Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for August 29

WHY AM I DISCOURAGED?

From: August 29, 2023

“Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!” (Psalm 43:5 NLT).

There are at least two ways of understanding this Scripture. The first is to view the psalmist as truly questioning the source of his feelings of discouragement and sadness. He knows that he is depressed, but he is not sure why. So, he is lifting up his heart to the Lord for inspection and insight.

After all, the Lord knows us better than we know ourselves. Sometimes we need help getting at the source of our sadness. After getting at the root of our dismay, then we can put our hearts aright by hoping in and praising the Lord.

The second way to read this passage is to view the psalmist as questioning why any kind of discouragement or sadness could ever find place inside of him. For all he has to do is put his hope in God and shout His praises and all discouragement disappears and all sadness turns to songs of joy.

Perhaps the psalmist had both motives in view. Perhaps we can too.

PRAYER: Dear Father, Your joy is unconquerable, therefore we lift our hearts from introspection to contemplation of You. We put our hope in You. You are our great reward. You are the source of our joy and happiness. When our eyes and minds are fixed on You, we are filled with joy and praise. So we set our hearts on You this day O Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17 NLT).

From: August 29, 2022

NEITHER LEGALISM, NOR LICENSE, BUT LIBERTY

In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, he taught them that true liberty came not from legalism, nor license, but from the Spirit of the Lord. The law is external to man, written on stone tablets, it has no power to overcome the sin nature. It reveals man’s sinfulness, but does not set him free from it. As a result, it only condemns the sinner.

But those who believe the gospel find that the law of God is “written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart” (2 Cor. 3:3). As a result, the one who trusts in Christ has been born again of the Spirit (John 3:6) and set free from condemnation (Rom. 8:1). For the “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Cor. 3:6).

Does this liberty in the Spirit mean that the believer is free to sin? Paul answered this question saying, “Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Rom. 6:2). In other words, those who are born again of the Spirit, have died to sin. Why then would they return to slavery to sin? For license to sin is not liberty, but servitude. Sin always enslaves.

There is a narrow path called love. It is the way of liberty. On either side there are two ditches, the one is license and the other is legalism. They both claim to be the way of freedom, but in the end they both lead to death (See Prov. 14:12).

PRAYER: Dear Father, You have given us liberty through faith in Your Son, who sets us free from sin, death and the grave. He is the Way, Truth and the Life. Through faith in Him, we have been born again of the Spirit. Thank You, Lord! Strengthen us to walk by faith today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 43:5 HCSB).

From: August 29, 2021

ASKING QUESTIONS OF YOUR SELF

There are at least two ways of reading this Scripture. The first is to view the psalmist as truly questioning the source of his feelings of discouragement and sadness. He knows that he is depressed, but he is not sure why. So, he is lifting up his heart to the Lord for inspection and insight.

After all, the Lord knows us better than we know ourselves. Sometimes we need help getting at the source of our sadness. After getting at the root of our dismay, then we can put our hearts aright by hoping in and praising the Lord.

The second way to read this passage is to view the psalmist as questioning why any kind of discouragement or sadness could ever find place inside of him. For all he has to do is put his hope in God and shout His praises and all discouragement disappears and all sadness turns to songs of joy.

Perhaps the psalmist had both readings in view. Perhaps we can too.

PRAYER: Dear Father, Your joy is unconquerable, therefore we lift our hearts from introspection to contemplation of You. We put our hope in You. You are our great reward. You are the source of our joy and happiness. When our eyes and minds are fixed on You, we are filled with joy and praise. So we set our hearts on You this day O Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2 Corinthians 3:17 NKJV).

From: August 29, 2020

NOT LEGALISM, NOR LICENSE, BUT LIBERTY

In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, he taught them that true liberty came not from legalism, nor license, but from the Spirit of the Lord. The law is external to man, written on stone tablets, it has no power to overcome the sin nature. It reveals man’s sinfulness, but does not set him free from it. As a result, it only condemns the sinner.

But those who believe the gospel find that the law of God is “written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart” (2 Cor. 3:3). As a result, the one who trusts in Christ has been born again of the Spirit (John 3:6) and set free from condemnation (Rom. 8:1). For the “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Cor. 3:6).

Does this liberty in the Spirit mean that the believer is free to sin? Paul answered this question saying, “Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Rom. 6:2). In other words, those who are born again of the Spirit, have died to sin. Why then would they return to slavery to sin? For license to sin is not liberty, but servitude. Sin always enslaves.

There is a narrow path called love. It is the way of liberty. On either side there are two ditches, the one is license and the other is legalism. They both claim to be the way of freedom, but in the end they both lead to bondage and death (See Prov. 14:12).

PRAYER: Dear Father, You have given us liberty through faith in Your Son, who sets us free from sin, death and the grave. He is the Way, Truth and the Life. Through faith in Him, we have been born again of the Spirit. Thank You, Lord! Strengthen us to walk by faith today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!” (Psalm 43:5 NLT).

From: August 29, 2019

QUESTIONS OF THE HEART

There are at least two ways of reading this Scripture. The first is to view the psalmist as truly questioning the source of his feelings of discouragement and sadness. He knows that he is discouraged, but he is not sure why. So, he is lifting up his heart to the Lord for inspection and insight.

After all, the Lord knows us better than we know ourselves. Sometimes we need help getting at the source of our sadness. After getting at the root of our dismay, then we can put our hearts aright by hoping in and praising the Lord.

The second way to read this passage is to view the psalmist as questioning why any kind of discouragement or sadness could ever find place inside of him. For all he has to do is put his hope in God and shout His praises and all discouragement disappears and all sadness turns to songs of joy.

Perhaps the psalmist had both readings in view. Perhaps we can too.

PRAYER: Dear Father, Your joy is unconquerable, therefore we lift our hearts from introspection to contemplation of You. We put our hope in You. You are our great reward. You are the source of our joy and happiness. When our eyes and minds are fixed on You, we are filled with joy and praise. So we set our hearts on You this day O Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God” (2 Corinthians 3:5 NLT).

From: August 29, 2018

NOT SELF-CONFIDENCE BUT CONFIDENCE IN GOD

Paul did not want the Corinthian believers to think that his confidence came from any strengths or abilities of his own, but that it came from confidence in God. Paul claimed no self-sufficiency, no self-confidence and no self-empowerment. His calling, message, and authority all came from and continued to be empowered by the Lord. Although Paul claimed the Corinthians as his “letters of recommendation” (2 Cor. 3:1), he wanted to make it clear that the true author was God Himself, and Paul, merely the pen in God’s hand.

Our modern emphasis on self-esteem and self-confidence find little basis in biblical Christianity. In fact, God often allows circumstances to come our way that tear down our self-confidence, so that we might learn to place our confidence in God alone. Didn’t old Paul have to experience blindness on the road to Damascus before he could truly see?

When we esteem Christ above all others, especially ourselves, we find our true identity and value in Him. And when we put our confidence in God alone, we find ourselves qualified for any task or role that He calls us to fulfill.

“You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart” (2 Corinthians 3:2-3 NKJV).

From: August 29, 2017

The apostle Paul said that he did not need letters or “epistles” of commendation from the believers in Corinth because they were his living “epistles.” They were walking testaments of the gospel of Christ that was “ministered” to them through him. So, Christ was the author and Paul the amanuensis and the Holy Spirit the “ink” by which the gospel was written on their hearts. This is a beautiful picture of discipleship and its fruit.

You may say that you have not written any books, nor had any written about you. Yet, if you are involved in giving the gospel out to others, they have become your “epistles.” If you are involved in life on life discipleship, your disciples are your living legacy.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17 ESV)

From: August 29, 2016

The Spirit is both “of the Lord” and is the Lord. This is the paradox of the Trinity. So, the one who turns to the Lord has indeed turned to the Spirit. And where the Spirit is, “there is freedom.” Freedom from what, to do what? Certainly not freedom to do whatever we want. This would not be freedom, but slavery to the very sinful flesh which already rules human hearts. No, the one who turns to the Lord has been set free from the letter of the law that kills, to the Spirit which gives life (2 Cor. 3:6). And they have been given the freedom to understand and follow the Word of God according to the Spirit’s wisdom and power. This is true freedom. The bonds of condemnation are removed from our wrists and the veil that blinds us to spiritual understanding is removed from our eyes. We are free to no longer be slaves, but children of God.

“I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?” (Job 31:1 NKJV)

From: August 29, 2015

Job made a “covenant with his eyes” that is a much needed one for today. His covenant (pledge, sacred promise) was with God and with his wife, that his eyes belonged to God and to his wife alone. He had predetermined what he would allow his eyes to gaze upon and what he wouldn’t. Looking upon a “young woman” was not allowed. Why? Because he had made a covenant that restricted his vision. He would not let his eyes linger on a young woman, therefore avoiding the temptation to covet or lust after her. It is an accepted fact that men are more susceptible to visual stimulus than women. Yet, both should make a covenant with their eyes that protects them from temptation.

“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman” (Job 31:1 NLT)

From: August 29, 2014

Job lived by a strategy that every man should follow. Make a covenant with your eyes. As Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount, looking with lust is adultery of the heart (Matt. 5:28). What is this lustful look? The first look may be accidental, but it is the second extended look that leads to sin. Keep your eyes to yourself.