Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for April 25

PRAYING AGAINST TEMPTATION

From: April 25, 2025

“Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation” (Luke 22:46 ESV).

Jesus spoke these words to His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, just moments before His betrayal and arrest. Though He was in deep agony over what lay before Him, He turned to His disciples and found them sleeping. Twice He had urged them to pray so that they would not enter into temptation (vv. 40, 46). Jesus knew that a time of intense testing was coming, not only for Himself but for them. Peter would soon deny Him. The others would scatter. Their failure to watch and pray left them spiritually unprepared. Jesus’ words echo the petition in the Lord’s Prayer that He had taught them: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

How often are we like the disciples, physically present but spiritually asleep? We are surrounded by daily temptations: to fear, to doubt, to lust, to speak harshly, to forget God, to live for self. Jesus knows the weakness of our flesh and calls us to rise and pray. Prayer is not just a means of request; it is a means of protection, a spiritual preparation, and a posture of dependence. If we neglect it, we are leave ourselves vulnerable. If we embrace it, we are strengthened.

Jesus didn’t tell His disciples to fight temptation with willpower or cleverness—He told them to pray. In moments of testing, we must learn to turn to God before we turn to sin. We pray not only to resist evil, but to remain close to the Father. Let us not sleep through the battle. Let us be awake and praying.

PRAYER: Dear Father, awaken our hearts. Forgive us for the times we have grown spiritually drowsy and failed to pray. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Teach us to be watchful and dependent on You. Strengthen us in the moments when trials come, and help us to cling to You in prayer. May we remain awake and ready to follow You faithfully. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

THE LORD HAS A COMFORT FOR EVERY CARE

From: April 25, 2024

“When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul” (Psalms 94:19 ESV).

Is your heart burdened with many “cares?” Are you worried and concerned about many things? Have you been bottling up your distress within you? Why not open up to the Lord about it? For He has a multitude of “consolations” that can bring delight to your soul. Notice that the psalmist doesn’t say that the Lord takes away his cares. Yet he does say that the Lord gives him “consolations,” surely one to match every concern, so that his gloomy soul is made glad.

What are these comforts and consolations that the Lord gives? The psalmist doesn’t name them, perhaps because they are “new every morning” (Lam. 3:22-23) as the prophet Jeremiah observed. Or perhaps because the psalmist wanted to move us to look to God’s Word for ourselves. For in the Bible there is a promised divine comfort to match every human care.

Yet we must learn how to lift up our cares to the Lord in order to receive His comfort. As the apostle Peter wrote, “Cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7).

PRAYER. Dear Father, we cast our cares, our worries and concerns, upon You. We leave them with You today. Apply your comfort to our souls. Replace our gloom with gladness and our worry with worship. Teach us to bring our burdens to You, not trying to carry them alone. Strengthen us for today’s journey now. In Jesus’ name, amen.

FOLLOWING CHRIST’S HABIT OF PRAYER

From: April 25, 2023

“Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives” (Luke 22:39 NLT).

On the night that Jesus would be betrayed, He went out “as usual” to the Mount of Olives to pray. On this unusual evening, Jesus followed His usual habit: He prayed on the mountain. And His disciples followed Him. Yet, rather than praying, they slept. For they were exhausted with grief.

The disciples were accustomed to Jesus withdrawing to “lonely places to pray” (Luke 5:16). For this was His practice everywhere He went. And they knew He especially loved praying on the Mount of Olives, where He could see the entirety of Jerusalem and its Temple from the Mount’s greater elevation, yet still be hidden from the crowds.

Judas Iscariot knew where Jesus would be. His habit of praying on the Mount of Olives was well known to the betrayer. For he had been there with Him many times before. Yet this dark night, he came not to pray with Jesus, but to betray Him with a kiss, while thirty pieces of silver jingled in his pocket.

Have you learned to follow Christ’s habit of prayer, following Him so often that it becomes “usual?” And when you seek to follow Him in prayer, have you felt the temptation to either fall sleep or to let you mind wander to worldly things, like money and possessions? Yet as we grow in the discipline of praying with Jesus, we learn to stay awake and pray with Him, overcoming our physical exhaustion and temptation to sin.

PRAYER: Dear Father, our spirit is willing but our flesh is weak. Teach us to pray as Jesus did. Lead us to follow Him up the Mount to pray “as usual.” Strengthen us to stay awake and not to give in to temptation, but to focus on His voice as we pray with Him. Father, help us to learn to follow Christ’s habit of prayer. In Jesus’ name, amen.

‘But Jesus said, “No more of this.” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.’ (Luke 22:51 NLT).

From: April 25, 2022

WHAT BECAME OF THE LAST MAN HEALED BY JESUS?

The last man that received the healing touch of Jesus was one of the men that came to arrest him in the Garden of Gethsemene. According to John, the man’s name was “Malchus” (John 18:10), a servant of the high priest, and it was Simon Peter who cut off his ear with a sword. Even so, Jesus healed the man’s ear with a touch. Many had felt the healing touch of Jesus throughout His years of ministry, but Malchus was unique. He came as an enemy against Jesus. Even so, he was the last man recorded in the gospels to be healed by Jesus.

Or was he? Unique, I mean? For haven’t we all started out as enemies of Jesus? Rather than bowing the knee to Him as Lord, we want to be in charge and tell Him where to go and what to do for us. As the apostle Paul wrote, “You were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ” (Col. 1:21-22).

I wonder. What became of Malchus? Did John mention him by name because he later became a follower of Jesus? Did Malchus tell the story of how Jesus had healed him even though he had come as an enemy? Did he remember the gentle and healing touch of Jesus every time he scratched his ear?

Malchus may have been the last to have Jesus physically touch his ear. Yet, Jesus is still touching and healing our spiritual ears today, so that we might hear His voice and believe. As Jesus often said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!” (Matt. 11:15).

PRAYER: Dear Father, we are reminded that we are no better than Malchus. For we were once Your enemies because of sin. Yet while we were still sinners, Jesus died for us. O what great love this is! Thank you for giving us ears to hear and hearts to believe this great and wonderful Good News! In Jesus’ name, amen.

“He went out and made His way as usual to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed Him” (Luke 22:39 HCSB).

From: April 25, 2021

LEARNING TO FOLLOW CHRIST’S HABIT OF PRAYER

On the night that Jesus would be betrayed, He went out “as usual” to the Mount of Olives to pray. On this unusual evening, Jesus followed His usual habit: He prayed on the mountain. And His disciples followed Him. Yet, rather than praying, they slept. For they were exhausted with grief.

The disciples were accustomed to Jesus withdrawing to “lonely places to pray” (Luke 5:16). For this was His practice everywhere He went. And they knew He especially loved praying on the Mount of Olives, where He could see the entirety of Jerusalem and its Temple from the Mount’s greater elevation, yet still be hidden from the crowds.

Judas Iscariot knew where Jesus would be. His habit of praying on the Mount of Olives was well known by the betrayer. For he had been there with Him many times before. Yet this dark night, he came not to pray with Jesus, but to betray Him with a kiss, while thirty pieces of silver jingled in his pocket.

Have you learned to follow Christ’s habit of prayer, following Him so often that it becomes “usual?” And when you seek to follow Him in prayer, have you felt the temptation to either fall sleep or to let you mind wander to worldly things, like money and possessions? Yet as we grow in the discipline of praying with Jesus, we learn to stay awake and pray with Him, overcoming our physical exhaustion and temptation to sin.

PRAYER: Dear Father, our spirit is willing but our flesh is weak. Teach us to pray as Jesus did. Lead us to follow Him up the Mount to pray “as usual.” Strengthen us to stay awake and not to give in to temptation, but to focus on His voice as we pray with Him. Father, help us to learn to follow Christ’s habit of prayer. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul” (Psalms 94:19 NKJV).

From: April 25, 2020

THE LORD HAS A COMFORT FOR YOUR EVERY CARE

Do you have a “multitude of anxieties?” Are you worried and afraid about many things? Have you been bottling up your distress “within” you? Why not open up to the Lord about it? For He has a multitude of comforts that can bring delight to your soul. Notice that the psalmist doesn’t say that the Lord takes his anxieties, of which he has a “multitude.” Yet he does say that the Lord gives him “comforts,” surely one to match every concern, so that his gloomy soul is made glad.

What are these “comforts” that the Lord gives? The psalmist doesn’t name them, perhaps because they are “new every morning” (Lam. 3:22-23) as the prophet Jeremiah observed. Or perhaps because the psalmist wanted to move us to look to God’s Word for ourselves. For in the Bible there is a promised divine comfort to match every human care.

Yet we must learn how to give our cares to the Lord in order to receive His comfort. As the apostle Peter wrote, “Cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7).

PRAYER. Dear Father, we cast our cares, our worries and concerns, upon You. We leave them with You today. Apply your comfort to our souls. Replace our gloom with gladness and our worry with worship. Teach us to bring our burdens to You, not trying to carry them alone. Strengthen us for today’s journey now. In Jesus’ name, amen.

‘But Jesus said, “No more of this.” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.’ (Luke 22:51 NLT).

From: April 25, 2018

WHAT BECAME OF THE LAST MAN TOUCHED BY JESUS?

The last man that received the healing touch of Jesus was one of the men that came to arrest him in the Garden of Gethsemene. According to John, the man’s name was “Malchus” (John 18:10), a servant of the high priest, and it was Simon Peter who cut off his ear with a sword. Even so, Jesus healed the man’s ear with a touch. Many had felt the healing touch of Jesus throughout His years of ministry, but Malchus was the last.

I wonder. What became of Malchus? Did John mention him by name because he later became a follower of Jesus? Did Malchus tell the story of how Jesus had healed him even though he had come as an enemy? Did he remember the gentle and healing touch of Jesus every time he scratched his ear? Did he who arrested Jesus become arrested by Christ’s love instead?

“When leaders lead in Israel, When the people willingly offer themselves, Bless the Lord!” (Judges 5:2 NKJV).

From: April 25, 2017

This is the first verse of the duet sung by Deborah and Barak after the defeat of the Canaanite army. Deborah was a judge and a prophetess in Israel and Barak was the leader of the troops from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun. This first verse seems to have been sung by Deborah, blessing the Lord for Barak’s willingness to lead and the people’s willingness to follow him into battle.

Deborah described three important ingredients for their success in this verse that are worthy of consideration:

1) The Lord’s willingness to bless.

2) The leader’s willingness to lead.

3) The people’s willingness to serve and follow.

These three important ingredients for success are still true today for a family, a church or a nation. The Lord blesses when leaders are willing to lead and people are willing to serve according to the Lord’s instruction.

“For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.” (Luke 22:37 ESV)

From: April 25, 2016

On the night He was betrayed, Jesus quoted the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 53:12 to prepare the disciples for His crucifixion. He who knew no sin, would be “numbered” or counted among the sinners. And He would allow this accounting to take place willingly, so that those who believed in Him might be numbered among the righteous.

“Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation” (Luke 22:46 NKJV)

From: April 25, 2015

While Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, the disciples fell asleep. He had told them to watch and pray while He pulled away to pray alone. But they were exhausted with “sorrow” (v.45). Jesus was trying to prepare them for a difficult trial, but their human frailty was too much. I wonder how many times the Spirit of Christ urges us to pray, yet our flesh is too weak? Instead, we sleep. Christ followers still hear the Spirit say, “Rise and pray.” Rise up from your sleep and lift your heartfelt prayers to the Father. There is a rest that comes from prayer that is better than that from sleep.