Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for July 16

“Now the Levites will no longer need to carry the Tabernacle and its furnishings from place to place.” (1 Chronicles 23:26 NLT).

From: July 16, 2019

TRANSITIONING FROM PORTABLE TO PERMANENT

David made preparations for the Temple to be built in Jerusalem. He gathered the materials for the building and gave his son, Solomon instructions for its construction. He instructed the Levites on how to transition from their former ministry of carrying and setting up the portable Tabernacle, to the new roles necessary for serving at the permanent Temple in Jerusalem. This was an important part of David’s preparation for the ministry of the new Temple. For what is a new and beautiful building without the necessary ministers to serve in it? Yet, I wonder how moving from portable to permanent affected the faith of Israel? Did they suddenly relax, thinking they had finally arrived?

Our church was portable for 19 years, meeting at homes, schools, and other church and civic buildings that we rented. We were known as the “roadie church” because we could set up sound equipment, staging, seats, and nursery and children’s equipment in any space within an hour or so. We could have “church” anywhere.

The transition from portable church to a permanent location took place 8 years ago. Our attendance has doubled and we are still growing. Yet, there is a culture from our portable days that we have tried our best to retain. We still want to be the church on the move, joining Jesus on the mission field in our city, region, and world. We can’t let having a permanent home make us lazy about going out to make disciples. We want to be pioneers, not settlers. We have not arrived. Having a building is not the goal. We are a people on mission. The church is not a place it’s a people!

PRAYER: Dear Father, don’t let us lose our missionary zeal for reaching our city. Let the Spirit burn bright within us, so that we have a white-hot passion for witnessing. Thank you for giving us a permanent home, but don’t let us think of a place as the church. We are the church and Your Son is the Head. Send us out with power. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23 NLT).

From: July 16, 2018

SIN MEANS MISSING THE MARK

All humanity has missed the mark of God’s righteousness. Therefore, all humanity falls short of being able to get right with God by our own effort. For even our best efforts are as “filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6) before the Lord. The word “sin” seems to have origins as an archery term, meaning to have missed the mark, or to have missed the bulls eye. So, we have all missed the bulls eye.

For this reason, God provided One who fulfilled the law, One who never missed the mark, to pay for our sin. He took our sin, separation and death and offers His righteousness, Sonship, and eternal life. His name is Jesus and He alone has hit the mark, so that by faith in Him we might be saved from our sin and made right with the Father.

‘four thousand praised the Lord with musical instruments, “which I made,” said David, “for giving praise.”’ (1 Chronicles 23:5 NKJV).

From: July 16, 2017

David not only provided the materials and plans for the building of the Temple, he also organized the Levites for its service. Among those he set apart were 4,000 he chose for praising the Lord with musical instruments which were made according to his instruction.

David was a well known musician and song writer himself. He wrote most of the 150 psalms we have in our Bible. He included inscriptions at the beginning of many of his psalms for the musicians who would perform them. For instance, today’s One Year Bible psalm reading, Psalm 12, instructs the Chief Musician to have it played “on an eight-stringed harp.”

David’s vision for worship was all-encompassing. He planned and provided for every detail, including the musicians, instruments and even the songs they would perform. Yet, he never saw his dream fulfilled. He left it all in the hands of his son, Solomon to accomplish.

Although the Lord didn’t allow David to build the Temple, He was David’s inspiration for planning it. Even the songs and musical instruments that David made were echoes of heaven’s worship that David heard from the Spirit that anointed him.

“…Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith…” (Romans 3:24-25 ESV)

From: July 16, 2016

What is “propitiation?” In the original Greek, the word is ἱλαστήριον, hilastérion. It is a sin offering put forth to satisfy and appease the wrath of God towards sin. It may also refer to the mercy seat, which was the covering of the ark, upon which the blood of the lamb was sprinkled on the Day of Atonement. Propitiation involves two parts: 1) It satisfies the offended party’s need for judgment, and 2) It reconciles the offender to the offended party. Since the “wages of sin is death” (Rom. 3:23), the only acceptable justice is death. Yet God, the offended party, put forth His own propitiation for us in the offering of the blood of Christ Jesus, satisfying both His holiness and His love. At the cross we see both the terrible ugliness of our sin and the awesome love of God intermingled. For God’s great love and holiness are there displayed. Those who have “received by faith” this propitiation are now completely forgiven of their sins and fully reconciled to God.

“being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood” (Romans 3:24-25 NKJV)

From: July 16, 2015

Two important words concerning salvation are named here: “Redemption” and “propitiation.” Redemption means that we been purchased out of slavery to sin by Christ offering Himself as our ransom. He took our sin and offers His righteousness to us. Propitiation means that Christ satisfied God’s judgment and wrath towards our sin by taking it upon Himself. He took our death and offers us His eternal life. These two great doctrines of salvation are worthy of our constant wonder and meditation. How great is the mercy and love of God that He has shown through Christ Jesus!

“We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ” (Romans 3:22 NLT)

From: July 16, 2014

We are not able to keep the law of God. It is holy and perfect. We are not. Yet, God made a way for us through Jesus, who fulfilled the law and paid sin’s penalty in our place. When we “place our faith” in Christ, God counts us as righteous. A great exchange has taken place. Jesus took our sin, our death and our separation from God. So that we might receive His righteousness, His eternal life and His Sonship. Jesus paid it all, so that we might be “made right with God” by simply “placing our faith” in Him.

“No one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are” (Romans 3:20)

From: July 16, 2012

The law is a mirror, looking we see our sin. Some turn away and try to forget. Some put on makeup and cover up, pretending they are good. Others admit their sin and come to Jesus, being made right with God by faith.

“The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times” (Psalm 12:6)

From: July 16, 2011

Those who schedule daily updates have minds that run smoothly and virus-free. Daily meditation on God’s flawless Word is a spiritual discipline that purifies our state of mind. Have you decided to make this your habit yet?

“Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God” (1 Chronicles 22:19)

From: July 16, 2010

Last words of David to his son and leaders. David wanted his son, Solomon, and the Levites to build the temple he had wanted to build himself. He instructed them and provided materials for them in this. Apparently, it was the thing on his mind most in his last days.