Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for June 10

THE BLESSING OF GRANDCHILDREN

From: June 10, 2024

“May you see your children’s children!” (Psalm 128:6 ESV).

One of the many promised blessings for the one who would fear the Lord and walk in His ways is living to see one’s grandchildren. Those who have experienced this blessing know its abiding joy.

Yet in Christ, this blessing is available to all who would believe in Him and be obedient to make disciples as He commanded. For in disciple-making, both the married and the single can become spiritual fathers and mothers. And by raising up spiritual children to be disciple-makers too, spiritual grandchildren and great-grandchildren are soon to follow.

PRAYER: Dear Father, give us the blessing of seeing our children’s children. Strengthen us to give them our testimony of You, so that they might believe and follow You too. Help us to pass on the faith that our fathers passed to us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

GOD DOESN’T ABIDE IN MAN-MADE RELIGION

From: June 10, 2023

“However, the Most High doesn’t live in temples made by human hands” (Acts 7:48 NLT).

Stephen reminded the Jewish rulers that even though God allowed Solomon to build Him a Temple, He had no need for a man-made dwelling. Sinful man always prefers his man-made religion with his man-made gods and man-made temples. Didn’t the Israelites reject Moses and ask his brother, Aaron, to make them “some gods” to lead them? So Aaron fashioned them a golden calf to worship. Stephen accused the Jewish leaders of rejecting Jesus just as their forefathers had rejected Moses.

The same is true today. People prefer their man-made religion. But God is looking for those who will repent of their sins and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. God doesn’t live in temples made by human hands, but He willingly lives in human hearts that have been changed by the love of Jesus.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You for Jesus. We always want to abide in Him and have Your Spirit dwell in us. We surrender control of our lives to You. For we don’t desire a man-made religion, but a relationship with the living God. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life” (Proverbs 16:31 NLT).

From: June 10, 2022

GRAY HAIR BY ITSELF IS NO CROWN

Solomon wrote during an age when elders were honored and gray hair was considered a crown. But Solomon made clear that age alone was not sufficient for such glory. For without righteousness, the elderly are perhaps even more “laden with iniquity” (Gill) than the young. For they have had longer to grow deeper roots of bitterness and hardness of heart.

Today, when hair color comes in a box and looking young is considered the greater glory, Solomon’s proverb is even more apt. Yet the one who has grown gray, while walking by faith on the way of righteousness, will one day indeed wear a crown of glory that fadeth not away (1 Pet. 5:4).

PRAYER: Dear Father, we want to grow more like Jesus. Keep us from growing older without growing in righteousness. As we become silver-haired, may we seek to honor You more and more with our lives. Until that day when we receive that crown of glory, in Jesus’ name, amen.

“The Most High does not dwell in sanctuaries made with hands” (Acts 7:48 HSCB).

From: June 10, 2021

WHERE GOD DWELLS

Stephen reminded the Jewish rulers that even though God allowed Solomon to build Him a Temple, He had no need for a man-made dwelling. Sinful man always prefers his man-made religion with his man-made gods and man-made temples. Didn’t the Israelites reject Moses and ask his brother, Aaron, to make them “some gods” to lead them? So Aaron fashioned them a golden calf to worship. Stephen accused the Jewish leaders of rejecting Jesus just as their forefathers had rejected Moses.

The same is true today. People prefer their man-made religion. But God is looking for those who will repent of their sins and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. God doesn’t live in temples made by human hands, but He willingly lives in human hearts that have been changed by the love of Jesus.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You for Jesus. We always want to abide in Him and have Your Spirit dwell in us. We surrender control of our lives to You. For we don’t desire a man-made religion, but a relationship with the living God. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness” (Proverbs 16:31 NKJV).

From: June 10, 2020

SILVER HAIR IS NO CROWN WITHOUT RIGHTEOUSNESS

Solomon wrote during an age when elders were honored and silver hair was considered a crown. But Solomon made clear that age alone was not sufficient for such glory. For without righteousness, the elderly are perhaps even more “laden with iniquity” (Gill) than the young. For they have had longer to grow deeper roots of bitterness and hardness of heart.

Today, when hair color comes in a box and looking young is considered the greater glory, Solomon’s proverb is even more apt. Yet the one who has grown gray, while walking by faith on the way of righteousness, will one day indeed wear a crown of glory that “fadeth not away” (1 Pet. 5:4).

PRAYER: Dear Father, we want to grow more like Jesus. Keep us from growing older without growing in righteousness. As we become silver-haired, may we seek to honor You more and more with our lives. Until that day when we receive that crown of glory, in Jesus’ name, amen.

“The Most High doesn’t live in temples made by human hands” (Acts 7:48 NLT).

From: June 10, 2018

MAN-MADE RELIGION REJECTS THE TRUE GOD

Stephen reminded the Jewish rulers that even though God allowed Solomon to build Him a Temple, He had no need for a man-made dwelling. Sinful man always prefers his man-made religion with his man-made gods and man-made temples. Didn’t the Israelites reject Moses and ask his brother, Aaron, to make them “some gods” to lead them? So Aaron fashioned them a golden calf to worship. Stephen accused the Jewish leaders of rejecting Jesus just as their forefathers had rejected Moses.

The same is true today. People prefer their man-made religion. But God is looking for those who will repent of their sins and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. God doesn’t live in temples made by human hands, but He willingly lives in human hearts that have been changed by the love of Jesus.

“Yes, may you see your children’s children” (Psalm 128:6 NKJV).

From: June 10, 2017

One of the many promised blessings for the one who would fear the Lord and walk in His ways is living to see one’s grandchildren. Those who have experienced this blessing know its abiding joy. Yet in Christ, this blessing is available to all who would believe in Him and be obedient to make disciples as He commanded. For in disciple-making, both the married and the single can become spiritual fathers and mothers. And by raising up spiritual children to be disciple-makers too, spiritual grandchildren and great-grandchildren are soon to follow.

“This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’” (Acts 7:37 ESV)

From: June 10, 2016

The newly appointed deacon, Stephen, was stoned to death for his witness, becoming the first Christian martyr. His verbal defense of the gospel before his accusers was a Spirit-inspired masterpiece, boldly proclaimed. He reminded them that it was Moses, whom they claimed to follow, that spoke of a coming prophet who would mediate God’s Word to them (Deut.18:14-19). Then, he compared them to the Israelites in the wilderness who rejected Moses, for they had rejected the Righteous One whom God had raised up “from their brothers,” Christ Jesus. Stephen was essentially preaching the words of Jesus, who said, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me” (John 5:46).

“He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city” (Proverbs 16:32 NKJV)

From: June 10, 2015

Patience is the fruit of the Spirit that makes us “slow to anger.” The Greek word for patience might also be translated “long-suffering.” Or it might be understood in modern terms as having a long fuse. Are you easily angered? Do you have a short fuse? Ask God to give you the fruit of patience, which makes us slow to anger.

“David found favor with God and asked for the privilege of building a permanent Temple …But it was Solomon who actually built it. However, the Most High doesn’t live in temples made by human hands” (Acts 7:46-48)

From: June 10, 2012

Today’s OT and NT reading were both about the Temple. Here, Stephen gives his defense before the Sanhedrin before they have him stoned. He tried to turn them from man-made religion to God’s graceful provision in Jesus. But they wouldn’t listen.