Based on “The Name of Jesus – Confess and Bow” by Pastor Mark Balmer;
8/14-15/10, Message #6059; Daily Devotional #6 - “We Should Know Better”
Preparing the Soil (Introduction): ‘Obedient’ is not a term we like to use to describe ourselves. We all like to think that “we wear the pants” or “steer the ship” whether we are at work or at home. As followers of Christ we must not only accept the gift of salvation, but also become an obedient servant to our Father in heaven. Jesus modeled this perfectly from the beginning of His ministry on earth all the way to His final moments on the cross. By submitting Himself completely to the will of His Father in heaven, Jesus was able to complete the Lord’s purpose for Him and received the ultimate reward in heaven.
Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): Growing up, I had a “few” transgressions that brought the judgment of my parents to my teenage doorstep. I remember one of the toughest things my mom could tell me was that I should know better. I remember the disappointment in myself that accountability for my actions would bring. In this week’s service, I was reminded of that feeling when the teaching lead us to “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21) Jesus teaches that we will be directly accountable for our actions here on earth. Someday, I will stand before the Father and, when faced with all my wasted time here on earth, He will be totally just in saying that I should know better. I am responsible to God’s purpose for me above all other things, and I should make knowing His will my highest priority. We are to look to God “As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master…” (Psalm 123:2) In the days of the Old Testament, when the master had guests, the servants would watch the master’s hand for obscure signals known only between them. From the eyes of the master’s guests it would appear as though the servant’s actions were perfectly orchestrated without the need of verbal instruction. We as Christ followers must pay attention so that any opportunity to serve our Master is not missed.
Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): The Word tells us that we will be accountable for our time on Earth, So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12) It is important to realize that as Christ followers, we will be required to not only accept the gift of salvation but to also submit ourselves completely to God’s purpose. We as Christ followers “know better;” we have been taught the awful penalty of our sin. To casually go through life not willing to step out of our comfort zone for the sake of our fellow man will be without excuse in the eyes of our Lord. During quiet meditation on the Word, be sure to listen for the Holy Spirit in trying to determine if an action is worth your precious time or if a tough decision will steer you closer to God’s purpose for your life.
Cultivating (Additional Reading): 1 John 4:21; Hebrews 10:24
WSK
Calvary Chapel of Melbourne; 2955 Minton Road; W. Melbourne, FL 32904; 321-952-9673
All Bible references are from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise noted.