ODB: Fear Factor
July 19, 2011 READ: Genesis 20:1-13 Abraham said, “. . . surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife.” —Genesis 20:11 If you’re a fan of Shakespeare, you know that his heroes always have a serious character flaw. It makes for a good [...]
ODB: Facing Our Fear
June 22, 2011
READ: Judges 6:11-23
The Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” —Judges 6:12
A mother asked her 5-year-old son to go to the pantry to get her a can of tomato soup. But he refused and protested, “It’s dark in there.” Mom assured Johnny, “It’s okay. Don’t be afraid. Jesus is in there.” So Johnny opened the door slowly and seeing that it was dark, shouted, “Jesus, can you hand me a can of tomato soup?”
This humorous story of Johnny’s fear reminds me of Gideon. The Lord appeared to Gideon, calling him a “mighty man of valor” (Judg. 6:12) and then telling him to deliver Israel out of Midian’s hand (v.14). But Gideon’s fearful reply was, “My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house” (v.15). Even after the Lord told Gideon that with His help he would defeat the Midianites (v.16), he was still afraid. Then Gideon asked the Lord for signs to confirm God’s will and empowerment (vv.17,36-40). So, why did the Lord address fearful Gideon as a “mighty man of valor”? Because of who Gideon would one day become with the Lord’s help.
We too may doubt our own abilities and potential. But let us never doubt what God can do with us when we trust and obey Him. Gideon’s God is the same God who will help us accomplish all that He asks us to do.
— Albert Lee
We can face any fear when we know the Lord is with us.
Source: Our Daily Bread
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Loading ...ODJ: when faith is weak
He remembered us in our weakness (v.23).
READ: Psalm 136:23-26
To say my Christian faith is unfappable would be untrue. It’s to the contrary. For even though I write devotions, engage in work on behalf of the poor in East Africa, and long for my confdence in Jesus Christ to be strong— often, too often, my faith is pathetically, embarrassingly weak. In the midst of personal hardships, I fnd it more natural to question God’s goodness than to trust in His sovereignty and bask in His love.
I’m not confessing anything new to God. His Word states that, whether or not I admit it, God knows how weak I am—how weak we all are (Psalm 136:23). He knows we are “only dust” (103:14). Our Creator understands that it’s easier to trust in what is “seen” than what is “unseen” (Hebrews 11), and that while our spirits may be willing, our bodies are weak (Matthew 26:41).
That’s why, in His great mercy, God sent His Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts, to give us the grace and
strength we need to muster up faith in Jesus even in the darkest of trials (Romans 8:26). The Lord wants you
and me to be made right with God through our faith and trust in Him. He also allows us to experience these
faith-building things:
• Salvation (Luke 7:50)
• Healing (Mark 3:4; James 5:15)
• Righteousness (Romans 1:7; Galatians 3:24; Philippians 3:9)
• Growth with our brothers and sisters in the faith (Ephesians 4:16)
• Protection from the enemy (Psalm 136:24; Ephesians 6:16)
The apostle Paul wrote, “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ” (Romans 10:17). Let’s strengthen our faith by relying on the Holy Spirit, God’s Word, other believers, and His “faithful love” that endures forever (Psalm 136:25-26). —Roxanne Robbins
Talk with a Christian friend or two about the origin of their faith and what keeps it strong, even when circumstances threaten to make it weak. How have you grown in your faith this year?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: power failure
Your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after His own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of His people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command (v.14).
READ: 1 Samuel 13:5-14
An impromptu high-wire act by a 26-year-old man caused a portion of Dongguan, a city in China, to experience a blackout. The man had lost his job and chose to drown his sorrows by drinking heavily. After his binge, the drunken one climbed a high voltage cable tower and began walking and hanging on the power cables. When firemen couldn’t coax him down, they ordered the electricity to be shut off so he wouldn’t electrocute himself. Four hours later, the guy finally fell . . . landing softly on a safety cushion where he was “greeted” by police. King Saul once had a power surge (1 Samuel 10:6), but he lost it all due to a rash decision. In the span of just four chapters, we find the prophet Samuel anointing Saul as Israel’s king (13:1) and then informing him that God had rejected him as ruler of His people (v.14). Why the abrupt change? Samuel made it plain to Saul: “Because you have not kept the Lord’s command.” The command was clear. Samuel told Saul to camp out at Gilgal for a week until he arrived there to “sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings” (10:8). But the king got uptight when the mighty Philistine army with “as many warriors as the grains of sand on the seashore” (13:5) caused his army to begin “trembling with fear” (v.7). With his army defecting and growing smaller by the hour, Saul (literally) chose to play with fire and did the burnt offering himself (v.9). That’s when Samuel caught him red-hot-handed and gave him the bad news—his days on the throne were numbered. Have you been tempted to make a rash decision—one that doesn’t honor God? Fear can cause us to short-circuit our faith and future. Let’s choose to obey God instead. He’s got all the power we need. —Tom Felten
What fear or concern is causing you to consider a decision that will defy God’s commands? Why is it vital that you choose to obey God instead?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: david and the dwarf
I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! (v.36).
READ: 1 Samuel 17:1-37,45-47
The towering enemy strides into the Valley of Elah. He stands more than 9 feet tall, with shining armor made of several hundred small bronze plates that glimmer in the sunlight. His spear is several inches thick, with a 15-pound spearhead (1 Samuel 17:7). It’s wrapped with cords so it can be thrown farther and more accurately through the air. Goliath looks—and feels—invincible. By contrast, Saul and his army have no iron weapons. They have no tall champion—except Saul. But he too is cowering at the rear of the lines in fear. No one will fight the giant. Then a ruddy shepherd boy walks up. He’s the youngest in his family and he lacks any form of military experience. Yet, he offers to fight the bigger-than-life enemy. Goliath looks and acts like a giant. But in contrast to the living God, David knows the monstrous man is a dwarf. He has the right view of God and the right view of his situation. The Israelites see Goliath as unconquerable (v.25), but David sees him as a pagan Philistine who is defying the armies of the living God (v.26). So David walks toward Goliath in shepherd’s clothes, armed with only his shepherd’s staf and sling. His confidence isn’t in what he has but in who is with him. He says, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defed” (v.45). We can have that same confidence in God and His power. We can be courageous in living boldly for Jesus in a non-Christian world. With His help, we can face any foes—for they’re all dwarfed by our great God! —Poh Fang Chia
What are the “giants” that may hinder you from living out your Christian faith? How does remembering who God is strengthen your courage today?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: winning over worry
Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need (v.33).
READ: Matthew 6:25-33
In the last year, my family has had much to worry about. My wife wasn’t called back to her full-time teaching position (we counted on her income to help cover household expenses), my son was having recurring chest pain that we thought was due to an enlarged heart, our insurance was running out and an alternative plan was going to be more than we could afford, and—if that wasn’t enough—I changed jobs. At some point these concerns turned into worry and we let them consume us. We desperately needed the wisdom Jesus spoke of in Matthew 6.
That section begins with Him commanding His followers to stop worrying and scurrying in different directions (v.25). He went on to give His followers four reasons why they shouldn’t worry:
Life is more than food, drink, and clothing (v.25). Jesus understood that these are necessities in life, but they aren’t the most important things in life.
God cares for His children (v.26). If He feeds the birds and clothes the flowers with beautiful color, how much more does God care for those created in His image?
Worrying doesn’t accomplish anything (v.27). Jesus said that worrying doesn’t add anything useful to the worrier’s day; it’s actually a life-draining endeavor.
Worrying is godless (v.32). Those who don’t know God depend on material possessions, and they allow things to rule their lives. Jesus wants His disciples to live with the assurance that His heavenly Father is in complete control.
Let’s focus on what God cares about, and then He will take care of what we worry about (v.33). This means pursuing His rule and supremacy in our lives with all we have. When we do that, He will take care of our needs. —Marvin Williams
What worries or anxieties do you need to cast on God? How can you turn your worry into a prayer request today?
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(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: small sins
“How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. . . . Now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after His own heart” (vv.13-14).
READ: 1 Samuel 13:1-14
Fish farmers in the southern U.S. had a small problem. Algae was filling their ponds, so they took the seemingly innocent step of importing Asian carp—which can grow to 100 pounds and eat 40 percent of their body weight each day—to clean the bottom of their ponds. But flooding swept the carp into the Mississippi River, which they navigated until they entered the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, a mere 40 miles from Lake Michigan.
Now the entire region has a large problem, for if the Asian carp reach Lake Michigan, their insatiable appetite for plankton may upset the food chain and disrupt the Great Lakes’ $7 billion-per-year fishing industry.
Little acts can have large consequences. King Saul lost his kingdom for two small sins. His first mistake was not waiting for Samuel to arrive to offer sacrifices. But who can blame him? Samuel was late (from Saul’s perspective) and Saul’s army was slipping away. If Saul didn’t seek the Lord’s favor soon, he would go to war without God’s blessing (1 Samuel 13:5-9).
Saul’s second failure came on the heels of a signature victory. His armies defeated the Amalekites; but rather than destroy everything as God had commanded, Saul and his men “kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them” (1 Samuel 15:9).
The root of these seemingly insignificant sins was the sin of fear. Saul feared losing his army, either by not offering the sacrifice fast enough or by sacrificing something his men wanted. But he feared his men more than he feared God, and God responded by revoking his kingship.
Learn the lesson of Saul: some sins are understandable, but none are excusable—and all are devastating. —Mike Wittmer
Do you feel pressured by circumstances or other people to do something that you know is wrong? How might you use this opportunity to demonstrate your trust in God?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: failure
Go and tell His disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see Him there, just as He told you before He died (Mark 16:7).
READ: Matthew 26:69-75
According to columnist Perry Buffington, a licensed psychologist, failure takes on a life of its own because the brain remembers incomplete tasks or failures longer than successes or completed activities. It’s called the “Zeigarnik effect.” Buffington states, “When a project or a thought is completed, the brain . . . no longer gives the project priority or active working status.
. . . But failures have no closure. The brain continues to spin the memory, trying to come up with ways to fix the mess and move it from active to inactive status.”
Peter failed in many ways, but Jesus fixed the mounting mess of the apostle’s failures and moved his blunders from active to inactive status. Peter failed in at least two ways that people most fear: being powerless in a crisis and awkward in a social setting. In the most important times of his life with Jesus—the Caesarea Philippi scene (Matthew 16:20-23), the transfiguration scene (17:1-4), and the foot-washing scene (John 13:4-10)—Peter said the most inappropriate things. He failed because the deluge of his pride overpowered him, and he attempted to blanket himself in his own strength. At the arrest of Jesus, he collapsed and became a pathetic coward (Matthew 26:69-75). His heart deceived him and he denied his Teacher and Lord. But Jesus gave him a second chance and moved his failure from active to inactive (Mark 16:7; John 21:15-17).
Jesus can move our failure to inactive status when we realize that He’s bigger than our failures and He’s willing to give us another chance. If our failures are the result of sin, then we should confess our sins to God and genuinely repent (1 John 1:9). When we fail, we can and should get up again (Proverbs 24:16). And we should press on in Jesus’ power (Acts 3). —Marvin Williams
In what ways have you failed? What truth do you need to accept as you ask Jesus to move your failure from active to inactive status?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: what i need
Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need (Matthew 6:33).
READ: Genesis 21:8-20
Diane was devastated. Despite her husband’s absence for nearly half their 8-year marriage, she had faithfully supported him in his military career. Then, abruptly, he announced that he was leaving her and their children for another woman. Now she sat in a clinic awaiting test results that would let her know if he had left her with any “parting gifts”—STDs.
An elderly woman seated across from Diane noticed her telltale red eyes. “Are you all right?” she gently inquired. With nothing to lose, the younger woman decided to share her plight. As providence would have it, this woman had also been divorced after 8 years of marriage—more than 5 decades earlier! And she, like Diane, was a follower of Jesus. She knew exactly what this young mother was going through. As her new friend quietly prayed for her in the waiting room, Diane knew that somehow God would bring her and her children through this difficult season. It was enough grace for the moment, at just the right moment.
In Genesis, we read of another woman who knew rejection and abandonment. Hagar, a servant to Sarah, had been sent into the arid wilderness by her owner (Genesis 21:8-14). Having run out of water, she put her son in the shade some distance away so she wouldn’t have to watch him die (v.16). But the angel of the Lord met her there and provided for their needs.
In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, He spoke of meeting our basic physical needs (Matthew 6:25-33). But He also provides what we need for the vast array of experiences that life throws at us. For some of our biggest needs are emotional.
Life is hard. But we have Someone who knows what we’re going through. He will never abandon us. He’s within reach of our next heartfelt prayer. —Tim Gustafson
What are your needs? How are these distinct from your wants? How are the things that you want pleasing or not pleasing to God?
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(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: unplanned
I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born (v.3).
READ: Isaiah 46:3-4, 8-11
At 17, she was in the midst of a brief season of rebellion. One night, instead of staying at a friend’s house, as she had told her parents, she went to a party thrown by a guy in his twenties. Although drinking and drug use took place, she abstained and eventually fell asleep. Later, she awoke to find herself being sexually assaulted by the young man. For many weeks she kept the rape quiet. But then she found out she was pregnant.
Fortunately, the young woman followed some godly counsel and proceeded with the pregnancy. And a loving Christian family adopted her beautiful baby.
In Isaiah 46, God reveals some truths that help us gain a correct view of unplanned pregnancy. We learn:
• God knows each baby. In love, He carries the unborn and cares for them when they’re born (v.3). Regardless of whether a baby is planned or unplanned, God deeply cares for him or her.
• God forms each baby. He says, “I made you, and I will care for you” (v.4). Each new life is made in His image and must be protected because of that great value (Genesis 1:27).
• God knew this new life would come to be. He declares, “I can tell you the future before it even happens” (Isaiah 46:10). An unplanned pregnancy is not a surprise to Him (Psalm 139:16).
All these truths became clear to the young woman mentioned earlier. In time, she repented and returned to living for Jesus. As she drew close to God and admitted her guilt (Isaiah 46:8), she received forgiveness from Him for her sin and rebellion. Today, she loves God just as He has always loved her.
Pregnancies can be unplanned, but for God a new life is never unknown.
—Tom Felten
Although sin can lead to a pregnancy, how does God view the new life? How can we compassionately help those who experience unwanted pregnancies?
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