Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for June 3

CHRIST’S GREAT COMMISSION STRATEGY

From: June 3, 2024

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8 ESV).

If Matthew 28:18-20 is Christ’s Great Commission, then Acts 1:8 is His Great Commission Strategy. In the former, Christ gave His disciples an overarching mission: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” In the latter, He gave them the strategic process:

First, be filled and empowered by the Spirit. For it is the Holy Spirit that empowers the one proclaiming the gospel and it is the Spirit that convicts the hearer’s heart of sin and need for salvation in Jesus.

Second, be witnesses of Christ everywhere you go, beginning at your “Jerusalem,” which is where you live. So start at home. Then move out to carry the gospel to the surrounding areas, which is your “Judea.” These people are similar to you in language and culture and live near you.

Third, give special attention to reach those who are near you, but not like you. This is your “Samaria,” the people who are near, but are foreign to you. This will require cultural bridge-building and incarnational living with those who are different than you.

Finally, we are not to give up until the whole world knows that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who will soon return just as He said. For the Lord desires that people from every nation, tongue and tribe will one day be together with Him in glory.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You for Christ, who not only saved us, but called us to be witnesses of Him. Empower us afresh with your Holy Spirit to carry the gospel to the whole world, starting at home and moving out until everyone has heard that Jesus saves. It’s in His name we pray, amen.

WHERE DO YOU LOOK FOR HELP?

From: June 3, 2023

“I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth!” (Psalm 121:1-2 NLT).

Psalm 121 is one of the fifteen “Psalms of Ascent,” so named because they were written to be sung by pilgrims traveling up to Jerusalem to worship at the Temple. This psalm opens with a rhetorical question that might be paraphrased, “As I look up to Mount Zion, where God’s holy Temple stands in Jerusalem, do I look for my help from there?” To which the response might be paraphrased, “No, my help doesn’t come from a mountain, nor a temple, my help comes from the LORD, the Creator who made the heavens and the mountains of the earth!”

In singing this song, the pilgrim headed up to Jerusalem was reminded that he wasn’t going there to worship a place, but a Person. His worship and indeed, his trust, was in God alone.

Where do you turn when you need help? Do you look to the “mountains,” or to the One who made them?

PRAYER: Dear Father, we look to You for help today. Some of us are hurting and need Your healing touch. Help us. Some of us are discouraged and need Your comforting presence. Help us. Some of us are facing a great challenge and need Your strength. Help us. Forgive us when we look for help in the wrong places. Help us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach” (Acts 1:1 NLT).

From: June 3, 2022

LUKE’S SECOND BOOK

Luke’s second book, The Acts of the Apostles, picks up where his gospel left off. Luke was a physician and a traveling companion of the apostle Paul. He wrote an “orderly account” (Luke 1:3) of what Jesus “began to do and teach” in his first book. In his second book, he wrote about the acts and words of the apostles after the ascension of Christ. His primary focus in the book of Acts was on two of the apostles, namely, Simon Peter and Paul.

Luke addressed both of his books to a man named, Theophilus, whose Greek name means “loved by God” or “friend of God.” Some have suggested that Theophilus was the benefactor for Luke’s two volumes, paying for their publication and distribution. Others take note that since Luke referred to him with the honorific, “most excellent Theophilus,” in his gospel, that he must have been a Roman official or leader.

The truth is no one knows the identity of Theophilus because nothing further is written about him in the Scriptures. But we can know this: The two books written by Luke were written to all those who are “loved by God.”

PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You for the books You inspired Luke to write for us. For the gospel of Jesus and how it was first carried forth to the world are contained in his writings. Strengthen us this day to continue telling others how much they are loved by You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“I wrote the first narrative, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day He was taken up, after He had given orders through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen” (Acts 1:1-2 HCSB).

From: June 3, 2021

WRITTEN TO THOSE LOVED BY GOD

The book called the Acts of the Apostles was the second New Testament work written by Luke. It picks up where Luke’s gospel left off. Luke was a physician and a traveling companion of the apostle Paul. In his “first narrative,” he wrote an “orderly account” (Luke 1:3) of what Jesus “began to do and teach.” In his second book, he wrote about the acts and words of the apostles after the ascension of Christ. His primary focus was on two of the apostles, namely, Simon Peter and Paul.

Luke addressed both of his books to a man named, Theophilus, whose Greek name means “loved by God” or “friend of God.” Theophilus was probably the benefactor for Luke’s two volumes, paying for their publication and distribution. Some take note that since Luke referred to him with the honorific, “most excellent Theophilus,” in his gospel, that he may have been a Roman official or leader.

Nothing more is known about the identity of Theophilus because nothing further is written about him in the Scriptures. But we can know this: The two books written by Luke were addressed to one who is “loved by God.” Indeed, one might say that the whole Bible was written to all of those who are loved by God.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we love Your Word. For it is like a love letter written to us as Your children. Thank You. And thank You for Your Living Word, Jesus. For by Him we are adopted into Your family. And thank You for Your Holy Spirit. For by Him we are able to read and understand Your Word. Strengthen us this day to declare Your Word to others. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 NKJV).

From: June 3, 2020

CHRIST’S GREAT COMMISSION STRATEGY

If Matthew 28:18-20 is Christ’s Great Commission, then Acts 1:8 is His Great Commission Strategy. In the former, Christ gave His disciples an overarching mission: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” In the latter, He gave them the strategic process: 1) First, be filled and empowered by the Spirit, 2) then be witnesses of Christ everywhere you go, 3) starting at home (“Jerusalem”), 4) moving out to the surrounding areas (“Judea”), 5) making sure you include those who are social outcasts and hated by others (“Samaria”), 6) and finally, not giving up until the whole world knows that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who will soon return just as He said.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You for Christ, who not only saved us, but called us to be witnesses of Him. Empower us afresh with your Holy Spirit to carry the gospel to the whole world, starting at home and moving out until everyone has heard that Jesus saves. It’s in His name we pray, amen.

“In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach” (Acts 1:1 NLT).

From: June 3, 2018

LUKE’S SECOND BOOK

The book of Acts, or as some call it, the Acts of the Apostles, picks up where Luke’s gospel left off. Luke was a physician and a traveling companion of the apostle Paul. He wrote an “orderly account” (Luke 1:3) of what Jesus “began to do and teach” in his first book. In his second book, he wrote about the acts and words of the apostles after the ascension of Christ. His primary focus was on two of the apostles, namely, Simon Peter and Paul. Luke addressed both of his books to a man named, Theophilus, whose Greek name means “loved by God” or “friend of God.” Some have suggested that Theophilus was the benefactor for Luke’s two volumes, paying for their publication and distribution. Others take note that since Luke referred to him with the honorific, “most excellent Theophilus,” in his gospel, that he must have been a Roman official or leader.

The truth is no one knows the identity of Theophilus because nothing further is written about him in the Scriptures. But we can know this: The two books written by Luke were written to all those who are “loved by God.”

“These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers” (Acts 1:14 NKJV).

From: June 3, 2017

Just before His ascension, Jesus told the apostles to wait in Jerusalem for the promised Holy Spirit, so that they would receive power to be His witnesses. They obeyed. The remaining eleven disciples gathered in an upper room in Jerusalem “with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.”

Those scattered in fear by Christ’s crucifixion were now gathered in faith by Christ’s resurrection and ascension. Even the brothers of Jesus were in “one accord” with the disciples now, having come to faith after His resurrection.

This little band of believers “continued” in united prayer over the next ten days while the rest of Jerusalem lay unaware of the spiritual earthquake that was about to turn the world upside down for Christ.

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2 ESV)

From: June 3, 2016

Why did the psalmist look to the “hills” for help? No doubt he referred to the hills of Mount Zion upon which stood the Temple in Jerusalem. Psalm 121 is the second of fifteen “Psalms of Ascent” (Psalms 120-134). These psalms became known as such because of their use by Hebrew pilgrims making the three annual treks to Jerusalem for the required festivals. The pilgrims would sing these songs as they ascended to the temple mount in preparation for worship. During Jesus’ time there were fifteen steps to the Herodian Temple that approached the Double Gate. These psalms were sung on these steps before entering the gates to the temple. Today, the gates are sealed, but the steps remain. It’s good to start worshiping before one enters God’s house. And it’s good to remember, as the psalmist did, that our help doesn’t actually come from the “hills” where the church building stands. Rather, our help “comes from the Lord,” who made not only the “hills,” but also everything else in “heaven and earth.”

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 NKJV)

From: June 3, 2015

If Matthew 28:18-20 is Christ’s Great Commission for His followers, then Acts 1:8 is His Great Strategy. In the former, Christ gave His disciples an overarching mission: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” In the latter, He gave them the strategic process: 1) First, be empowered by the Spirit, 2) then be witnesses of Christ everywhere you go, 3) starting at home (“Jerusalem”), 4) move out to the surrounding areas (“Judea”), 5) making sure you include those who are social outcasts and hated by others (“Samaria”), 6) and finally, not giving up until the whole world knows that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who will soon return just as He said.

“The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade” (Psalm 121:5 NLT)

From: June 3, 2014

Psalm 121 is the second of 15 “Psalms of Ascent” (Psalms 120-134). These psalms became known as such because of their use by Hebrew pilgrims making the three annual treks to Jerusalem for the required festivals. The pilgrims would sing these songs as they ascended to the temple mount in preparation for worship. During Jesus’ time there were 15 steps to the Herodian Temple that approached the Double Gate. These psalms were sung on these steps before entering the gates to the temple. Today, the gates are sealed, but the steps remain. It’s good to get your praise on before coming to worship. And this reminder from Psalm 121 that it is the “Lord himself” that is with you, watching over you to protect you is especially encouraging.