Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for June 4

BE THE CHURCH AND CHRIST WILL BUILD THE CHURCH

From: June 4, 2024

“And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47 ESV).

The first-century church was marked by explosive growth. Around 3,000 became believers after Peter’s preaching on the day of Pentecost and after that the Lord continued to add to their number every day. According to the book of Acts, the early church was also marked by its devotion to “to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42). This Spirit-filled devotion meant that they were steadfastly attentive to and continually focused on being the church, which is the body of Jesus Christ of which he is the Head. As they were committed to being the Church, the Lord was busy building the Church.

For the Lord Jesus never called believers to build his church. Indeed, after Peter rightly confessed him as the Christ, Jesus declared, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:17-18).

So let us devote ourselves on bearing witness that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Let us lift up the name of Jesus in every area of our lives. For as Jesus said, “If I am lifted up, I will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32). In other words, if we will BE the church, Christ will BUILD the church!

PRAYER: Dear Father, we devote ourselves afresh to You and to the fellowship, which is the body of Jesus, the Church. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we might be empowered to be the hands and feet of Jesus in this world. Enable us to BE the church as You BUILD the church. In Jesus’ name, amen.

ARE YOU GLAD TO GO TO CHURCH TODAY?

From: June 4, 2023

‘I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD”’ (Psalm 122:1 NLT).

This is one of David’s fifteen “Psalms of Ascent,” written to be sung while climbing up to the Temple Mount. It begins by expressing David’s gladness at the invitation to go up to the house of the Lord. Such joy for corporate worship should be on every believer’s heart in anticipation of its perfection in heaven. Yet, David’s gladness was not only in anticipation of his worship destination, but also for the worshiping congregation that would join together with him in praising God along the way.

This invitation is still being offered today, “Let us go into the house of the Lord!” Yet many refuse. The admonition from Hebrews seems more relevant today than ever before: “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Heb. 10:25).

Will you answer the Spirit’s invitation to worship together? Will you join the happy throng?

PRAYER: Dear Father, so many things compete for our time today that we forget to make worshiping together a priority. And in so doing, we weaken ourselves and our churches and we deny ourselves much joy. Forgive us. Stir in us the desire for worshiping You together with Your family. Strengthen us with Your joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“The Spirit of the Lord speaks through me; his words are upon my tongue” (2 Samuel 23:2 NLT).

From: June 4, 2022

LAST WORDS OF DAVID THE PROPHET

David’s last words began with the assertion that the Spirit of the Lord had spoken by him. He had an awareness that the multitude of psalms he had written were really from God. They were not merely the “fruit of his genius” (Gill), but by the inspiration of the Spirit of God.

This is called internal evidence. Internal evidence is one of the considerations for answering the question, “Is the Bible God’s word?” For internal evidence describes what the Bible claims for itself. Studying the Bible’s internal claims, one might begin by considering what the writer thought of his own writings and also what other Bible authors thought of those writings.

Here in 2 Samuel 23:2, David clearly claimed to have written by God’s Spirit. Then as to what others thought of his writings? David’s words are the most quoted by other writers of Scripture than any other prophet. “Prophet?” You ask. Yes, David was a prophet. For that is exactly what Peter called him in his sermon on Pentecost (See Acts 2:30).

Why does this matter? It matters because the authority of the Bible matters. If it’s merely the words of men, we are all adrift. But if it is the Word of God as it claims, then we have an anchor for our souls.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we trust Your written word. For we believe that You have spoken to us through the prophets and most fully through Your Son, Jesus. We have a sure Word from You and we do not doubt it. We love Your Word. It is as food to our souls. Give us this day our daily bread, O Lord, as we read and study Your Word. In Jesus’ name, amen.

‘I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”’ (Psalm 122:1 NKJV).

From: June 4, 2021

LET US GO TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD!

One of David’s fifteen “Psalms of Ascent,” to be sung while climbing the steps up to the Temple Mount. It begins by expressing David’s “gladness” at the invitation to go up to the house of the Lord. Such joy for corporate worship should be on every believer’s heart in anticipation of its perfection in heaven. Yet, David’s gladness was not only in anticipation of his worship destination, but also for the worshiping congregation that would join together with him in praising God along the way.

This invitation is still being offered today, “Let us go into the house of the Lord!” Yet many refuse. The admonition from Hebrews seems more relevant today than ever before: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb. 10:25).

Will you answer the Spirit’s invitation to worship together? Will you join the happy throng?

PRAYER: Dear Father, so many things compete for our time today that we forget to make corporate worship a priority. And in so doing, we weaken ourselves and our churches and we deny ourselves much joy. Forgive us. Stir in us the desire for worshiping You together with Your family. Strengthen us with Your joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His word was on my tongue” (2 Samuel 23:2 NKJV).

From: June 4, 2020

LAST WORDS OF DAVID THE PROPHET KING

David’s last words began with the assertion that the Spirit of the Lord had spoken by him. He had an awareness that the multitude of psalms he had written were really from God. They were not merely the “fruit of his genius” (Gill), but by the inspiration of the Spirit of God.

This is called internal evidence. Internal evidence is one of the considerations for answering the question, “Is the Bible God’s word?” For internal evidence describes what the Bible claims for itself. Studying the Bible’s internal claims, one might begin by considering what the writer thought of his own writings and also what other Bible authors thought of those writings. Here in 2 Samuel 23:2, David clearly claimed to have written by God’s Spirit. Then as to what others thought of his writings? David’s words are the most quoted by other writers of Scripture than any other prophet. “Prophet?” You ask. Yes, David was a prophet. For that is exactly what Peter called him in his sermon on Pentecost (See Acts 2:30).

Why does this matter? It matters because the authority of the Bible matters. If it’s merely the words of men, we are all adrift. But if it is the Word of God as it claims, then we have an anchor for our souls.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we trust Your written word. For we believe that You have spoken us through the prophets and most fully through Your Son, Jesus. We have a sure Word from You and we do not doubt it. We love Your Word. It is as food to our souls. Give us this day our daily bread, O Lord, as we read and study Your Word. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd” (Acts 2:14 NLT).

From: June 4, 2018

FROM FEARFUL DENIER TO BOLD PREACHER

When Jesus was arrested and taken to the high priest’s house for questioning, Peter denied three times that he even knew Jesus. Yet, fifty days later, after witnessing the risen Lord Jesus and seeing His ascension into heaven, Peter and 120 other believers received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. It was on that day that Simon Peter finally became the “rock” (Greek “Petros” means “rock”), which the name Jesus had given him implied. For Peter went from fearfully denying Jesus in the dark to boldly proclaiming Him in the light of day.

‘I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.”’ (Psalm 122:1 NKJV).

From: June 4, 2017

One of David’s fifteen “Psalms of Ascent,” to be sung while climbing the steps up to the Temple Mount. It begins by expressing David’s “gladness” at the invitation to go up to the house of the Lord. Such joy for corporate worship should be on every believer’s heart in anticipation of its perfection in heaven. Yet, David’s gladness was not only in anticipation of his worship destination, but also for the worshiping congregation that would join together with him in praising God along the way.

This same invitation is still being offered today, “Let us go into the house of the Lord!” Will you join the happy throng?

“The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me; his word is on my tongue” (2 Samuel 23:2 ESV)

From: June 4, 2016

This psalm, which is not included in the Book of Psalms, but only found in 2 Samuel, begins with the prescript, “the last words of David.” In verse two, he states his awareness that the Holy Spirit “speaks” through him. David, at the end of his life, looked back on all that God had done for him, and gave God praise that He had chosen him as a Divine mouthpiece. David praised God that his psalms were inspired by God’s Spirit. David listed many things that he was thankful for as he reflected back on his life, yet chief among them was that God had “raised him up” and “anointed” him as “the sweet psalmist of Israel.” Oh, to have a life known for speaking God’s Word and for one’s final words to be Spirit inspired.

“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42 NKJV)

From: June 4, 2015

The first century church “continued steadfastly” in four devotions: 1) the apostle’s doctrine, 2) the fellowship, 3) the breaking of bread and 4) in prayers. And there was a rhythm to their days as they worshiped in the temple and met in one another’s homes (Acts 2:46). Following this pattern, the early church grew miraculously as God added to their number daily “those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). We would do well to devote ourselves to this same pattern in our churches today.

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper)

From: June 4, 2014

and to prayer” (Acts 2:42 NLT).
The first century church was devoted to four things: 1) the apostle’s teaching, 2) the fellowship, 3) the sharing of meals and 4) prayer. And there was a rhythm to their days as they worshiped in the temple and met in one another’s homes (Acts 2:46). Following this pattern, the early church grew miraculously as God added to their number daily “those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). We would do well to devote ourselves to this same pattern in our churches today.