Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for May 5

DOING GOD’S WILL NOURISHES THE SOUL

From: May 5, 2023

‘Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work”‘ (John 4:34 NLT).

When the disciples returned from the town of Sychar with food for lunch, they found Jesus at Jacob’s well speaking with a Samaritan woman. They encouraged Jesus to eat something, but He answered that He had food of a kind they knew nothing about. When they didn’t understand what He meant, He explained that doing the will of God was His nourishment.

Certainly, physical food is needed for the physical body to live. Jesus was not denying that. However, He was teaching His disciples a deeper truth, namely that God has a purpose for our lives. Our eating and drinking are necessary, but secondary to the purpose of our souls, which is to do that for which we were created. All other purposes become secondary to the purpose of doing God’s will for our lives.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we have many needs and you meet the all through Christ Jesus. Yet, we often neglect our deepest need, which is to do Your will. We surrender our lives to You afresh today to do Your will. May Your kingdom come today in our lives. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done” (Psalm 105:1 NLT).

From: May 5, 2022

THE WITNESS OF WORSHIP

This is a call to both worship and witness. We might even say that it is a call to the kind of worship that is in itself a witness to the peoples of the world.

The psalmist called the people of Israel to begin their worship with thanks to the Lord. He urged them to call upon the Lord by name, ascribing to Him His many attributes. In addition to calling Him by name, they were instructed to call out His many deeds.

This is a great way to begin our worship. Indeed, it’s a great way to begin each day. Let us sing and tell the world what God has done for us through Jesus Christ, His Son!

PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, we give You thanks. For everything we have is from You. We call upon the name of Your Son, Jesus. He is our Savior. He is our Lord. He is our Great Physician, our Great High Priest, the Lion of Judah, and Wonderful Counselor. Father, through Jesus, You have paid for our sins and opened a new and better way for our salvation. You have adopted us into Your family and called us Sons and made us coheirs with Christ. O how You have loved us! Now, we express our thanks. We declare You name and attributes. Strengthen us to make known Your salvation among the nations. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could this be the Messiah?” (John 4:29 HCSB).

From: May 5, 2021

GO AND TELL THEM TO COME AND SEE

The Samaritan woman that Jesus met at Jacob’s well was ready to share Jesus with others after only one encounter. Jesus had given her the clearest statement concerning His identity that He had given anyone, simply saying, “I am He.” The woman ran back to her village, leaving her water jar behind, telling every neighbor and friend to “Come and see!”

In reading this account, I didn’t notice an evangelism class, nor any gospel tracts given out. Certainly, these are good things, but the Samaritan woman didn’t have them. She was just passionately excited about having met Jesus and couldn’t wait to tell others her testimony. She became Christ’s herald to her entire village, announcing His arrival and identity to everyone.

And what was the result of her simple approach? “Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus” because of the woman’s testimony (John 4:39).

PRAYER: Dear Father, strengthen us to go and tell others to come and see what Jesus has done in our lives and is doing in the lives of others. Forgive us for making it too complicated. Give us your holy urgency to always be talking about Jesus. In His name, amen.

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples! (Psalm 105:1 NKJV).

From: May 5, 2020

THE WITNESSING POWER OF WORSHIP

This is a call to worship. Not only that, it is a call to witness. We might even say that it is a call to the kind of worship that is in itself a witness to the peoples outside the faith.

The psalmist called the people of Israel to begin their worship with thanks to the Lord. He urged them to call upon the Lord by name, ascribing to Him His many attributes. In addition to calling Him by name, they were instructed to call out His many deeds.

This is a great way to begin our worship. Indeed, it’s a great way to begin each day!

PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, we give You thanks. For everything we have is from You. We call upon the name of Your Son, Jesus. He is our Savior. He is our Lord. He is our Great Physician, our Great High Priest, the Lion of Judah, and Wonderful Counselor. Father, through Jesus, You have paid for our sins and opened a new and better way for our salvation. You have adopted us into Your family and called us Sons and made us coheirs with Christ. O how You have loved us! Now, we express our thanks. We declare You name and attributes. Strengthen us make know Your salvation among the nations. In Jesus’ name, amen.

‘Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.”‘ (John 4:34 NLT).

From: May 5, 2019

DOING GOD’S WILL IS LIKE FOOD FOR THE SOUL

When the disciples returned from the town of Sychar with food for lunch, they found Jesus at Jacob’s well speaking with a Samaritan woman. They encouraged Jesus to eat something, but He answered that He had food of a kind they knew nothing about. When they didn’t understand what He meant, He explained that doing the will of God was His nourishment.

Certainly, physical food is needed for the physical body to live. Jesus was not denying that. However, He was teaching His disciples a deeper truth, namely that God has a purpose for our lives. Our eating and drinking are necessary, but secondary to the purpose of our souls, which is to do that for which we were created. All other purposes become secondary to the purpose of doing God’s will for our lives.

PRAYER: Dear Father, we have many needs and you meet the all through Christ Jesus. Yet, we often neglect our deepest need, which is to do Your will. We surrender our lives to You afresh today to do Your will. May Your kingdom come today in our lives. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” (John 4:29 NLT).

From: May 5, 2018

GO AND TELL THEM TO COME AND SEE

The Samaritan woman that Jesus met at Jacob’s well was ready to share Jesus with others after only one encounter. Jesus had given her the clearest statement concerning His identity that He had given anyone, simply saying, “I AM the Messiah!” The woman ran back to her village, leaving her water jar behind, telling every neighbor and friend to “Come and see!”

In reading this account, I didn’t notice an evangelism class, nor any gospel tracts given out. Certainly, these are good things, but the Samaritan woman didn’t have them. She was just passionately excited about having met Jesus and couldn’t wait to tell others her testimony. She became Christ’s herald to her village, announcing His arrival and identity to everyone.

And what was the result of her simple approach? “Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus” because of the woman’s testimony (John 4:39).

‘But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me”‘ (Ruth 1:20 NKJV).

From: May 5, 2017

When Naomi returned to her hometown of Bethlehem, the women of that small town hardly recognized her in such a downtrodden and depressed state. They asked one another, “Is this really Naomi?”

Naomi, whose name in Hebrew means, “pleasant,” had left Bethlehem years ago during a time of famine to go with her husband and her sons to live in the land of Moab. However, Moab became the place where she buried her husband and both of her sons. Now she was returning to Bethlehem with only the widow of one of her sons, a woman named Ruth. She told the women that had trouble recognizing her, “Don’t call me Naomi anymore. Call me Mara (which means “bitter”), because the Lord has dealt bitterly with me. For I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty.”

We tend to think in extremes when we are discouraged or depressed. We exaggerate the memory of a happier time in our former condition and overstate the troubles in our current one. Grief and loss easily turn into bitterness. Yet, as Naomi would soon learn, she had not returned as empty as she thought. For Ruth would soon show herself to be worth “seven sons” (Ruth 4:15). And Naomi would spend her later years in fullness and joy.

Are you empty or bitter today? Give it to the Lord in prayer. Who knows what wonderful blessings He holds in store for you tomorrow!

“In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons” (Ruth 1:1 ESV)

From: May 5, 2016

Ironically, in Bethlehem, the “House of Bread,” there was a famine. And rather than staying in the land that God had provided, Elimelech took his wife Naomi and two sons to “sojourn” in Moab. Like many best laid plans their “sojourn” turned into 10 long, hard years and ended in the death of all three men. After this, Naomi heard that the Lord had “visited” his people with bread, so she decided to return home. She was determined to get out of Moab and get back to God’s land of promise. Even her widowed, daughter-in-law, Ruth, was determined to go with her. Though Ruth was a Moabite, she desired a better estate, and by faith followed Naomi to Bethlehem.
Beware of sojourning in Moab. Return quickly to the Lord. The longer you stay out there, the harder it is to return. Yet, as both Naomi and Ruth learned, the Lord is full of lovingkindness and is ready to redeem those who come to Him.

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him” (John 4:23 NKJV)

From: May 5, 2015

Born again hearts and transformed minds required. Man-made worship will not do. Only the blood of the Lamb applied can prepare us for acceptable worship. Not time nor place. Not the style of music nor clothes you wear. No, to please God, we must worship in the way He prescribes– in spirit and in truth. God is seeking true worshipers.

“But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God'” (Ruth 1:16 NLT)

From: May 5, 2014

Ruth’s determination to stay with Naomi was surely based on a combination of love and faith. Even though Naomi could promise her no husband and no future, Ruth was willing to leave Moab and follow Naomi to Bethlehem. Her faithful love was rewarded. The Lord provided a Kinsmen-Redeemer for her named Boaz. And Ruth the Moabitess was grafted into the line of Judah, eventually becoming the grandmother of King David and being included in the gospel lineage of Jesus.