Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for April 1

CHRIST’S MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

From: April 1, 2024

“And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” (Luke 9:30-31 ESV).

Jesus took His inner circle of disciples, Peter, James and John, up on a mountain to pray. As usual, they fell asleep, but they awoke suddenly to discover a change. The veil separating this world from the next had been pulled back. They saw the appearance of Christ’s face changed, and His clothes became dazzling white. They saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus about His approaching death. They used unusual language, describing his death as if it were a mission to be “accomplished.”

Why a mission to be accomplished? Because that’s what it was. Jesus came to die in our place, taking our penalty for sin, so that those who believe in Him might receive His eternal life. This is why Jesus exclaimed with His last breath on the cross, “It is finished!” Which in the original Greek is Τετέλεσται (“Tetelestai” – to fulfill, to accomplish, to pay in full).

Jesus accomplished the mission given to Him by the Father. And three days later, the Father raised Him from the dead!

PRAYER: Dear Father, we praise You for sending Your only begotten Son to die in our place, so that believing in Him, we might receive eternal life. And we do believe. And we gratefully remember what Jesus did for us. Strengthen us now to live for Him and to proclaim His gospel to everyone. In Jesus’ name, amen.

LEARNING TO LISTEN FOR THE LORD’S VOICE

From: April 1, 2023

‘Then a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him.”’ (Luke 9:35 NLT)

When Peter witnessed the Transfiguration of Jesus and saw his glory and the two men, Moses and Elijah, standing with him, Peter blurted out his idea for a building project on the mountain. But the Father spoke to Peter from the cloud and silenced him with the instruction, “Listen to him.”

How many holy moments have been interrupted by our tendency to talk when we ought to be listening? And how often have we sought after an encore of a loud “mountain top” experience when God wanted to speak to us with a “still, small voice” like he did with Elijah (1 Kings 19:12)? Prayer and Bible reading are meant to be a two-way conversation with the Lord. But for this to be so, we must learn to listen for the Lord’s voice.

Are you listening?

PRAYER: Lord, how often we are like Peter and fill the air with our words when we ought to be listening for your voice. Please forgive us. We are so easily distracted. Our world is so loud and filled with competing voices. Yet, we want to hear you speak. Teach us to listen for your voice. O how we desire to hear from you. Speak to us from your Word. Speak to our hearts today, we pray. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“When you go out to fight your enemies and you face horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid. The Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you!” (Deuteronomy 20:1 NLT).

From: April 1, 2022

CHOOSING FAITH OVER FEAR

In Deuteronomy chapter 20, Moses repeated God’s instruction to Israel as they prepared to go into battle against their enemies in the Promised Land. God instructed them not to focus on the power of the enemy, nor to be afraid of them. Instead, they were to focus on the Lord who was with them. For the Lord promised to fight for them and to save them.

Are you facing a battle today? Perhaps it’s a financial challenge that seems too big to overcome. Maybe it’s a health situation you’re facing or one of your loved ones is battling against. Or maybe it’s an unseen and unnamed enemy that seems to be lurking around the corner. Whatever you’re facing, you don’t have to face it alone.

For our God is the same today as He was yesterday. He still calls us to not be afraid of the enemy, but to trust in Him as Savior. God does not promise that there will not be battle in this life. There will always be trouble in this life, but we need not face it alone. God is with us.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for Your promise to be with us and to fight for us. We choose faith over fear. We can face any enemy knowing that You are always with us and will never leave nor forsake us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“They appeared in glory and were speaking of His death, which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem” (Luke 9:31 HCSB).

From: April 1, 2021

CHRIST’S MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Jesus took His inner circle of disciples, Peter, James and John, up on a mountain to pray. As usual, they fell asleep, but they awoke suddenly to discover a change. The veil separating this world from the next had been pulled back. They saw the appearance of Christ’s face changed, and His clothes became dazzling white. They saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus about His approaching death. They used unusual language, describing his death as if it were a mission to be “accomplished.”

Why a mission to be accomplished? Because that’s what it was. Jesus came to die in our place, taking our penalty for sin, so that those who believe in Him might receive His eternal life. This is why Jesus exclaimed with His last breath on the cross, “It is finished!” Which in the original Greek is Τετέλεσται (“Tetelestai” – to fulfill, to accomplish, to pay in full).

Jesus accomplished the mission given to Him by the Father. And three days later, the Father raised Him from the dead!

PRAYER: Dear Father, we praise You for sending Your only begotten Son to die in our place, so that believing in Him, we might receive eternal life. And we do believe. And we gratefully remember what Jesus did for us. Strengthen us now to live for Him and to proclaim His gospel to everyone. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God is with you” (Deuteronomy 20:1 NKJV).

From: April 1, 2020

WHEN FACING A BATTLE, KEEP YOUR FOCUS ON GOD

In Deuteronomy chapter 20, Moses gave God’s instruction for Israel as they prepared to go into battle against their enemies in the Promised Land. God instructed them not to focus on the power of the enemy, nor to be afraid of them. Instead, they were to focus on the Lord who was with them. For the Lord promised to fight for them and to save them.

We are facing a battle today. The enemy is unseen, yet portrayed in charts and bell curves that terrify. When we see the potential of the pandemic, we are tempted to worry and be afraid. But our God is the same today as He was yesterday. He still calls us to not be afraid of the enemy, but to trust in Him as Savior. God does not promise that there will not be battle in this life. There will always be enemies in this life that we must face, but we need not face them alone. God is with us.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for Your promise to be with us and to fight for us. We choose faith over fear. We can face any enemy knowing that You are always with us and will never leave nor forsake us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

‘Then a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him.”’ (Luke 9:35 NLT).

From: April 1, 2019

LEARNING TO LISTEN FOR THE LORD’S VOICE

When Peter witnessed the Transfiguration of Jesus and saw his glory and the two men, Moses and Elijah, standing with him, Peter blurted out his idea for a building project on the mountain. But the Father spoke to Peter from the cloud and silenced him with the instruction, “Listen to him.”

How many holy moments have been interrupted by our tendency to talk when we ought to be listening? And how often have we sought after an encore of a loud “mountain top” experience when God wanted to speak to us with a “still, small voice” like he did with Elijah (1 Kings 19:12)? Prayer and Bible reading are meant to be a two-way conversation with the Lord. But for this to be so, we must learn to listen for the Lord’s voice.

Are you listening?

PRAYER: Lord, how often we are like Peter and fill the air with our words when we ought to be listening for your voice. Please forgive us. We are so easily distracted. Our world is so loud and filled with competing voices. Yet, we want to hear you speak. Teach us to listen for your voice. O how we desire to hear from you. Speak to us from your Word. Speak to our hearts today, we pray. In Jesus’ name, amen.

‘Moses continued, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.”‘ (Deuteronomy 18:15 NLT).

From: April 1, 2018

GOD HAS RAISED UP THE CHRIST JUST AS HE SAID

On this Easter morning let us remember that God promised the Israelites that He would “raise up” one from among them as the Messiah, the Christ. And now, some 2,000 years later, we look back on the fulfillment of this Mosaic prophecy, written 1,400 years before He came.

Jesus is the fulfillment of this Scripture. He was born into the tribe of Judah. He spoke all that the Father “commanded” Him to say (Deut. 18:18, John 12:49). And on occasion referred to Himself as a “Prophet” (Luke 13:33). Moses was a foreshadowing of the Christ. But Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the ultimate revelation of God (John 1:1-18, John 14:9). This is why the LORD instructed the disciples to “listen to Him” on the Mount of Transfiguration (Luke 9:35).

God has not only raised Jesus up from among His people, He has raised Him up from the grave. His empty tomb is proof of the promise that we too shall be raised up one day. As the Scripture says, “And God will raise us from the dead by his power, just as he raised our Lord from the dead” (1 Cor. 6:14).

“Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:25-26 NKJV).

From: April 1, 2017

Desire and thirst both seek satisfaction. The psalmist was once envious of the boasting and prosperity of the wicked, and didn’t understand why God allowed it. Yet, he brought his concern to the Lord and received fresh understanding. In the place of his envy for what others had, the Lord gave him a new thirst, a new desire for God Himself. He lifted his eyes to heaven and saw the rich portion that was his, namely, the Lord.

All things on earth will fade. Our bodies will fail. Why thirst for things that do not satisfy? Why be envious of things that will not last? Instead, let your desire be for the Lord. Put your trust in the Lord Jesus, who said from the cross, “I thirst” (John 19:28), so that we might find our deepest desire satisfied in Him.

“And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah” (Luke 9:29-30 ESV)

From: April 1, 2016

Jesus took his inner circle of disciples up on a mountain to pray. As usual, they fell asleep, but they awoke suddenly to discover a change. The veil separating this world from the next had been pulled back. They saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus about his soon approaching exodus from this world. Even more, Christ’s true majestic glory was revealed as they glimpsed His person with unveiled faces. Peter’s sleepy mumblings were silenced by the Father saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!”
So, looking and listening, what is observed? Here are two observations: 1) Moses and Elijah are alive and identifiable, giving evidence of the afterlife with God. 2) The Divinity of Christ is supported both by the visible revelation of His person and the audible testimony of His Father. How do these two observations encourage you today?

“I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him” (Deuteronomy 18:18 NKJV)

From: April 1, 2015

Jesus is the fulfillment of this Scripture. He was born into the tribe of Judah and so was one of Israel’s “brethren.” He spoke all that the Father “commanded” Him to say (John 12:49). And on occasion referred to Himself as a “Prophet” (Luke 13:33). Moses was a foreshadowing of the Christ. But Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the ultimate revelation of God (John 1:1-18, John 14:9).
It seems appropriate that today’s OYB reading included this passage in the OT reading and the Mount of Transfiguration passage in the NT reading. Both Moses and Elijah were OT types pointing to Christ and here they are conversing with Him about His coming death. Moses represents the law, and Elijah, the prophets, and Jesus fulfilled them all.