Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 73:7-12
Ps 73:7-12
7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. 8 They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. 9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. 10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. 11 They say, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?” 12 This is what the wicked are like--always carefree, they increase in wealth.
Rom 1:21-25
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
God’s patience and kindness has long been mistaken for his lack of concern of our behavior or as his non-existence. It is neither. God wants everyone to serve him and we are told that he jealously desire the spirit he made to live in each of us. He wants all of us to be saved from the hell he prepared for the devil and his angels and to live with him in eternity. His desire is that all turn to him in faith and in obedience serve Jesus as their Lord and King.
But God will not force any of us to trust him, obey him or live for him. He will not make us enjoy the blessings and joy of heaven. He will not force us to have the peace he affords in the midst of a troubled world. He leaves the choice up to us to decide how we will live our lives. We have the right to choose how we live but we will also be held accountable for that choice. Do not be deceived, whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.
So each day we make the choice that Joshua offered the people of Israel. We decide if we will serve the Lord God of heaven or if we will serve the gods of this world. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!
Lord God, giver of life and my very breath, I thank you for your love shown to me in giving your Son to die for my sin. Help me re-commit my life to you every day and then be true to that commitment all day. Open my eyes to your will and to the opportunities to serve you and use me in your service. I ask your blessings on those who are serving you in places where they face persecutions, and in places where natural disasters have made their lives so difficult. Help me be kind and loving today to everyone I meet. I pray in the name of Jesus my Savior.
Robert
