Posts
ODJ: opening up
Recently my wife and I had the privilege of speaking on Loving One Another at a marriage retreat. Attendees included couples of all ages—those who had been married just a year to a ‘golden’ duo who had spent 50 years together. That couple, Joe and Arlene, blessed the younger couples as they transparently revealed some of the struggles they had experienced in their marriage. They candidly ack
ODJ: all things new
Russian scientists recently discovered plant matter in the burrow of an Ice Age squirrel—stuff that had been frozen for thousands of years. They took the material to their laboratory, where they successfully regenerated a thriving Silene stenophylla plant. The scientists will continue to dig through the Siberian permafrost in hopes of finding frozen matter from other plants and animals. They wou
ODJ: learning journey
It had been an exhilarating mission trip. Jesus had sent the disciples to go to the villages to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal (Luke 9:1-6). Even though they brought neither bread nor money, God had provided. And He had worked through them.
Now Jesus was taking them away for a retreat. But a great crowd followed. The Lord welcomed them. He taught them about the kingdom of God and heale
ODJ: guard your heart
Christianity is a religion of the heart. Once God has our heart, the rest of life flows. To God, the heart is central.
A cursory glance at the Bible shows this to be true. God doesn’t look at external appearances but at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). He despises religious acts devoid of worship from the heart (Isaiah 29:13). God searches our heart (Psalm 139:23) and wants us to trust Him (Proverbs
ODJ: El-Shaddai
El Shaddai, a worship song written by Michael Card and John Thompson, features many Hebrew words in its lyrics. It won Song of the Year and Michael Card won Songwriter of the Year at the 1983 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards. The title of the song came from Genesis 17:1 and Exodus 6:3.
Refusing to free the Jews, the Pharaoh of Egypt challenged, “Who is the Lord?” (Exodus 5:1-2). God resp
ODJ: Jesus' Father
I was recently reading through the book of John when my eyes fell on these words: “I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God” (John 20:17). This is the amazing declaration Jesus made to Mary Magdalene, just moments after she came to the stunning realisation that He had risen from the dead.
Jesus’ words are truly good news that speak to a deep need we all have ins
ODJ: fast cash
On her way home, Heather Kelly noticed what looked like “a snow globe of cash” on a dual carriageway. An armoured van had failed to secure its rear door, and the money was airborne. Roughly 30 cars lined the dual carriageway as motorists pulled over and tried to grab the banknotes that had escaped from the van. Kelly recalled, “People had fists full of money.”
For some of us the prospect
ODJ: let go
I spent the summer of 1992 tumbling, somersaulting and crashing over the waters of a nearby lake. To avoid a grand impression, I was simply trying to learn how to water-ski. The painful endeavor revealed the deep level of determination I carry within me. One of my greatest errors lay in my refusal to let go of the rope and admit defeat when I had fallen. It was not a pretty sight.
Twenty years
ODJ: risk it
What’s one thing you hope to hear God say to you in heaven? I’m guessing it’s these words: “Well done, My good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21). This verse is quoted so often that it’s invaluable that we understand its meaning.
In this passage Jesus is like the master who entrusted his money to his servants before he went away. Though he will be gone for a long time, he will ev