Daily Devotional
How NOT to Live
“Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet.”
1 Kings 2:5
November 12, 2021
Ponder This
Joab fought alongside David. He fought for David. He worked for David. He respected David. He looked up to David, and he spent his entire life for David only to receive the wrath of David and the judgment of David at the end of his life. That’s a tragedy. The only thing sadder is for modern-day Christians to be in the church, work in the church, admire Jesus, respect Jesus, fight for Jesus, serve Jesus, but die and go to Hell under the wrath of Jesus. We should pay very close attention to a man who was very loyal and very lost. There are those today who will find the same to be true at the end of their lives. They may be like Joab in the Old Testament. They may be like Judas in the New Testament. It is vitally important that each day we assess the affections of our hearts and the motives of our service. Are you serving Jesus from a pure heart? Or are you serving like Joab?
- What are some ways we might serve Jesus like Joab or Judas today?
- How can you assess the real intentions of your heart each day?
Practice This
Take time to evaluate your service of Jesus today. Ask God to make clear to you if your motives are right or not.
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.’”
