Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for October 15

“Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, Lest you be filled with it and vomit” (Proverbs 25:16 NKJV)

From: October 15, 2020

DO YOU ALWAYS WANT MORE?

Solomon pondered the question, “Can you ever have too much of a good thing?”

In short, his answer was in the affirmative. He advised that you should practice moderation, eating “only as much as you need,” so that you wouldn’t make yourself sick.

But we have a problem. We’re all born with a sin nature that the Bible calls the “flesh.” The flesh always wants more. It is never satisfied. God gave Adam and Eve every tree and every fruit in the garden, but one. Yet, they had to have that one. We are their children. We eat too much, drink too much, sleep too much, spend too much, say too much… We desire too much, always to excess. We always want more.

Be warned. Our sin nature has an insatiable appetite. It always drives us to excess. What we need is a new nature, one born from above. We need a new nature that is born again by the Holy Spirit, so that we have the spiritual fruit of self-control. Then, we will be able to enjoy the good things of life… in moderation, “eating only as much as we need.”

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for Your many blessings. Help us to have self-control and to only desire our daily bread, instead of consuming next month’s. And then wondering what went wrong. Teach us to be content with what we have. And to enjoy peace without being anxious always wanting more. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Give them my entire message; include every word. Perhaps they will listen and turn from their evil ways” (Jeremiah 26:2b-3a NLT).

From: October 15, 2019

PREACHING THE WORD WHOLE

God told the prophet Jeremiah to preach the “entire message” that He had gave him. God’s purpose was to warn His people of their sins, so that they might repent, not to tickle their ears. God’s instruction to Jeremiah is the same to those who would preach God’s Word today. We are to preach the whole Word, not leaving out the unpleasant parts. Medicine is ineffective absent its active ingredients. Preaching the entire gospel message is what opens people’s hearts to repentance and salvation.

PRAYER: Dear Father, help us to give out the entire message when we preach and teach. We confess that we sometimes wonder whether people far from You will be able to understand, but we forget that it is Your Spirit that opens their ears and not the eloquence of our preaching. So we recommit to You our desire to give out the Good News whole, including every word, so that people will perhaps listen and repent. Thank You for calling us to go and make disciples. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16 NLT).

From: October 15, 2018

A BENEDICTION OF SHALOM

Although Paul wrote this letter to the Thessalonians in Greek, as a Jewish background believer he almost certainly had the Hebrew word, “shalom,” in mind when he offered this benediction of peace. Certainly, the word includes the idea of a cessation of hostility, but even more it means that all things are well and at rest. It is the “Lord of Peace” who gives us this peace. For in Christ we have peace with God (Rom. 5:1). After His reconciling peace makes us right in our vertical relationship with God, it works inward to give us peace in our minds and hearts and then outward to work peace into our horizontal relationships with others. The Lord Jesus Himself is our shalom, our peace. When we abide in Christ, we have shalom in our souls.

“Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, Lest you be filled with it and vomit.” (Proverbs 25:16 NKJV)

From: October 15, 2017

Solomon answers the question, “Can we ever have too much of a good thing?” In short, his answer is, “Yes.” Instead, we should practice moderation, “eating only what we need.”

Our problem: We’re all born with a sin nature that the Bible calls the “flesh.” The flesh always wants more. It is never satisfied. God gave Adam and Eve every tree and every fruit in the garden, but one. Yet, they had to have the one. We are their children. We eat too much, drink too much, sleep too much, say too much… we desire too much, always to excess. We always want more.

Be warned. We have a self-inflicted sickness. It comes from the sin nature, which is the flesh. It has an insatiable appetite. It always drives us to excess. What we need is a new nature, one born from above. We need a new nature that is born again by the Holy Spirit, so that we have the spiritual fruit of self-control. Then, we will be able to enjoy the good things of life… in moderation, “eating only as much as we need.”

“Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” (Psalm 85:6 ESV)

From: October 15, 2016

Do you need to be revitalized? Has life lost its joy? When no amount of rest and relaxation seems to revive you. When recreation does not distract you from a dull discouragement. Where will you turn? The Psalmist tells us to turn to the Lord, to ask Him for life and joy!

“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you” (2 Thessalonians 3:1 NKJV)

From: October 15, 2015

Paul’s prayer: May the Word spread quickly and be held in honor by all. Paul asked the Thessalonians to join him in praying that the gospel would go out unhindered and be accepted, just as they had accepted it. Would you join me in praying Paul’s prayer? That the Word of God would “run swiftly” in our city, our region, our country and in our world. And that it would be “glorified,” in human hearts as they receive it as the gospel of God.

“Give them my entire message; include every word. Perhaps they will listen and turn from their evil ways. Then I will change my mind about the disaster I am ready to pour out on them because of their sins” (Jeremiah 26:2b-3 NLT)

From: October 15, 2014

God told the prophet Jeremiah to preach the “entire message.” God’s purpose was to warn His people of their sins, so that they might repent, not to tickle their ears. God’s instruction to Jeremiah is the same to those who would preach God’s Word today. We are to preach the whole Word, not leaving out the unpleasant parts. Medicine is ineffective absent its active ingredients. Preaching the entire gospel message is what opens people’s hearts to repentance and salvation.

“Let me hear what God the LORD will speak” (Psalm 85:8)

From: October 15, 2013

Whether we come with questions seeking answers or desiring to start the day to the sound of the Savior’s voice, God still speaks to those who seek Him. We sometimes complain of God’s silence, when it’s our hearing that’s at fault. Today, I begin by listening and saying to myself, “Let me hear…”

“Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living” (2 Thessalonians 3:11-12)

From: October 15, 2012

Paul warned the believers at Thessalonica about wanting to be served when they should be serving others. One of the marks of a gospel movement in a formerly unreached locale is that new believers stop drinking and carousing and go to work, supporting their families and community. This has the effect of cultural lift on an entire city. Christ followers are workers. They are givers, not takers.

“May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance” (2 Thessalonians 3:5)

From: October 15, 2011

A beautiful Trinitarian blessing. May the Spirit, who abides and fills you, direct your hearts to be immersed into God’s love and girded by Christ’s unstoppable perseverance. The 1st-Century Christians had no buildings or institutions, but they had all of God and turned the world upside down!