Editorials (MESSIANIC REDEMPTION ERA
)
Make It Personal
Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. —Galatians 5:16
Lord, thank You for the people in my life who
influence me toward following You. Help
me not to depend on them primarily—but to
depend on Your Holy Spirit to guide me.
The faith of others encourages; a faith of our own transforms.
http://odb.org/2014/03/10/make-it-personal/
The Silent Pen
The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. —James 3:18
Help me, Lord, to use my words not to
tear down others or build up my own reputation,
but to seek the good of others first, and in so doing
to serve You and Your kingdom.
Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles. —Proverbs 21:23
http://odb.org/2014/03/11/the-silent-pen/
Heavenly Perspective
The things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. —2 Corinthians 4:18
Dear God, please help us to see this life
from a heavenly perspective. Remind us that
our trials, however difficult, will one day fade
from view when we see You face to face.
The way we view eternity will affect the way we live in time.
http://odb.org/2014/01/17/heavenly-perspective/
Imaginary Friend?
Abraham believed God . . . and he was called the friend of God. —James 2:23
The dearest friend on earth is but a mere shadow compared to Jesus. —Chambers
http://odb.org/2013/06/14/imaginary-friend/
God’s Lighthouse
You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. —Matthew 5:14
You are called with a holy calling
The light of the world to be;
To lift up the lamp of the Savior
That others His light may see. —Anon.
Believers help the lost to find their way home when their life shines brightly.
http://odb.org/2013/02/24/gods-lighthouse/
The Best Things In Life
Do not overwork to be rich. —Proverbs 23:4
The best things in life are the eternal riches that come from God’s goodness and grace in Jesus Christ. We do not hold them in our hands, but in our hearts.
The treasures of earth are not mine,
I hold not its silver and gold;
But a treasure far greater is mine;
I have riches of value untold. —Hartzler
Our greatest riches are the riches we have in Christ.
http://odb.org/2012/07/18/the-best-things-in-life/
Hope For A “Mudder”
Tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. —Romans 5:3-4
Is our loving God using a seemingly insurmountable challenge in your life to produce perseverance? Let Him produce in you character, and through character, hope (Rom. 5:3-4).
When trials intrude to slow down your life,
It would be easy for you to give in;
But by perseverance you’ll overcome strife,
So just keep on plodding—with Christ you can win. —Branon
When the world says, “Give up,” hope whispers, “Try it one more time!”
http://odb.org/2012/04/09/hope-for-a-mudder/
The Power Of Soft Answers
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. —Proverbs 15:1
A soft answer has often been
the means of breaking a hard heart.
http://odb.org/2012/04/10/the-power-of-soft-answers/
Undiscovered Country
The Word of God is living and powerful. —Hebrews 4:12
The Scriptures are like “undiscovered country” to many. They have never discovered the valuable treasures found in the eternal words of the Bible. The Bible is alive and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, exposing our innermost thoughts and desires (Heb. 4:12). It is like a lamp to illuminate our path (Ps. 119:105), and it has been given to equip us for God’s purposes (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
Rich treasures of God’s truth are waiting to be discovered by you.
http://odb.org/2012/04/22/undiscovered-country/
Who Gets The Credit?
What things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. —Philippians 3:7
So, give Jesus Christ the braggin’ rights of your life. Or, as Paul put it, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord” (1 Cor. 1:31)—not in yourself!
Lord, You are the One who is high and lofty.
I give myself today to the purpose of pointing
others to You, for who You are and what You do.
You deserve all praise.
We are nothing without Jesus, so give Him the credit.
http://odb.org/2012/04/17/who-gets-the-credit-2/
Stop And See
Be still, and know that I am God. —Psalm 46:10
Some of us may fear what will happen if we sit still and stop working. But something worse happens when we refuse to rest. Without rest we cannot be spiritually or physically healthy. God heals while we rest.
Our greatest strength may be our ability
to stand still and trust God.
http://odb.org/2012/04/15/stop-and-see/
Trust Me
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. —Isaiah 43:2
God, give me the faith of a little child! A faith that will look to Thee— That never will falter and never fail, But follow Thee trustingly. —Showerman
Before your burden overcomes you, trust God to put His arms underneath you.
http://odb.org/2012/03/29/trust-me/
One Beautiful Moment
All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. —Isaiah 40:6
Only one life, so live it well,
And keep your candle trimmed and bright;
Eternity, not time, will tell
The radius of that candle’s light. —Miller
We fulfill our purpose when we serve our Creator.
http://odb.org/2012/03/28/one-beautiful-moment/
You Fool!
The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” —Psalm 14:1
Does your plan for the future have God in it? You won’t want to be called foolish by Him in the end.
Oh, why not turn while yet you may;
Too late, it soon will be—
A glorious life you may possess
Throughout eternity. —Anon.
He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. —Jim Elliot
http://odb.org/2012/03/16/you-fool/
Attracting The Lost
I have come as a light into the world. —John 12:46
God has always maintained a presence on earth so that people could find Him.
His first light for the world was the nation of Israel (Isa. 42:6).
Then Solomon prayed that God’s great name would draw people to Himself (1 Kings 8:41-43).
The light of the Jewish nation culminated in Jesus, “the light of the world” (John 9:5).
And now, followers of Jesus are to be the light of the world (Matt. 5:14). As such, it is our responsibility to show people the way to be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:18).
You are called with a holy calling
The light of the world to be;
To lift up the lamp of the Savior
That others His light may see. —Anon.
To lead others out of the darkness of sin, let them see your light.
http://odb.org/2012/01/12/attracting-the-lost/
An Exercise In Godliness
Bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things. —1 Timothy 4:8
Godliness may sound dull, scary, and unattainable, but the essence of godliness is simply self-giving love—caring more for others than we care for ourselves. This kind of love is hard to come by, but it’s one that grows in the presence of love. We grow loving and more lovely by sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening to Him, talking things over—gaining in likeness to the One who is love (1 John 4:8).
Life is a journey into love, it seems to me, and there’s nothing so beautiful as a godly soul. Physical exercise is good, no doubt, but there is something far, far better: It is to love.
That I may love Him is my soul’s ambition—
Love Him with all my mind and strength and heart,
Seek out His will and choose it, in submission,
And with the joy He only can impart. —Anon.
Love is godliness in action.
http://odb.org/2012/01/04/an-exercise-in-godliness/
Let’s Be Ready
Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself. —1 John 3:3
Speaking of Christ’s return, John tells us that “everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself” (1 John 3:3). Looking forward to Jesus’ return fills us with hope—not a wish-list kind of hope, but a solid expectation that motivates us to keep our hearts from sinful distractions and rivets our attention on becoming more like Him. If we really believe that this might be the year of His return, we will be more ready to forgive, to seek forgiveness, and to share God’s unconditional love with others.
As we consider the possibility that Jesus could return this year, let’s be sure that we are ready. Let’s strive to be pure as He is pure, anticipating the day when tears and sorrow, pain and death will all be replaced with the everlasting joy of His presence.
Expecting Jesus’ soon return
Will help us live a life that’s pure;
For if we’re ready when He comes,
We will not be ashamed but sure. —Sper
Wanting to be ready for Christ’s return will make a difference in the way we live.
http://odb.org/2012/01/01/let%E2%80%99s-be-ready/
Staying Clean Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin agai...
Staying Clean
Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. —Psalm 119:11
In the light of God’s Word, we see our sin, but we also see God’s love in Christ. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
By His grace . . . staying clean. —David McCasland
Lord, grant that we may hear You speak
As truth within Your Word we seek;
And may it show us all our sin
And make us clean without, within. —D. De Haan
Read the Bible to be wise, believe it to be safe, practice it to be holy.
Character At Play His divine power has given to us all things that pertain t...
Character At Play
His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness. —2 Peter 1:3
The apostle Peter had his own list of Christian qualities (2 Peter 1:5-7) that he encouraged believers to add to their life of faith:
Virtue. Fulfilling God’s design for a life with moral excellence.
Knowledge. Studying God’s Word to gain wisdom to combat falsehood.
Self-control. Revering God so much that we choose godly behavior.
Perseverance. Having a hopeful attitude even in difficulties because we’re confident in God’s character.
Godliness. Honoring the Lord in every relationship in life.
Brotherly kindness. Displaying a warmhearted affection for fellow believers.
Love. Sacrificing for the good of others.
Let’s develop these qualities in increasing measure and integrate them into every part of our life. —Anne Cetas
Just as the body grows in strength
With exercise each day,
Our spirit grows in godliness
By living life God’s way. —D. De Haan
Godly exercise is the key to godly character.
The Forgotten God No one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. —...
The Forgotten God
No one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. —1 Corinthians 2:11
The Holy Spirit indwells us if we have received forgiveness of sin through Jesus. He desires to transform us so that we become more and more like Jesus. Let’s cooperate with the Spirit by reading God’s Word and relying on His power to obey what we learn. —Marvin Williams
God’s guidance and help that we need day to day
Is given to all who believe;
The Spirit has sealed us—He’s God’s guarantee
Of power that we can receive. —Branon
The Christian who neglects the Holy Spirit is like a lamp that’s not plugged in.
Beyond The Status Quo But you are not willing to come to Me that you may hav...
Beyond The Status Quo
But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. —John 5:40
Oswald Chambers observed, “God has a way of bringing in facts which upset a man’s doctrines if these stand in the way of God getting at his soul.”
Unsettling experiences that cause us to question our assumptions about the Lord can also lead us to a deeper understanding and trust in Him—if we’re willing to think it through and come to Him. —David McCasland
My mind cries its questions,
My longing heart, joining.
O Father, please hear me!
O Spirit, keep teaching! —Verway
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” —Socrates
No Reverse You shall know that the Lord has brought you out...
No Reverse
You shall know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt. —Exodus 16:6
We need to keep moving ahead in our walk with God. Don’t back up. Look forward. Press on. —Dave Branon
When long and steep the path appears
Or heavy is the task,
Our Father says, “Press on, My child;
One step is all I ask.” —D. De Haan
When facing a crisis, trust God and move forward.
A Lesson In Crying
But tears and our need for comfort come back all too frequently in this life. Present comfort is not the final answer. There is a future day when there will be no death, no sorrow, no crying, for all these things will “have passed away” (Rev. 21:4). There in heaven God will wipe away every tear. We are so dear to our Father that He will be the one who wipes the tears away from our eyes; He loves us so deeply and personally.
Remember, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matt. 5:4). —David Roper
Think of a land of no sorrow,
Think of a land of no fears,
Think of no death and no sickness,
Think of a land of no tears. —Anon.
God cares and shares in our sorrow.
You Never Know For the earth yields crops by itself. —Mark 4:28 One summer...
You Never Know
For the earth yields crops by itself. —Mark 4:28
One summer I had a staff counselor named Henry who was very hostile to the faith. I could do nothing but love him and pray for him, but he left at the end of the summer hardened in unbelief. That was more than 50 years ago. A few years ago I received a letter from Henry. The first sentence said: “I write to tell that I have been born again and now, at last, I am a ‘horse.’ ” This confirmed to me that we need to keep praying and planting the seed of the Word (Mark 4:26) so that it may bear fruit one day. —David Roper
You think your word or deed is very small,
That what you say will hardly count at all;
But God can take the seed that you have sown
And nourish it until it’s fully grown. —Hess
We sow the seed—God produces the harvest.
Measuring Growth Till we all come to the unity of the faith and . . . to the...
Measuring Growth
Till we all come to the unity of the faith and . . . to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. —Ephesians 4:13
The proper measure of our spiritual condition is the quality of our lives, which is measured by such attributes as lowliness, gentleness, and longsuffering (Eph. 4:2). “Bearing with one another in love” (v.2) is a good indication that we are moving toward God’s goal for us: “the measure of . . . the fullness of Christ” (v.13). —Julie Ackerman Link
Our spiritual maturity
Is measured by the quality
Of attributes that others see
Produced in us by Christ. —Sper
Our love for God can be measured by our love for others.
Grandfather’s Clock
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. —Psalm 90:12
One way of numbering our days is to ask ourselves these kinds of questions: How can I become more like Christ? Am I reading the Word regularly? Am I devoting time to prayer? Am I meeting together with other believers? The way we answer these questions is an indicator of the progress we’re making in gaining wisdom and becoming more like Christ.
No matter the phase of life—childhood, youth, middle age, or our senior years—life always affords us opportunities to grow in faith and wisdom. Numbering our days is the wise response to life’s inevitable progress.
How are you progressing on your journey? —Dennis Fisher
Don’t spend your time—invest it.
Christ Living In Us I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally...
Christ Living In Us
I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness. —2 Timothy 4:7-8
As we strive to live a God-pleasing life, we realize that in spite of our best intentions and determination, we often stumble and fall short. By our strength alone, it is impossible. Oh, how we need the Lord’s help! And it has been provided. Paul declares it with these insightful words, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God” (Gal. 2:20).
We cannot finish the Christian race on our own. We have to do so by depending on Jesus living in us. —Albert Lee
With longing all my heart is filled
That like Him I may be,
As on the wondrous thought I dwell,
That Christ liveth in me. —Whittle
Faith connects our weakness to God’s strength.
Time For The Armor Take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of ...
Time For The Armor
Take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. —Ephesians 6:17
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
For Further Study
What specific temptations do you face? Look in a
concordance in the back of a Bible for verses that can
guide you in those situations. Review them often.
No Hope But God But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for i...
No Hope But God
But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. —Romans 8:25
The hope we read about in Scripture is not a vague, wishy-washy optimism. Instead, biblical hope is a strong and confident expectation that what God has promised in His Word He will accomplish. Tribulation is often the catalyst that produces perseverance, character, and finally, hope (Rom. 5:3-4).
Yes, the Bible does tell us both to fear God and also to love Him. I know th...
Yes, the Bible does tell us both to fear God and also to love Him. I know this sounds like a contradiction, because you're right: On a human level it's very hard to love someone if you're afraid they're going to hurt or even kill you.
The key, however, is to realize who God is and what He is like. On one hand, He is the awesome, holy, all-powerful God who created the heavens and the earth. He is far greater than anything (or anyone) we can ever imagine; the Bible calls Him "the high and lofty One ... who lives forever, whose name is holy" (Isaiah 57:15). This is why God is worthy of our respect -- and even our wonder and awe.
http://www.billygraham.org/articlepage.asp?articleid=5494
Who is the Holy Spirit? Part One of a Billy Graham Sermon It is impossi...
Who is the Holy Spirit?
Part One of a Billy Graham Sermon
It is impossible to understand the Bible, Christian living, the structure of the church, or our own relationship with God without understanding the Person and work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not an “it.” The Holy Spirit is a person. The Bible says that He is notsomething. He is Someone. He is God.
There are three persons in the Trinity—God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is all-powerful.
The Holy Spirit has all knowledge. The Bible says, “The Spirit seaches all things, even the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10). It is the Holy Spirit who teaches us and takes us deeper into God’s truth as we go along in our Christian life. We are to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ, but we can grow only by the help of the Holy Spirit.
http://www.billygraham.org/articlepage.asp?articleid=7653&BA=2243&QR=116
When Royalty Comes To Town
Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you . . . and you are not your own. —1 Corinthians 6:19
For those of us who have accepted Jesus as Savior, there was a day when royalty arrived—in our heart. As Paul put it, our body is “the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1�Cor. 6:19)—a reality that has huge ramifications. His residence in our life is intended to transform us to live in a way that brings glory to Him. Our relationships, the way we serve our employer, how we use our money, how we treat our enemies, and everything else in our lives should reflect the wonderful reality that royalty lives within.
Sowing the Seeds Through Sacrifice Do You Give Up Your Personal Comfort f...
Sowing the Seeds Through Sacrifice
Do You Give Up Your Personal Comfort for the Sake of the Gospel?
Invest Your Time
These days, almost everyone is short on time. We have more modern-day conveniences than ever, yet we seem to have busier schedules than generations before us. It is easy to fill our lives up with non-essentials to the point that we can no longer tell the difference between essential and non-essential.
http://www.billygraham.org/articlepage.asp?articleid=7624&BA=2237&QR=116
Driving In The Dark Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. ...
Driving In The Dark
Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. —Psalm 119:105
God’s Word is like headlights in dark times. It is full of promises we need to keep us from driving our lives into the ditch of bitterness and despair. His Word promises that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5). His Word assures us that He knows the plans He has for us, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give us “a future and a hope” (Jer. 29:11). And He tells us that our trials are there to make us better, not bitter (James 1:2-4).
So the next time you feel as if you’re driving in the dark, remember to trust your headlights—God’s Word will light your way. —Joe Stowell
Pastors: Dealing With Peril in the Pew Forgiveness is Essential to Spiri...
Pastors: Dealing With Peril in the Pew
Forgiveness is Essential to Spiritual and Church Health
http://www.billygraham.org/articlepage.asp?articleid=6324&BA=2114&QR=116