Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for August 6

WHEN THE SAMARITANS OFFER TO HELP

From: August 6, 2024

“Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to the Lord…” (Ezra 4:1 ESV).

After 70 years of exile in Babylon, the Jews were allowed to return to the land of Judah by the Persian king, Cyrus, who charged them to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. However the peoples who had inhabited the land in their absence had been brought in by the kings of Assyria. Over time these colonists had intermarried with the remaining Jews of the land. Based out of the city of Samaria, they came to be known as the Samaritans and became “adversaries” of the returning exiles. Ironically, their opposition came in the form of an offer to help saying, “Let us build with you, for we worship your God as you do” (Ezra 4:2).

This form of opposition still happens today. When today’s “Samaritans” hear there is a new work being planted, they often volunteer to help. One of the most dangerous ploys of the evil one is disguised as an offer of assistance. It’s tempting to accept because a new ministry is nearly always lacking in both people and financial resources. This sense of desperation can lead to accepting an infiltration that hinders the new ministry from within.

The returning exiles to Jerusalem wisely refused to fall for this trap. Of course, their refusal merely unmasked the enemy’s true motivations. The enemies of God then began an external attack.

We shouldn’t be surprised that enemies come against us in ministry. But we can wisely avoid being unequally yoked with those who would eventually disunify and destroy from within. So let us beware when the Samaritans offer to help.

PRAYER: Dear Father, give us wisdom as we begin new ministries and works to which You call us. Help us to remember Your warning not to be unequally yoked. Strengthen us to live in peace and unity as Your church. In Jesus’ name, amen.

SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING REQUIRES SPIRITUAL REBIRTH

From: August 6, 2023

“But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means” (1 Corinthians 2:14 NLT).

The one who has not been spiritually born again cannot understand spiritual things. They are still dead in their sins. That is to say, they are spiritually dead. And so, they are dead to the things of the Spirit. This spiritual deadness accounts for their spiritual deafness and spiritual blindness. Just as the dead cannot see nor hear in the natural world, so the spiritually dead cannot see nor hear in the spiritual one.

One must be raised to new life, born again, in order to have have ears and eyes opened. No amount of argument or persuasion can wake the dead. Only the saving power of God’s gospel of grace received through faith will bring them to life.

The one without spiritual rebirth can neither understand nor receive the things of the Spirit. But by the grace of God through faith in Jesus, we can be born again.

As Jesus said, “Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’” (John 3:6-7).

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for giving us spiritual new birth through faith in Jesus. Help us to walk by the Spirit today. And strengthen us to proclaim the good news to others. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us” (1 Corinthians 2:12 NLT).

From: August 6, 2022

WE CAN KNOW

Have you ever been asked how you can know that God has saved you? The question may come from someone who lacks assurance of salvation themselves, so they want to understand from where you get your confidence. Or the question may come from an agnostic who wishes to challenge the basis for your faith. Yet, our knowledge of God’s existence and His salvation for us is not merely based on a feeling or even an experience. It is based on the reality that we have received God’s Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our proof. He is the inner witness that gives us this confident “knowing” that we are now children of God.

The apostle John’s first epistle was written so that we could absolutely know that we belong to Christ. He wrote, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). So we can declare with John and with Paul, who said, “I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me” (2 Tim. 1:12). We can know.

PRAYER: Father, thank You that you have given us Your Son and through Him, You have freely given us Your Spirit, so that we can know that we are Your children. Now, empower us this day to tell others the wonderful Good News that they may know You too. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God” (1 Corinthians 2:12 HCSB).

From: August 6, 2021

THE SPIRIT OF UNDERSTANDING

Have you ever been asked how you can know that God has saved you? The question may come from someone who lacks assurance of salvation themselves, so they want to understand from where you get your confidence. Or the question may come from an agnostic who wishes to challenge the basis for your faith. Yet, our knowledge of God’s existence and His salvation for us is not merely based on a feeling or even an experience. It is based on the reality that we have received God’s Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our proof. He is the inner witness that gives us this confident “understanding” and assurance that we are now children of God.

The apostle John’s first epistle was written so that we could absolutely know that we belong to Christ. He wrote, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). So we can declare with John and with Paul, who said, “I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me” (2 Tim. 1:12).

Because we have been given the Holy Spirit to abide in us, we can understand the things God has revealed to us. We can know with confidence that we are His children.

PRAYER: Father, thank You that you have given us Your Son and through Him, You have freely given us Your Spirit, so that we can know that we are Your children and we can understand Your Word. Now, empower us this day to tell others the wonderful Good News that they may know You too. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV).

From: August 6, 2020

ONLY THE GOSPEL CAN BRING SPIRITUAL LIFE

The “natural” person is one who has not been spiritually born again. They are still dead in their sins. That is to say, they are spiritually dead. And so, they are dead to the things of the Spirit. Their spiritual deadness accounts for their spiritual deafness and spiritual blindness. Just as the dead cannot see nor hear in the natural world, so the spiritually dead cannot see nor hear in the spiritual.

One must be raised to new life, born again, in order to have have ears and eyes opened. No amount of argument or persuasion can wake the dead. Only the saving power of God’s gospel of grace received through faith will bring them to life.

The natural man can neither understand nor receive the things of the Spirit. But the gospel of Jesus Christ has the dynamic power to open spiritually dead ears and eyes, so that they might receive new hearts.

As the apostle Paul wrote, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16).

PRAYER: Dear Father, we are determined to always give out the good news about Jesus. For it is the gospel that holds the power of God for salvation to those who believe. Stretch forth Your hand to call people to Yourself and strengthen us to declare Your gospel with boldness. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us” (1 Corinthians 2:12 NLT).

From: August 6, 2019

WHAT WE CAN KNOW

Have you ever been asked how you can know that God has saved you? The question may come from someone who lacks assurance of salvation themselves, so they want to understand from where you get your confidence. Or the question may come from an agnostic who wishes to challenge the basis for your faith. Yet, our knowledge of God’s existence and His salvation for us is not merely based on a feeling or even an experience. It is based on the reality that we have received God’s Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our proof. He is the inner witness that gives us this confident “knowing” that we are now children of God.

The apostle John’s first epistle was written so that we could absolutely know that we belong to Christ. He wrote, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). So we can declare with John and with Paul, who said, “I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me” (2 Tim. 1:12). We can know.

PRAYER: Father, thank You that you have given us Your Son and through Him, You have freely given us Your Spirit, so that we can know that we are Your children. Now, empower us this day to tell others the wonderful Good News that they may know You too. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16 NLT).

From: August 6, 2018

WHY BELIEVERS DON’T NEED TO ASK WWJD

In 1896, Charles Sheldon published a novel called In “His Steps,” in which a fictional town was radically improved when its residents began to ask themselves, “What would Jesus do?” before every action. In the 1990s, someone got the idea of writing this question in the acronym form, “WWJD,” and putting it on everything from bracelets to ball caps. The WWJD logo was soon seen everywhere.

Did asking this question help people live better? Perhaps. Thinking before acting is always a good idea. But there is an error at the heart of this. According to the apostle Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, the “people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means” (1 Cor. 2:14). In other words, those without Christ have no idea what Jesus would do, neither do they have the desire nor the willpower to do it.

The truth is, only those who have believed and received Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior can know the “mind of Christ” on things. For only those who have been born again have the Spirit of Christ living within, instructing and empowering them to live for Him. The believer doesn’t need to ask what Jesus would do, for they already possess the “mind of Christ” on things. They only need to obey and rely on His Spirit, for the challenge is not so much in knowing God’s will, but in doing it.

But you don’t have to throw your WWJD bracelet away! Who knows? It might cause someone to ask a question about Jesus that will give you the opportunity to share the gospel. Surely, that’s what Jesus would do. 🙂

“But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:1 ESV)

From: August 6, 2016

After contrasting the difference between the “natural man” and the “spiritual man” in chapter two, Paul addresses a troubling third spiritual category, the “carnal man” (“fleshly”). This person has received Christ as Savior (note Paul’s use of “brothers”), yet doesn’t yield to Him as Lord. Their behavior is not unlike that of the unbeliever. They do not desire to dig into the Word of God to be fed with meat, but want someone to bottle feed them with milk. They are divisive, jealous and hypocritical. Paul warns them of the coming Day which will expose their works. This is a miserable place to be spiritually, knowing the Lord, yet not fully surrendered to Him. They must stop being spiritual babies and grow up to maturity in the Lord.

“But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV)

From: August 6, 2015

The “natural” person is one who has not been born again spiritually. They are unregenerate and already dead in their sins. That is to say, they are spiritually dead. And so, they are dead to the things of the Spirit. Their spiritual deadness accounts for their spiritual deafness and blindness. Only being raised to new life will open their ears and eyes to understand spiritual things. No amount of argument or persuasion will wake the dead. Only the saving power of God’s gospel of grace received through faith will bring them to life.

“The enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were rebuilding a Temple to the Lord, the God of Israel” (Ezra 4:1 NLT)

From: August 6, 2014

When the enemies of God hear there is a new work being planted, they often volunteer to help. One of the most dangerous ploys of the evil one is disguised as an offer of assistance. It’s tempting to accept because a new ministry is nearly always lacking in both people and financial resources. This sense of desperation can lead to accepting an infiltration that hinders the new ministry from within. The returning exiles to Jerusalem wisely refused to fall for this trap. Of course, their refusal merely unmasked the enemy’s true motivations. The enemies of God then began an external attack. We shouldn’t be surprised that enemies come against us in ministry. But we can wisely avoid being unequally yoked with those who would destroy from within.