Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for December 5

THE CONFIDENCE WE HAVE IN CHRIST

From: December 5, 2023

“And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him” (1 John 5:14 NLT).

Because we are in Christ we now have confidence that the Father will hear and answer our prayers. For this reason Hebrews teaches us to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). And the apostle Paul writes that in Christ “we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him” (Eph. 3:12).

In Christ, we are God’s children. Everything that is Christ’s, is now ours. The currency of the kingdom is asking. As James taught, “You have not because you ask not” (James 4:2). And as Jesus taught, let us, “Ask, seek, knock” (Matt. 7:7-8). So, ask!

Yet, let us pray according to God’s will, for this is how Christ Himself prayed, saying, “Not my will, but Thine be done” (Luke 22:42). For when we pray according to God’s will, we can be confident that He will give us what we ask.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we are learning to ask You for what we need. Help us to learn to wait on You, rather than worrying. Strengthen us to follow You in all things this day. For our confidence is in You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God” (1 John 5:20 NLT).

From: December 5, 2022

KNOWING THAT CHRIST HAS COME

In his first epistle, the apostle John wrote of what we can know because of Christ’s coming. For as John wrote in his gospel, Christ is the Word made flesh (John 1:14). If you want to know God, look to Jesus. He is God revealed to us in the flesh. Therefore, knowing that the Christ, the Son of God, has come, we are given further knowledge and understanding through Him, so that we can actually know God.

Do you want to know God? First know Jesus. Know that He is the Son of God who came into the world to die for our sins and was raised for our justification that we might know God as Father.

This is what our Christmas celebrations are to be about, namely knowing that the Son of God has come! This knowledge changes everything.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we know that Christ has come. We are always thankful for this, but especially during this Christmas season. For it is through Christ that we have come to truly know You as our Father. And it is by that knowing Christ has come that we know to watch and wait for His soon return. Until then, strengthen us to tell others this Good News that they might know You too. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Now this is the confidence we have before Him: Whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14 HCSB).

From: December 5, 2021

THE CONFIDENCE WE HAVE IN CHRIST

Because we are in Christ we now have confidence that the Father will hear and answer our prayers. For this reason Hebrews teaches us to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). And the apostle Paul writes that in Christ “we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him” (Eph. 3:12).

In Christ, we are God’s children. Everything that is Christ’s, is now ours. The currency of the kingdom is asking. As James taught, “You have not because you ask not” (James 4:2). And as Jesus taught, let us, “Ask, seek, knock” (Matt. 7:7-8). So, ask!

Yet, let us pray according to God’s will, for this is how Christ Himself prayed, saying, “Not my will, but Thine be done” (Luke 22:42). For when we pray according to God’s will, we can be confident that He will give us what we ask.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we are learning to ask You for what we need. Help us to learn to wait on You, rather than worrying. Strengthen us to follow You in all things this day. For our confidence is in You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14 NKJV).

From: December 5, 2020

THE CURRENCY OF THE KINGDOM IS ASKING

“In Him,” namely, “in Christ,” we have confidence before the Father. For this reason Hebrews teaches us to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). And the apostle Paul writes that in Christ “we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him” (Eph. 3:12).

In Christ, we are God’s children. Everything that is Christ’s, is now ours. The currency of the kingdom is asking. As James taught, “You have not because you ask not” (James 4:2). And as Jesus taught, let us, “Ask, seek, knock” (Matt. 7:7-8). So, ask!

Yet, let us pray according to God’s will, for this is how Christ Himself prayed, saying, “Not my will, but Thine be done” (Luke 22:42).

PRAYER: Dear Father, we are learning to ask You for what we need. Help us to learn to wait on You, rather than worrying. Strengthen us to follow You in all things this day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Mockers can get a whole town agitated, but the wise will calm anger” (Proverbs 29:8 NLT).

From: December 5, 2019

ARE YOU AN AGITATOR OR A CALMER?

A timely word from the book of Proverbs for today. Is it your goal to “agitate” others with that which has agitated you? Or is it your desire to “calm” others with wisdom, so that the truth of the matter may be revealed? The mocker will incite rioting and destruction in the streets, but the wise will look for solutions without anger. The former may be considered more newsworthy, but the latter will actually take steps towards solving problems.

This proverb is true for a whole town and even a whole nation when the agitators are in power. Yet the wise won’t waste their time identifying the mockers, but calming the angry.

PRAYER: Dear Father, help us to be wise and to calm the angry, offering Your peace to all. Deliver our churches, towns, and nation from the mockers and agitators who stir up trouble. Help us to resist joining in the anger and to always be peacemakers. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14 NKJV).

From: December 5, 2017

“In Him,” namely, “in Christ,” we have confidence before the Father. For this reason Hebrews teaches us to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16). And the apostle Paul writes that in Christ “we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him” (Eph. 3:12).

In Christ, we are God’s children. Everything that is Christ’s, is now ours. The currency of the kingdom is asking. As James taught, “You have not because you ask not” (James 4:2). And as Jesus taught, let us, “Ask, seek, knock” (Matt. 7:7-8). So, ask!

Yet, let us pray according to God’s will, for this is how Christ Himself prayed, saying, “Not my will, but Thine be done” (Luke 22:42).

“Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12 ESV)

From: December 5, 2016

Many search for the fountain of youth. Yet, eternal life is not found in a fountain, nor a serum or medical procedure. It is found in Christ alone. Eternal life is in the Son of God. He is the Son that was given “unto us” (Isa. 9:7). He is the “only begotten” that God has given (John 3:16). Do you wonder how to know whether you have eternal life? Do you have the Son? Have you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Got Jesus? Got life!

“Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days” (Hosea 3:5 NKJV)

From: December 5, 2015

God called the prophet Hosea to illustrate Israel’s idolatry by taking a harlot for a wife. Another detail of God’s character was here revealed. His love for Israel is like a husband’s jealous love (Exclusive love, not like the world’s jealousy). And when Israel worshiped other gods or burned incense to the baals, it was as adultery against God. Yet, God’s mercy and forgiveness are also revealed, in that He had plans to buy His people back from adultery. So, He had Hosea go and do the same (Hos. 3:2). God did all this so that in the “latter days” the children of Israel would return and seek the Messiah, which is Christ the Lord (“David their king”). This is still an unfulfilled prophecy, but a day is coming when a great revival will occur among the Jews and many will finally receive Christ as their Messiah.

“Mockers can get a whole town agitated, but the wise will calm anger” (Proverbs 29:8 NLT)

From: December 5, 2014

A timely word from the book of Proverbs for today. Is your goal to “agitate” others with that which has agitated you? Or is it your desire to “calm” others with wisdom, so that the truth of the matter may be revealed? The mocker will incite rioting and destruction in the streets, but the wise will look for solutions without anger. The former may be considered more newsworthy, but the latter will actually take steps towards solving problems.

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13)

From: December 5, 2013

John explained his purpose for writing his first epistle. It was to assure new believers of their salvation in Christ. This letter is still a great place for new believers to begin their Bible studies. When we receive Jesus as Savior, believing in His name and trusting Him as Lord, we can have confidence in our relationship to Him and our future with Him. As newly adopted children we may struggle with separation anxiety, but God says, “never will I leave you, never will I forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). You can “know” with confident assurance that when you “got” Jesus, you “got” eternal life.