Lovers of truth, God did not call us from a life of sin and shame to be our part time love.  God wants us to serve Him heart, mind, body and soul; therefore, we cannot just make an appearance at church whenever we feel stressed out over some circumstance in our life or whenever we have some ambition we want God to grant us.  Part time loving may work for your spouse and perhaps your mother may continually put up with your foolishness, but I would have you to know that God is not like man.  Please understand that God is not to be played with as though He were a toy.  Lies are not going to pacify His righteous indignation over stubbornness in the face of the Spirit’s instruction.  When the Spirit of God admonishes us to be more devout in our relationship with God, we need to listen and not refuse the wisdom of God.  Realize that God is not like a gullible spouse or trusting mother who is easily manipulated by insincere and cunning words.  God knows who you are and He knows if you are truly accepting of His leadership in your life.  Now, you can offer up false praise, do whatever you desire, profess to be more than a Christian in name only, but the truth remains: God wants His chosen to serve Him with their all. 

 

Devotional reading for this week:  Matthew 22:35-38 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment.  (KJV)

 

Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.  (KJV)

 

Devotional reflection for this week:  What does it mean to treat God as a part time love?  What steps can I pursue to make sure I do not take my relationship with Jesus for granted?  Why is it so important to allow the Holy Spirit to teach us after we have been saved?

 

Devotional prayer:  Gracious Heavenly Father, bless me to ever serve you with the totality of my being.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.  Amen.

 

May Jesus bless you as you honestly think through the questions raised in the devotional reflection for this week.

 

Love,

 

Pastor Patrick Neil Addison, Sr.