Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for October 15

DON’T GROW WEARY IN DOING GOOD

From: October 15, 2025

“As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good” (2 Thessalonians 3:13 ESV).

Paul’s words come near the close of his second letter to the Thessalonian believers. Some among them had grown idle, refusing to work, meddling in others’ affairs, and living off the generosity of the faithful. Rather than laboring quietly and responsibly, they had become distractions and burdens to the church. In contrast, Paul commended those who were faithfully working and urged them not to lose heart. The command, “do not grow weary in doing good,” is both pastoral and protective: pastoral, because Paul wanted to encourage the diligent; protective, because he didn’t want their discouragement to spread like the idleness of others. The Greek carries the sense of “don’t lose courage” or “don’t let discouragement cause you to stop.”

Paul reminds them that faithfulness in daily labor and service is itself a form of doing good. He wanted them to keep working as unto the Lord, not because everyone around them was doing their part, but because their true Master was Christ (cf. Col. 3:23).

There will always be those around us who seem to do less, give less, or care less. Their lack of diligence can tempt us to wonder if our own faithfulness matters. But Paul’s exhortation still speaks: Don’t grow weary. Keep doing the good work God has assigned you. Whether it’s serving in the church, raising a family, or working faithfully in your job, your labor is not in vain in the Lord (1 Cor. 15:58).

Don’t let the idleness of others drain your zeal. Remember who you’re working for. God sees. God rewards. The call is to stay faithful even when recognition or results seem distant.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for giving us work to do in Your name. When we feel unseen or discouraged, remind us that we’re serving You, not men. Strengthen our hands to keep doing good and our hearts to keep trusting You. Help us to finish life’s race with faithfulness and joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.

ARE YOU WALKING IN IDLENESS?

From: October 15, 2024

“For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living” (2 Thessalonians 3:11-12 ESV).

Paul warned the believers at Thessalonica about those who “walked in idleness.” He warned that instead of being busy at work, they had become busybodies. Paul’s warning has been restated in the cliche’, “idle hands are the devil’s playthings.” For idleness of the hands often leads to busyness of the mouth. This is why Paul commanded that “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” (10).

The Bible has a high view of work. It has a high view of service. Not in earning salvation, which is the work of Christ alone. But in doing the work to which God has called each of us. As Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10).

One of the marks of a gospel movement in a formerly unreached locale is that new believers stop drinking, carousing, and being idle, 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. As followers of Christ, they live to serve, not to be served.

PRAYER: Dear Father, strengthen our hands to be busy working for You. Help us to work quietly, not gossiping and judging others, but to do good works as You have ordained. And when we are tired, teach us to rest in You. For You are our strength and our Sabbath rest. In Jesus’ name, amen.

A BENEDICTION OF SHALOM

From: October 15, 2023

“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).

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. Shalom is more than a cessation of hostility. It is a deep and abiding state of rest and a sense that all things are well and that all things will be well.

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.

Are you going through a time or situation that causes anxiety? Pray. Turn your worries into prayers and let the peace of Christ flood your soul. As we read in Philippians, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7).

PRAYER: Dear Father, we lift our worries up to You. For You alone are able to give us true peace. Even though we still face trials and troubles in this world, we know that all things will be well. For You are our God. You are our peace. Strengthen us to serve You today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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

From: October 15, 2022

HAVE YOU HEARD GOD’S ENTIRE MESSAGE?

God told the prophet Jeremiah to preach the “entire message” that He had given 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 today. Medicine is ineffective absent its active ingredients. Preachers are to preach the whole Word, not leaving out the unpleasant parts. And hearers are to listen to every word, especially the parts that convict, and turn from their sin. Reading and hearing the entire message is what opens people’s hearts to repentance and salvation. The power is in the Word, not the eloquence of the preacher.

We need the whole Word. That’s why we encourage others to join us in reading the One Year Bible. We’re getting a dose of God’s entire message every day, 365 days a year.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for Your Word. May we swallow it whole. For it is both food and medicine for our souls. Help us to give it out whole when we teach and preach. Help us to apply the entire message to our lives and repent of anything that displeases You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

“If you find honey, eat only what you need; otherwise, you’ll get sick from it and vomit.” (Proverbs 25:16 HCSB)

From: October 15, 2021

CAN YOU HAVE TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING?

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 what you need,” so that you won’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.

“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!