Pastor’s Bible Reading Schedule: 2 Samuel 11-12; 1 John 5
Devotional Thought:
Our motto for Faith Christian School staff last year was, “It must matter most to me what God thinks about my actions, my attitude, and the atmosphere that I create.” Here in 1 John 5, we find that God is addressing the attitude as well as the obedience. Serving the Lord with joy in our heart and an attitude that demonstrates excitement in our obedience is ultimately a family matter; we are serving our Heavenly Father and helping our brothers and sisters in Christ. “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments.” (vs. 2) In the very next verse, John reminds his readers that the commandments of God are not difficult. They are not grievous. The matter of obedience is a matter of where we place our faith. Do we really believe God’s word or not? Are we convinced that God’s ways with His parameters and boundaries are necessary and right? Do we believe there are things of the flesh and the world we should flee and guard ourselves against? Serving the Lord with a good attitude is really about faith. A teenager, who trusts his parents, does not strike an attitude when asked to do something or refrain from something. His poor attitude is seen when he thinks different than his authority and chooses to trust his own perspective rather than believing his authority is right. This is the exact case with our attitude toward living the Christian life. John challenges his readers in this chapter to remember where the source of their salvation lies. “He that believeth on the Son of God hath witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son.” (vs. 10) Believing what God has said regarding salvation redeems us, and we grow in our Christian life the same way. The joy of our salvation is translated into our everyday life when we believe what God has said about the Christian life and we obey His commandments. “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” (vs. 13) What a tremendous privilege we have to live every day believing what God has said!
Personal Requests:
• Lord, please help me to never doubt in the dark what you have clearly revealed to me in the light. During times of tough circumstances, you are still faithful and your word is still true; therefore, help me to always walk by faith.
• Lord, thank you for the victory to overcome the sin of the world and my flesh. Thank you for your word that is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
• Lord, thank you for the assurance of my salvation. Thank you for the power of the Holy Spirit and for His convincing power.