Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for September 18

CHRIST, OUR PRECIOUS CORNERSTONE

From: September 18, 2024

“Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’” (Isaiah 28:16 ESV).

The Lord spoke through Isaiah of a “precious cornerstone” that He would lay in Zion (“Jerusalem”). This stone would have certain attributes:
1) It would be laid by God Himself.
2) It would be the foundation.
3) It would be tested and found perfect.
4) It would be precious (none other like it).
5) It would be sure (faithful, unchangeable).
6) It would inspire belief and bring rest.

This Cornerstone is Christ Jesus. He is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. As the apostle Paul wrote, “Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself” (Eph. 2:20). On the day of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem He quoted Psalm 118:22 to His detractors saying, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone’?” (Matt.21:42).

Christ is the Cornerstone, the foundation of our faith. Whoever believes in Him “will not be in haste.” In other words, we will be at rest, not hastily searching for another place of safety, having found perfect peace and salvation in Jesus Christ.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You that the Stone that You revealed to Isaiah has appeared. And we have believed in Him. For He is our precious Cornerstone, Christ Jesus. Now help us to rest in Him this day. Not striving, but resting. Not hurrying hastily, but fully present. Help us to stand on the Rock of our salvation. In Jesus’ name, amen.

THE GOOD PURPOSES OF THE LAW

From: September 18, 2023

“The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith” (Galatians 3:24 NLT).

The word “guardian” is from the Greek word “paidagōgós,” which might also be translated as “tutor” or “instructor.” During the 1st Century, wealthy persons would hire a servant to tutor their children, preparing them for adult life. When they grew up they were no longer under the tutor.

In the same manner, the law is our tutor, showing us right from wrong, and teaching us that we are sinners unable to fully follow God’s righteous commands. This reveals to us our need for a Savior. Consider these three important purposes of the law:

THREE “R”s OF THE LAW: (OR THREE “P”s)
1) Reflects our guilty condition (Like a perfect mirror). 
2) Restrains our sinful behavior (Like a prison guard).
3) Reveals our need for a Savior (Like a pedagogue).

The law is good, but apart from Christ, it condemns us to death (See Rom. 7:12-14). For the law is spiritual and we are carnal, unless we are born again spiritually by faith in Jesus.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we love Your law because we have received Jesus as our Lord and He has written Your law upon our hearts. We no longer rebel against the law, nor do we depend on it. But we depend upon Your Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. We are thankful for Your grace. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him” (Psalms 62:5 NLT).

From: September 18, 2022

HOW DO WE LET ALL THAT WE ARE WAIT QUIETLY ON GOD?

Do many distracting thoughts and conflicting opinions seem to be battling it out within your mind? You try to quiet them, so that you can hear the Lord, but the cacophony remains. What do you do?

Ask the Lord to help you, so that “all” that you are “waits quietly” for Him.

A helpful spiritual discipline is to pray yourself empty and then pray yourself full. Here is what we mean. First, pray out every thought that is troubling you to the Lord. As Paul wrote, “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (1 Cor. 10:5). Do you have anxious thoughts? Turn each one of them into prayer (Phil.4:6-7). It takes the same amount of energy to worry as it does to pray. However, the first one hurts and the second one helps. Worry is self-talk. Prayer is God-talk. Pray until you have emptied your mind of every concern. Now you are able to say with the psalmist “let all that I am wait quietly before God.”

Second, having prayed yourself empty, pray yourself full. Take hold of the promises of God. Remember, biblical “hope” is a confident expectation. Hope is like a rope, anchored to the promises of God and to the Lord Himself. Be filled with the Spirit. Pray the psalms back to the Lord. Fill you mouth and your mind with God’s Word and promises. For our hope is in our God!

PRAYER: Dear Father, You have made us and You know us better than we know ourselves. Teach us to wait quietly on You. For we place all of our hope in You. We give You our worry and care this day and we ask You to replace it with Your peace and joy. For You are our peace and You are our joy. Quiet our minds. Speak “peace be still” over the storm in our souls as You did over the Galilean one that struck fear in the Twelve. We give this day and all its concerns to You. Strengthen us to walk in Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him” (Psalms 62:5 HCSB).

From: September 18, 2021

FINDING REST IN GOD ALONE

Do many opinions seem to be battling it out within your mind? You try to quiet the many voices, so that You can hear the most important One, but try as you may the cacophony continues. Have you learned to speak to your own soul as David did? For David had learned to direct his soul to find rest in God alone.

How did he do it? How had he learned to quiet the voices in his head, so that he could find rest in the voice and presence of the Lord?

A helpful spiritual discipline is to pray yourself empty and then pray yourself full. Here is what we mean. First, pray out every thought that is troubling you to the Lord. As Paul wrote, “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (1 Cor. 10:5). Do you have anxious thoughts? Turn each one of them into prayer (Phil.4:6-7). It takes the same amount of energy to worry as it does to pray. However, the first one hurts and the second one helps. Worry is self-talk. Prayer is God-talk. Pray until you have emptied your mind of every concern. Now you are able to say with the psalmist “let all that I am wait quietly before God.”

Second, having prayed yourself empty, pray yourself full. Take hold of the promises of God. Remember, biblical “hope” is a confident expectation. Hope is like a rope, anchored to the promises of God and to the Lord Himself. Be filled afresh with the Spirit. Pray the psalms back to the Lord. Fill you mouth and your mind with God’s Word and promises. For our hope is in our God!

PRAYER: Dear Father, You have made us and You know us better than we know ourselves. Teach us to wait quietly on You. For we place all of our hope in You. We give You our worry and care this day and we ask You to replace it with Your peace and joy. For You are our peace and You are our joy. Quiet our minds. Speak, “Peace be still,” over the storm in our souls as You did over the Galilean one that struck fear in the Twelve. We give this day and all its concerns to You. Strengthen us to walk in Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24 NKJV).

From: September 18, 2020

THE GOOD PURPOSES OF THE LAW

The word “tutor” is from the Greek word from which is derived the English word, “pedagogue.” During the 1st Century, wealthy persons would hire a servant to tutor their children, preparing them for adult life. After graduation they were no longer under the tutor.

In the same manner, the law is “our tutor,” showing us right from wrong, and teaching us that we are sinners unable to fully follow God’s righteous commands. This reveals to us our need for a Savior. The law cannot not save, but it does have an important purpose. Consider these three important purposes of the law:

THREE “R”s OF THE LAW: (OR THREE “P”s) 1) Reflects our guilty condition (Like a perfect mirror).   2) Restrains our sinful behavior (Like a prison guard).  3) Reveals our need for a Savior (Like a pedagogue).

The law is good, but apart from Christ, it condemns us to death (See Rom. 7:12-14). For the law is spiritual and we are carnal, unless we are born again spiritually by faith in Jesus.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we love Your law because we have received Jesus as our Lord and He has written Your law upon our hearts. We no longer rebel against the law, nor do we depend on it. But we do depend upon Your Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. We are thankful for Your grace. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him” (Psalms 62:5 NLT).

From: September 18, 2019

HOW DO WE LET ALL THAT WE ARE WAIT QUIETLY ON GOD?

Do many opinions seem to be battling it out within your mind? You try to quiet the many voices, so that You can hear the most important One, but try as you may the cacophony remains. Ask the Lord to help you, so that “all” that you are “waits quietly” for Him.

A helpful spiritual discipline is to pray yourself empty and then pray yourself full. Here is what we mean. First, pray out every thought that is troubling you to the Lord. As Paul wrote, “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (1 Cor. 10:5). Do you have anxious thoughts? Turn each one of them into prayer (Phil.4:6-7). It takes the same amount of energy to worry as it does to pray. However, the first one hurts and the second one helps. Worry is self-talk. Prayer is God-talk. Pray until you have emptied your mind of every concern. Now you are able to say with the psalmist “let all that I am wait quietly before God.”

Second, having prayed yourself empty, pray yourself full. Take hold of the promises of God. Remember, biblical “hope” is a confident expectation. Hope is like a rope, anchored to the promises of God and to the Lord Himself. Be filled with the Spirit. Pray the psalms back to the Lord. Fill you mouth and your mind with God’s Word and promises. For our hope is in our God!

PRAYER: Dear Father, You have made us and You know us better than we know ourselves. Teach us to wait quietly on You. For we place all of our hope in You. We give You our worry and care this day and we ask You to replace it with Your peace and joy. For You are our peace and You are our joy. Quiet our minds. Speak “peace be still over the storm in our souls as You did over the Galilean one that struck fear in the Twelve. We give this day and all its concerns to You. Strengthen us to walk in Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.

‘They tell the prophets, “Don’t tell us what is right. Tell us nice things. Tell us lies. Forget all this gloom. Get off your narrow path. Stop telling us about your ‘Holy One of Israel.’” (Isaiah 30:10-11 NLT).

From: September 18, 2018

WE CAN’T STOP TELLING OTHERS ABOUT JESUS

The Lord told Isaiah that the people of Judah would be known for rebelling against Him, telling the prophets to stop preaching about the coming judgment and the Messiah. In their rebellion against God, it seemed they could no longer tolerate sound teaching, especially anything about the “Holy One of Israel.”

There are many today who would silence the preaching of God’s Word, especially any mention of the Holy One, Jesus Christ. In some settings, the preacher is actually allowed to pray publicly, but asked not to say the name of Jesus. Yet, there remains a people in the earth who have given their hearts to Christ, who love to hear the name of Jesus and the preaching of His Word.

Besides it isn’t really preaching if we don’t preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. As the apostle Paul said, “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). And later he said, “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Cor. 9:16).

When our preaching team prepares sermons, we always ask ourselves, “Are we preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ?” Otherwise, we are just saying “nice things” that have no power. We cannot stop telling others about the Holy One, Jesus Christ!

‘Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily”‘ (Isaiah 28:16 NKJV).

From: September 18, 2017

The Lord spoke through Isaiah of a “precious cornerstone” that He would lay in Zion (“Jerusalem”). This coming cornerstone would have certain attributes:

1) It would be laid by God Himself.

2) It would be the foundation.

3) It would be tried (tested) and found perfect.

4) It would be precious (none other like it).

5) It would be sure (faithful, unchangeable).

6) It would inspire belief and bring rest.

This Cornerstone is Jesus. He is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. As the apostle Paul wrote, “Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself” (Eph. 2:20). On the day of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem He quoted Psalm 118:22 to His detractors saying, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone’?” (Matt.21:42).

Christ is the Cornerstone, the foundation of our faith.

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28 ESV)

From: September 18, 2016

Our spiritual identity in Christ is greater than racial, demographic, gender and any other physical identities. An emphasis on the latter leads to disunity and strife. But a focus on the former leads to oneness and blessing. Law cannot accomplish this kind of unity and peace. Only those who by faith have believed in Christ may know this oneness of being members together in God’s family. This is not a call to forget physical conditions, but to make identity in Christ your banner. Race, class and gender warfare belong to the former way of life and have no place among those who follow Jesus.

“Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24 NKJV)

From: September 18, 2015

The word “tutor” is from the Greek word from which is derived the English word, “pedagogue.” During the 1st Century, wealthy persons would hire a servant to tutor their children, preparing them for adult life. After graduation they were no longer under the tutor. In the same manner, the law is “our tutor,” showing us right from wrong, and teaching us that we are sinners unable to fully follow God’s righteous commands. This reveals to us our need for a Savior. The law does not save, it only instructs. And points us to Jesus. Jesus saves. Our diploma for heaven is not received from following the law, but from trusting in Christ, who has fulfilled the law on our behalf.