Daily Devotional
We Belong to God’s Family
“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.”
1 John 2:3-6
October 4, 2023
Ponder This
We have two vital relationships as Christians. One is as a child when we’re born into the family of God. Sonship or daughtership is established and will never change. In a parallel way, I was born into the Rogers family. When the sun, the moon, and the stars have grown cold, my birth and my identity as a Rogers can never be undone. That’s the way it is when you’re born again.
But there’s another relationship that can change, and that is called fellowship. I am my father’s son, and when I was growing up, I always had relationship with him, but I didn’t always have fellowship. Sometimes when my dad would tell me to do something, and I would not listen, that would cause a rupture in fellowship, and my dad would carry out discipline. He was not abusive, and he did not just discipline out of spite; he did it because he loved me. Likewise, the Bible says, “For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives” (Hebrews 12:6). Sonship or daughtership is established by birth, and fellowship is established by conduct.
- What is your fellowship with God like right now? How could it grow?
- Why is it important to remember your unchanging status as God’s son or daughter when you are saved?
Practice This
Write down as area you would like to grow in your fellowship with God and ask a fellow Christian to keep you accountable in that area.
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.’”
