Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for July 27

BEWARE PARTNERING WITH UNBELIEVERS

From: July 27, 2024

‘Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have joined with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.”’ (2 Chronicles 20:37 ESV).

This was the second time God had warned Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, about partnering with the unbelieving kings of Israel. The first time it was the prophet Jehu who warned that God’s “wrath had gone out against” Jehoshaphat because of his alliance with the wicked Israelite king, Ahab. For Jehoshaphat had given one of his sons in marriage to one of Ahab’s daughters. Furthermore, he had allied with Ahab to go to war with him to recapture the city of Ramoth-gilead. But Ahab was killed and Jehoshaphat slinked home in defeat.

Soon after this, Moab, Ammon and Edom declared war against Jehoshaphat. God’s wrath in response to Jehoshaphat’s unequal alliance with Ahab seems to be the connection. For God had previously caused the “fear of the Lord [to fall] over all the surrounding kingdoms so that none of them wanted to declare war on Jehoshaphat” (2 Chron. 17:10). Yet after his alliance with Ahab, God’s wrath was exhibited by His removal of this “fear.” So that these nations were no longer afraid to make an alliance with one another to attack Judah.

Jehoshaphat responded to the news of this impending attack by turning to God. He led Judah into battle with only the Lord as his ally and the Lord won the day.

You would think that Jehoshaphat would’ve learned his lesson after this. Over all, he was a good and godly king. Yet, he had a recurring weakness. He couldn’t resist making an alliance with Israel’s wicked kings. And so, his legacy is marred by the repeat of his earlier sin. He made an economic partnership with Ahaziah to build a fleet of trading ships, but God destroyed them before they were ever launched.

Yet the most egregious legacy of Jehoshaphat’s alliance isn’t seen until after his death. For the son he married to one of Ahab’s daughters became king after him. His name was Jehoram and he “followed the example of the kings of Israel and was as wicked as King Ahab, for he had married one of Ahab’s daughters” (2 Chron. 21:6). After becoming king, he killed all of his brothers and led Judah to go astray after pagan gods.

The life of King Jehoshaphat is a reminder that the apostle Paul’s warning should be heeded: “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14).

PRAYER: Father, give us discernment to avoid unrighteous alliances. We would always desire to have You as our Partner. Lead us by Your Holy Spirit. Deliver us from leaning on worldly alliances. Help us to look to You for all things, so that You always get the glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ” (Romans 10:17 NLT).

From: July 27, 2022

FAITH COMES BY HEARING THE GOSPEL

Faith requires something to believe. It needs an object as it’s anchor. It’s not so much the amount, nor the quality of faith that matters. It’s the reality and quality of the object of one’s faith that counts. The more dependable and true the object, the more faith is verified and grows.

The object of saving faith is the Good News about Jesus. It is the gospel proclaimed that activates a possible faith response in the hearer. It is the gospel heard and believed that brings salvation.

Yet, all this requires the work of the Spirit of God who calls and sends. For the Spirit sends us to proclaim the Good News. And the Spirit calls to open the ears of the hearer that they might believe.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for the gospel and for spiritual ears to hear it and believe. Strengthen us now to proclaim the Good News of Jesus to everyone that they might have faith to believe. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“I ask, then, have they stumbled in order to fall? Absolutely not! On the contrary, by their stumbling, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous” (Romans 11:11 HCSB).

From: July 27, 2021

GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH ISRAEL

The apostle Paul asked the question, “Has God rejected His people?” He immediately answered, “Absolutely not!” (Rom. 11:1). He reminded his readers that he himself was Jewish and so was an elect remnant of Israel that had believed. Yet it was true that the vast majority of Jews had rejected Jesus as Messiah. Did this mean that God was finished with Israel because they had “stumbled” by not believing? Paul had used this same turn of phrase in his first letter to the Corinthians, saying that the preaching of Christ’s crucifixion was “a stumbling block to the Jews” (1 Cor. 1:23).

So was God finished with Israel? Were they destined to ultimately “fall” by not recognizing their promised Messiah? Again Paul responded, “Absolutely not!” He revealed how their “stumbling” had actually opened the way for the Gentiles to believe in Jesus. And how the salvation of Gentile believers would one day make Israel jealous to believe in Jesus too.

Perhaps that day has come. There are reports of a great awakening among many people in Israel and Jewish people around the world today. Let us therefore do our part to celebrate our salvation in Jesus, making Israel “jealous” to join in our worship of Him as Lord and Savior.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we are amazed at Your plans for us. You have saved us and sent us to declare Your gospel to the world. Help us not to forget Israel in our prayers and proclamation. For You are not finished with Israel. Today, we pray for a great spiritual awakening among the Jewish people and not only them, but the whole world. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Some time later King Jehoshaphat of Judah made an alliance with King Ahaziah of Israel, who was very wicked” (2 Chronicles 20:35 NLT).

From: July 27, 2019

DO NOT BE UNEQUALLY YOKED

The KJV renders “some time later” as “after this.” The phrase begs the question, “After what?” No doubt it refers to the earlier warning from the prophet Jehu who warned that God’s “wrath had gone out against” Jehoshaphat because of his alliance with the wicked Israelite king, Ahab. For Jehoshaphat had given one of his sons in marriage to one of Ahab’s daughters. Furthermore, he had allied with Ahab to go to war with him to recapture the city of Ramoth-gilead. But Ahab was killed and Jehoshaphat slinked home in defeat.

Soon after this, Moab, Ammon and Edom declared war against Jehoshaphat. God’s wrath in response to Jehoshaphat’s unequal alliance with Ahab seems to be the connection. For God had previously caused the “fear of the Lord [to fall] over all the surrounding kingdoms so that none of them wanted to declare war on Jehoshaphat” (2 Chron. 17:10). Yet after his alliance with Ahab, God’s wrath was exhibited by His removal of this “fear.” So that these three nations were no longer afraid to make an alliance with one another to attack Judah.

Jehoshaphat responded to the news of this impending attack by turning to God. He led Judah into battle with only the Lord as his ally and the Lord won the day.

You would think that Jehoshaphat would’ve learned his lesson after this. Over all, he was a good and godly king. Yet, he had a recurring weakness. He couldn’t resist making an alliance with Israel’s wicked kings. And so, his legacy is marred by the repeat of his earlier sin. He made an economic partnership with Ahaziah to build a fleet of trading ships, but God destroyed them before they were ever launched.

Yet the most egregious legacy of Jehoshaphat’s alliance isn’t seen until after his death. For the son he married to one of Ahab’s daughters became king after him. His name was Jehoram and he “followed the example of the kings of Israel and was as wicked as King Ahab, for he had married one of Ahab’s daughters” (2 Chron. 21:6). After becoming king, he killed all of his brothers and led Judah to go astray after pagan gods.

The life of King Jehoshaphat is a reminder that the apostle Paul’s warning should be heeded: “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14).

PRAYER: Father, give us discernment to avoid unrighteous alliances. We would always desire to have You as our Partner. Lead us by Your Holy Spirit. Deliver us from leaning on worldly alliances. Help us to look to You for all things, so that You always get the glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent?” (Romans 10:15 NLT).

From: July 27, 2018

WHO HAS BEEN SENT TO SHARE THE GOSPEL?

After concluding that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom. 10:13), Paul described a series of logical steps necessary for someone to “call on” the Lord for salvation. He offered four steps in rhetorical question form (See Rom. 10:14):

1) “How can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him?”

2) “How can they believe in him if they have never heard about him?”

3) “How can they hear about him unless someone tells them?”

4) “How will anyone go and tell them without being sent?”

So, Paul’s list of questions leads us to the conclusion that unless someone is sent to share the gospel, people will not be able to call on the Lord for salvation. However, this difficulty has been overcome. For the Lord Jesus has said, “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you” (John 20:21). So, Christ was sent by the Father and now every Christ-follower is sent by the Son. Every believer is an ambassador, a messenger sent by the Savior with the message of salvation.

Every believer has been sent to go and tell the good news that Jesus saves!

“Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength! We will sing and praise Your power” (Psalm 21:13 NKJV).

From: July 28, 2017

David’s psalm concludes with a beautiful chorus, urging the Lord to exercise His own strength, to put it on display, so that all can see Him lifted up to the highest place. David commits his fellow worshipers to always sing and give verbal praise to God’s omnipotence and demonstrated power.

“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Romans 10:14 ESV)

From: July 27, 2016

After quoting Joel 2:32 (also in Acts 2:21), “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,” Paul asked a series of questions to draw out the implications of this statement for those who have yet to believe. His logic is clear: People need to hear the gospel before they can believe it. If faith comes by hearing the Word, then we must be busy about declaring it. If they do not believe after hearing the gospel, it is on them. But if they do not believe because they have not heard, is it not on us?

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17 NKJV)

From: July 27, 2015

True faith needs an object as its anchor. It’s not the amount, nor the quality of faith that matters so much. It’s the reality of the object and its quality that counts. It is the gospel, God’s Word that saves. And it is hearing and believing this Word that brings salvation. Our faith is activated by hearing the Word. And it is by continual and constant hearing that we grow in faith. Yet, all this requires a preacher. And a God who calls and sends.

“Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15)

From: July 27, 2012

God’s reply to King Jehoshaphat’s prayer is for us too. Judah was facing a mighty foe, but God promised to fight for them. What are you facing today? Is there a situation so overwhelming that you are discouraged and afraid? Pray. Ask God to fight this battle for you. Say, “This battle is not mine, but it is the Lord’s!”

“Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?” (Proverbs 20:6)

From: July 27, 2011

Does your walk back up your talk? Faithfulness is tested in the little things and in suffering. Will you keep the wedding vows (to God & your spouse)? For richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do us part…