Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for July 15

A CHANGED HEART SEEKS GOD’S PRAISE

From: July 15, 2023

“No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people” (Romans 2:29 NLT).

Paul explained that the Jewish sign of circumcision was not sufficient to please God without the accompanying evidence of a heart changed by the Holy Spirit, which is the result of the new birth. Paul could’ve just as easily said that baptism, or church attendance, or some other outward religious work, was insufficient without a new heart. For only God can change the human heart.

And the one whose heart has been changed by God will seek the approval of God rather than men. For the one who is born again wants what the Father wants and seeks the Father’s approval in all things.

Whose approval do you seek? Whose applause do you long to hear? Praise God, for we have received the Father’s approval by believing and receiving His Son. For the Father is “well-pleased” (Mark 1:11) with His beloved Son.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You that we have received Your approval by receiving Your Son, Jesus. Now, help us to walk by faith in the One who has saved us and given us new and changed hearts. Help us to be filled with Your Holy Spirit at all times, so that our every thought and inclination are pleasing unto You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs” (Proverbs 19:11 NLT).

From: July 15, 2022

HAVE YOU LEARNED TO OVERLOOK WRONGS?

Are you easily angered or offended? If so, this is not the fault of others as you often feel, but it is your own self-disposition that perceives every word, a dig, and every look, a personal slight. You are looking for offense and you always find it.

Give your self-image to the Lord. Find your identity in Him. Let Christ show you a better way. Give Him your hurts and experience real healing. For hurt people, hurt people. But people who have received Christ’s healing are able to share His grace and comfort with others.

Finding your true identity and healing in Christ, you will have His self-control. You will develop the reputation of being un-offendable. For you will have taken on the meekness of Christ. This meekness is not weakness, but strength under control. For godly meekness is not thinking less of yourself, but rather, it is not thinking of yourself at all.

So, be “sensible” and stop taking everything so personally. Start living according to the unoffendable and glorious life of Christ!

PRAYER: Dear Father, even when we had offended You with our sin, You sent Your Son to offer Himself for our salvation. Teach us to be like You. Fill us with Your Spirit that we might bear spiritual fruit. Empower us to forgive others as You have forgiven us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Circumcision is of the heart—by the Spirit, not the letter. That man’s praise is not from men but from God.” (Romans 2:29 HCSB).

From: July 15, 2021

SEEK THE APPLAUSE OF THE ONE NOT THE MANY

Paul explained that the Jewish sign of circumcision was not sufficient to please God without the accompanying evidence of a heart changed by the Holy Spirit, which is the result of the new birth. Paul could’ve just as easily said that baptism, or church attendance, or some other outward religious work, was insufficient without a new heart. For only God can change the human heart.

The one with a new heart seeks the approval of God rather than men. For the one who is born again wants what the Father wants and seeks the Father’s approval in all things.

Whose approval do you seek? Whose applause do you long to hear? Praise God, for we have received the Father’s approval by believing and receiving His Son. For the Father is “well-pleased” (Mark 1:11) with His beloved Son.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You that we have received Your approval by receiving Your Son, Jesus. Now, help us to walk by faith in the One who has saved us and given us new and changed hearts. Help us to be filled with Your Holy Spirit at all times, so that our every thought and inclination are pleasing unto You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“I am in great distress. Please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man” (1 Chronicles 21:13 NKJV).

From: July 15, 2020

RELYING ON GOD’S GREAT MERCY

When David sinned against the Lord by calling for a census of Israel, the prophet Gad brought a word of warning to him from the Lord. God was going to judge Israel because of David’s sin, but He allowed David to choose from three possible judgments. David chose to put Israel in God’s hand. He repented of his sin and entrusted himself to God’s righteous judgment and great mercy.

Today, the Word of the Lord offers a choice to us. We may choose the mercy of God by repenting and receiving the Son of David, Jesus Christ, as our Lord and Savior. Or we may choose to stand on our own merits and receive the judgment due our sin.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we confess our sin. For we are tempted to depend on men and numbers rather than God, just as David did. Lord forgive us according to Your great mercy in Christ Jesus. Teach us to depend on You alone. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people” (Romans 2:29 NLT).

From: July 15, 2019

SEEKING THE APPLAUSE OF THE ONE

Paul explained that the sign of circumcision was not sufficient to please God without the accompanying evidence of a changed heart. And a heart changed by the Holy Spirit always seeks the approval of God rather than men. For the one who is born again wants what the Father wants and seeks the Father’s approval in all things.

Whose approval do you seek? Whose applause do you long to hear? Praise God, for we have received the Father’s approval by believing and receiving His Son. For the Father is “well-pleased” (Mark 1:11) with His beloved Son.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You that we have received Your approval by receiving Your Son, Jesus. Now, help us to walk by faith in the One who has saved us and given us new and changed hearts. Help us to be filled with Your Holy Spirit at all times, so that our every thought and inclination are pleasing unto You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“The Jews were entrusted with the whole revelation of God” (Romans 3:2 NLT).

From: July 15, 2018

SPECIAL REVELATION GIVEN

In chapter one of Romans, Paul wrote of God’s general revelation to all humanity through nature, how God’s creation revealed God’s character. In chapter two, he continued his argument for general revelation, explaining how human conscience is evidence of God’s righteousness. Now in chapter three, Paul moves to the doctrine of special revelation, which was given to the Jews. For God chose Abraham and his Seed to be the recipients of His Word revealed. For God “entrusted” His written revelation to the Jews, even ultimately the Living Word, Jesus Christ.

“For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God” (Romans 2:28-29 NKJV).

From: July 15, 2017

Paul wrote that the outward signs of Judaism were inadequate for proving their faith. What matters is the inner life, the circumcision of the heart. For “man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). This principle is also true for the one who would claim to be a Christian. It’s implications are:

– Outward religion is less important than inner relationship. Have you become a child of God through faith in Christ?

This means that…

– Being born into a Christian family does not make us so.

– Baptism without heart change will not save.

– Profession of faith through creed or prayer alone will not save.

– Church attendance and generosity alone will not save.

As Jesus said, “You must be born again of the Spirit” (John 3:5). Have you received Jesus as Lord and Savior, so that you are born again by His Spirit?

“Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense” (Proverbs 19:11 ESV)

From: July 15, 2016

Are you easily angered or offended? If so, this is not the fault of others as you often feel, but it is your own self-disposition that perceives every word, a dig, and every look, a personal slight. Give your self-image to the Lord. Let Christ teach you of your own self. Find your identity in Him. Then, you will have His wisdom to be slow to anger. You will develop the reputation of being un-offendable. For you will have taken on the meekness of Christ. And meekness is not weakness, but strength under control. Meekness is not thinking less of yourself, but rather, it is not thinking of yourself at all. So, it is “good sense” to stop taking everything so personally. And to start living according to the unoffendable and glorious life of Christ.

“I am in great distress. Please let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are very great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man” (1 Chronicles 21:13 NKJV)

From: July 15, 2015

When David sinned against the Lord by calling for a census of Israel, the prophet Gad brought a word of warning to him. God was going to judge Israel because of David’s sin, but He allowed David to choose from three possible judgments. David chose to put Israel in God’s hand. He repented of his sin and entrusted himself to God’s righteous judgment and great mercy.
Today, the Word of the Lord offers a choice to us. We may choose the mercy of God by repenting and receiving the Son of David, Jesus the Christ. Or we may choose the judgment of God by choosing to stand on our own merits.

“But the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth” (Psalm 11:4 NLT)

From: July 15, 2014

After others expressed their fearful advice to David, he responded with confidence in the Lord’s sovereignty. Their advice suggested that the “foundations of law and order” in their nation had “collapsed” and that the best thing for David to do was to “fly like a bird” and hide in the mountains. But David declared his faith that God still reigns, that God still sees and knows in spite of circumstantial evidence to the contrary. When we despair that our nation and our world is filled with injustice and violence, and it seems that God is absent from the earth’s affairs, we can declare our faith in the Lord’s sovereignty. We can call on the One who still rules and watches closely. He will answer in His good timing.