Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for October 18

“O Lord, God of my salvation, I have cried out day and night before You. Let my prayer come before You; Incline Your ear to my cry.” (Psalm 88:1-2 NKJV).

From: October 18, 2017

The Lord is the God of salvation. And now, because of Jesus, we can truly call Him the God of “my” salvation. In Christ, we that were far away, have now been brought near. Although we may feel at times as the psalmist did, that our prayers go unheard and our tears unnoticed, we can be confident of our access to the Father through the Son. For all the rights and privileges of sonship are ours in Christ Jesus. Therefore, press on in prayer. The Lord hears. The Lord sees. He may be teaching us to desire Him more by allowing us to grow in persistent prayer.

“Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jeremiah 32:17 ESV)

From: October 18, 2016

From his imprisonment in the court of the king’s guard, and while the Babylonian siege threatened Jerusalem, Jeremiah prayed. He prayed to the Creator God whose power is so great that “nothing is too hard” for Him. Do you believe this? What circumstances are you facing that you doubt God’s power to overcome? Where have you given up? Remember how Jeremiah prayed. And remember how the angel Gabriel spoke to Mary about Christ’s conception saying, “For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37). Nothing is too hard for our God.

“for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?” (1 Timothy 3:5 NKJV)

From: October 18, 2015

Paul wrote two letters to Timothy to instruct him on how to pastor the church at Ephesus. In chapter three of his first letter, he gave qualifications for the selection of church “overseers” (ἐπίσκοπος, episkopos). The qualifications included several concerning a man’s family life. Why was family life so important one might ask? Paul explained that the same competency used to lead a family well was necessary in leading the church well. Why? Because the church is God’s family (Eph. 2:19).

“I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people” (Jeremiah 31:33b NLT)

From: October 18, 2014

God told the prophet Jeremiah of a new covenant that He would make with His people in the future. That future is now. The law is no longer written on stone tablets, but it is written by grace on the hearts of those who have believed and received the righteousness of Christ.

“I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jeremiah 31:33)

From: October 18, 2013

God told the prophet Jeremiah of a new covenant that He would make with His people in the future. That future is now. The law is no longer written on stone tablets, but it is written by grace on the hearts of those who have believed and received the righteousness of Christ.

“I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people” (Jeremiah 31:33)

From: October 18, 2012

God promised Jeremiah a New Covenant, one written on human hearts instead of tablets of stone. Isn’t this the New Covenant we have in Christ?

“The time is coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant…I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people” (Jeremiah 31:31-33)

From: October 18, 2011

We are the recipients of this New Covenant of which Jeremiah prophesied. It is Jesus the Christ that has redeemed us and given us these new minds and hearts.