Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for June 20

“Everyone who believes in him is made right in God’s sight—something the law of Moses could never do.” (Acts 13:39 NLT).

From: June 20, 2019

HOW CAN WE BE MADE RIGHT WITH GOD?

Paul and Barnabas preached justification by faith in Christ alone while visiting the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch, which was a prominent Roman city located in what is now SW Turkey. This was on Paul’s first missionary journey. They made it clear that what the law of Moses could never do, namely, make us right with God through trying to keep the law, Christ had done (See Rom. 8:3).

The only way to be made right with God, to have our sins forgiven, is through believing in Jesus Christ. For it is by believing in Christ that His righteousness is imputed and applied to us.

I suppose they could’ve preached about the importance of placing our faith in Christ without mentioning the law of Moses. This would’ve made their preaching more palatable to the Jews. However, they wanted to make it clear that it was not faith in Christ plus the works of the law, but faith in Christ alone that makes us right with God. The law of Moses cannot save.

How can we be made right with God? “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31).

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You for sending Jesus to die in our place that we might believe in Him to receive His righteousness in place of our sin. Help us to share this Good News with our generation today, being careful not to add law-keeping to its message. For it is believing in Christ alone that saves. Empower us to proclaim this Good News as Your Son has commissioned us to do. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“And now we are here to bring you this Good News…” (Acts 13:32 NLT).

From: June 20, 2018

WHY ARE YOU HERE?

Paul and Barnabas traveled from Syrian Antioch to Antioch Pisidia (See Acts 13:14, in modern day Turkey), commissioned by the church to carry the gospel to the Gentiles. They were not tourists. They were not just passing through. They were “here” with a purpose. What purpose? To bring the Good News to the people in Antioch Pisidia.

Why are you “here?”

‘And Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of Him?”’ (1 Kings 22:7 NKJV).

From: June 20, 2017

Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, requested that Ahab, king of Israel, would inquire of the LORD before they united to go to war against Syria. Ahab gathered his 400 prophets and they all affirmed the Lord’s support. However, Jehoshaphat was a righteous king and he took note that the prophets were not worshipers of the LORD (In most English translations, all caps “LORD” is used to translate “Yahweh,” while “Lord” is used to translate “Adonai.”). He asked whether Ahab still had a “Yahweh” prophet. Ahab did, but he said that he hated him because the prophet never spoke good for him. Sure enough, when the Yahweh prophet was brought before the kings, he prophesied Ahab’s death, which in fact, came to pass.

The modern reader may consider Ahab foolish for preferring to surround himself with preachers that only encouraged him with lies, while rejecting the one who called him to repentance with the truth. Yet, Ahab’s generation is here today and Ahab’s prophets too. For as the apostle Paul warned, “the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (1 Tim. 4:3-4).

“David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers” (Acts 13:36 ESV)

From: June 20, 2016

What more fitting epitaph of your life might be given than that you served God’s purpose in your own generation? Such was the summary of David’s life offered by the apostle Paul. God has a purpose for your life. It is both general and specific. It is general in that every person whom God has made, was made to glorify Him. It is specific in that each of us is called to serve God’s purpose in our “own generation,” offering our unique God-given gifts to serve His call. Two questions: 1) Do you know your specific purpose? 2) Are you obeying and trusting God to do it? As Queen Esther was asked, “Who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).

“The Lord will work out his plans for my life— for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever” (Psalm 138:8)

From: June 20, 2012

David wanted God’s plan and trusted Him to work it out. When you pray, do you ask for God’s plan or do you ask Him to help with yours? When we call Christ “Lord,” we are giving up control of our lives and yielding it to Him. He is either Lord of all or not lord at all. Surrender you plans to God. His plans are better than ours.

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Prov.17:17)

From: June 20, 2011

This speaks of true friendship that continues strong through thick and thin. Do you have a friend like this? Does someone else count you as such a friend? Adversity is the test that reveals true friendship.