Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for May 17

LOVE MAKES THE MEAL

From: May 17, 2024

“Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it” (Proverbs 15:17 ESV).

When there is no love in the home no amount of food or fine furnishing can compensate. Without love, a rich banquet is dry and tasteless. Without love, the steak seems too tough and the bread, too stale.

But with love, the simplest fare is life-giving. Everything tastes better with love. Even greens with vinegar and no meat satisfies when eaten together in love. Make sure to include it in every recipe. Love makes the meal.

PRAYER: Dear Father, You are the source of love. For the Bible tells us that God is love. Therefore, we invite You to sit at the head of the table at every meal. The Word also says that man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Your loving presence and word make every meal better, regardless of the menu. Your love is better than life. Help us to always live according to Your love. In Jesus’ name, amen.

WHAT JESUS CAN DO WITH DIRT

From: May 17, 2023

“The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!” (John 9:11 NLT).

As He was passing by, Jesus saw a man who had been blind since birth. He spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread it over the blind man’s eyes. He told the man to wash his eyes in the pool of Siloam. When he washed the mud away, he could see. When people asked the man how he came to see, he told them what Jesus had done for him.

I wonder. Did Christ smile to Himself as He spit on the dirt, making a little mud to rub on the blind man’s eyes? Did He think back to the sixth day of creation when He fashioned a man from the “dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7)?

Jesus could’ve healed the blind man using any means. He could’ve spoken a word and it would’ve been accomplished. But on this occasion He decided to get His hands dirty again. On this day, Jesus used dirt to reveal His divine nature as the Creator and to give a man born blind his sight.

PRAYER: Dear Father, if You can use dirt to make a blind man see, You can surely use us to accomplish Your purpose for us in this world. Mold and make us more like Jesus. Fill us afresh with Your Spirit that we might bring glory to Your name this day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast” (Proverbs 15:15 NLT).

From: May 17, 2022

OUR HEART CONDITION AFFECTS OUR PERCEPTION

This biblical proverb teaches the importance that attitude has on perception. If someone is “despondent,” meaning disheartened or discouraged, then even a sunny day appears stormy to them. But even on the darkest of days the one with a “happy heart” looks for a rainbow.

Yet, how do we have a “happy heart?” How do we obtain and keep this heart of joy? David knew something about this. When life circumstances turned from bad to worse around him, the Bible says that he “encouraged himself in the Lord” (1 Sam. 30:6). His circumstances didn’t immediately change, but his heart did. And when our heart changes, we see possibilities rather than limitations.

Is your life full of trouble or like a continual feast? Ask the Lord to examine your heart. Perhaps it’s more a matter of your heart than your circumstances.

PRAYER: Lord, regardless of today’s circumstances, help us to keep our hearts set on You. For life is like a roller coaster of ups and downs, but You are a firm foundation that never changes. Fill us afresh with Your Spirit and make our hearts beat with the joy of the Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So when I went and washed I received my sight.” (John 9:11 HCSB).

From: May 17, 2021

WHAT JESUS CAN DO WITH A LITTLE DIRT

As He was passing by, Jesus saw a man who had been blind since birth. He spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread it over the blind man’s eyes. He told the man to wash his eyes in the pool of Siloam. When he washed the mud away, he could see. When people asked the man how he came to see, he told them what Jesus had done for him.

I wonder. Did Christ smile to Himself as He spit on the dirt, making a little mud to rub on the blind man’s eyes? Did He think back to the sixth day of creation when He fashioned a man from the “dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7)?

Jesus could’ve healed the blind man using any means. He could’ve spoken a word and it would’ve been accomplished. But on this occasion He decided to get His hands dirty again. On this day, Jesus used dirt to reveal His divine nature as the Creator and to give a man born blind his sight.

PRAYER: Dear Father, if You can use dirt to make a blind man see, You can surely use us to accomplish Your purpose for us in this world. Mold and make us more like Jesus. Fill us afresh with Your Spirit that we might bring glory to Your name this day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, Than a fatted calf with hatred” (Proverbs 15:17 NKJV).

From: May 17, 2020

LOVE MAKES THE MEAL

When there is no love in the home no amount of food or furnishing can compensate. Without love, a rich banquet is dry and tasteless. Without love, the steak is too tough and the bread, too hard.

But with love, the simplest fare is life-giving. Everything tastes better with love. Even greens with vinegar and no meat satisfies when eaten together in love. Make sure to include it in every recipe. Love makes the meal.

PRAYER: Dear Father, You are the source of love. For the Bible tells us that God is love. Therefore, we invite You to sit at the head of the table at every meal. The Word also says that man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Your loving presence and word make every meal better, regardless of the menu. Your love is better than life. Help us to always live according to Your love. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast” (Proverbs 15:15 NLT).

From: May 17, 2019

HEART CONDITION DETERMINES PERCEPTION

Our heart condition determines how we perceive life. Yet, how do we have a “happy heart?” David knew something about this. When life circumstances turned from bad to worse around him, the Bible says that he “encouraged himself in the Lord” (1 Sam. 30:6). His circumstances didn’t immediately change, but his heart did. And when our heart changes, we see possibilities rather than limitations. Is your life full of trouble or like a continual feast? Perhaps it’s more a matter of your heart than your circumstances.

PRAYER: Lord, regardless of today’s circumstances, help us to keep our hearts set on You. For life is like a roller coaster of ups and downs, but You are a firm foundation that never changes. Fill us afresh with Your Spirit and make our hearts beat with the joy of the Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!” (John 9:11 NLT).

From: May 17, 2018

WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH DIRT

Jesus noticed a man who had been blind since birth. He spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread it over the blind man’s eyes. He told the man to wash his eyes in the pool of Siloam. When he washed the mud away, he could see. When people asked the man how he came to see, he told them what Jesus had done for him.

I wonder. Did Christ smile as He made the mud with His own saliva, remembering the time He made a man from the dust of the earth and with His own breath, made him a living soul?

“So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the showbread which had been taken from before the Lord, in order to put hot bread in its place on the day when it was taken away” (1 Samuel 21:6 NKJV).

From: May 17, 2017

As David and his men fled from Saul, they stopped by the Tabernacle to ask the priest for bread. However, the only bread the priest had was “showbread,” which was the twelve loaves that were to be continually kept on the Table of Presence in the Holy Place. When fresh bread was baked to replace the twelve loaves, the older loaves were to be divided among the priests and their families to eat. The showbread was not to be given to those outside the priestly tribe.

Yet, the priest gave the bread to David and his men because it was all he had to offer. He decided that his moral obligation of hospitality toward God’s man overrode his ceremonial obligation to God’s house.

When the Pharisees accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath, He referred to this story of the priest allowing David to have the showbread as a better understanding of the Sabbath’s purpose. Jesus told them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27).

We cannot rightly understand and follow God’s law without the Spirit of Christ to indwell and lead us. For Christ is the “Lord of the Sabbath” (Luke 6:5).

“We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4 ESV)

From: May 17, 2016

As Jesus and his disciples passed by they encountered a blind man. The disciples entered into a theological debate concerning the reason for his blindness. For them, the man represented a philosophical puzzle. But Jesus was not interested in such metaphysical conundrums while he felt the urgency of this man’s condition. While the disciples argued, Jesus acted. He knew that his remaining time on earth was short. The shadow of the cross loomed before him. Jesus, the Light of the World, opened the eyes of the man born blind. He led him out of darkness and into the light.

“Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, Than a fatted calf with hatred” (Proverbs 15:17 NKJV)

From: May 17, 2015

When there is no love in the home no amount of food or furnishing can compensate. Without love, a rich banquet is dry and tasteless. With love, the simplest fare is life-giving. Everything tastes better with love. Make sure to include it in every recipe. Love makes the menu.