Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for August 31

WE CAN KNOW

From: August 31, 2023

“We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you” (2 Corinthians 4:14 NLT).

“We know.” This is how Paul described that our faith is based on the historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus. We look at this fact, believing it, and this faith becomes like confident knowledge. Believing that God raised Jesus in the past, we also believe that He will raise us with Jesus in the future. Our future hope is anchored in this already-fulfilled past. Ours is not blind faith or empty hope. “We know” that the same God who raised Christ, will raise us too.

This is the confident faith we have in the risen Christ. We know!

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for our resurrection hope in Christ. We can live this day with confident expectation of our future estate with You. Help us to throw off any hindrances as we run life’s race, knowing that our reward is kept in heaven with You. Thank You for another day to live. Strengthen us to live it for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“For we live by believing and not by seeing” (2 Corinthians 5:7 NLT).

From: August 31, 2022

LORD HASTE THE DAY WHEN OUR FAITH SHALL BE SIGHT

Presently, we go through life believing in our risen Lord without actually seeing Him. Yet our faith is not without foundation. We believe because of at least three witnesses: 1) the witness of the Bible, 2) the witness of the saints who have passed the faith down to us, and 3) the inner witness of the Spirit of adoption that lives within us, who causes us to cry out, “Abba, Father” to our God.

Our faith is by God’s grace and not our sight. The world says seeing is believing. However, Jesus said to Thomas, “You have believed because you have seen, but blessed are those who have not seen, yet have believed” (John 20:29). We believe in the risen Lord. He is the Head of His body, the Church. And so, we believe that just as the Head was raised, so shall the body be raised. The same God who raised Jesus from the dead, will raise us. We live by this faith, even though our eyes have not yet seen its fulfillment.

As the fourth verse of that beloved hymn, “It Is Well,” reminds us:
“And Lord haste the day
when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound,
and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.”

PRAYER: Dear Father, until that day when our faith shall be sight, we trust in Your Word and in Your Spirit. We know that we know. May our faith in You increase as we lift our eyes from this world to the face of Your Son, Jesus. In His name we pray, amen.

“We know that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and present us with you” (2 Corinthians 4:14 HCSB).

From: August 31, 2021

WE CAN KNOW

“We know.” This faith we have is based on the historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus. We look at this fact, believing it, and this faith becomes like confident knowledge. Believing that God raised Jesus in the past, we also believe that He will raise us with Jesus in the future. Our future hope is anchored in this already-fulfilled past. Ours is not blind faith or empty hope. “We know” that the same God who raised Christ, will raise us too.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for our resurrection hope in Christ. We can live this day with confident expectation of our future estate with You. Help us to throw off any hindrances as we run life’s race, knowing that our reward is kept in heaven with You. Thank You for another day to live. Strengthen us to live it for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV).

From: August 31, 2020

LORD HASTE THE DAY WHEN OUR FAITH SHALL BE SIGHT

Presently, we walk through life believing in our risen Lord without actually seeing Him. Yet our faith is not without foundation. We believe because of at least three witnesses: 1) the witness of the Bible, 2) the witness of the saints who have passed the faith down to us, and 3) the inner witness of the Spirit of adoption that lives within us, who causes us to cry out, “Abba, Father” to our God.

Our faith is by God’s grace and not our sight. The world says seeing is believing. However, Jesus said to Thomas, “You have believed because you have seen, but blessed are those who have not seen, yet have believed” (John 20:29). We believe in the risen Lord. He is the Head of His body, the Church. And so, we believe that just as the Head was raised, so shall the body be raised. The same God who raised Jesus from the dead, will raise us. We live by this faith, even though our eyes have not yet seen its fulfillment.

As the fourth verse of that beloved hymn, “It Is Well,” reminds us:

“And Lord haste the day

when the faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound,

and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.”

PRAYER: Dear Father, until that day when our faith shall be sight, we trust in Your Word and in Your Spirit. We know that we know. May our faith in You increase as we lift our eyes from this world to the face of Your Son, Jesus. In His name we pray, amen.

“We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you” (2 Corinthians 4:14 NLT).

From: August 31, 2019

WHAT WE CAN KNOW ABOUT RESURRECTION

“We know.” This faith we have is based on the historical resurrection of Jesus. We look at this fact, believing it, and this faith becomes like confident knowledge. Believing that God raised Jesus in the past, we also believe that He will raise us with Jesus in the future. Our future hope is anchored in this already-fulfilled past. Ours is not blind faith or empty hope. “We know” that the same God who raised Christ, will raise us too.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for our resurrection hope in Christ. We can live this day with confident expectation of our future estate with You. Help us to throw off any hindrances as we run life’s race, knowing that our reward is kept in heaven with You. Thank You for another day to live. Strengthen us to live it for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands” (2 Corinthians 5:1 NLT).

From: August 31, 2018

WHAT WILL OUR ETERNAL BODY BE LIKE?

Paul encouraged the Corinthians not to give up, for the present troubles of this world are temporary, but the coming glory is forever. He urged them to focus on this coming glory when our “earthly tent” will die, yet we shall live forever in an “eternal body” made by God.

What will this eternal body be like? It will be like the resurrection body of Jesus. For Jesus is the “firstborn from the dead” (Col. 1:18, Rev. 1:5), whose body is the prototype of all who are raised in Him.

So, don’t be overcome by the sufferings of this world, nor the groanings of our earthly tents. For we will one day receive a new and eternal body fit for heaven made by God Himself.

“When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:7 NKJV).

From: August 31, 2017

God speaks, asking Job where he was when the universe was created and the singing and shouting of worship first resounded. Who or what are these “morning stars” that sing and these “sons of God” that shout? Many see both of these as metaphors for angelic beings. Certainly, Isaiah described Lucifer as a “morning star” before his fall (Isa.14:12). Yet, surprisingly the Lord may actually be referring to the stars themselves. As Dr Bill Chaplin, an asteroseismologist at Birmingham University, has reported, “Essentially stars resonate like a huge musical instrument.” In other words, stars sing! Even the stars were made to worship the Lord!

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.” (Job 38:4 ESV)

From: August 31, 2016

After 37 chapters, God finally speaks. Many today think they know how the world began. Men who’ve barely lived 50 years speak of 5 billion years and materialistic theories. I think God laughs at man’s wisdom. I love science and history, but I trust and love God’s revealed Word more.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV)

From: August 31, 2015

Presently, we walk through life believing in our risen Lord without actually seeing Him. We believe because of the witnesses – the witness of the Bible, of the saints who have passed the faith down to us, and because of the inner witness of the Spirit of adoption who causes us to cry out, “Abba, Father” to our God. Our faith is by God’s grace and not our sight. The world says seeing is believing. However, Jesus said to Thomas, “You have believed because you have seen, but blessed are those who have not seen, yet have believed” (John 20:29). We believe in the risen Lord. He is the Head of His body, the Church. And so, we believe that just as the Head was raised, so shall the body be raised. The same God who raised Jesus from the dead, will raise us. We live by this faith, even though our eyes have not yet seen its fulfillment.

“We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you” (2 Corinthians 4:14 NLT)

From: August 31, 2014

“We know.” This faith we have is based on the historical resurrection of Jesus. We look at this fact, believing it, and this faith becomes like confident knowledge. Believing that God raised Jesus in the past, we also believe that He will raise us with Jesus in the future. Our future hope is anchored in this already-fulfilled past. Ours is not blind faith or empty hope. “We know” that the same God who raised Christ, will raise us too.