ODJ: fasting and faith
This is the kind of fasting I want (v.6). READ: Isaiah 58:6-11 When Gandhi wanted to capture the attention of the powerful and prompt them to act against injustice, he went on a hunger strike. A number of years ago when I was confused and heartbroken, I began a 3 day fast. We are [...]
ODJ: one lost lamb
For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I Myself will search and find My sheep (Ezekiel 34:11).
READ: Luke 15:3-7
The Bible uses many metaphors to describe people who are not believers in Jesus: Harvest fields (Matthew 9:37-38), fish caught in the net (13:47), guests invited to a banquet (22:10), and sheep—most often as lost sheep without a shepherd (Psalm 119:176; Isaiah 53:6; Matthew 18:12; Luke 9:36; 1 Peter 2:25).
Phillip Keller, a shepherd, is the author of A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23; he wrote that sheep must have a shepherd. They require more attention and meticulous care than any other livestock. Defenceless, endowed with neither natural defence nor attacking capabilities, they are helplessly vulnerable against predators. They’re slow, which makes them easy prey. They’re gullible, nearsighted animals (unaware of the threats around them) that must be told what to do and where to go or they’ll wander off into danger. They have no homing instincts. A dog or bird can find its way home, but a lost sheep is lost indeed. So the image of a lost sheep is one of grave concern and danger. In the end, a lost lamb is a picture of imminent and certain death.
What’s the big deal about lost sheep? Let’s say one lamb out of 100 wanders off. Any modern sheep farmer would simply write it off as a business expense. Yet for Middle eastern shepherds, every sheep was valuable. Valuable enough for the shepherd “to leave the ninety nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it” (Luke 15:4). The next snapshot is even more priceless: “And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders” (v.5).
Have you strayed from God? Are you lost? Your Shepherd has gone out on a search and rescue mission for you. When He brings you home, He will rejoice, for He has found you (v.6). —K.T. Sim
The Bible says that we all are like sheep (Isaiah 53:6). In what ways are we like lost lambs? How are we different from sheep?
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Loading ...ODJ: the Word of God
In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God (v.1).
READ: John 1:1-18
A person’s words are inseparable from the person speaking them. Think about your own words. They come from you and are uniquely yours. Your words communicate your heart. They come from your inner self—your soul—and express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, and character. Your words are spoken with your voice. They are sounded with your own unique mix of accent, pitch, tone, and inflection. They’re made with your breath, your lungs—from deep within you.
Your words have a certain creative power. They can enter my mind and heart and make me laugh, cry, question an old belief or believe something new.
I cannot speak your words as I cannot know your deepest thoughts. I cannot swallow a lungful of your breath and speak with your exact voice and accent. I am not inside you. I am not you. Your words are uniquely yours.
Now, think about the apostle John’s description of Jesus as the “Word” of God:
The revelation of God. “He has revealed God to us,” John says (John 1:18). “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father,” says Jesus Himself (14:9).
The very voice and ‘breath’ of God. “The words I speak are not My own, but my Father who lives in Me does His work through Me” (v.10).
The One who is Creator God. “God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him” (1:3). No wonder John tells us that this Word wasn’t just “with” God at the beginning of time, but “was” God (v.1). God’s Word is inseparable from Him. His Word is uniquely His.
Jesus is indeed the heart, soul, voice, breath, and creative power of God.
—Sheridan Voysey
How have you struggled in believing Jesus’ deity? What does Jesus being God’s “Word” mean for your speaking and living?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: intercepting entropy
I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense (v.30).
READ: Proverbs 24:30-34
John Ortberg, in one of his sermons, told of an interview with Max Dupree, the former CEO of Herman Miller, a renowned office furniture company. “Max is asked to speak a lot about leadership, and at one session somebody asked him what the most difficult thing was that he personally had to work on. This was Max’s response: ‘It’s the interception of entropy.’ ” Long before Max Dupree recognised this weakness in himself, Solomon gave advice to his audience as to how they could intercept their own entropy.
This story comes straight from the land of a farmer in Israel (Proverbs 24:30-34). When the writer viewed the farmer’s property, he immediately discerned the kind of person he was—complacent, lazy, and one who lacked judgement. His property was overgrown with thorns and weeds and the wall stood in ruins (v.31). The sage’s audience would have been appalled at the farm owner’s carelessness and would have surmised: The owner’s sloppy habits and disorganisation was evidence of his physical and spiritual neglect.
The writer quoted Proverbs 6:10-11 (24:33-34) and rightly concluded: The owner was resting and sleeping when he should have been working. What began as a nap ultimately became a lifestyle of laziness and disregard, leading to decline. His laziness betrayed the God who had blessed him. The lesson was obvious: Hard work is a virtue, necessary for becoming wise and intercepting entropy.
If people walked past your house, looked in your garage, or sat in your office, what would they think? As followers of Jesus, we’re called to intercept entropy with the pursuit of wisdom, hard work, and diligent stewardship, including—but not limited to—organised and orderly lives. Let’s pursue wisdom and work hard in everything we do. —Marvin Williams
What do your habits reveal about you? Care or neglect? As people view how you live, what are they concluding about your spiritual life?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: firewalkers
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames (v.23).
READ: Daniel 3
Firewalkers fascinate me. These people have a special something that allows them to look down at a bed of hot coals, unbuckle their sandals or peel off their socks, and step right in. Some see it as a rite of passage, a way to conquer fear, or a way to uncover some hidden vein of inner strength. Whatever the reason, something serious is usually at stake.
For Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the issue was worship. They braved a personal encounter with fire—not just walking over hot coals, but entering a blazing furnace—because they refused to worship a giant totem-like statue erected by King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 3:18).
So, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames” (v.23). They should have been instantly incinerated. However, watching closely, Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god” (v.25).
The king called the three friends out of the oven (v.26). Amazingly, the fire had not touched the three men; they didn’t even smell like smoke! This prompted Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge the one true God, saying, “[God] sent His angel to rescue His servants. . . . There is no other god who can rescue like this” (vv.28-29).
The Bible says, “People are born for trouble as readily as sparks fly up from a fire” (Job 5:7). Are you in trouble today? Maybe the flames of difficulty are leading you to a place where your future is uncertain—maybe your ‘furnace’ is a pending divorce, a serious illness, or a financial disaster. No matter what it is, God’s presence with you is real. If you continue to trust Him, He can use the outcome for His glory. As a firewalker, you can bring glory to God. —Jennifer Benson Schuldt
Why is it so tempting to wander away from God’s ways? How does God respond when we return to Him after backsliding?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: if i were the devil
Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel (v.10).
READ: Ezra 7:1-26
In the foreword of R. C. Sproul’s book Knowing Scripture, J. I. Packer writes: “If I were the devil . . . one of my first aims would be to stop folk from digging into the Bible. . . . How? Well, I should try to distract all clergy from preaching and teaching the Bible, and spread the feeling that to study this ancient book directly is a burdensome extra which modern Christians can forgo without loss. . . . At all costs I should want to keep them from using their minds in a disciplined way to get the measure of its messages.”
With that said, you have to believe that Satan was once annoyed at the prophet Ezra. For Ezra “had determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel” (7:10). The prophet was known as a “scribe who was well versed in the Law of Moses” (v.6), and one “who studied and taught the commands and decrees of the Lord to Israel” (v.11).
I picture Ezra sitting at his desk, carefully copying the holy Word of God. From time to time he pauses to—in the words of German poet Rainer Maria—“lean back and close his eyes over a line he has been reading again, and let its meaning spread through his blood.”
Our reason for studying the Bible is simple—we have a covenant relationship with God. As we study His Word, we’re better able to understand His commands. We need to consistently select an hour, quiet our hearts, and carefully examine the Scriptures. However, we need both understanding and application. Both these things will allow us to reveal its life-changing wisdom to others.
Get the devil mad this week as you dig deep into God’s Word and apply its truth. —Poh Fang Chia.
What will you do to begin truly studying God’s Word? How does applying God’s Word to our lives affect both us and others?
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(1 votes, average: 1.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: clear, pure water
On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to Me!” (v.37).
READ: John 7:37-39
A tall, cold glass of water. The condensation on the glass cools my hand. Clear, pure, colourless, odourless; free of man-made chemicals and corruption. I lift the glass to my lips and drink this water that deeply refreshes.
A small, gurgling stream in the forest. Silky ripples, floating leaves, water flowing smoothly around rocks and branches. Liquid as clear as crystal, revealing the pebbles on the stream bed. I scoop my hands and splash my face. It washes clean the sweat and grit—this water that deeply cleanses.
A long awaited storm in a drought-stricken land. Rain falls, soaking soil, trickling down tree bark, dripping off leaves. The soil sprouts new shoots, the tree stands strong again, the leaves begin to flourish, and children jump joyfully in the puddles—all from this water that deeply renews.
Refreshing, cleansing, renewing. Without water we would be thirsty, dirty, and lifeless. So when Jesus uses water as a metaphor to describe Himself, we do well to listen.
This water refreshes us. “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!” Jesus shouts to us (John 7:37). The water He offers refreshes forever, becoming a “fresh, bubbling spring” within us as we drink it in (4:14). This water cleanses our sweaty, dusty feet (John 13:6-10), and washes away our dirty, gritty sins (1 John 1:9). This water renews us. All who drink of it will have rivers of life burst forth from their heart (John 7:38), bubbling springs that bring eternal life (4:14). Indeed, the One who quenches our deepest thirst is making all things new (Revelation 21:5-6).
Jesus is the clear, pure, corruption free water that refreshes, cleanses, and renews. “Anyone who believes in Me may come and drink!” He says (John 7:38). Come again to the very source of life itself. —Sheridan Voysey
How have you experienced Jesus’ offer of refreshing, cleansing, and renewing water? How will you spend time ‘drinking’ from Him today?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: good judgement
Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgement (Proverbs 4:7).
READ: Matthew 7:1-5
Don’t judge me!” Most of us have used those words to defend ourselves when we believe someone has unfairly called into question something we’ve done.
So, is it wrong to judge people? After all, Jesus Himself said, “Do not judge others” (Matthew 7:1). The answer is yes and no.
It’s essential to understand that the word judge is a neutral word. It can have a positive or a negative meaning, depending on how it is being used. For example, there is a big difference between someone possessing ‘good judgement’ and someone being ‘judgemental’. The first refers to a person having wise discernment. The second is used to describe a person who wrongly condemns others.
Jesus used the word judge in different ways too. On one occasion He said, “Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly” (John 7:24). Clearly, Jesus was teaching us about an appropriate and wise form of judging people and situations. Yet He used the word in quite a different way when He said, “Do not judge others” (Matthew 7:1). Here, Jesus was focusing on an inappropriate form of judging—the hypocritical kind that scrutinises everyone else but ourselves. He went on to stress that we must first address the problems in our own lives before we can appropriately address a problem that we have with someone else (Matthew 7:3-5).
In Matthew 7:1, Jesus was not saying that all judging is wrong. If He had, then He would have been guilty of violating His own teaching. He was correctly pointing out the hypocrisy of the religious establishment in His day. In so doing, however, He pointed out that we won’t be good judges unless we’re first willing to look at ourselves with the same level of scrutiny.
The way to develop good judgement is to judge ourselves first. —Jeff Olson
What kind of a judge are you? Where in your life do you need to step back and evaluate yourself before you judge others? Why is judging others sometimes a good thing?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: the canary
Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, He abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done (v.28).
READ: Romans 1:18-32
A friend of mine left his wife and three children. Although he knows better—he was a theological professor—he continues to lie to his family and is filing for divorce. Another friend abuses her family. She wastes their grocery money on her own wants, and then swears and screams when their bank account runs dry. Both of these friends are behaving irrationally, perhaps because both are guilty of unrepentant and repeated adultery.
There is something about sexual sin that ruins the minds of previously healthy people. Paul explains in Romans 1:18-32 that as people persist in sin, things can swiftly degenerate into a shopping list of “greed, hate, envy, murder, quarrelling, deception, malicious behaviour, and gossip.” Such people “are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning” (vv.29-30).
Like all sin, a person who engages in sexual immorality is opening the door to other dark decisions. Consider that everyone knows sexual immorality is wrong. Everyone knows it’s wrong to break their marriage vows or lust after another person—turning him or her into an object for their own gratification. Even people who claim to have no qualms about extramarital sex still describe their exploits as “being naughty.”
Sexual sin undeniably abuses another person for our own advantage. We know it’s wrong to dehumanise them, but our selfish urges are so strong that we just don’t care. Once we have committed such a blatantly selfish act, what won’t we do? Other sins can come easily for those who have already given in to lust.
Lust is a dead canary in the coal mine, the first sign that something has gone haywire in our walk with Jesus. Don’t make light of this sin. Repent before you do something really foolish. —Mike Wittmer
What practical steps can you take to avoid falling into sexual sin? Why do those caught in sexual immorality often blame others for their moral failure?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: promises & praise
The Lord has fulfilled the promise He made, for I have become king in my father’s place, and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised (v.10).
READ: 2 Chronicles 6:1-11
Ever made a promise you didn’t keep? Yeah, me too. It makes me wince to think of my broken promises over the years. The shame comes from the realisation that I had given my word to do something for someone and then back tracked upon further review of what my vow would require of me. Ouch.
We’re all guilty of being “promises, promises” kind of people. However, God is the One we can count on to keep his Word. When He makes a promise, He keeps it. Just ask Solomon. He praised God for His faithful keeping of His promises to see the temple built in Jerusalem and for David, Solomon’s father, to sit on the throne (2 Chronicles 6:6). Both of those things became a reality—David sat on the throne in Jerusalem, followed by Solomon, and the temple was built “just as the Lord promised” (v.10).
Solomon exhibited the appropriate response to God for fulfilling His promises—he praised Him. The king declared to all his people, “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who has kept the promise He made” (v.4). God is worthy of our praise, for He has done great things. As we read in His Word of His awesome works and all the promises He has kept, our hearts and minds should be filled with wonder and praise!
To whom did Solomon declare God’s praises? To the entire community of Israel (2 Chronicles 6:3). When we praise God to others, revealing what He has done, they can also experience the reality of our great Promise Keeper.
Today, consider the promises God has fulfilled in the past and the promises that He will fulfil in the future. Choose to live out these words: “I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak His praises” (Psalm 34:1). —Tom Felten
What promises of God will you praise Him for today? How will you praise God before others?
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