Daily Devotional
Seeking God for the Wrong Reasons
"Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”
Acts 8:22-23
January 30, 2022
Ponder This
Do you know why so many churches have trouble? They are inhabited by bitter people who are in bondage. These people have met religion, but they’ve never met Jesus. They have never been broken at the foot of the cross. They’ve never laid their pride in the dust. They have come into a church, not for what they can give, but for what they can get. The Spirit of God is not in these people, and they are troublemakers everywhere they go because their religion has never satisfied them and it never can. They are disillusioned, they have unfulfilled desires, they got into religion for the wrong reason, and they never have satisfaction. Everywhere they go, they’re like Simon, full of bitterness and full of bondage. As Jesus reminded, those who know Him are not characterized most by bondage but by freedom.
- What are some wrong reasons people might seek God today?
- How can you know you are seeking Jesus for the right reasons?
Practice This
Make a list of your most prominent desires right now. Assess if these things point to a life that honors God or one that seeks selfish gain.
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.’”
