Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for May 4

COLLABORATION NOT COMPETITION

From: May 4, 2024

“A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven” (John 3:27 ESV).

John the Baptist’s followers worried that more people were following Jesus than John. When John heard them saying this, he rebuked them. He recognized that God determined spiritual results. He also understood that his ministry was called to prepare the way for Christ’s ministry. As John said referring to Jesus: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). John wasn’t trying to build his kingdom, but God’s.

To be jealous of another’s ministry or blessing, is to accuse God of favoritism, which He does not do (see Rom. 2:11). Having a competitive spirit towards other churches and ministries is to misunderstand God’s work in our cities and world. Comparing our blessings and gifts to that of others, is to open ourselves up to temptation. Instead, rejoice that God is blessing His work through whomever He will. Because after all, it is His work to bless, not ours.

When we begin to celebrate what God is doing through other ministries and collaborate for gospel saturation in our cities, we overcome the spirit of competition and jealousy and make way for unity. And unity is one of the most attractive features of the church to a fractured world.

PRAYER: Dear Father, forgive us for comparing ourselves to others, which opens our hearts up to being tempted by jealousy. Teach us to be content. Help us to celebrate with others when they are blessed. We don’t want to be like the Prodigal’s older brother. We want a new heart that beats with Yours. In Jesus’ name, amen.

WHO ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE FAMOUS?

From: May 4, 2023

‘John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven”‘ (John 3:27 NLT).

When John the Baptist’s followers worried that more people were beginning to follow Jesus than their leader, John rebuked them. He recognized that God determined spiritual results. And he also understood that his ministry was to prepare the way for Christ’s ministry. As John said, “I am filled with joy at his success. He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:29-30).

To be jealous of another’s ministry or blessing, is to accuse God of wrong. Having a competitive spirit towards other churches and ministries is to misunderstand God’s work in our cities and world. Instead, rejoice that God is blessing His work through whomever He will. Because after all, it is His work to bless, not ours. And whenever God brings revival to a city, it impacts every ministry that is giving out the gospel. As it has been said, “A rising tide lifts all ships.” Let us respond as John did saying, “I am filled with joy at his success.”

Our calling is not to make ourselves famous, but to make Jesus famous.

PRAYER: Dear Father, forgive us for desiring to make much of ourselves, rather than making much of Your Son. And forgive us for when we feel competitive or jealous of another person or ministry’s blessings. Instead, help us to rejoice with whomever You bless. We want to glorify Jesus in all things. In His name we pray, amen.

“No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven” (John 3:27 NLT).

From: May 4, 2022

REVIVAL WILL TAKE COLLABORATION NOT COMPETITION

John the Baptist’s followers worried that more people were following Jesus than John. When John heard them saying this, he rebuked them. He recognized that God determined spiritual results. And he also understood that his ministry was to prepare the way for Christ’s ministry. As John said referring to Jesus: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). John wasn’t trying to build his kingdom, but God’s.

To be jealous of another’s ministry or blessing, is to accuse God of favoritism, which He does not do (see Rom. 2:11). Having a competitive spirit towards other churches and ministries is to misunderstand God’s work in our cities and world. Comparing our blessings and gifts to that of others, is to open ourselves up to temptation. Instead, rejoice that God is blessing His work through whomever He will. Because after all, it is His work to bless, not ours.

When we begin to celebrate what God is doing through other ministries and collaborate for gospel saturation in our cities, we overcome the spirit of competition and jealousy and make way for unity. And unity is one of the most attractive features of the church to a fractured world.

PRAYER: Dear Father, forgive us for comparing ourselves to others, which opens our hearts up to being tempted by jealousy. Teach us to be content. Help us to celebrate with others when they are blessed. We don’t want to be like the Prodigal’s older brother. We want a new heart that beats with Yours. In Jesus’ name, amen.

‘John responded, “No one can receive a single thing unless it’s given to him from heaven”‘ (John 3:27 HCSB).

From: May 4, 2021

STOP TRYING TO MAKE YOURSELF FAMOUS

When John the Baptist’s followers worried that more people were going to follow Jesus than their leader, John rebuked them. He recognized that God determined spiritual results. And he also understood that his ministry was to prepare the way for Christ’s ministry. As John said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

To be jealous of another’s ministry or blessing, is to accuse God of wrong. Having a competitive spirit towards other churches and ministries is to misunderstand God’s work in our cities and world. Instead, rejoice that God is blessing His work through whomever He will. Because after all, it is His work to bless, not ours. And whenever God brings revival to a city, it impacts every ministry that is giving out the gospel. As it has been said, “A rising tide lifts all ships.”

Our calling is not to make ourselves famous, but to make Jesus famous.

PRAYER: Dear Father, forgive us for desiring to make much of ourselves, rather than making much of Your Son. And forgive us for when we feel competitive or jealous of another person or ministry’s blessings. Instead, help us to rejoice with whomever You bless. We want to glorify Jesus in all things. In His name we pray, amen.

‘John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven”‘ (John 3:27 NKJV).

From: May 4, 2020

STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERS

When John’s followers worried that more people were going to follow Jesus than to John, he rebuked them. He recognized that God determined spiritual results. And he also understood that his ministry was to prepare the way for Christ’s ministry. As John said referring to Jesus: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

To be jealous of another’s ministry or blessing, is to accuse God of favoritism, which He does not do (see Rom. 2:11). Having a competitive spirit towards other churches and ministries is to misunderstand God’s work in our cities and world. Comparing our blessings and gifts to that of others, is to open ourselves up to temptation. Instead, rejoice that God is blessing His work through whomever He will. Because after all, it is His work to bless, not ours.

PRAYER: Dear Father, forgive us for comparing ourselves to others, which opens our hearts up to being tempted by jealousy. Teach us to be content. Help us to celebrate with others when they are blessed. We don’t want to be like the Prodigal’s older brother. We want a new heart that beats with Yours. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“May all my thoughts be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord” (Psalms 104:34 NLT).

From: May 4, 2019

SURRENDERING EVERY THOUGHT TO THE LORD

The psalmist expressed his desire that “all” his thoughts would please the Lord. Stated in the subjunctive, the psalmist recognized that his desire was more like a wish or prayer, than a certainty. For who can control their thoughts? We can be determined to rejoice, but our minds often wander into worrying and complaining.

Yet, we can join the psalmist in surrendering our thoughts to the Lord, asking Him to make them pleasing to Him. Like the psalmist, we can declare our intent to “rejoice in the Lord,” but this often means that we have to “take every thought captive” (2 Cor. 10:5) bringing them into alignment with the “mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16), which is ours by faith in Him.

PRAYER: Our Father, we are prone to wander, especially in our thought-life. Yet, we lift our thoughts to You this day. Search us and know us. Bring to our attention those thoughts that do not conform to the mind of Christ. Fill us afresh with Your Spirit that we would think Your thoughts on everything. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit” (John 3:34 NLT).

From: May 4, 2018

THE SPIRIT WITHOUT LIMIT

On the day he baptized Him, John the Baptist had witnessed the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus “like a dove” (John 1:32). He declared that Jesus was indeed the Messiah since that day. Here, he described the fulness of the Spirit that was given to Jesus. He was not only the One anointed by the Spirit (Both “Messiah” and “Christ” mean “Anointed One”). Jesus was given the Holy Spirit “without limit.” Throughout the Old Testament, men and women had been given the Spirit with limit. Some were given the Spirit to judge, some to lead, and some to prophesy. Even John the Baptist was given the Spirit in a limited way in order to “prepare the way of the Lord.” But Christ was given the Spirit without measure. For, as John went on to say, “the Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands” (John 3:35). That the Father had given even the Spirit into”His hands” shows both Christ’s complete possession, as well as His sole discretion, to give the Spirit to those who would place their faith in Him.

After Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead, He appeared to His disciples saying, “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:21-22). And so, the apostle Paul wrote instructing us to “be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18), and to “walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:18).

O how we endure needless pain and struggle while walking in the flesh, when we have available to us in Christ, the Spirit “without limit.”

“But the children of Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brethren, the children of Israel” (Judges 20:13 NKJV).

From: May 4, 2017

One of the most tragic stories in the book of Judges is about the rape and murder of a woman by the men of Gibeah and how their tribe, the tribe of Benjamin, chose to defend them, rather than turn them over for justice. The tribe of Benjamin was nearly wiped out by the other Israelite tribes as a result, but not before Benjamin killed 40,000 of them in defense.

The sin of a few “perverted men” in Gibeah ended up costing all of Israel, and especially the tribe of Benjamin. Why? Because Benjamin put their tribal identity above their national identity, and more than that, above their spiritual identity under God. Identity politics causes division and war. Unity under God brings peace.

What is needed? We must put God first in our priorities and loyalties. Tribal identity must take a back seat to our identity in Christ.

‘John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.'” (John 3:27 ESV)

From: May 4, 2016

When John’s followers worried that more people were going to follow Jesus than their leader, John rebuked them. He recognized that God determined spiritual results. And he also understood that his ministry was to prepare the way for Christ’s ministry. As John said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). To be jealous of another’s ministry or blessing, is to accuse God of wrong. Having a competitive spirit towards other churches and ministries is to misunderstand God’s work in our cities and world. Instead, rejoice that God is blessing His work through whomever He will. Because after all, it is His work to bless, not yours. Our calling is not to make ourselves famous, but to make Jesus famous.

‘John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven”‘ (John 3:27 NKJV)

From: May 4, 2015

When John’s followers worried that more people were going to follow Jesus than to John, he rebuked them. He recognized that God determined spiritual results. And he also understood that his ministry was to prepare the way for Christ’s ministry. As John said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). To be jealous of another’s ministry or blessing, is to accuse God of wrong. Having a competitive spirit towards other churches and ministries is to misunderstand God’s work in our cities and world. Instead, rejoice that God is blessing His work through whomever He will. Because after all, it is His work to bless, not yours.