Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for October 9

WHAT ARE YOU CLINGING TO TODAY?

From: October 9, 2024

‘Thus says the Lord to me, “Go and buy a linen loincloth and put it around your waist, and do not dip it in water.”’ (Jeremiah 13:1 ESV).

The Lord often gave the prophet Jeremiah physical assignments in order to illustrate His feelings about Israel and Judah. After Jeremiah would perform the assignment, the Lord would explain its significance. The “linen loincloth” was one such assignment. The Lord would later explain that, “as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me” (Jer. 13:11).

The loincloth was to be worn about the waist. This would speak of the close intimacy with which God had joined Israel and Judah to Himself. That it wasn’t to be “put in water,” may have referred to the normal bleaching and washing in water that linen cloth would be put through to make it clean and white. This symbolized Israel and Judah, whom by grace God had adopted as His own, even while still in a rough and unwashed state (Eze. 16:4).

After Jeremiah had worn the loincloth for a while, the Lord told him to go to the “Euphrates and hide it there in a cleft in the rock” (Jer. 13:4). After several days, the Lord had him return and retrieve it. But it was spoiled by its exposure to the elements, “good for nothing” (Jer. 13:7). Jeremiah could no longer wear it.

The Lord told Jeremiah that His intent was that Israel and Judah would have clung to Him. But instead, they had fallen into idolatry with the foreign peoples of the land. His desire was that they would have become His people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear (Jer. 13:11).

Can you picture Jeremiah holding the dirty loincloth up over his head and preaching to Israel and Judah? Can you hear him saying, “You were meant to cling to the Lord for glory and praise, but you ruined yourself by choosing to cling to false gods instead!”?

What are you “clinging” to today? Let us cling to the Lord!

PRAYER: Dear Father, forgive us when we cling to someone or something other than You. We want to depend on You for all things. Strengthen us by Your Spirit to walk by faith and not by sight. In Jesus’ name, amen.

WORSHIP IS WAR!

From: October 9, 2023

“…how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9b NLT).

The apostle Paul commended the Thessalonian believers for turning from idolatry to the worship of the true and living God. They did this by receiving the message of the Gospel with joy, so that they gladly placed their faith in Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior.

We think that we are too modern to struggle with idolatry; that it was a problem of primitive humanity. But idolatry is anyone or anything that we put in the place of God in our lives. As Martin Luther wrote, “Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God, your functional savior.”

Our Creator made us for worship, so we will worship something. When we believe the Gospel, we are set free to worship the true God. However as my son, Jonathan, has recently preached, “Worship is war.” For many things vie for our attention and affection and tempt us to worship them. But as Tim Keller wrote, true worship involves “pulling our affections off our idols and putting them on God.” We often have to fight temptation and battle the flesh in order to get our focus off of worldly things and put them on the Lord.

Worship can be like war. So let us put on the whole armor of God and fight the good fight of faith today!

PRAYER: Father, we choose to worship You alone. For You are the only true and living God. Forgive us when we put anything or anyone ahead of You. Show us where any idols remain in our lives, that we may surrender them to You, placing all of our affection on You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition” (1 Thessalonians 2:2 NLT).

From: October 9, 2022

GOD’S ENCOURAGEMENT TO DECLARE THE GOSPEL

Paul and Silas had been severely mistreated and jailed in the nearby city of Philippi before coming to Thessalonica. Yet that did not cause them to be timid in sharing the Gospel. For God gave them courage to declare “His Good News” to them boldly.

When we’ve been hurt or harassed for telling others about Jesus, it often has the effect of causing us to remain silent. Perhaps even the thought that people would make fun of us, or reject us, discourages us from declaring the Gospel. But when we are obedient to open our mouths, God is faithful to encourage and embolden us in declaring the Good News, so that sinners are saved by hearing and believing. Our conviction that the Gospel is the very power of God unto salvation, makes us bold (see Rom.1:16).

Overcoming the spiritual opposition to sharing the Good News, we realize the reality of the battle for men’s souls. In order to receive God’s encouragement for gospel-sharing, we must actually open our mouths to speak. It’s at that precise moment of obedience that we feel His Spirit supporting us and making us bolder.

PRAYER: Dear Father, give us courage today to overcome spiritual opposition. For we often feel too distracted or too overwhelmed to tell others the Good News. Yet we are convinced that Your power to save is found in the gospel alone, therefore we cry out to You for encouragement and strength. Help us to stand for You this day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“…how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9b HCSB).

From: October 9, 2021

WORSHIP IS WAR!

The apostle Paul commended the Thessalonian believers for turning from idolatry to the worship of the true and living God. They did this by receiving the message of the Gospel with joy, so that they gladly placed their faith in Christ as Lord and Savior.

We think that we are too modern to struggle with idolatry; that it was a problem of primitive humanity. But idolatry is anyone or anything that we put in the place of God in our lives. As Martin Luther wrote, “Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God, your functional savior.”

Our Creator made us for worship, so we will worship something. When we believe the Gospel, we are set free to worship the true God. However as my son, Jonathan, has recently preached, “Worship is war.” For as Tim Keller writes, true worship involves “pulling our affections off our idols and putting them on God.”

PRAYER: Father, we choose to worship You alone. For You are the only true and living God. Forgive us when we put anything or anyone ahead of You. Show us where any idols remain in our lives, that we may surrender them to You, placing all of our affection on You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Oh, do not remember former iniquities against us! Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us, For we have been brought very low.” (Psalm 79:8 NKJV).

From: October 9, 2020

HOW LOW MUST YOU GO?

The Psalmist cried out to God that he and his people had been brought very low. They had hit rock bottom and could not get up without God’s help. He prayed that God would no longer remember their sins and that He would show them tender mercy. He begged God to come speedily and not delay. For their need was urgent.

Have you ever been there? How low did you have to go before looking up? For many of us, we have to be brought very low before we admit our sins and turn to God for help. But it doesn’t have to be that way. We can humble ourselves today, confessing our sins and repenting. We can ask the Lord to forgive us and send His tender mercies speedily. And God will answer.

How low must you go before looking up?

PRAYER: Dear Father, we look up to You today. We praise You that You have sent Your Son to us. He willingly went down low, so that we might be lifted up. It is because of Christ and our faith in Him that we are able to ask for Your forgiveness and tender mercies today. Pour your mercy and grace on us speedily. In Jesus’ name we ask, amen.

“…you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9b NLT).

From: October 9, 2019

WORSHIP IS WAR!

The apostle Paul commended the Thessalonian believers for turning from idolatry to the worship of the true and living God. They did this by receiving the message of the Gospel with joy, so that they gladly placed their faith in Christ as Lord and Savior.

We think that we are too modern to struggle with idolatry; that it was a problem of primitive humanity. But idolatry is anyone or anything that we put in the place of God in our lives. As Martin Luther wrote, “Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God, your functional savior.”

Our Creator made us for worship, so we will worship something. When we believe the Gospel, we are set free to worship the true God. However as my son, Jonathan, has recently preached, “Worship is war.” For as Tim Keller writes, true worship involves “pulling our affections off our idols and putting them on God.”

PRAYER: Father, we choose to worship You alone. For You are the only true and living God. Forgive us when we put anything or anyone ahead of You. Show us where any idols remain in our lives, that we may surrender them to You, placing all of our affection on You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition” (1 Thessalonians 2:2 NLT).

From: October 9, 2018

GOD’S ENCOURAGEMENT TO DECLARE THE GOSPEL

Paul and Silas had been severely mistreated and jailed in the nearby city of Philippi before coming to Thessalonica. Yet that did not cause them to be timid in sharing the Gospel. For God gave them courage to declare “His Good News” to them boldly.

When we’ve been hurt or harassed for telling others about Jesus, it often has the effect of causing us to remain silent. Perhaps even the thought that people would make fun of us, or reject us, discourages us from declaring the Gospel. But when we are obedient to open our mouths, God is faithful to encourage and embolden us in declaring the Good News, so that sinners are saved by hearing and believing. Our conviction that the Gospel is the very power of God unto salvation (Rom.1:16), makes us bold.

‘Thus the Lord said to me: “Go and get yourself a linen sash, and put it around your waist, but do not put it in water.”’ (Jeremiah 13:1 NKJV).

From: October 9, 2017

The Lord often gave the prophet Jeremiah physical assignments in order to illustrate His feelings about Israel and Judah. After Jeremiah would perform the assignment, the Lord would explain its significance. The “linen sash” was one such assignment. The Lord would later explain that, “as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me” (Jer. 13:11).

The linen sash was to be worn about the waist. This would speak of the close intimacy with which God had joined Israel and Judah to Himself.

That it wasn’t to be “put in water,” may have referred to the normal bleaching and washing in water that linen cloth would be put through to make it clean and white. This symbolized Israel and Judah, whom by grace God had adopted as His own, even while still in a rough and unwashed state (Eze. 16:4).

After Jeremiah had worn the linen sash around his waist for a while, the Lord told him to go to the “Euphrates and hide it there in a hole in the rock” (Jer. 13:4). After several days, the Lord had him return and retrieve the sash. But it was ruined by its exposure to the elements, “profitable for nothing” (Jer. 13:7). Jeremiah could no longer wear it.

The Lord told Jeremiah that His intent was that Israel and Judah would have clung to Him. But instead, they had fallen into the “hole” of idolatry with the foreign peoples of the land. His desire was that they would have become His people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear” (Jer. 13:11).

Can you picture Jeremiah holding the ruined sash up over his head and preaching to Israel and Judah? Can you hear him saying, “You were meant to cling to the Lord for glory and praise, but you ruined yourself by choosing to cling to false gods instead!”?

To whom are you “clinging” today?

“The whole land is made desolate, but no man lays it to heart.” (Jeremiah 12:11 ESV)

From: October 9, 2016

God explained to Jeremiah that His judgment on Judah would grow still worse because they would not take to heart His warnings. They would not be able to rely on the land that flowed with milk and honey because they had made it “desolate,” so that the land itself mourned to God. National identity and self reliance would not save them from the storm. God was looking for heart change. I wonder. After the desolation in the wake of Hurricane Matthew, will there be any heart change in our land?

“So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us” (1 Thessalonians 2:8 NKJV)

From: October 9, 2015

The apostle Paul told the Thessalonians that when they shared the gospel with them, they also shared their lives. This was the practice of Jesus, who was accused of eating and drinking with sinners. As Christ-followers we are called not only to share the gospel, but to share our very lives, loving others with the love of Christ. Gospel-sharing and life-sharing go hand in hand.