Interview: Tim Gustafson
As a young boy, Tim Gustafson was raised in Ghana by foster missionary parents. He found pleasure in honoring God through his writing and eventually went on to full time ministries with RBC. He has served with RBC Ministries for more than 15 years and is currently the Director of Publishing. He is happily married [...]
ODB: A Companion On The Road
November 17, 2011
READ: Matthew 4:18-22
Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers . . . . Then He said to them, “Follow Me.” —Matthew 4:18-19
I love to walk Idaho’s paths and trails and enjoy its grandeur and picturesque beauty. I’m often reminded that these treks are symbolic of our spiritual journey, for the Christian life is simply walking—with Jesus alongside as our companion and guide. He walked through the land of Israel from one end to the other, gathering disciples, saying to them, “Follow Me” (Matt. 4:19).
The journey is not always easy. Sometimes giving up seems easier than going on, but when things get difficult, we can rest a while and renew our strength. In Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan describes the arbor on Hill Difficulty where Christian caught his breath before continuing the climb. His scroll provided comfort, reminding him of the Lord’s continual presence and sustaining power. He got a second wind so he could walk a few more miles.
Only God knows where the path will take us, but we have our Lord’s assurance, “I am with you always” (Matt. 28:20). This is not a metaphor or other figure of speech. He is real company. There is not one hour without His presence, not one mile without His companionship. Knowing He’s with us makes the journey lighter.
— David H. Roper
Source: Our Daily Bread
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Loading ...ODJ: tuition nation
So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of Mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Teach them to your children (vv.18-19).
READ: Deuteronomy 11:18-25
According to a study conducted by a local newspaper in Singapore, 97 out of 100 students polled have private tutors or receive supplemental training at academic centers. So common are these practices that Singapore has been called the “tuition nation.”
Academic education is important, but I wonder, Is equal—if not greater—attention given to instructing our children to become men and women of high moral character? People imbued with a clear purpose and mission in life?
In Deuteronomy 11, we’re reminded that God is interested in our children’s education (vv.18-19). He wants us to teach them His Word, ways, and values. In Psalm 78:7-8, we’re told the purpose of this instruction. It’s so that “each generation [will] set its hope anew on God, not forgetting His glorious miracles and obeying His commands. Then they will not be like their ancestors—stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.”
And God is the best teacher with the best lesson plan for us to follow. First, we teach by example. Parents must “commit [themselves] wholeheartedly to these words” of God (Deuteronomy 11:18). He states, “Lay up these words of Mine in your heart and soul” (ESV). Yes, God’s Word must personally shape our heart, mind, and will. Second, the place of education is not in the classroom, but in the situations of life (vv.19-20). So it’s good for us to ask: Are we seizing opportunities to turn life experiences into teaching moments? Are we freeing up the quality time that’s required?
Whether you’re a parent or perhaps—like me—you’re an aunt (or uncle) to some precious children, let’s take their education seriously. We must instruct them to “act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with [their] God” (Micah 6:8 NIV). —Poh Fang Chia
How are you investing in the moral formation of children in your family? What other children could you instruct in the wisdom of God’s Word—perhaps those in your Sunday school or in your neighborhood?
(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)
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November 16, 2011
READ: 1 John 2:18-27
You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. —1 John 2:18
When FBI agents train bank tellers to identify counterfeit bills, they show them both fake money and real money, and they study both. To detect a counterfeit problem, they must look for the differences in the genuine bill compared to the counterfeit—and not the similarities.
In 1 John 2, the apostle John helps to protect believers from heresy by showing them examples of counterfeit Christians and teachers. One of the signs of the last days is the coming of antichrists (1 John 2:18). Antichrists are those who claim to have His power and authority but don’t, or those who reject and oppose Him and His teachings.
John gave three marks of false teachers who are controlled by the spirit of the antichrists: They depart from the fellowship (v.19), they deny Jesus as the Messiah (v.22), and they draw the faithful away from Jesus (v.26). He encouraged believers to protect themselves against the spirit of the antichrists by depending on the indwelling presence of the Spirit, knowing the truth, and remaining in fellowship with Jesus.
We can protect ourselves from error and deception by knowing the false but relying on the Truth—Jesus Christ.
— Marvin Williams
Source: Our Daily Bread
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Why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? (v.3).
READ: Matthew 7:1-5
A person recently lamented to me, “I don’t get it. Why do all my relationships keep breaking down? I want to get along better with my family and have closer friendships, but I find myself in nearly impossible circumstances over and over again.”
This person sounded so helpless. The pull to console him was strong, but it’s not what he needed at that moment. You see, this person didn’t realize—until I suggested it—that he was playing the martyr. He was oblivious to having slipped into a “Woe is me” mindset. For his own good, he needed a dose of truth spoken in love (Ephesians 4:15).
We’ve all been there. We see ourselves as the only one who is hurt and struggling in a relationship (or at least our pain is what matters the most). Yet the truth is that we’re adding to the problem more than we know. It’s a mindset that only breeds more feelings of helplessness—and it needs to be challenged and called out.
If we find ourselves camped in “Martyrville,” we’re not really as stuck as we think. There’s another mindset to adopt that can start to counter our helpless feelings. Jesus taught us to be concerned first and foremost with our “I” problem before we address our friend’s problem. He said, “First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye” (Matthew 7:3-5).
It’s a matter of perspective that might not immediately change our circumstances, but it can get us unstuck from a helpless way of thinking. It can provide the groundwork for us to move forward in our relationships with others.
Feeling helpless? Don’t play the martyr. Prayerfully consider your own words and actions as you seek healthy relationships. —Jeff Olson
How have you been playing the martyr in a relationship? Why is it vital to realize that your pain is not the most important pain in the universe?
(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: Baby Food
November 15, 2011
READ: Hebrews 5:12–6:2
Solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. —Hebrews 5:14
Have you ever tasted baby food? I have. It’s terribly bland. But babies have no other choice without teeth. They certainly can’t eat a nice, juicy steak!
Sadly, some Christians are content with spiritual baby food. They are happy to go over and over the simple truths of the Scriptures and don’t move beyond the basics of the gospel (Heb. 6:1-2). By not sinking their teeth into deeper truths and more difficult Bible passages, they lack biblical understanding and convictions to make right choices (5:13). They may have been Christians for many years, but their spiritual abilities remain underdeveloped. They remain babies.
As children grow physically, they learn to eat solid food that gives them strength and vitality. In the same way, every believer needs to take on the responsibility to feed himself on solid spiritual food. To fail to do this is to remain spiritually weak and undernourished.
You can roughly tell the physical age of people by how they look. Their spiritual age is revealed by their ability to distinguish good from evil and by their personal character that’s shown day by day.
Is this spiritual discernment evident in your life? Or are you still on spiritual baby food?
— C. P. Hia
Source: Our Daily Bread
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: the choice is yours
A wise person chooses the right road; a fool takes the wrong one (v.2).
READ: Ecclesiastes 10:1-3
A missionary friend who has lived in Uganda for nearly 20 years recently told me that his wife doesn’t enjoy their family’s annual trip to the United States. The reason? “There are too many choices there!” she says.
It’s true that—with fewer consumer products at our disposal—life in Uganda can seem less complicated than in the Western world. I’ve found, however, that I still make just as many decisions here as in the US, but they’re different.
In Uganda, where abject poverty is ever-present, I must constantly choose how I’m going to respond to the street kids knocking on my car window. Should I give food to the hungry neighbors outside my gate? What should I do for the children I know who are suffering inhumanely in ill-equipped hospitals nearby?
Where does a person begin in helping Ugandans? I still wonder after 3 years of living in this country.
Looking to Scripture for answers, I find that God gives us the same guidance whether we live in a rich country or a poor one. Ultimately, regardless of our surroundings, like Joshua, we must first choose each day “whom to serve.” Will it be the Lord or other gods? (Joshua 24:14-16).
For those who make the choice to serve and fear the Lord, “He will show them the path they should choose” (Psalm 25:12). As we follow Him and are enabled to do so by His Holy Spirit, God will direct us in matters of service and even in purchases we’re considering.
It’s true that we become the slave of whatever or whomever we choose to obey. “You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living” (Romans 6:16). Let’s choose to follow God today and reach out to others by His power. —Roxanne Robbins
How does whom or what you serve affect your daily choices? What choice do you need to bring to God today?
(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: Grieving From A to Z
November 14, 2011
READ: Lamentations 3:25-33
Though He causes grief, yet He will show compassion. —Lamentations 3:32
Jerusalem was engulfed in flames, and the prophet Jeremiah wept. His prediction of divine judgment had largely gone unheeded. Now his terrible prophecy had come to pass with horrifying vividness. The short book of Lamentations records the prophet’s grieving process over the destruction of Jerusalem.
Jeremiah organized the book around the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, using a technique of alphabetic acrostics to aid the reader in memorizing the passages more easily. But using this technique also shows that he didn’t cut short his grieving process. He took deliberate and intentional time to reflect upon and even to write down his heartbreak. You might say he was learning to grieve from A to Z.
In the midst of his grief, the comfort of God surfaced. Reminders of God’s sovereignty and goodness gave the prophet hope as he faced the future: “The Lord will not cast off forever. Though He causes grief, yet He will show compassion according to the multitude of His mercies” (Lam. 3:31-32).
If you’ve recently experienced a painful loss, remember to take adequate time to grieve and to reflect upon God’s goodness. Then you will be able to experience His comfort and hope for the future.
— Dennis Fisher
Source: Our Daily Bread
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...With Me
By Debra Ayis, 22, Nigeria Where I cannot go, Lord, please go for me. Where I can go, Lord, please go before me. Wherever I go, I will be confident; For You are always with me.
(3 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: what is a Christian?
All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God (v.14).
READ: Romans 8:1-17
Under “religious views” on her Facebook profile, my wife lists the simple phrase “Jesus-follower.” She uses that explanatory term to avoid political and cultural connotations associated with the word Christian. In some cultures, people are “born Christian.” But that is a misunderstanding of what it means to follow Jesus. Ironically, a friend of mine in the United Kingdom asked me not to use “Jesus-follower” to describe Christians. It seems that in his culture, the problem is reversed.
My friend told me, “The tag ‘Follower of Jesus’ has been used to muddy the waters between those who have a committed relationship to Christ and those in other faith systems.” He noted that some regard Jesus as a great man but still less than what He claimed to be. Something less than the unique, virgin-born Messiah. Something less than the sinless Lamb of God who was crucified for our sins. Something less than the resurrected Jesus.
So what is a Christian? Paul gave us a solid definition in Romans 8. A Christian is one who has been set free from slavery to sin and its sentence of death. “There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus,” Paul wrote. “The power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death” (vv.1-2). Real Christianity should also have accompanying evidence. “You are controlled by the [Holy] Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you,” he added. “And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to Him at all” (v.9).
“All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God,” Paul concluded (v.14). “His Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children” (v.16). That’s not something political or cultural. It’s relational! —Tim Gustafson
What does it mean to you to be a Christian? How would your unsaved friends and acquaintances answer that question?
(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)
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