Daily Devotional
Do You See the Spiritual Needs Around You?
“I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.”
Romans 1:14-15
January 8, 2024
Ponder This
Suppose there is a man in this state sentenced to be executed for a capital crime. Suppose the governor of this state calls you and says, “I’m going to pardon that man.” And the governor tells you, “I want you to take this pardon to the prison and deliver it to the warden of the prison.” So, you take that pardon, put it in your pocket, and then remember your wife told you to pick up a gallon of milk on the way home, so you do that. Sometime later, you’re having your coffee and reading the newspaper and some print jumps out at you. The man that was pardoned has just been executed! You happen to be wearing the same coat and you pull out the pardon. He had been pardoned but you had never delivered the message. How would you feel? How will you feel when the clouds fall on the casket of your next-door neighbor, and you never ever even told him about Jesus Christ? What about your mother, your brother, your father, your sister? Paul said, “I am a debtor. I’ve been saved by the grace of God. Jesus paid it all … but all to Him I owe.” Do you know what this world needs? It needs followers of Jesus who have compassion for lost people. We’re blessed, but we are an island of blessing surrounded by an ocean of need.
- Who in your life shares the Gospel with urgency?
- What are some things that distract you from the spiritual needs of those around you?
Practice This
Make a list of the spiritual needs around you and pray for them.
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.’”
