Part 3: Life as a journey Part 4: Going home, today Download the lesson notes for this discussion here!
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