Daily Devotion

[boldstardex]

Every Moment Matters
June 20, 2018

Read: Philippians 1:12–24 | Bible in a Year: Esther 1–2; Acts 5:1–21



For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21

When I met Ada, she had outlived her entire group of friends and family and was living in a nursing home. “It’s the hardest part of getting old,” she told me, “watching everyone else move on and leave you behind.” One day I asked Ada what kept her interest and how she spent her time. She answered me with a Scripture passage from the apostle Paul (Philippians 1:21): “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Then she said, “While I’m still around, I have work to do. On my good days, I get to talk to the people here about Jesus; on the hard days, I can still pray.”

Significantly, Paul wrote Philippians while in prison. And he acknowledged a reality many Christians understand as they face their mortality: Even though heaven seems so inviting, the time we have left on Earth matters to God.

Like Paul, Ada recognized that every breath she took was an opportunity to serve and glorify God. So Ada spent her days loving others and introducing them to her Savior.

Even in our darkest moments, Christians can hold on to the promise of permanent joy in the company of God. And while we live, we enjoy relationship with Him. He fills all our moments with significance.

Lord, grant me the strength to serve You with every breath I take, so that every moment of my remaining days matters to Your Kingdom.

Study more at christianuniversity.org/courses/spiritual-life-basics.

When God comes to call us home, may He find us serving Him.

By Randy Kilgore | See Other Authors
INSIGHT
How can you use the days God has given you to love and serve others?

 

[boldstardex]

"Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, 'Go south to the road – the desert road – that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.' So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of (the queen) …This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship." Acts 8: 26 -27

HOW TO SHARE THE GOSPEL
June 23, 2018

There’s nothing like witnessing a person come to salvation in Jesus Christ. That’s why Christ has called Christians to share this good news with others. Philip, an evangelist in the early church, was very familiar with the power of the Gospel. From witnessing lives changed through supernatural healings and miracles in Samaria to obeying God when told to take a walk down a desert road – Philip boldly shared the Gospel wherever he went. So what can we learn from the life of Philip?

1. Let the Spirit Lead. The biggest mistake Christians make when it comes to sharing the Gospel is not letting the Lord lead. Don’t be guilty of forcing a conversation out of guilt OR of remaining silent when the Spirit leads. It takes both faith andwords to share the Gospel. Pay attention to the Holy Spirit and act.
2. God is working more than you realize. You never know what God is doing in a person’s heart and life. Don’t write off anyone.
3. Look for opportunities. Be pro-active and alert. I call these “unexpected, divine appointments.”
4. Know the Scriptures. When Philip ran into a man reading from the prophet Isaiah, he knew exactly the meaning of that passage and was prepared to explain it.
5. All Scriptures point to Jesus. Philip knew that from the Old Testament to the New Testament, the Bible tells the story of Jesus.

The height of Philip’s ministry took place in Samaria, a land of Gentiles. Yet what Philip is most known for is sharing the Gospel with a man from Ethiopia. This man would take the Good News of Christ to the African continent. The most important lesson we can learn from Philip’s life is that the Gospel is for everyone: Muslim or Hindu, Baptist or Mormon, prostitute or terrorist, Jew or Gentile. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for anyone willing to receive it. Have you experienced the life transforming power of the Good News of Christ?

 

[boldstardex]

June 25, 2018

Read: Colossians 3:12–17 | Bible in a Year: Job 3–4; Acts 7:44–60

Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17

For many years, I’ve enjoyed the writings of British author G. K. Chesterton. His humor and insight often cause me to chuckle and then pause for more serious contemplation. For example, he wrote, “You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the play and the opera, and grace before the concert and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing; and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.”

It’s good for us to thank the Lord before every meal, but it shouldn’t stop there. The apostle Paul saw every activity, every endeavor as something for which we should thank God and that we should do for His glory. “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17). Recreation, occupation, and education are all avenues through which we can honor the Lord and express our gratefulness to Him.

Paul also encouraged the believers in Colossae to “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful” (v. 15).

The best place to “say grace” is anywhere and anytime we want to give thanks to the Lord and honor Him.

Thank You for Your gift of life eternal. May we acknowledge and honor You throughout this day.

In all we do, let’s give thanks to God and honor Him.

By David C. McCasland | See Other Authors
INSIGHT
Could anything make whatever we do better? When the apostle Paul wrote to readers in Colossae, he described an alternative to any and all attitudes that are harmful to us and others (Colossians 3:5–10). In his letter to the Philippians he uses the word whatever as he describes his personal accomplishments. Whatever he once considered gained, he now considers loss for the sake of Christ (Philippians 3:7). For reasons he never expected, he found a way to move on to something better than his own efforts to be seen as a good, moral, and religious person.

Many of us know the story behind Paul’s change. After an unforeseen encounter with the resurrected Christ (Acts 9:1–6), he thought differently about anything and everything. Seeing the failure of his own efforts, he learned to live by the grace of God. By relying on the presence of Jesus, Paul discovered the means by which any of us can live with divine help and thankfulness in anything and everything worth doing.

What will we face today that will give us a chance to see and say “grace” in whateverwe encounter?

Mart DeHaan

 

[boldstardex]

Set Free
June 26, 2018

Read: Romans 8:1–2, 15–17 | Bible in a Year: Job 5–7; Acts 8:1–25

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

When I was a boy in the village, something about chickens fascinated me. Whenever I caught one, I held it down for a few moments and then gently released it. Thinking I was still holding it, the chicken remained down; even though it was free to dash away, it felt trapped.

When we put our faith in Jesus, He graciously delivers us from sin and the hold that Satan had on us. However, because it may take time to change our sinful habits and behavior, Satan can make us feel trapped. But God’s Spirit has set us free; He doesn’t enslave us. Paul told the Romans, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1–2).

Through our Bible reading, prayer, and the power of the Holy Spirit, God works in us to cleanse us and to help us live for Him. The Bible encourages us to be confident in our walk with Jesus without feeling as if we are not set free.

Jesus said, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). May the freedom we have in Christ spur us on to love Him and serve Him.

Lord, forgive me for sometimes revisiting my past and forgetting that You have washed away my sins. Thank You for taking my burden and setting me free to enjoy living for You.

My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee. Charles Wesley

By Lawrence Darmani | See Other Authors
INSIGHT
Romans 8 is one of the theological highpoints of the Bible, specifically as it relates to the Holy Spirit. Of the many references to the Holy Spirit in the book of Romans, over half are found in Romans 8! The life-giving Spirit liberates from sin and death and empowers believers to live in ways that honor God, which includes the reorientation of our thinking (vv. 2–8). God’s Spirit is the seal of God’s ownership and those so sealed are destined for future resurrection (vv. 9–11). God’s children are not under obligation to slavish, sinful desires (vv. 12–13); rather, like Jesus, they are led by the Spirit of God (v. 14). As those in God’s family, believers in Jesus have the Spirit as their internal witness of their privileged status (vv. 15–16). Painful circumstances that make us groan and pray are our lot in this fallen world (vv. 18–25). Though sometimes our prayers are weak, we are not helpless. The Spirit of God is our prayer-helper whose intercession targets the will of God (vv. 26–27).

How have you seen the Holy Spirit working in your life?

Arthur Jackson

 

[boldstardex]

“You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!” Acts 7: 51

THE GREATEST LOVE STORY EVERY TOLD
June 26, 2018

I love history. In fact, one reason I love the Bible is because it’s the ultimate history book. It takes us all the way back to the beginning – to God’s creation. Then we learn about the fall of man and how sin entered the world. It helps us understand the root of all the evil we experience in our world today. But God doesn’t stop with a simple history lesson. God uses all the stories that follow: the lives of Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon and many others to communicate one cohesive love story for mankind compete with love, sacrifice, forgiveness and redemption. This story is God’s desire to rescue mankind from this broken world!

Too often, however, we miss the story completely. Blindly pursuing our own happiness and pleasure, we are far too easily wrapped up in the present moment. Oblivious to the past, we run blindly into the future. Just like ancient Israel in the Old Testament, we are rebellious, hot-tempered and so easily wrapped up in the present that we refuse to listen to the truth of God and His Word. That was ancient Israel – and that is still so many of us today.

God is calling out to us through His Word: “Don’t do this to yourselves! Don’t be so stubborn and hardhearted” (My Paraphrase). Don’t let your pride cause you to miss the greatest love story the World has ever known: God’s love for us through Jesus. It’s available to everyone, no matter our past sin, shame, and guilt. Stop running from the past and allow God to redeem it! Ask God to convict your heart of your sin and embrace the freedom of the greatest forgiveness, love and grace you will ever know.

 

[boldstardex]

Ring in a Dumpster
June 28, 2018

Read: Matthew 13:44–46 | Bible in a Year: Job 11–13; Acts 9:1–21


Seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7

In college, I woke up one morning to find Carol, my roommate, in a panic. Her signet ring was missing. We searched everywhere. The next morning we found ourselves picking through a dumpster.

I ripped open a trash bag. “You’re so dedicated to finding this!”

“I’m not losing a two-hundred-dollar ring!” she exclaimed.

Carol’s determination reminds me of the parable Jesus told about the kingdom of heaven, which “is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field” (Matthew 13:44). Certain things are worth going great lengths to find.

Throughout the Bible, God promises that those who seek Him will find Him. In Deuteronomy, He explained to the Israelites that they would find Him when they turned from their sin and sought Him with all their hearts (4:28–29). In the book of 2 Chronicles, King Asa gained encouragement from a similar promise (15:2). And in Jeremiah, God gave the same promise to the exiles, saying He would bring them back from captivity (29:13–14).

If we seek God, through His Word, worship, and in our daily lives, we will find Him. Over time, we’ll know Him on a deeper level. That will be even better than the sweet moment when Carol pulled her ring out of that trash bag!

Lord, help me to seek You with all my heart.

To find God, we must be willing to seek Him.



By Julie Schwab | See Other Authors
INSIGHT
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” You’ve probably heard that line used to pressure you to do something or buy any number of things that failed to live up to the hype. But in the case of the kingdom of God, the claims Jesus makes about it in Matthew 13 are actually true.

In this chapter, Jesus repeatedly emphasizes how seeing and living in the new reality of His kingdom isn’t natural. In fact, God’s kingdom is so countercultural that Jesus describes it as “yeast” (v. 33), which in Scripture is typically seen as a symbol of corruption and evil (Hosea 7:4; Matthew 16:6, 11; 1 Corinthians 5:6–13). Jesus’s shocking use of this word would be similar to saying that the kingdom is like a virus or like saying, “It ruins everything.”

And that’s exactly Jesus’s point. Truly experiencing His kingdom will not be comfortable or easy for any of us. It’ll ruin everything!—all our plans, all our assumptions, all our comfort. But it’s more than worth it. It’s the treasure that’s infinitely precious, the source of endless joy (Matthew 13:44–46).

 

[boldstardex]

“While talking with (Cornelius) Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.” Acts 10: 27-28

2 MEN + 2 VISIONS = 1 POWERFUL MISSION
July 1, 2018

First a little background: Cornelius, a Roman Centurion, had a vision to find a man named Simon Peter who was staying in a nearby city. The only catch? Cornelius had never met Peter. Around the same time, Peter had a very unusual vision from God releasing him from the traditional Jewish dietary rules requiring strictly kosher food. Peter knew there had to be something more to this vision than simply a change in Judaism’s dietary laws, but he wasn’t sure what else it could mean – until Cornelius’ men arrived.

It’s important to understand that at this point in time, Gentiles (non-Jews like Cornelius) and Jews did not get along. In fact, Jews would not even set foot inside a Gentile home for fear of becoming unclean. You can imagine Peter reflecting on his vision when those men arrived. Amazingly, Peter invited the men inside and the next day he went to meet Cornelius in his home.

By connecting these very different men through these very different visions, God was beginning to break down cultural barriers. As Peter sat down with Cornelius and his entire household to share the Gospel, Peter finally understood the full meaning of the vision. God doesn’t show partiality. In fact, when it comes to salvation there is only one, clear mission: Take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to ALL mankind – that’s everyone – including you and me. Since most followers of Jesus are Gentiles, I’m mighty thankful that God led Peter to get the ball rolling with Cornelius.

 

[boldstardex]

A Perfect World
July 4, 2018

Read: Revelation 21:1–5 | Bible in a Year: Job 28–29; Acts 13:1–25

https://odb.org/wp-content/themes/odbm-base/assets/download.php?file=https://dzxuyknqkmi1e.cloudfront.net/odb/2018/07/odb-07-04-18.mp3
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Revelation 21:5

Katie was given a school assignment to write an essay entitled “My Perfect World.” She wrote: “In my perfect world . . . ice cream is free, lollipops are everywhere, and the sky is blue all the time, with only a few clouds that have interesting shapes.” Then her essay took a more serious turn. In that world, she continued, “No one will come home to bad news. And no one will have to be the one to deliver it.”

No one will come home to bad news. Isn’t that wonderful? Those words point powerfully to the confident hope we have in Jesus. He is “making everything new”—healing and transforming our world (Revelation 21:5).

Paradise is the place of “no more”—no more evil, no more death, no more mourning, no more pain, no more tears (v. 4)! It is a place of perfect communion with God, who by His love has redeemed and claimed believers as His own (v. 3). What marvelous joy awaits us!

We can enjoy a foretaste of this perfect reality here and now. As we seek to fellowship with God daily, we experience the joy of His presence (Colossians 1:12–13). And even as we struggle against sin, we experience, in part, the victory that is ours in Christ (2:13–15), the One who fully conquered sin and death.

Lord, thank You that You are making all things new. Help us to live in the hope of the day we will live with You, pure and blameless, on a new earth in Your presence forever and ever.

God’s perfect world is for all who believe in Jesus.

By Poh Fang Chia | See Other Authors
INSIGHT
What can we learn about the perfect world to come—the new heaven, the new earth, and the new Jerusalem? In Isaiah 65 we read (as in Revelation 21:4) about the absence of pain and sorrow: “The sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days.” In this place we will “not labor in vain, nor . . . bear children doomed to misfortune . . . . The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain” (vv. 19-25). Isaiah 66:22–23 declares that in the new heaven and the new earth all the redeemed “will come and bow down before [the Lord].”

Righteousness will dwell in this new heaven and new earth (2 Peter 3:13). In this delightfully perfect place, we will worship our holy God who dwells with us.

Alyson Kieda

 

[boldstardex]

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12:2

JULY 4, 2018
July 4, 2018

In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson tells us that all men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights: “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” One thing’s for sure, Americans have been pursuing happiness ever since…and with a passion!

However, I have bad news. If the pursuit of happiness is your primary goal, you’ll never find it. Happiness is a by-product of being in God’s will, and making the most of your gifts and talents. The pursuit of happiness is actually a selfish thing, and selfishness never leads to happiness.

Instead:

• Get to know God personally and begin to do His will.
• Live in a right relationship with Him and your fellow man.
• Develop the gifts and abilities He’s given you for His glory and for service to those you meet. In the process, you may discover happiness.

Pursue God in Christ, and happiness results.

 

[boldstardex]

Hidden Beauty
July 6, 2018

Read: 1 Samuel 16:1–7 | Bible in a Year: Job 32–33; Acts 14

People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7

Our children needed a little coaxing to believe that it was worth putting on snorkeling gear to peer beneath the surface of the Caribbean Sea off the shore of the island of Tobago. But after they dove in, they resurfaced ecstatic, “There are thousands of fish of all different kinds! It’s so beautiful! I’ve never seen such colorful fish!”

Because the surface of the water looked similar to freshwater lakes near our home, our children could have missed the beauty hidden just below the surface.

When the prophet Samuel went to Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesse’s sons to be the next king, Samuel saw the oldest son, Eliab, and was impressed by his appearance. The prophet thought he had found the right man, but the Lord rejected Eliab. God reminded Samuel that He “does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

So Samuel asked if there were more sons. The youngest boy wasn’t present but caring for the family’s sheep. This son, David, was summoned and the Lord directed Samuel to anoint him.

Often we look at people only on a surface level and don’t always take the time to see their inner, sometimes hidden, beauty. We don’t always value what God values. But if we take the time to peer beneath the surface, we may find great treasure.

Heavenly Father, thank You for not valuing people based on outward appearances but instead by looking at our hearts. Help me to take the time to see beyond simply what my eyes can see in order to discover true and lasting beauty.

God can help me to see the inner beauty in others.

By Lisa Samra | See Other Authors
INSIGHT
Who taught you how to think about yourself and others?

Long before Samuel looked for a king among the sons of Jesse, God was teaching His children to see below the surface of our skin. From the days of Eden, He has been showing people like us that what happens in our hearts is more important than our outward appearance.

How has God’s interaction with the men and women of the Bible helped you to think about yourself and Him?

Mart DeHaan

 

[boldstardex]

"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross." - Colossians 2:13-14

DO WE REALLY UNDERSTAND THE GIFT OF JESUS?
July 10, 2018

Sometimes when I’m studying for a sermon or even just having a quiet time with the Lord, I wonder, do I really comprehend the incredible gift we were given when Jesus died for our sins? Do any of us? Not that we take this act for granted, but we speak about it so routinely that I think we fail to absorb the full scope of this gift.

It’s as though all of our sins were listed on a writing board. And then Christ has come along with a cloth and erased them forever…as though they were never even there. On that board, somebody puts a receipt that says, “PAID IN FULL.” That’s what the nails of the cross did – paid the penalty for our sin in full. Christ has done it all. Our sins have been nailed to the cross; they’ve been taken care of. Nothing more is needed for forgiveness other than our accepting this amazing gift.

Have you done that? Have you claimed the liberating freedom of knowing that Christ has paid the full debt of your sins? If not, why not let Christ give you a clean slate? Our choice is simply to accept His gift in faith.

 

[boldstardex]

"Behold, a day is coming for the Lord when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you. 'For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, and the houses plundered, and the women ravished, and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city.'" - Zechariah 14:1-2

WE MUST NOT GIVE UP ON ISRAEL!
July 11, 2018

What is Zechariah talking about in today’s scripture? Armageddon. (Read Revelation 16:13-16) It’s very clear that the antichrist will gather his military might from the nations all around the world to destroy this so-called “trouble maker” nation of Israel once and for all! Why? Because that is always the spirit of the devil and the antichrist to eliminate the people God loves. And at that point, the Jewish people, a small nation surrounded by military might, know they cannot stand up to all of this. They will know that unless God intervenes supernaturally, they will be doomed. And they will cry out to God to send them the Messiah, who will save them from this evil one. And God does! The Bible describes Him, “And on His robe and on His thigh, He has a name written, ‘King of Kings and Lord of Lords.'” (Revelation 19:16)

Now here’s the scene: when God answers the prayers of the Jewish people, to their shock, that Messiah will be Jesus! And at that point, they will cry out to God for mercy, for forgiveness. They will cry out to God to forgive them for being stubborn and for rejecting the gift of salvation through His Son. Here’s the good part: And God will answer that prayer.

Romans 11:25-27 says of that day, “I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

Let us remember that God has not given up on Israel. We must not give up on them, either, and stand with them! He still has great plans for them that will culminate in the coming of the Messiah – Jesus.

 

[boldstardex]

He Knows Us
July 13, 2018

Read: Psalm 139:1–14 | Bible in a Year: Psalms 7–9; Acts 18

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise. Psalm 139:1–2

Did God know about me as I drove at night on a 100-mile journey to my village? Given the condition I was in, the answer was not simple. My temperature ran high and my head ached. I prayed, “Lord, I know you are with me, but I’m in pain!”

Tired and weak, I parked by the road near a small village. Ten minutes later, I heard a voice. “Hello! Do you need any help?” It was a man with his companions from the community. Their presence felt good. When they told me the name of their village, Naa mi n’yala (meaning, “The King knows about me!”), I was amazed. I had passed this community dozens of times without stopping. This time, the Lord used its name to remind me that, indeed, He, the King, was with me while I was alone on that road in my ailing condition. Encouraged, I pressed on toward the nearest clinic.

God knows us thoroughly as we go about our everyday chores, at different locations and situations, no matter our condition (Psalm 139:1–4, 7–12). He does not abandon us or forget us; nor is He so busy that He neglects us. Even when we are in trouble or in difficult circumstances—“darkness” and “night” (vv. 11–12)—we are not hidden from His presence. This truth gives us such hope and assurance that we can praise the Lord who has carefully created us and leads us through life (v. 14).

Thank You, Lord, that You always know where I am and how I am doing. You know me inside and out. I’m thankful I can count on You to care.

No matter where we are, God knows about us.

By Lawrence Darmani | See Other Authors
INSIGHT
In Psalm 139 David marvels at the Creator God. In these verses the poet-king reflects on God’s omniscience (vv. 1–6), omnipresence (vv. 7–12), and omnipotence (vv. 13–18)—clearly marking God out as distinct and above the creation He has made. This is the God who has welcomed us into relationship with Himself—and that invitation is based on His complete knowledge of who we are and how we have failed. His total awareness of our brokenness makes it all the more amazing that He desires for us to know Him.

 

[boldstardex]

"...not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near." - Hebrews 10:25

THE BARTENDER AND THE PREACHER
July 12, 2018

This may seem a bit far-fetched to you, but in reality, there are distinct similarities between a neighborhood bar and a church! What? Well, in both places:

• people come looking for fellowship;
• people want to go where others know their name;
• people want to go where they are accepted;
• people want to go where their spirits will be lifted;
• people are united around one theme;
• people go where they like the music.

Like a pastor, the bartender serves by listening to people’s troubles. But the differences are profound. The bar is centered on booze and the church is centered on Jesus Christ. The bar offers a way to escape problems. The church offers a way to face them, get through them, and overcome them. The spirit inside the bar lowers one’s guard when it comes to temptation and sin. The Spirit of the true church encourages people to turn from sin and turn to God.

The bar may be a substitute for the environment of the church, but it never comes close to providing the meaning and purpose found in a Christ-centered church.

 

[boldstardex]

"He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him." - Isaiah 53:2b

THE DAZZLING LIGHT OF JESUS
July 15, 2018

The world has always worshiped how we look on the outside. All the way back to the Pharaohs, how they looked in life and even in death, was of supreme importance to them. Today, everyone in the entertainment business is all about the “look.” So, interestingly enough, when God sent His Son to be the biggest star the world’s stage has ever known, He chose for Him to look very ordinary. The Bible tells us He wasn’t much to look at, so it seems very unlikely that He looked like the beautiful pictures we have hanging on our walls. Now, that might surprise us in thinking about the Son of God, but God sought to identify with the majority of us. There are very few Hollywood beauties, but there sure are a lot of us ordinary-looking folks.

But that was in His earthly ministry. What does He look like now? The Bible tells us that He gave a sneak preview to His three closest disciples. One day Jesus led them up high on a mountain, “…and He was transfigured before them; and His face shown like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.” One day, Jesus is coming again and we will all easily recognize Him as the Son of God. And more good news for those who trust in Him: we’ll receive new bodies -perfect bodies – that never get sick and tired, that never age or die. Like Jesus, our new bodies will be dazzling, and we ordinary folks will be eternally grateful.

 

[boldstardex]

Read: 1 Corinthians 1:26–31 | Bible in a Year: Psalms 18–19; Acts 20:17–38
https://odb.org/wp-content/themes/odbm-base/assets/download.php?file=https://dzxuyknqkmi1e.cloudfront.net/odb/2018/07/odb-07-17-18.mp3

The law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 3:24 nkjv

“I just can’t do it!” lamented the dejected student. On the page he could see only small print, difficult ideas, and an unforgiving deadline. He needed the help of his teacher.

We might experience similar despair when we read Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount. “Love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44). Anger is as bad as murder (v. 22). Lust equals adultery (v. 28). And if we dare think we can live up to these standards, we bump into this: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (v. 48).

“The Sermon on the Mount produces despair,” says Oswald Chambers. But he saw this as good, because at “the point of despair we are willing to come to [Jesus] as paupers to receive from Him.”

In the counterintuitive way God so often works, those who know they can’t do it on their own are the ones who receive God’s grace. As the apostle Paul put it, “Not many of you were wise by human standards. . . . But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise” (1 Corinthians 1:26–27).

In God’s wisdom, the Teacher is also our Savior. When we come to Him in faith, through His Spirit we enjoy His “righteousness, holiness and redemption” (v. 30), and the grace and power to live for Him. That’s why He could say, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3).

Thank You, Lord, for blessing those who are poor in spirit, who mourn, and who hunger and thirst for Your righteousness. You are our righteousness!

Read more from Oswald Chambers at utmost.org.

Through the Son we can enjoy life in God’s kingdom.

By Tim Gustafson | See Other Authors
INSIGHT
The Bible is filled with stories of how God used weak, unlikely, or flawed characters to bring about His purposes. Included in that lineup are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, and Peter—just to name a few. God chose elderly Abraham and his barren wife to be “the father [and mother] of many nations” (Genesis 17:5). He used Isaac, who played favorites (25:27–28), and Jacob, a deceiver, to continue that line (25:29–34; 27:1–29). God called the reluctant Moses, a murderer on the run, to lead His people out of slavery in Egypt (Exodus 2:11–15; 14:1–31). God chose the prostitute Rahab to hide the spies in Jericho (Joshua 2) and to be included in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5); He called Gideon, who cowered in fear, to serve as judge and rescue the Israelites from the Midianites (Judges 6–8); and He appointed Peter, an outspoken fisherman, to be His disciple (Matthew 16:22). God still uses flawed characters—you and me—to fulfill His purposes.

 

[boldstardex]

What’s Your Passion?
July 18, 2018

Read: Psalm 20:6–9 | Bible in a Year: Psalms 20–22; Acts 21:1–17


Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. Psalm 20:7

One of the tellers at my bank has a photograph of a Shelby Cobra roadster on his window. (The Cobra is a high-performance automobile built by the Ford Motor Company.)

One day, while transacting business at the bank, I asked him if that was his car. “No,” he replied, “that’s my passion, my reason to get up every morning and go to work. I’m going to own one someday.”

I understand this young man’s passion. A friend of mine owned a Cobra, and I drove it on one occasion! It’s a mean machine! But a Cobra, like everything else in this world, isn’t worth living for. Those who trust in things apart from God “are brought to their knees and fall,” according to the psalmist (Psalm 20:8).

That’s because we were made for God and nothing else will do—a truth we validate in our experience every day: We buy this or that because we think these things will make us happy, but like a child receiving a dozen Christmas presents or more, we ask ourselves, “Is this all?” Something is always missing.

Nothing this world has to offer us—even very good things—fully satisfies us. There is a measure of enjoyment in them, but our happiness soon fades away (1 John 2:17). Indeed, “God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from Himself,” C. S. Lewis concluded. “There is no such thing.”

I have found Him whom my soul so long has craved! Jesus satisfies my longings—through His blood I now am saved. Clara Williams

There is a longing in every heart that only Jesus can satisfy.

By David H. Roper | See Other Authors
INSIGHT
Psalm 20 warns against idolatry—worshiping and trusting in human objects instead of the Lord Himself. King David saw how easy it could be to shift his trust in the Lord to trust in military might: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (v. 7). In our culture, idolatry can take many different forms. But for the believer there’s only One who should be the object of our adoration and the One in whom we place our trust. It’s Christ who is the supreme example of courage, character, and compassion.

How is God teaching you that He’s the only true source of satisfaction?

Dennis Fisher

 

[boldstardex]

Through the Cross
July 19, 2018

Read: 2 Corinthians 4:8–18 | Bible in a Year: Psalms 23–25; Acts 21:18–40


[Nothing] will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:39

My coworker Tom keeps an 8″ by 12″ glass cross on his desk. His friend Phil, who like Tom is a cancer survivor, gave it to him to help him look at everything “through the cross.” The glass cross is a constant reminder of God’s love and good purposes for him.

That’s a challenging idea for all believers in Jesus, especially during difficult times. It’s much easier to focus on our problems than on God’s love.

The apostle Paul’s life was certainly an example of having a cross-shaped perspective. He described himself in times of suffering as being “persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:9). He believed that in the hard times, God is at work, “achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen” (vv. 17–18).

To “fix our eyes . . . on what is unseen” doesn’t mean we minimize the problems. Paul Barnett, in his commentary on this passage, explains, “There is to be confidence, based on the certainty of God’s purposes for [us] . . . . On the other hand, there is the sober recognition that we groan with hope mingled with pain.”

Jesus gave His life for us. His love is deep and sacrificial. As we look at life “through the cross,” we see His love and faithfulness. And our trust in Him grows.

Father, teach us who You are. Increase our trust in You. Fill our minds with Your perspective.

Look at everything through the cross.

By Anne Cetas | See Other Authors
INSIGHT
Through the cross we see God’s loving payment for our sin. But it teaches us more. Jesus’s suffering also exposed the nature and cruelty of our sin against Him and against humanity. He endured the worst we could do to Him to expose Satan’s lie that our Creator isn’t as good as He says He is. He even suffered unimaginable wrongs to show us how to love those who hurt us.

What else does God want to teach us about cross-shaped love and what it can do in us and for others?

Mart DeHaan

 

[boldstardex]

Home Sweet Home
July 20, 2018

Read: John 14:1–14 | Bible in a Year: Psalms 26–28; Acts 22

I am going there to prepare a place for you. John 14:2

“Why do we have to leave our home and move?” my son asked. It’s difficult to explain what a home is, especially to a five-year-old. We were leaving a house, but not our home, in the sense that home is where our loved ones are. It’s the place where we long to return after a long trip or after a full day’s work.

When Jesus was in the upper room just hours before He died, He told His disciples, “Do not let your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1). The disciples were uncertain of their future because Jesus had predicted His death. But Jesus reassured them of His presence and reminded them they would see Him again. He told them, “My Father’s house has many rooms . . . . I am going there to prepare a place for you” (v. 2). He could have used other words to describe heaven. However, He chose words that describe not an uncomfortable or unfamiliar place but a place where Jesus, our loved One, would be.

C. S. Lewis wrote, “Our Father refreshes us on the journey with some pleasant inns, but will not encourage us to mistake them for home.” We can thank God for the “pleasant inns” in life, but let’s remember that our real home is in heaven where we “will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

Dear Lord, I thank You for heaven, my eternal home.

Read more about the life to come at discoveryseries.org/q1205.

We look forward to being with the Lord forever.

 

[boldstardex]

Shelter from the Storm
July 21, 2018

Read: James 1:12–18 | Bible in a Year: Psalms 29–30; Acts 23:1–15


But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter. Psalm 73:28 nlt

When I lived in Oklahoma I had a friend who “chased” tornados. John tracked the storms carefully through radio contact with other chasers and local radar, trying to keep a safe distance while observing their destructive paths so he could report sudden changes to people in harm’s way.
One day a funnel cloud changed course so abruptly John found himself in grave danger. Fortunately, he found shelter and was spared.

John’s experience that afternoon makes me think of another destructive path: sin in our lives. The Bible tells us, “Each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:14–15).

There’s a progression here. What may at first seem harmless can soon spin out of control and wreak havoc. But when temptation threatens, God offers us shelter from the gathering storm.

God’s Word tells us He would never tempt us, and we can blame our choices only on ourselves. But when we “are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that [we] can endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). As we turn to Him and call on Him for help in the moment of temptation, Jesus gives us the strength we need to overcome.

Jesus is our shelter forever.

Lord Jesus, You conquered sin and death forever through Your cross and empty tomb! Help me to live and thrive in the forgiveness only You can give.

Our Savior calms temptation’s storm.

By James Banks | See Other Authors
INSIGHT
As this passage in James 1:12–18 clearly teaches, God does not tempt us. Yet in this life temptations are sure to come. In fact, God may permit temptation in order to strengthen our faith as well as our dependence on Him. It’s an immeasurable comfort to know that our heavenly Father will “provide a way out” of temptation, as promised in 1 Corinthians 10:13. But what do we do in those times when we’ve made a mess of things?

It’s always best to run to our Father the moment we’re faced with temptation. But we can turn to Him at any point, even—especially—if we are trying to run from Him. Our God is such a loving and gracious Father. We can always come to Him.

To keep from getting to a point of desperation, it might be wise to ask ourselves these questions: Where do my temptations typically come from? What things might I need to get rid of that cause me to be tempted? Do I have trusted accountability partners to help me in my faith journey?

Tim Gustafson