ODB: Not At This Time
September 28, 2011 READ: Romans 11:33–12:2 Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. —Romans 12:2 It can be quite discouraging for wanna-be writers to get their work rejected time after time. When they send in a manuscript to a publisher, they’ll often hear back in a letter with these words: “Thank you. But your [...]
ODB: Throw The Book At Him
August 11, 2011
READ: Matthew 4:1-11
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. —Matthew 4:1
Things were off to a great start for Jesus at the beginning of His ministry. In Matthew 3, He was baptized and heard the affirming words of His Father, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (v.17). But then things took a turn for the worse.
What happened next—Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness—was not a mere coincidence. The Holy Spirit led Him into this face-off between the powers of heaven and hell. Thankfully, Jesus’ victory in the face of temptation provides a great example when we find ourselves in the wilderness of Satan’s sinister seductions.
Notice that the tempter caught Jesus at a time when He was tired and hungry. Satan uses the same tactic with us. Waiting for those vulnerable moments, he lures us with the bait of seductive suggestions that offer quick relief and opportunities for self-advancement. When facing such challenges, it’s important to follow Jesus’ example—throw “the Book” at Satan! Jesus responded to temptation by quoting Scripture: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4; see Deut. 8:3). The Bible is full of verses about lust, greed, lying, and other sins. If we tuck them away in our memory, we can use them when under attack. It’s our best chance for success!
— Joe Stowell
Source: Our Daily Bread
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Loading ...ODB: Time For The Armor
August 7, 2011
READ: Ephesians 6:10-18
Take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. —Ephesians 6:17
I discovered rather quickly that a young boy quoting Scripture in a children’s program at church didn’t know much about the Bible. He was quoting Ephesians 6:17 from our study on spiritual armor: “Take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”
When he tried quoting the reference, he said, “I didn’t think I needed to memorize the numbers, since that’s just the time of day.” That’s what he thought the numbers meant since it was close to 6:17 p.m. at the time! I smiled, opened my Bible, and showed him that the numbers refer to the chapter and verse.
While knowing the Bible reference is helpful, hiding God’s Word in our hearts is what is truly important (Ps. 119:11). Memorizing Scripture allows us to have it in mind so we can ward off Satan’s attacks (Eph. 6:10-18). For instance, when the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Christ withstood him by quoting the Scriptures (Matt. 4:1-11). Likewise, when we are tempted to disobey God, we can recall what we’ve learned and choose to obey. We can also share the teachings of the Word with others to encourage them to trust Him too.
No matter what time of day it is, we should always take the spiritual armor of the Word of God with us.
— Anne Cetas
Source: Our Daily Bread
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODB: Suit Up
March 19, 2011
READ: Ephesians 6:13-21
Take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. —Ephesians 6:13
When I played American football as a kid, one thing that took some getting used to was all the equipment we had to wear. Running effectively in a helmet, shoulder pads, and a variety of other protective items can feel awkward and clumsy at first. But over time the protective gear becomes like a familiar friend that provides welcome protection against serious injury. When a football player suits up, he knows that his equipment is designed to protect him in battle against a dangerous opponent.
As followers of Christ, we also face a dangerous foe—a spiritual enemy who seeks our downfall and destruction. Fortunately, our Lord has provided us with protection, and He challenges us to suit up for spiritual battle.
In Ephesians 6:13, we read, “Take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Paul then describes our armor—helmet, breastplate, shield, sword, belt, and shoes. These pieces of spiritual equipment are effective only if we put them on and use them—even if they might feel uncomfortable at first. Faithfulness in the Word (v.17), in prayer (v.18), and in witness (vv.19-20) are critical to making our armor feel like a part of us. So suit up! The battle is on!
— Bill Crowder
God’s armor is tailor-made for you, but you must put it on.
Source: Our Daily Bread
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: not today!
The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life (v.10).
READ: John 10:1-10
A few years ago, an attempted bank robbery was thwarted when an armed and courageous customer stopped a man who claimed to have a bomb strapped to his chest. Here’s what happened. Shortly after the bank opened, a man approached a teller and threatened to detonate a bomb if she didn’t hand over the money. Another teller, who saw what was going down, alerted long-time customer Nabil Fawzi, who happened to be legally packing a handgun.
Calmly, Fawzi pulled out his concealed pistol, pointed it at the robber and firmly announced, “You are not robbing this bank today!” He then ordered the thief to sit in a chair and held him at gunpoint until police arrived.
Most of us won’t witness a robbery at our local bank, but Jesus warned that we all are in danger of being robbed. When He described Himself as the “Good Shepherd” (John 10:11), Jesus reminded His followers that there is an unseen thief who is out “to steal and kill and destroy” the life He came to restore (John 10:10).
The “thief” Jesus referred to is Satan—the once mightiest of angels who fell when he became arrogant and turned against his Maker (Isaiah 14:12-14). Though God defeated Satan’s attempt to overthrow heaven, Satan and his fallen angels are still active today.
Jesus wants to give us life, and Satan wants to steal it away. The evil one is bent on keeping us from the life with God that he once had but can never get back. It’s imperative that we know this, so that we can be alert and resist him (1 Peter 5:8-9).
Satan is an accomplished thief, but we’re far from helpless. Like Nabil Fawzi, we are armed (but with God’s truth) and can firmly tell him, “Not today!” —Jeff Olson
How has Satan been trying to steal life from you? What has Jesus—your Good Shepherd—provided to help you withstand Satan’s schemes?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: what we worship
Those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them (v.8).
READ: Psalm 115:1-8
We resemble what we revere. When we worship money, we view ourselves and others in terms of our cash value. We see people as creditors, debtors, and customers, rather than as human beings made in the image of God. When we worship sex, we treat ourselves and others as dehumanized objects of sexual pleasure—good for nothing other than the next orgasm. And when we worship power, we turn every relationship into a contest between competitors, managers, and pawns.
The tragedy of becoming what we worship is that our false gods “have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell” (Psalm 115:5-6). When God says that we become like idols, He means that we become mute, blind, and deaf to what matters most.
That’s why God told Isaiah that idolatrous Israel would “not see with their eyes, nor hear with their ears, nor understand with their hearts and turn to [Him] for healing” (Isaiah 6:10). They had been serving idols for so long that they had become deaf to the very voice of God.
Nothing dulls our awareness of God as efficiently as the media. Movies and television shows ignore God in their pursuit of money, sex, and power. Have you ever heard an onscreen character say, “Let’s pray about this” or “I wonder what God’s Word says about our problem”?
We regain our ear for the music of God when we destroy our idols and practice living in His presence. Karl Barth explained that we become “like a latecomer slipping shamefacedly into creation’s choir . . . which has never ceased its praise, but merely suffered and sighed . . . that in inconceivable folly and ingratitude its living center man does not hear its voice, its response, its echoing of the divine glory.” Better late than never. —Mike Wittmer
What prevents you from hearing God’s voice? What steps can you take to worship Him with all you are and possess?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODB: When Someone Falls
January 19, 2011
READ: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. —1 Corinthians 10:12
It has become so commonplace to hear of the misconduct of a respected public figure that even though we may be deeply disappointed, we are hardly surprised. But how should we respond to the news of a moral failure, whether by a prominent person or a friend? We might begin by looking at ourselves. A century ago, Oswald Chambers told his students at the Bible Training College in London, “Always remain alert to the fact that where one man has gone back is exactly where anyone may go back . . . . Unguarded strength is double weakness.”
Chambers’ words echo Paul’s warning to be aware of our own vulnerability when we see the sins of others. After reviewing the disobedience of the Israelites in the wilderness (1 Cor. 10:1-5), Paul urged his readers to learn from those sins so they wouldn’t repeat them (vv.6-11). He focused not on past failings but on present pride when he wrote, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (v.12).
The head shaken in reproach is a common response to public sin. More helpful is the head that nods, “Yes, I am capable of that,” then bows in prayer for the one who has fallen and the one who thinks he stands.
— David C. McCasland
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. —Proverbs 16:18
Source: Our Daily Bread
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...ODJ: into temptation
[Jesus] was tempted by the devil for forty days (v.2).
READ: Luke 4:1-13
One of the most distressing portions of Scripture is the part of Luke’s gospel that tells us Jesus “was led by the Spirit in the wilderness” to be tempted by the devil (4:1). The Spirit took Jesus into the dark wilderness? We think of God as the One who keeps danger at bay, not One who invites us to face difficulties. But God never promises to steer us clear of temptation or intense difficulty. Far better, the Spirit promises to go with us into the mouth of the dragon. God went through the tumultuous waters of the Red Sea with Israel (Isaiah 43), and God was present with the young Hebrew men in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3). God was present with Jesus, and God will be with us. In the wilderness, Satan’s temptation was a multistep ploy to get Jesus to go on His own, separating Himself from the very One who was with Him there. Satan tempted Jesus to: • turn stone to bread (providing for Himself rather than trusting God, v.3). • worship Satan and gain all Satan’s domain (grabbing His own kingdom rather than remaining under God’s rule, v.5). • hurl Himself off the temple’s pinnacle (taking life into His own hands rather than simply trusting God’s goodness, v.9). With each temptation, however, Jesus answered Satan with Scripture—rebuking Satan’s words with God’s words. Jesus knew the truth, and He knew God was with Him even in that vile place. I have a friend who’s angry at God for not averting suffering and pain at a particular moment in his life. I believe Jesus was with my friend, however, even in his pain. If he would trust God’s kind presence, he would discover something far better than release from his painful circumstances. —Winn Collier
Read each temptation in Luke 4. What would be your equivalent temptation of turning stone to bread, worshiping the devil, and testing God by leaping off the temple? How would you handle each temptation?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: long commute
The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs (v.3).
READ: 1 Corinthians 7:1-7
Michael Hanley traded an 8-minute commute to work for an 8-hour one. When his autoworker job in Wisconsin was phased out, he stayed with the company and took the only position available—in Kansas. His weekly round-trip commute is now more than 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles). He’s gone from his family each workweek, seeing them only on the weekends. But he chose to stay with the company because of the good wages, a retirement package he’s working toward, and medical benefits. Being apart from his wife, however, has been brutal. The apostle Paul recognized how important it is for husbands and wives to spend time together. He knew that distance can make the heart wander—not necessarily cause it to grow fonder. And so he told the married believers in Corinth, “Do not deprive each other of sexual relations” (1 Corinthians 7:5). He supported this instruction with two points about sex: (1) Husbands and wives should fulfill each other’s needs for intimacy (v.3); (2) When the two wed, their bodies were no longer their own—but were to be shared by their spouse (v.4). It’s essential, however, that we live out these truths in gentle and tender ways (Ephesians 5:28-29; 1 Peter 3:7). Sex in marriage is meant to be selfless, not selfish. Husbands and wives have the God-given gift of sex as something to be enjoyed (Proverbs 5:18-19). But sometimes we drift apart emotionally . . . and physically. It might not be a long commute that keeps us apart, but things like the lack of loving communication, being unhealthily busy, and not being affectionate throughout the day. God desires for us to “remain faithful” to our spouses (Hebrews 13:4). To do so requires that we keep the stuff of life from coming between us and them. If we don’t, the results can be brutal. —Tom Felten
If you’re married, what is keeping you and your spouse from a healthy intimate relationship? How does God want you to change?
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...ODJ: sellout
You have sold yourself to what is evil in the Lord’s sight (v.20).
READ: 1 Kings 21:1-29
Anthony Marshall conned his mother out of millions before she died at age 105 in 2007. Her money, advancing age, and struggle with Alzheimer’s disease made her an attractive target. Marshall’s mother was Brooke Astor—famous New York City socialite and keeper of the vast Astor family fortune. Ironically, her senior-citizen son was already wildly wealthy, and yet he conspired with his lawyer to ratchet up his inheritance!
Marshall’s actions confirm what the Bible says: “Human desire is never satisfied” (Proverbs 27:20). But greed is not always about acquiring more money. It’s about wanting more of something than what we need.
King Ahab wanted more land (1 Kings 21:2). He suffered from a greedy fixation on a vineyard next to his palace. Problem was, the property-owner (Naboth) wasn’t selling. So Ahab went home and pouted until his wife appealed to his sense of entitlement, his status, and his ability to have anything he wanted (v.7). Acting like greed incarnate, Jezebel urged Ahab toward self-indulgence, rather than self-control.
Jezebel then hired two thugs to falsely accuse Naboth of cursing God and the king. As a result, the villagers stoned Naboth to death, and Ahab “immediately went down . . . to claim [the property]” (v.16). He never questioned Jezebel’s means for procuring the vineyard. Greed says it’s OK to trample people to get what we want.
Although we may not see it, God does. He does not want us to follow Ahab’s example and become sellouts to greed (v.20). To avoid this, the Bible advises us to “be satisfied with what [we] have” (Hebrews 13:5). Contented living guards us against self-indulgence and a willingness to hurt others to acquire our heart’s desire. It allows us to want only what we need, instead of needing what we want. —Jennifer Benson Schuldt
How do you respond when someone you know has what you want? How would you complete this sentence: You can never have enough __________. Why?
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