Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for May 8

THE WRITTEN WORD POINTS TO THE LIVING WORD

From: May 8, 2024

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life” (John 5:39-40 ESV).

Jesus acknowledged that the Jews were a people of the Book, yet He challenged them to see that it was He to which the Scriptures pointed. He was essentially saying, “If you claim to believe the Book, then you must believe in Me.”

This is still true. When we rightly preach the Scriptures, we must always preach Christ and “Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). Jesus is the point of our preaching. There is much helpful wisdom in the Scriptures, but eternal life is in the Son. Therefore, we proclaim Christ from the Scriptures! For it is by His Spirit that we understand the Scriptures (1 Cor. 2:14-16), and by His life that we are being transformed in our minds to keep them (Rom. 12:1-2).

Remember the disciples who walked with the risen Lord on the road to Emmaus? They didn’t recognize Him at first. Yet, as they walked, He explained from Moses to the prophets what the Scriptures said concerning Him. As they reflected on this encounter, they said to one another, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32).

The written Word points to the Living Word, who is Christ the Lord. Christ causes our hearts to “burn within us” as we encounter Him in the Scriptures. Eternal life is not in the Scriptures, but in the One to whom the Scriptures bear witness, namely, Jesus.

PRAYER: Dear Father, teach us to read and study Your Word not only for our own edification, but that we might know Your Son. And knowing Him, that we might follow Him in all things. May our meditation on Your Word bring us more and more intimately into the presence of Your Son by Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.

WHOSE APPROVAL DO YOU SEEK?

From: May 8, 2023

“No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God” (John 5:44 NLT).

Jesus contrasted His motives with that of the Jewish leaders who questioned His authority. He boldly told them that their approval meant nothing to Him (v.41). For He only sought the approval of His Father in whose name He had come. However, He accused them of only caring for the approval of men. It was this desire to please men rather than God that kept them from believing in Jesus.

Our human desire for the approval of others motivates many a sin. The worst of which is the sin of unbelief. For this is the chief sin that condemns us. We seek our own fame rather than the Lord’s and we become as Esau, who sold his birthright for a plate of pottage. For human fame is fleeting. Yet, when we seek to make the Lord Jesus famous, we humble ourselves and the Father raises us up.

Whose approval do you seek? Whose applause? Seek the honor that comes from the One who alone is God.

PRAYER: Our Father, forgive us when we seek the approval and fleeting fame of men. Today, we would humble ourselves as Your servants, so that we seek Your approval. Test and try our hearts, so that we are only motivated by Your applause. We fear You above the fear of men. For You alone are God. In Jesus’ name, amen.

‘And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening”’ (1 Samuel 3:10 NLT).

From: May 8, 2022

HAVE YOU LEARNED TO LISTEN FOR GOD’S VOICE?

While young Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle he was awakened a fourth time by the voice of the Lord calling him. The first three times he ran to Eli, thinking the old priest was calling him. He didn’t yet recognize God’s voice. After the third time, old Eli realized that God must be calling to Samuel, so he instructed him on how to answer. When Samuel replied as Eli instructed, God spoke to him. From that day forward Samuel was confirmed as a prophet. Throughout Israel he was respected as a prophet of God whose word was always reliable.

Samuel had to learn to recognize God’s voice and respond. Have you learned to hear from God? Are you willing to get up in the middle of the night to hear from Him? Prayer can be a two-way communication with God for those who are willing to invite God to speak and then patiently listen.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we bless You and answer You today as Samuel did, speak Lord for Your servant is listening. Even as we read Your Word today, we listen for Your Spirit to highlight the verse You would have us meditate on and apply to our lives. O Lord, thank You for Jesus, for He is Your living and final Word to us, giving us the only way to come to You and be forgiven of our sins and adopted into Your family. Speak Lord, Your servants are listening. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“How can you believe? While accepting glory from one another, you don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God.” (John 5:44 HCSB).

From: May 8, 2021

WHOSE APPROVAL DO YOU SEEK?

Jesus contrasted His motives with that of the Jewish leaders who questioned His authority. He boldly told them that their approval meant nothing to Him (v.41). For He only sought the approval of His Father in whose name He had come. However, He accused them of only caring for the approval of men. It was this desire to please men rather than God that kept them from believing in Jesus.

Our human desire for the approval of others motivates many a sin. The worst of which is the sin of unbelief. For this is the chief sin that condemns us. We seek our own fame rather than the Lord’s and we become as Esau, who sold his birthright for a plate of pottage. For human fame is fleeting. Yet, when we seek to make the Lord Jesus famous, we humble ourselves and the Father raises us up.

Whose approval do you seek? Whose applause? Seek the honor that comes from the One who alone is God.

PRAYER: Our Father, forgive us when we seek the approval and fleeting fame of men. Today, we would humble ourselves as Your servants, so that we seek Your approval. Test and try our hearts, so that we are only motivated by Your applause. We fear You above the fear of men. For You alone are God. In Jesus’ name, amen.

‘And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.”‘ (1 Samuel 3:10 NKJV).

From: May 8, 2020

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO LISTEN FOR GOD’S VOICE?

While young Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle he was awakened a fourth time by the voice of the Lord calling him. The first three times he ran to Eli, thinking the old priest was calling him. He didn’t yet recognize God’s voice. After the third time old Eli realized that God must be calling to Samuel, so he instructed him on how to answer. When Samuel replied as Eli instructed, God spoke to him. From that day forward Samuel was confirmed as a prophet. Throughout Israel he was respected as a prophet of God whose word was always reliable.

Samuel had to learn to recognize God’s voice and respond. Have you learned to hear from God? Are you willing to get up in the middle of the night to hear from Him? Prayer can be a two-way communication with God for those who are willing to patiently listen.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we bless You and answer You today as Samuel did, speak Lord for Your servant is listening. Even as we read Your Word today, we listen for Your Spirit to highlight the verse You would have us meditate on and apply to our lives. O Lord, thank You for Jesus, for He is Your living and final Word to us, giving us the only way to come to You and be forgiven of our sins and adopted into Your family. Speak Lord, Your servants are listening. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God” (John 5:44 NLT).

From: May 8, 2019

WHOSE APPROVAL DO YOU SEEK?

Jesus contrasted his motives with that of the Jewish leaders who questioned his authority. He boldly told them that their approval meant nothing to him (v.41). For he only sought the approval of his Father in whose name he had come. However, he accused them of only caring for the approval of men. It was this desire to please men rather than God that kept them from believing in Jesus.

Our human desire for the approval of others motivates many a sin. The worst of which is the sin of unbelief. For this is the chief sin that condemns us. We seek our own fame rather than the Lord’s and we become as Esau, who sold his birthright for a plate of pottage. For human fame is fleeting. Yet, when we seek to make the Lord Jesus famous, we humble ourselves and the Father raises us up.

Whose approval do you seek? Whose applause? Don’t your care about the honor that comes from the One who alone is God?

PRAYER: Our Father, forgive us when we seek the approval and fleeting fame of men. Today, we would humble ourselves as your servants, so that we seek your approval. Test and try our hearts, so that we are only motivated by your applause. We fear you above the fear of men. For you alone are God. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!” (John 5:39 NLT).

From: May 8, 2018

THE WRITTEN WORD POINTS TO THE LIVING WORD

Jesus acknowledged that the Jews were a people of the Book, yet He challenged them to see that it was He to which the Scriptures pointed. He was essentially saying, “If you claim to believe the Book, then you must believe in Me.”

This is still true. When we rightly preach the Scriptures, we must always preach Christ and “Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). Jesus is the point of our preaching. There is much helpful wisdom in the Scriptures, but eternal life is in the Son. Therefore, we proclaim Christ from the Scriptures! For it is by His Spirit that we understand the Scriptures (1 Cor. 2:14-16), and by His life that we are being transformed in our minds to keep them (Rom. 12:1-2).

Remember the disciples who walked with the risen Lord on the road to Emmaus? They didn’t recognize Him at first. Yet, as they walked, He explained from Moses to the prophets what the Scriptures said concerning Him. As they reflected on this encounter, they said to one another, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32).

The written Word points to the Living Word, then the Living Word points back again. Christ causes our hearts to “burn within us” as we encounter Him in the Scriptures.

“Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28-29).

From: May 8, 2017

An hour is coming when the resurrecting life of Jesus will raise all of humanity bodily. The resurrection of the body is both the hope and the dread of the Christian faith. For the “voice” of Christ will call and all will “come forth” just as Lazarus did. Those who have believed in Jesus will be raised to eternal life with Him. But those who have not believed will be raised to “condemnation,” which is the judgement of God already passed against them because of their sin.

The resurrection of the righteous will come first, preceding the resurrection of the condemned. There is much more on this in the Scriptures, yet this point is to be understood: The resurrection of the body is central to Christ’s teaching. This is not to be understood as a metaphor, but a reality. Christ taught the resurrection of the dead, then He proved it by being raised from the dead on the third day.

“Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man.” (1 Samuel 2:26 ESV)

From: May 8, 2016

This verse about how Samuel grew is very similar to the one in Luke 2:52 that described how Jesus grew. Samuel was a wanted child. His mother, Hannah, had been barren, but she prayed to God for a son, promising to give him back to the Lord. And God heard her prayer. When Samuel was weaned, Hannah presented him to the priest, Eli, to raise. So, Samuel grew up serving in the Tabernacle of the Lord (1 Sam. 3:1). In contrast to Eli’s own rebellious sons, his adopted son, Samuel, was called of God. It’s amazing how God used a mother’s love and prayers to bring forth a deliverer in Israel like Samuel, a man who grew up like Jesus did. Hannah’s love and faith should still inspire mothers today!
Happy Mother’s Day!

“There is another who bears witness of Me” (John 5:32 NKJV)

From: May 8, 2015

Jesus described the four-fold witness that attested to His identity as the Christ, the Son of God: 1) John the Baptist, 2) His works, 3) the Father, and 4) the Scriptures. In order to reject Jesus, one must reject all four of these witnesses. Today, I am a witness to Christ’s identity. I affirm the four witnesses’ testimony and bear witness of His salvation work in me and in mine. Can you bear witness with us?