Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for April 29

WHICH WAY ARE YOU GOING?

From: April 29, 2024

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12 ESV).

Many today claim to have found a new and better “way.” Some say theirs is the way of freedom. Others claim their way is as good as any other. “Aren’t all ways the same?” They ask with a wink and a nod.

Yet, God’s Word says that these ways only “seem right.” In reality, death lies just around the turn. Death by a thousand cuts. Death of a relationship, of a marriage, death of a desired future. Finally, death of the body and the eternal death that follows.

The way that seems right to man is paved like a highway, and seems attractive to follow, yet it concludes with a dead end of destruction. However, there is another way, a narrow way, that leads to life, yet few will find it (Matt. 7:13-14). Those who do find it discover that it was actually Jesus who found them. For He is the one who says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

PRAYER: Dear Father, we’re so glad that You found us and showed us the way of salvation through Christ Jesus. We know that there is only one way. Strengthen us to tell others the way of salvation through Jesus. In His name we pray, amen.

DOES GOD GRIEVE OR BECOME WEARY?

From: April 29, 2023

“Then the Israelites put aside their foreign gods and served the Lord. And he was grieved by their misery” (Judges 10:16 NLT).

When the Israelites finally got rid of their idolatry, so that their deeds matched their words of repentance, God was moved to answer their cry. The description of the Lord’s response to Israel’s true repentance is revealing. For it described Him as being “grieved by their misery.” In the Hebrew it is rendered, “HIs soul was grieved (or became weary or impatient) for the misery of Israel.”

What does this mean? Does the Lord not only see our suffering, but sympathize with it? Does it pain Him to look upon our misery? Does God grieve and become weary to see our suffering, even when it’s self-induced? Certainly, we must be careful not to ascribe human weakness to the omnipotent, unchanging God. Yet, there is something paradoxical of His character revealed here. God’s joy is unconquerable and His will enduring. Yet God was “grieved” by Israel’s misery. How is this possible?

The answer is found in Christ Jesus. For He is the fullest revelation of God (See John 1:18). Instead of looking away from our misery, as we might do when we see others in great suffering, God was moved to send us Christ. For in Christ, God’s holiness and love were both equally revealed in the cross. He sent Jesus to die in our place, because in His love, He was grieved by our misery, so Christ took our suffering and sin upon Himself.

Does God get weary? No, for He is all-powerful. He never tires. But yes, He does choose to rest. And yes, because He is full of mercy and love, it does grieve His soul to see our suffering. He sympathizes with our weakness and makes a way for our suffering to end.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we are amazed at Your great love and mercy for us. For You are well acquainted with our weaknesses and suffering. For You sent Your Son, Jesus to take them upon Himself on our behalf. Strengthen us by Your Spirit to follow Him. May we be marked by Your love and mercy toward others this day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem” (Luke 24:46-47 NLT).

From: April 29, 2022

WHAT WAS WRITTEN MUST BE FULFILLED

The risen Lord Jesus opened His disciples’ understanding of the Scriptures, so that they might see the necessity of Christ’s suffering and resurrection, in order to fulfill the Scriptures. And not only that, but the necessity that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations. Jesus accomplished all that was necessary to fulfill the gospel, but He commissioned His disciples to carry out the necessity of preaching it to all nations.

Today, we are Christ’s disciples. The necessity of gospel preaching is now ours. So we preach Christ died “for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Rom. 4:25). And we call people from every nation to repentance that they may receive the remission of their sins. We preach unto repentance, trusting the Spirit to move hearers, not only to feel sorrow for their sin, but to choose the forsaking of it. At the same time, we preach the remission of sins, which is the pardon and forgiveness of sin’s penalty and also the removal of sin’s power.

The necessity of the gospel accomplished, was fulfilled by Jesus Christ. The necessity of the gospel preached, He has given unto us.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for the remission of sins for those of us who have repented and believed in the gospel of Jesus Christ. You have not only forgiven us, but You have adopted us into Your family as Your children. Now empower and embolden us to preach the gospel to all nations, starting with our Jerusalem, our home, and beyond. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“So they got rid of the foreign gods among them and worshiped the Lord, and He became weary of Israel’s misery” (Judges 10:16 HCSB).

From: April 29, 2021

DOES GOD GET WEARY?

When the Israelites finally “got rid” of their idolatry, so that their deeds matched their words of repentance, God was moved to answer their cry. The description of the Lord’s response to Israel’s true repentance is revealing. For it described Him as being “weary of Israel’s misery.”

What does this mean? Does the Lord see our suffering? Does it pain Him to look upon our misery? Does God become weary? Certainly, we must be careful not to ascribe human weakness to the omnipotent, unchanging God. Yet, there is something paradoxical of His character revealed here. God’s joy is unconquerable and His will enduring. yet God was “weary” of Israel’s misery. How is this possible?

The answer is found in Christ Jesus. For He is the fullest revelation of God (See John 1:18). Instead of looking away from our misery, as we might do when we see others in great suffering, God was moved to send us Christ. For in Christ, God’s holiness and love were both equally revealed in the cross. He sent Jesus to die in our place, because in His love, He could no longer endure our misery, so Christ took our suffering and sin upon Himself.

Does God get weary? No, for He is all-powerful. He never tires. But yes, because He is full of mercy and love, He becomes weary of our suffering. He sympathizes with our weakness and makes a way for our suffering to end.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we are amazed at Your great love and mercy for us. For You are well acquainted with our weaknesses and suffering. For You sent Your Son, Jesus to take them upon Himself on our behalf. Strengthen us by Your Spirit to follow Him. May we be marked by Your love and mercy toward others this day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“It was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:46-47 NKJV).

From: April 29, 2020

THE NECESSITY OF THE GOSPEL ACCOMPLISHED AND PREACHED

The risen Lord Jesus opened His disciples’ understanding of the Scriptures, so that they might see the necessity of Christ’s suffering and resurrection, in order to fulfill the Scriptures. And not only that, but the necessity that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations. Jesus accomplished all that was necessary to fulfill the gospel, but He commissioned His disciples to carry out the necessity of preaching it to all nations.

Today, we are Christ’s disciples. The necessity of gospel preaching is now ours. So we preach Christ died “for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Rom. 4:25). And we call people from every nation to repentance that they may receive the remission of their sins. We preach unto repentance, trusting the Spirit to move hearers, not only to feel sorrow for their sin, but to choose the forsaking of it. At the same time, we preach the remission of sins, which is the pardon and forgiveness of sin’s penalty and also the removal of sin’s power.

The necessity of the gospel accomplished, was fulfilled by Jesus Christ. The necessity of the gospel preached, He has given unto us.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for the remission of sins for those of us who have repented and believed in the gospel of Jesus Christ. You have not only forgiven us, but You have adopted us into Your family as Your children. Now empower and embolden us to preach the gospel to all nations, starting with our Jerusalem, our home, and beyond. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“God also punished the men of Shechem for all their evil. So the curse of Jotham son of Gideon was fulfilled” (Judges 9:57 NLT).

From: April 29, 2019

WHAT WAS THE CURSE OF JOTHAM?

Jotham was the only surviving son of the 70 sons of Gideon. Their half-brother, Abimelech, was born to a concubine of Gideon, who was from the city of Shechem. After Gideon’s death, Abimelech conspired with the inhabitants of Shechem to overthrow Gideon’s sons, and so he murdered all of them but Jotham, who escaped. When Jotham heard that Shechem had declared Abimelech their king, he shouted a curse down upon them from Mount Gerizim.

Jotham’s curse was in essence a call for truth and just deserts for Abimelech and Shechem. He called for fire to come out of Abimelech to devour Shechem and for fire to come out of Shechem to devour Abimelech. In other words, he cursed them that they would be the destruction of the other. They chose each other, now they would receive what they had chosen.

Jotham’s curse depended on the holy wrath of God, which is His righteous response to sin. The Apostle Paul wrote that “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (Rom. 1:18). This wrath or judgment of God against sin is already being revealed in the world in that God has removed restraint, so that He allows sinners to reap what they sow. As Paul wrote, “God gave them up” (Rom. 1:24, 26) or gave them over to their sin and to sin’s reward.

God’s punishment was to let Abimelech and Shechem kill one another just as Jotham had predicted. And His divine wrath is still being revealed in the world today. Yet, we can be set free from God’s wrath by believing in God’s “revealed righteousness” (Rom. 1:17), which is the Gospel of Christ.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank you that we will no longer get what we deserve because of Christ Jesus. For the wages of sin is death, but Jesus took our death that we might receive His eternal life. There is no condemnation and no wrath hanging over us because our Lord Jesus has taken it all upon Himself in our place! We offer ourselves as living sacrifices in response to Your great love. In Jesus’ name, amen.

‘Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he ate it as they watched.’ (Luke 24:41-43 NLT).

From: April 29, 2018

JESUS ATE NOT IN NEED OF FOOD BUT FOR THEIR FAITH

When Jesus suddenly appeared with the disciples on the evening of His resurrection, they were terrified. They feared they were seeing a ghost! Jesus patiently showed them His pierced hands and feet, but they still “stood there in disbelief.” So, Jesus asked for food to eat, not because He was hungry, for His glorified body had no need of food. He asked for food that the disciples might have faith.

“So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord. And His soul could no longer endure the misery of Israel” (Judges 10:16 NKJV).

From: April 29, 2017

When the Israelites finally “put away” their idolatry, so that their deeds matched their words of repentance, God was moved to answer their cry. The description of the Lord’s response to Israel’s true repentance is revealing. For it described Him as being “no longer” able to “endure” their “misery.” Literally, God was grieved about Israel’s misery.

What does this mean? Does the Lord feel the suffering that our own sin inflicts on us? Does it pain Him to see our misery? Is there a limit to His patience? Does God grieve? Certainly, we must be careful not to ascribe human weakness to the omnipotent, unchanging God. Yet, there is something paradoxical of His character revealed here. God’s joy is unconquerable and His will enduring. yet God no longer wanted to endure the misery of Israel.

The clearest picture that we can get of God and the fullest revelation of His character are found in Christ. In Christ, God’s holiness and mercy were revealed in the cross. He sent Jesus to die in our place, because in His love, He could no longer endure our misery.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12 ESV)

From: April 29, 2016

Many today claim to have found a new and better “way.” Some say theirs is the way of freedom. Others claim their way is as good as any other. “Aren’t all ways the same?” They ask with a wink and a nod. Yet, God’s Word says that these “ways” only “seem right.” In reality, death lies just around the turn. Death by a thousand cuts: Death of a relationship, of a marriage, death of a desired future… and finally death of the body and the eternal death that follows. The way that seems right to man is paved like a highway, and seems attractive to follow, yet it concludes with a dead end of destruction. However, there is another way, a narrow way, that leads to life, yet few will find it (Matt. 7:13-14).

“Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45 NKJV)

From: April 29, 2015

After Jesus was resurrected he “opened the minds” of the disciples, so that they could understand the Scriptures concerning him. There are over 300 Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament and Jesus fulfilled every one. Yet, many doubted or misunderstood. Now, the risen Jesus did more than explain, he “opened their minds.” This is more than instruction. This is a miraculous spiritual sight given to those previously blind. They were now able to see Jesus in the Scriptures. He became not only the object to which the Word pointed, but the lens through which they could rightly interpret it. Jesus is the criterion for right understanding of God’s Word. Without him, there is no true understanding for we would be left as the “natural man” who finds God’s Word as foolishness. Only the spiritual, whose minds have been “opened” can understand (1 Cor. 2:14-16).