Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for January 3

THE BREAD OF LIFE

From: January 3, 2026

SCRIPTURE

“But he answered, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’” (Matthew 4:4 ESV).

OBSERVATION
Matthew recorded that after forty days of fasting in the wilderness, Jesus was tempted by the devil to turn stones into bread. Jesus deliberately answered the temptation by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3, a passage originally spoken by Moses to Israel during their wilderness journey. In that context, Moses reminded Israel that God provided manna to teach them that life is sustained not merely by food but by God’s spoken word and sovereign will.

Matthew presented Jesus as retracing Israel’s steps, yet where Israel failed, Jesus remained faithful. Israel complained about hunger; Jesus trusted the Father. Israel tested God; Jesus submitted to God. The temptation was not simply about bread but acting contrary to the Father’s will. Though Jesus possessed the power to meet His hunger instantly, He refused to use that power outside the Father’s direction. By quoting Deuteronomy, Jesus revealed a profound theological truth: true life is rooted in dependence on God’s Word and will. Obedience, not self-sufficiency, marked the Son’s response in the wilderness.

APPLICATION
This verse confronts our tendency to trust what we can see, earn, or control. When needs press in, we are tempted to seek satisfaction apart from God, prioritizing immediate relief over faithful obedience. Jesus shows us that life is not sustained by bread alone, but by trusting the Father who gives true nourishment.

But overcoming temptation means that Scripture must shape our hearts before temptation comes. As the psalmist declares, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psa. 119:11). When God’s Word is treasured within us, it helps strengthen us to resist temptation and remain dependent on Him.

As we refuse self-initiated solutions and short cuts, and submit ourselves to God’s revealed will, we discover that obedience is life-giving. The world offers many kinds of bread that promise satisfaction but cannot sustain the soul. Only God’s Word truly nourishes. Each day, we are invited to feed on what endures and to trust the Father who gives life. In Christ, we learn again that He alone is the Bread of Life (cf. John 6:48).

PRAYER
Dear Father, teach us to hunger for what truly gives life. Help us to treasure Your Word in our hearts and to trust You rather than our own ability. Lead us to obey You even when it is difficult, and nourish our souls with Your truth each day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

THE GIFT OF SLEEP

From: January 3, 2025

“I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me” (Psalm 3:5 ESV).

Anyone who has experienced a sleepless night filled with worry and fear knows what a gift it is to be able to lay down and sleep. David understood this. For he had spent many a sleepless night as a young man hiding from Saul. Now, as an old man, when sleep was already made more difficult by the creaks and groans of old joints and poor digestion, David had to hide in the wilderness from the betrayal of his own son, Absalom. For Absalom had started a revolt and sought his own father’s throne. Such betrayal from one’s own family is painful to body and soul.

Yet, David cried out to the Lord. He described the trouble he was in and called on the Lord to be his shield and protector. And the Lord heard David’s cry. That night David lay down and slept. When others would’ve laid awake all night worried that they might be killed in their beds, David slept soundly. And awoke knowing that the Lord had sustained him.

Have you ever wondered who takes care of things while we sleep? Who stands guard? Who keeps the planet spinning and orbiting the sun? Who makes sure we remember to breathe while we sleep? And when we awake, do we remember to thank the Lord for sustaining us? What a gift from the Lord is sleep.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we are but flesh and we get tired and weary. But You have provided sleep for us that our bodies might be recharged for a new day. Yet we often lay sleepless because of worry and fear. Forgive us. Help us to pray as David did. Help us to do as the apostle Paul instructed, to not be anxious, but by prayer and petition to let you know what troubles us. For You are our peace and our comfort. You sustain us even while we sleep. In Jesus’ name, amen.

FINDING FAVOR WITH GOD

From: January 3, 2024

“But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” (Genesis 6:8 ESV).

Out of all the peoples of the earth, Noah “found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” The word “favor” might also be translated “grace” or “acceptance.” This “favor” says more about God than it does Noah. For although Noah was recorded as righteous and blameless, the most revealing attribute was that he walked in close fellowship with God.

Because of God’s favor, Noah and his family were saved from the floods of judgment by being found safe in the ark of God. The wrath of God was poured out on those outside and upon the ark itself, yet those within the Ark were saved.

The ark is a picture of Christ. Those in Christ have found favor with the Lord. Only those in Christ will be saved at the final judgment. For “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). In Christ, we have favor with God.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You that we can find favor with You in Christ Jesus. We confess our sins to You and thank You for the forgiveness we have in Jesus. O what joy we have knowing we are safe in the ark of Christ. In Jesus name. Amen.

HAVE YOU NOTICED THE NUMBERS THREE AND FORTY IN THE BIBLE?

From: January 3, 2023

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry” (Matthew 4:1-2 ESV).

Have you noticed how many times the numbers three and forty appear in the Bible? Both numbers are significant in today’s One Year® Bible reading. The number forty generally symbolizes a period of testing, trial or preparation. We see the number in both our Old Testament and New Testament readings today. Noah and his family were kept safe in the ark while God sent forty days and nights of rain to flood the earth (Gen. 7:12). And in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus was led into the wilderness for forty days of testing by the “Spirit.”

This time of Christ’s “temptation” points back to at least two events in the Old Testament: The Israelites forty years of wandering in the wilderness and Adam and Eve’s three-part temptation in the garden.

The forty days for Jesus marked his preparation for public ministry, just as the forty years for Israel marked their preparation for entering the promised land. And the 3-part temptation by the devil was familiar too. Notice the similarity between Satan’s temptation of Eve (Gen. 3) and later, of Jesus:

1) Temptation of the flesh: Eve: “It’s good for food;” Jesus: “Turn the stones to bread.”
2) Temptation of the eyes: Eve: “Delight to the eyes;” Jesus: “Let the people see the angels save you.”
3) Temptation of pride: Eve: “You’ll be wise like God;” Jesus: “Give your worship to me instead of God and I’ll give you the world.”

Of course, the difference is that Adam and Eve succumbed to temptation, but Jesus overcame it.

The apostle John reminds us that in Christ, we can be “overcomers” too. In John’s first epistle, he listed the three temptations common to man, but follows with the strong encouragement we have in Christ: “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world… Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 2:16, 5:5).

PRAYER: Dear Father, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. And when we do encounter temptation, show us the way out that we might overcome it through Your Son, Jesus. For in Him, we are overcomers too. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“He went on board the boat to escape the flood—he and his wife and his sons and their wives” (Genesis 7:7 NLT).

From: January 3, 2022

HAVE YOU ENTERED GOD’S ARK?

There is much about the book of Genesis (From the Greek translation meaning “beginnings”) that troubles the modern mind. In today’s reading we encounter the incredible longevity of man (Methuselah lived to 969 years), the building of an ark to save Noah and his family, and a remnant of the animals of the land and air, and finally, a worldwide deluge.

Some view these stories as myth or fairy tale, yet Jesus referred to Noah and the flood as a literal event. Both Matthew and Luke record Jesus’ words describing the “days of Noah” as a foreshadowing of the end times when He would return to judge the living and the dead (Matt. 24:37-38, Luke 17:26-27). If Jesus referred to Noah and the flood as a historical event, that is also predictive of the future, then shouldn’t we?

For Christ is our “ark” today. Just as Noah found favor with the Lord, so do those who put their faith in Christ. For He is God’s highest expression of favor to us. Yet, just as Noah entered into the ark, so we must also trust in Jesus. As the apostle Paul wrote, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). When the Day comes for God’s judgment to fall once again upon the earth, only those in Christ Jesus will be saved.

Have you entered God’s Ark?

PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You that You have shown us favor. For by grace, by Your favor, we have been saved through faith in Jesus. As we await Your soon return, strengthen us by Your Spirit to proclaim the good news of God’s favor to all humanity. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“So Noah, his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives entered the ark because of the waters of the flood.” (Genesis 7:7 HCSB).

From: January 3, 2021

HAVE YOU ENTERED GOD’S ARK?

There is much about the book of Genesis (From the Greek translation meaning “beginnings”) that troubles the modern mind. In today’s reading we encounter the incredible longevity of man (Methuselah lived to 969 years), the building of an ark to save Noah and his family, and a remnant of the animals of the land and air, and finally, a worldwide deluge.

Some view these stories as myth or fairy tale, yet Jesus referred to Noah and the flood as a literal event. Both Matthew and Luke record Jesus’ words describing the “days of Noah” as a foreshadowing of the end times when He would return to judge the living and the dead (Matt. 24:37-38, Luke 17:26-27). If Jesus referred to Noah and the flood as a historical event, that is also predictive of the future, then shouldn’t we?

For Christ is our “ark” today. He is God’s highest expression of favor to us. Yet, just as Noah entered into the ark, so we must also trust in Jesus. As the apostle Paul wrote, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). When the Day comes for God’s judgment to fall once again upon the earth, only those in Christ Jesus will be saved.

Have you entered God’s Ark?

PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You that You have shown us favor. For by grace, by Your favor, we have been saved through faith in Jesus. As we await Your soon return, strengthen us by Your Spirit to proclaim the good news of God’s favor to all humanity. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me” (Psalm 3:5 NKJV).

From: January 3, 2020

THE GIFT OF SUSTAINING SLEEP

Anyone who has experienced a sleepless night filled with worry and fear knows what a gift it is to be able to lay down and sleep. David understood this. For he had spent many a sleepless night as a young man hiding from Saul. Now, as an old man, when sleep was already made more difficult by the creaks and groans of old joints and poor digestion, David had to hide in the wilderness from the betrayal of his own son, Absalom. For Absalom had started a revolt and sought his own father’s throne. Such betrayal from one’s own family is painful to both body and soul.

Yet, David cried out to the Lord. He described the trouble he was in and called on the Lord to be his shield and protector. And the Lord heard David’s cry. That night David lay down and slept. When others would’ve laid awake all night worried that they might be killed in their beds, David slept soundly. And awoke knowing that the Lord had sustained him.

Have you ever wondered who takes care of things while we sleep? Who stands guard? Who keeps the planet spinning and orbiting the sun? Who makes sure we remember to breathe while we sleep? And when we awake, do we remember to thank the Lord for sustaining us? What a gift from the Lord is sustaining sleep.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we are but flesh and we get tired and weary. But You have provided sleep for us that our bodies might be recharged for a new day. Yet we often lay sleepless because of worry and fear. Forgive us. Help us to pray as David did. Help us to do as the apostle Paul instructed, to not be anxious, but by prayer and petition to let you know what troubles us. For You are our peace and our comfort. You sustain us even while we sleep. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“But Noah found favor with the Lord” (Genesis 6:8 NLT).

From: January 3, 2019

HOW TO FIND FAVOR WITH GOD

Out of all the peoples of the earth, Noah “found favor with the Lord.” The word “favor” might also be translated “grace” or “acceptance.” This “favor” says more about God than it does Noah. For although Noah was recorded as righteous and blameless, the most revealing attribute was that “he walked in close fellowship with God.”

Because of God’s favor, Noah and his family were saved from the floods of judgment by being found safe in the ark of God. The wrath of God was poured out on those outside and upon the ark itself, yet those within the Ark were saved.

The ark is a picture of Christ. Those within Christ have found favor with the Lord. Only those in Christ will be saved at the final judgment. For “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1).

PRAYER: Lord, thank you that we can find favor with You in Christ Jesus. We confess our sins to You and thank you for the forgiveness we have in Jesus. O what joy we have knowing we are safe in the ark of Christ. In Jesus name. Amen.

“Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die” (Genesis 6:17 NLT).

From: January 3, 2018

The Lord warned Noah about the coming worldwide deluge. He gave Noah specific instructions on how to build the ark, so that he, his family, and representatives from each animal kind would be saved from the flood.

Do you believe this account? Jesus did. He often referred to Noah and the flood when He spoke of the last days and His second coming:

“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matt. 24:37-39).

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11 NKJV).

From: January 3, 2017

John the Baptist described his baptism as one of “water unto repentance.” Those who received John’s baptism were publicly confessing their sin and committing themselves to a changed life. Yet, John’s ministry was preparatory. His main purpose was not to baptize, but to prepare the way for the Christ that was coming after him. Those that received Christ would be baptized “with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Both water and fire are seen as symbols for the Spirit in the Bible. With the coming of Christ, a new covenant had arrived when believers would be washed in the cleansing water of the Holy Spirit, and purified within by the Spirit’s “refining fire” (Malachi 3:2).