Knowing God Devotional is an online daily devotional written by Andrews Baah Kwafo, the president of The Bible Daily Network.
When Jesus denied to listen to his unbelieving brothers to go publicly to the festival of Tabernacles in John 7, He did it as a wise man. He later went privately, after they left Him alone. Sometimes, to ease off your pressure, spend some time with God alone, so that other peoples’s voices will become silent.
One time, a man came to Jesus and told him to divide an inheritance with his brother. Jesus could have done it. But he said, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” (Luke 12:14). So Jesus, with all His authority and popularity, still had boundaries in His mind concerning where He must exercise His spiritual sovereignty. God sent Him to die and take away the sin of the world (John 1:29), not to settle family disputes. What about you? Do you know your specific calling?
In an information-saturated world and social media, it has become common for people to follow and listen to specific ministers of Christ online. All these things are good. But the truth is, God doesn’t replace any of them. Who you’re listening to is also listening to God, who gave him the message he’s preaching. So follow ministers once what they’re teaching is leading you to Christ.
God is faithful. When He sees that you’re concerned with fulfilling the corporate vision of Christ by labouring in His kingdom in every area of your influence, He’ll help you and provide what you need for both your private life and for doing His work.
Refine your motives for praying, work, education, ministry, business, and everything else you do in your life. Check the primary thing that inspires you for what you’re doing. Is it simply to get money for yourself or to get money to support yourself, your family and the ministry? God weighs our motives (Proverbs 16:2 NIV) for whatever we’re doing, and He’ll judge them too. You can deceive man by hiding your intentions, but not God.
One of the things he did to sustain his spiritual intimacy with God was to build a culture of praising God seven times daily (Psalm 119:164). In those days, there wasn’t anything like phone reminders, alarms or task schedule apps. There was no technology at all. However, he made sure to structure his entire daytime well; so that he’d dedicate certain specific times to praise God. What are you doing with your devices?
Offences will come between people who dwell in love. And when it’s one-time, it can and should be forgiven and overlooked with a conscious decision. Nevertheless, when such an act becomes repetitive, it doesn’t only require forgiveness but also open rebuke. Why? Because if that person doesn’t get confronted with his fault, he will keep doing it and think nothing is wrong with his attitude.
I want to encourage you that it pays to make a lot of sacrifices in order to live on purpose. You might not see the immediate benefits of your good work today. But it’s compounding to a great tomorrow that you’ll be shocked if God reveals it to you.
Your possessions, both material and immaterial, can become a god to you when you decide to exalt them above the God who gave them to you. Sometimes, it’s easy to forget that you have what you have today because you received it. No gift in Christ is for sale. Instead, it’s to help you accomplish your divine mandate and also to help others.
Proverbs 12:1 says that it’s only a stupid person that hates correction. Yes, it’s sometimes uncomfortable to get rebuked. But if you’ll look at how God will use those situations to refine your character, you’ll unimaginably experience spiritual transformation.
“Where are you sowing now?” This question isn’t about who sees or doesn’t see your work. It’s personal. Are you sowing in the Spirit by engaging in spiritual activities that’ll build you up in Christ — such as prayer, Word study, Christian book reading and fasting? Or are you sowing in the flesh by using your body as an instrument of unrighteousness?
Have you ever seen an ant walking in a closed bottle before? It’s so little, and no matter how much effort it puts in, it can never get out of the bottle by itself. In the same way, God is mightier than you. The Holy Spirit in you is greater than you, although you can’t see it. So when you walk in the Spirit, you’re actually submitting yourself to live and do everything in the confines of the Holy Spirit.
