Daily Devotional
Can Our Conscience be Our Guide?
“And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.”
1 John 3:19-23
October 24, 2023
Ponder This
When you have love in your heart, you’re going to find a wonderful thing—your conscience will be clear. Your conscience is not an enemy; it is a friend, something unique put in you that God did not put into animals. Have you ever thought about it? Animals can’t blush and animals can’t laugh. A little boy once called the conscience the part of us that feels bad when everything else feels good. But that’s not really true. That may be the world’s frivolous definition of conscience, but it’s that part that God has put in each of us, to focus our actions and make moral judgments. The Bible teaches that everyone should have a good conscience. For believers in Jesus, the conscience is driven by the Holy Spirit.
In Acts 24:16, Paul said, “This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.” In Christ, when I learn to love and live by love, I’m going to have a good conscience. And when I have a good conscience, I’m going to have great confidence. And when I have great confidence, I’m going to have a gracious communion. The Holy Spirit will be whispering to my heart that I belong to Jesus and He to me.
- When was a time you remember the Holy Spirit led you by your conscience?
- How is this different than the way people outside of Jesus recognize the conscience?
Practice This
Consider where God might be leading you by His Spirit today. Respond in obedience.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
