ODJ: writer’s block
[God] comforts us in all our troubles (v.4). READ: 2 Corinthians 1:1-7 Writer’s block will wear you out. During a recent bout with it, everything I wrote ended with the electronic equivalent of throwing a crumpled sheet of paper into the bin. Any hint of an idea died on the page before I could finish [...]
ODB: Avoid the Husks
December 16, 2011
READ: Luke 15:11-24
He would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate. —Luke 15:16
Ah, the life of a pig! Each new day brings nothing but slopping through the mud and snorting happily at mealtime. And what meals they have! Crunchy corn husks—or whatever leftovers get tossed into the pen.
Sound good? No? It probably didn’t sound good to the prodigal son either.
Before he started eating with pigs, he had a warm bed, a rich inheritance, a loving father, a secure future—and probably good food. But it wasn’t enough. He wanted “fun.” He wanted to run his own life and do whatever he desired. It resulted in a pig’s dinner.
Whenever a young person ignores the guidance of godly parents and the instruction of God’s Word, similar results occur. It always shocks me when someone who professes to know Jesus chooses a life that rejects God’s clear teaching. Whether the choices include sexual sin, addictive substances, a lack of ambition, or something else, any action that leaves God out risks ending badly.
If we ignore clear biblical morals and neglect our relationship with God, we can expect trouble. Luke tells us that the young man turned things around after he came to his senses (Luke 15:17). Keep your senses about you. Live for God by the guidance of His Word—unless you have a hankering for the husks.
— Dave Branon
Source: Our Daily Bread
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Loading ...ODJ: sacred things
How can light live with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14).
READ: Daniel 5:1-30
Lumberjack Ron Fahey got into trouble for removing some logs he intended to use as firewood. The de-branched specimens had been lying in a woodpile on the campus of a University. Fahey had been given permission to take logs found on the grounds. However, this particular stack of wood was actually a ‘sculpture’ named Deadwood Sleep. Fortunately, the hardworking lumberjack was stopped before he did too much damage. “To me, it was just a pile of wood,” he said. “If that’s art, then I’m in the wrong job.”
King Belshazzar of Babylon was definitely in the wrong when he decided to use some sacred things for profane purposes (Daniel 5:2). He ordered certain gold and silver cups to be used for a wild party he was hosting. The problem was, the fine goblets had been taken from the Temple (“the house of God”) in Jerusalem when a previous king, Nebuchadnezzar, had conquered the city (v.3). Belshazzar had offended God with His sacrilege (v.23).
His sentence? God spoke through the prophet Daniel and told him that his life and reign were about to end (v.26). That very night it was lights out for Belshazzar (v.30).
God is holy, and He has called us to be holy. Sadly, at times we profane what is sacred. Consider these words from the apostle Paul: “Don’t you realise that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? . . . You must honour God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
What are the sacred things in your life? What are those things that you would never do or say because they’re unholy and offensive to God? Write them down and commit them to Him today. —Tom Felten
How seriously do you take God’s holiness? Why is it important for us to recognise what God considers to be sacred?
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Submitted by Mirna Lucia, 22, Indonesia YMI Note: This poem was written in Bahasa Indonesia. We have translated it into English for you.
(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODB: A Supporting Role
December 15, 2011
READ: Romans 12:9-21
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another. —Romans 12:10
After the American TV personality Ed McMahon died in 2009, one newspaper headline read, “When it came to being the No. 2 man, he was No. 1.” Best known for his 30-year tenure as Johnny Carson’s late-night sidekick, McMahon excelled at helping Carson succeed in the spotlight. While most entertainers strive for top billing, McMahon was content with a supporting role.
When the apostle Paul gave instructions about how to exercise our gifts as members of the body of Christ (Rom. 12:3-8), he affirmed the value of supporting roles. He began by saying that we should have a realistic opinion of ourselves (v.3), and he concluded with a call to genuine, unselfish love: “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another” (v.10). Or, as J. B. Phillips translates it, “a willingness to let the other man have the credit.”
Our gifts and abilities come to us by God’s grace and are to be used by faith (vv.3,6) in love and service for Christ—not for personal recognition.
May God grant us the ability to embrace with enthusiasm the supporting roles to which He calls us. The ultimate goal is His glory and not our own.
— David C. McCasland
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: Christmas quiet
The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them (v.20).
READ: Luke 2:8-20
Having read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever in her class, my daughter decided to re-enact Jesus’ birth. Casting herself as an angel—complete with wings, dress, and sparkling shoes—she made her brother, her lone recruit, a shepherd. Firstborn to the core, she gave Micah his directions and began reciting her lines with passion. Micah, however, was a little distracted. More sheep than shepherd, he bent down and began playing with the lights on her princess shoes. Kicking away his 4-year-old fingers, she sternly whispered, “Micah! Stop it!” and then, resuming her angelic expression, she finished her lines.
The hustle and bustle surrounding Christmas can often distract us from the real meaning of the celebration. We can forget to focus on Jesus as we become sidetracked with the trappings of this world. Our attention becomes fixed on everything but the heart of the story (Matthew 1:23).
I enjoy pondering what it might have been like to quietly observe the shepherds just moments before the angels’ arrival. What sounds carried across the night air? Were the shepherds thinking in silence, exchanging stories of days gone by, or drifting into a restful lull? Was the air heavy and still or crisp with a light wind?
The hope for humanity changed that night, and heaven rejoiced with the reality. Redemption had come! (Galatians 4:4-5).
Like a seamless performance, we want everyone to say their lines and follow our directions—even God. We wrongfully equate redemption with everything looking right (Isaiah 53:3). The beauty of Jesus’ birth, however, shines brightly due to the greater beauty of His death (Ephesians 1:7).
There is no one scene that stands alone in our lives; rather, they all fit together in the greater story of God’s redemptive work. —Regina Franklin
What happens when we see our faith as a performance rather than a revelation of God’s hand? In what ways has God redeemed your story?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: The Horse and Her Boy
December 14, 2011
READ: Colossians 3:12-17
[We are] strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience. —Colossians 1:11
When I was about 5 years old, my father decided that I needed a horse of my own to care for. So he bought an old bay mare and brought her home to me. I named her Dixie.
Dixie was a formidable beast for me at my age and small stature. No saddle was small enough, no stirrups short enough for my legs, so I rode bareback most of the time.
Dixie was plump, which meant that my feet stuck straight out, making it difficult to stay astride. But whenever I fell off, Dixie would simply stop, look at me, and wait while I tried to climb on her back again. This leads me to Dixie’s most admirable trait: She was wonderfully patient.
I, on the other hand, was less than patient with Dixie. Yet she bore my childish tantrums with stoic patience, never once retaliating. I wish I could be more like Dixie, having patience that overlooks a multitude of offenses. I have to ask myself, “How do I react when others aggravate me?” Do I respond with humility, meekness, and patience? (Col. 3:12). Or with intolerance and indignation?
To overlook an offense. To forgive 70 times 7. To bear with human frailty and failure. To show mercy and kindness to those who exasperate us. To gain such control over our souls—this is the work of God.
— David H. Roper
Source: Our Daily Bread
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: love and magic
People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life [for them], shedding His blood (Romans 3:25).
READ: Psalm 14
When an atheist online reader of ODJ submitted a comment that called religion “anti-science” and Christianity “magic”, a fascinating online dialog ensued. I thought of the books authored by brilliant minds—articulating a reasoned and logical case for belief in God. I pondered the complexity of the human eye, the intricate design of a giraffe’s neck, and the oddity of the duckbilled platypus. I considered how the laws of nature irresistibly infer a Lawgiver. Also, I thought of several scathing and unhelpful ways I could have responded to the reader. Thankfully, I refrained.
The exchange brought to mind two nearly identical Psalms: 14 and 53. Psalm 14:1 says, “Only fools say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!”
Yet those Psalms don’t charge only those who deny God. “The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race” (14:2). The conclusion: “All have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!” (v.3).
That’s emphatically inclusive language! “Not a single one” includes you and me!
“Everyone has sinned,” Paul asserts. “We all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23). Thankfully, there’s more. “Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous,” Paul adds. “He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins” (v.24).
We have no right to despise those who choose not to believe in God. Rather, in love, we can thank God, who “chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes” (Ephesians 1:4).
It isn’t magic to believe in the One who established the laws of science. It’s love for our heavenly Father. —Tim Gustafson
How do you react to people who hate God? What attitude do you picture Jesus having toward them?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Joy of Christmas: Joy & Gladness
Original artwork submitted by Zhichuan, 21, Malaysia One of the first entries submitted for “Joy of Christmas” contest! Zhichuan has kindly made his artwork available for download as wallpapers too. Download Wallpaper Here Download Wallpaper:: 1024 x 768 | 1280 x 800
(4 votes, average: 4.75 out of 5) Loading ...ODB: Free Pizza!
December 13, 2011
READ: John 6:25-41
I am the bread which came down from heaven. —John 6:41
Money is tight when you’re a college student. So when free food is available, students will show up anytime, anywhere. If a company wants to recruit new employees, it will entice young people on college campuses to come to a presentation by offering free pizza. Some students attend presentation after presentation—just for the pizza. The food in the present seems to be more important than the job for the future.
Jesus fed a crowd of 5,000, and the next day many searched for Him (John 6:10-11,24-25). He challenged them: “You seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled” (v.26). It seems that the food was more important to some of the people than the everlasting life Jesus offered in Himself. He told them He was “the bread of God . . . who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (v.33). Some didn’t believe, wouldn’t accept His teaching, and “walked with Him no more” (v.66). They had wanted the food, but they didn’t want Him and what would be required of them to follow Him.
Jesus calls us today to come to Him—not for the blessings from His hand but to receive the eternal life He offers and to follow Him, “the bread of God.”
— Anne Cetas
Source: Our Daily Bread
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