Daily Devotional - 9/14

Focus Letter - N


Pray for:
Five things you are grateful for beginning with the focus letter
Five people whose first or last name begins with the focus letter
A place that begins with the focus letter
A characteristic to grow in that begins with the focus letter

Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear and grant me the strength to obey.



Psalms 14



God is present in the company of the righteous. The Lord is their refuge.


If God is in the company of the righteous, that is what I want to be. I want to be with God; keep company with Him. I want to be able to go to Him with confidence and take refuge in Him. Often though, in my efforts to be righteous, I think I end up being "religious". I miss the whole point of what God desires from me and start following a bunch of rules. I have my checklist and do my duty thinking that is enough. I become religious like the pharisees and I must remember Jesus' harshest criticisms were directed at them. So what is the difference between being righteous and religious?

Some verses come to mind when I think about this question.

James 1: 26-27
"If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

I must watch my mouth. It is not okay to say whatever I feel. I must speak the truth in love. I must remember that I will be called to account for every careless word I utter (Matt 12:36-37). Thank God for His mercy here but I must try harder. I also need to be socially conscious and help out those less fortunate than me. I must remember, even in my current financial difficulties, that I am rich. Finally, I must keep myself from becoming polluted by the world. I must be different. I must not become corrupted and cynical. I must not become a complainer. I must be different from the world.

Matt 7:13-14
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

I cannot follow the masses. There are only two roads. Which one am I on? Are there a lot of people on it? I should be a little concerned then. If there are a few, I should not be discouraged or think I am in the wrong!

Matt 7:21-23
"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. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never know you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"

This one is scary to me. These people were religious, and they were not pew warmers. They were actively serving God in the way they thought best. The question, however, is am I doing the will of the Father, or am I just doing what I think is the will of the Father? I can be sincerely wrong! (Proverbs 16:25)

Philippians 2:12b-13
"continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose."

I must always keep striving to make sure I am following the will of God. It is easy to get off track and it is easy to follow the crowd, whether in the world or even in the church. I need to work out my own salvation. I must watch my own life and doctrine (I Tim 4:16). I must guard my own heart because it is the wellspring of my life (Proverbs 4:23). I cannot make anyone else do anything at all, but I can make myself do "all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13)." I must do what I need to do and in doing this, then I may help save others. God is in the company of the righteous. Let us be righteous!


QFT: (Questions for Thought)

1. Am I righteous or religious? How do I know?

2. Am I helping those less fortunate? If not, how can I start?

3. Am I keeping myself from being polluted by the world? What are my temptations here?

4. Am I keeping a reign on my tongue? When is it most difficult for me to do what is right in this area?