Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for January 26

NOT GREAT FAITH BUT FAITH IN A GREAT GOD

From: January 26, 2024

“Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20 ESV).

When the disciples asked why they had been unable to cast the demon out from the boy with seizures, Jesus told them it was because of their “little faith.” This would be better translated, “unbelief,” from the Greek word “apistia” (literally “no faith”). For their faith, or lack thereof, had evidently been shaken by the boy’s condition, causing them to take their eyes off of God and to put them on the boy.

And this was precisely the problem that Jesus brought to their attention. It wasn’t the size of their faith, but the size of their God. For their view of the boy’s problem was bigger than their view of God. Jesus told them that they only needed faith the size of a mustard seed, a seed so small as to make it difficult to see. They didn’t need greater faith, they needed a greater understanding of God!

Jesus used a comparison of lesser to greater to illustrate this faith principle. The “mustard seed” represented the small amount of faith needed and the “mountain” represented the size of the problem faced, in this case, the boy with seizures. Neither the size of their faith, nor the size of the obstacle before them should be their focus. No, their focus was to be on God.

In other words, it is not GREAT faith in God, but faith in a GREAT God that matters. How big is your God? Do you have faith as a mustard seed in Him?

PRAYER: Dear Father, as we study Your Word and grow in knowing You better, our faith in what You can do increases. Not only what You can do, but Your willingness to do it. For we know that You care for us. And our prayers to You are based not only on Your great power, but on Your great love for us. Thank You, Father. In Jesus’ name, amen.

THE FORSAKEN MESSIAH

From: January 26, 2023

“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help?” (Psalm 22:1 NLT).

This Davidic psalm begins with the question that Jesus cried out from the cross. The NLT chose the word “abandoned” in place of “forsaken,” but it has the same meaning. David surely wrote this psalm with his own feeling, yet I wonder how much awareness he had that he was describing the future suffering of the Messiah. Did the Spirit awaken him at night to feel the agony of crucifixion, moving him to write, “I am poured out like water, all my bones are out of joint, they have pierced my hands and feet and cast lots for my clothing?” (Psa. 22:14-16). Written centuries before the Romans invented the cruel practice, the Spirit revealed the crucifixion of the Messiah to David. Psalm 22 is filled with such detail, that it is astounding in its prophetic power. It was clearly fulfilled in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Jesus, the Holy One of God, took on our sins and died in our place. As the apostle Paul wrote, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). When the sins of the world fell on Christ, He felt the Father turn away from HIm. This had never happened in all eternity. O what loneliness! What grief! Not even the pain of the whipping post, nor the cruel cross could match this! His people, the Jews, had forsaken Him, even His disciples had abandoned Him. Yet worst of all, His Father had turned away from Him, letting Him bear not only our sins and our death, but our separation from God.

However, Christ is forsaken no more. He has risen! He has conquered sin, death and the grave! He sits at the Father’s right hand, interceding for us (Rom. 8:34). He has fulfilled David’s prophecy of Psalm 22. It is finished! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!

PRAYER: Dear Father, You sent Your only begotten Son to be forsaken that we might be forgiven. We are in awe of so wonderful a salvation. We will always sing and shout of His great sacrifice and love. Strengthen us that we may never forsake our Lord Jesus as we walk by faith in His name. For it is in Jesus’ name that we pray, amen.

“They have pierced my hands and feet” (Psalm 22:16 NLT).

From: January 26, 2022

OUR SAVIOR PIERCED FOR US

This Davidic psalm began with the question, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (Psa. 22:1). These are the very words Jesus cried out from the cross. David wrote this psalm with his own feeling, yet I wonder how much awareness he had that he was describing the coming Messiah’s suffering and death. Did the Spirit awaken him at night to feel the agony of crucifixion: “I am poured out like water, all my bones are out of joint, they have pierced my hands and feet and cast lots for my clothing?” Written centuries before the Romans had even invented the cruel practice, the Spirit revealed the crucifixion of the Messiah to David.

Psalm 22 is filled with such detail of Christ’s crucifixion that it is astounding in its prophetic power. It was clearly fulfilled in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of God. For Jesus was pierced for us just as David foresaw. And not only David, but the prophet Isaiah, who wrote, “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isa. 53:5).

In another place, Isaiah wrote that the Lord had said, “Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isa. 49:16). Surely, this verse applies to Jesus too. For He still carries the scars of crucifixion on His hands, engraved there for each of us. And one day, we will see our Savior who was pierced for us.

PRAYER: Dear Father, today we meditate on the the suffering of our Savior. For He was pierced for our transgressions. It was for our sin that He paid. His hands and feet were pierced by us and for us. We therefore devote ourselves afresh to Him this day. Strengthen us to always live for Him. In the precious name of Jesus, amen.

“They pierced my hands and my feet” (Psalm 22:16 HCSB).

From: January 26, 2021

OUR SAVIOR PIERCED FOR US

This Davidic psalm began with the question that Jesus cried out from the cross: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (Psa. 22:1). David wrote this psalm with his own feeling, yet I wonder how much awareness he had that he was describing the coming Messiah’s death. Did the Spirit awaken him at night to feel the agony of crucifixion: “I am poured out like water, all my bones are out of joint, they have pierced my hands and feet and cast lots for my clothing?” Written centuries before the Romans had even invented the cruel practice, the Spirit revealed the crucifixion of the Messiah to David.

Psalm 22 is filled with such detail that it is astounding in its prophetic power. It was clearly fulfilled in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of God. For Jesus was pierced for us just as David foresaw. And not only David, but the prophet Isaiah, who wrote, “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isa. 53:5).

In another place, Isaiah wrote that the Lord had said, “Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isa. 49:16). Surely, this verse applies to Jesus too. For He carries the scars of crucifixion on His hands, engraved there for each of us. Our Savior was pierced for us. And one day, we will see Him.

PRAYER: Dear Father, today we meditate on the the suffering of our Savior. For He was pierced for our transgressions. It was for our sin that He paid. His hands and feet were pierced by us and for us. We therefore devote ourselves afresh to Him this day. Strengthen us to always live for Him. In the precious name of Jesus, amen.

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Psalm 22:1 NKJV).

From: January 26, 2020

THE FORSAKEN MESSIAH

This Davidic psalm begins with the question that Jesus cried out at the end. David surely wrote this psalm with his own feeling, yet I wonder how much awareness he had that he was describing the Messiah’s death. Did the Spirit awaken him at night to feel the agony of crucifixion: “I am poured out like water, all my bones are out of joint, they have pierced my hands and feet and cast lots for my clothing?” Written centuries before the Romans invented the cruel practice, the Spirit revealed the crucifixion of the Messiah to David. Psalm 22 is filled with such detail that it is astounding in its prophetic power. It was clearly fulfilled in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Jesus, the Holy One of God, took on our sins and died in our place. As the apostle Paul wrote, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). When the sins of the world fell on Christ, He felt the Father turn away from HIm. This had never happened in all eternity. O what loneliness! What grief! Not even the pain of the whipping post, nor the cruel cross could match this! His people, the Jews, had forsaken Him, even His disciples had forsaken Him. Yet worst of all, His Father had turned away from Him, letting Him bear not only our sins and death, but our separation.

However, Christ is forsaken no more. He has risen! He has conquered sin, death and the grave! He sits at the Father’s right hand, interceding for us (Rom. 8:34). He has fulfilled David’s prophecy of Psalm 22. It is finished! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!

PRAYER: Dear Father, You sent Your only begotten Son to be forsaken that we might be forgiven. We are in awe of so wonderful a salvation. We will always sing and shout of His great sacrifice and love. Strengthen us that we may never forsake our Lord Jesus as we walk by faith in His name. For it is in Jesus’ name that we pray, amen.

“But Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in the land of Midian” (Exodus 2:15 NLT).

From: January 26, 2018

MOSES’ TIME OF PREPARATION

Moses had spent the first 40 years of his life as an Egyptian prince. Now, he would spend the next 40 years as a shepherd in the land of Midian. Midian was located near the Northeastern shore of the Red Sea in modern day Saudi Arabia. It was populated by the Midianites, a nomadic people group that descended from Midian, a later son of Abraham by his wife, Keturah (Gen. 25:1-2). It was in this land, that God prepared Moses to rescue Israel. He had tried rescuing his people in his own strength, even killing an Egyptian slaver, but ended up running away to escape the wrath of Pharaoh. Yet, it was in the wilderness of Midian that God prepared Moses for his true calling.

God often uses wilderness experiences to prepare His people for leadership.

“Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20 NKJV).

From: January 26, 2017

This was Christ’s response to the disciples when they asked why they had been unable to cast the demon out from the epileptic boy. He told them it was because of their unbelief. They lacked faith in God’s power to heal. Yet, Christ immediately taught them a principle of faith to avoid any possible misunderstanding. He wanted them to stop doubting and believe. They didn’t need faith the size of a mountain, but faith the size of a mustard seed, a seed so small as to make it difficult to see. He used a hyperbole of lesser to greater to illustrate this principle. The phrase “as a mustard seed” shows His use of simile to introduce the lesser (“mustard seed”) to greater (“mountain”) hyperbole. The apostle Paul knew this teaching from Jesus and used it in his list of hyperboles: “If I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing” (1 Cor. 13:2). It is not the size of your faith, but that you have stopped doubting and started believing. In other words, it is not GREAT faith in God, but faith in a GREAT God. Do you have faith as a mustard seed?

“…a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots” (Psalm 22:16-18 ESV)

From: January 26, 2016

This psalm of David begins by crying out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Psa.22:1). And goes on to describe in great detail the crucifixion of Jesus. Written 1,000 years before Christ, long before the Romans or their cruel invention of crucifixion, this psalm is astounding in its prophetic power. Some commentators point out that there is even more detail here when one considers that the word translated “encircles” might also be translated “crowned,” describing the crown of thorns. Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 are the two most powerfully prophetic descriptions of the Suffering Servant who would come and die for our sins. Yet, when Jesus was treated just as David and Isaiah prophesied, only a few believed.

“And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’” (Exodus 3:14-15 NKJV)

From: January 26, 2015

God revealed His Name to Moses at the burning bush. The Name was so holy to the Jews that they didn’t say it aloud. In the Hebrew Bible it was written YHWH but they said “Adonai” (Lord) when reading it. The four-letter Name was called the “Tetragrammaton” and was probably pronounced “Yahweh,” or in the English speaking world, “Jehovah.” English speaking Jews today will often write the Name like “G-d” to continue their tradition of respect. Notice that God’s Name is “I AM,” not “I WAS,” or “I WILL BE.” His Name reveals that He is eternally present, outside of time, and self-existent. God revealed Himself to Moses through a burning bush. Today, we have the ultimate revelation of God through Jesus Christ.

“God replied to Moses, ‘I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.’ God also said to Moses, ‘Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations'” (Exodus 3:14-15)

From: January 26, 2014

God revealed His Name to Moses at the burning bush. The Name was so holy to the Jews that they didn’t say it aloud. In the Hebrew Bible it was written YHWH but they said “Adonai” (Lord) when reading. The four-letter Name was called the “tetragrammaton” and was probably pronounced “Yahweh.” English speaking Jews today will often write the Name like “G-d” to continue their tradition of respect. Notice that God’s Name is “I AM,” not “I WAS,” or “I WILL BE.” His Name reveals that He is eternally present, outside of time, and self-existent. God introduced Himself to Moses through a burning bush. Today, He introduces Himself to us through His Son, Jesus.