Daily Devotional
Choosing to Obey God
“But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men.’”
Acts 5:29
January 20, 2022
Ponder This
You cannot obey God unless He enables you to do so: “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). And “it is God who works in [us] both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Obedience to God is like breathing. Is breathing a gift of God? Of course it is. God gives you lungs and God gives you air. But you can suffocate if you want. Obedience is a gift of God in the sense that God gives you the will—God works in you—but there comes a decision, and God is not going to force you to obey Him. We can’t shrug our shoulders and say, “Well, if God wants it to happen, it’ll happen.” No! There is a decision to be practiced. You must say, “I will obey Him.”
- Where are you currently faced with a decision of obedience or disobedience?
- How will you respond today?
Practice This
Take steps toward obedience in a specific situation in your life today.
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.’”
