Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – October 3, 2015
But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. Joshua 6:18
Devoted things are sacred to our Savior Jesus. Things devoted to Him cannot be tampered with for our own selfish desires. We may have devoted money or relationships to Him. A meaningful routine or a worshipful ritual may represent our devotion to Him. We need to respect as His, those things in our lives we have devoted to Him. God is honored by our devotion. We hold Him in high esteem when we devote our marriage, our children, and our friends to Him. He delights in devoted things, and is jealous over their ownership. We trust Him with devoted things because He can be trusted. Devoted things are not ours, but His.
Think about things in your life that need to be devoted to the Lord. He desires devoted things, especially those things that bring Him the most glory. A good starting point is to devote your entire being to God. This does not mean you have to move to a foreign land and live in poverty (though it might); this does not mean you have to quit everything you are doing and go to seminary (though it might); this does not mean you have to speak religious gibber jabber, act strangely, or draw attention to yourself. But it does mean you glorify God in your speech, attitude, and actions. Your devotion is a reflection of Him.
Devote your home to Christ. Use it for Him openly and freely. Create a home that exudes warmth and hospitality. See your living quarters as a sanctuary for seeking souls. People long to be in an environment that extinguishes loneliness. He has blessed you with a place that illustrates God’s provision. Use it so you don’t lose it. A devoted home is a shelter from the storms of life, though it is not a conflict-free zone. There is still plenty that goes on in a home dedicated to God that needs His grace. Devote your home to the Lord, and watch Him work. He takes what is devoted to Him and uses it far beyond what you can imagine. Refrain from only using your home for yourself; see it as a God-spot for weary wanderers. Encouragement explodes in a home dedicated to the Almighty.
Lastly, devote your family and work to your heavenly Father. There is so much you cannot control as it relates to family and work. Your best strategy is to lay them both at the feet of our Savior. Jesus takes your devotion to family and sets you free from having to make them into something that you think is best. You can trust your spouse and children to Christ. They are His devoted possessions, so you can trust the Lord with your loved ones. Even in their struggles, you can trust them, because you trust Him. If you do not trust them, they have a hard time trusting you. It is easier to extend trust to those you have devoted to the Lord.
Moreover, devote your work and career to Christ. Give your job to Jesus. When you hand over your occupation to Him in sweet surrender and devotion, you are freed from preoccupation with “what ifs?”, “What if I lose my job?”, and “How will I take care of my family?” Someone who has devoted their career to Christ knows the Almighty has the answers before we ask. Therefore, do not hold onto for yourselves what you devote to heaven. Your Savior secures devoted things. The Bible says, “Guard my life, for I am devoted to you. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you” (Psalm 86:2).
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I devote my life and all that I am and want to be to You.
Application: What area of my life do I need to devote to God?
Post/Tweet this today: What we devote to the Lord is secure in the Lord. #wisdomhunters #devotedthings
Worship Resource: 5 minute video- Desperation Band: Wonderful
Taken from Boyd’s most popular book a 365 day devotional Seeking Daily the Heart of God. Order today!
Please consider this opportunity to support Wisdom Hunters as giving has dropped off over the summer. We are trusting the Lord for additional gifts over the next 30 days. Learn how to help.
Our free Apple app Our free Android app
© 2015 by Boyd Bailey. All rights reserved.
Comments are closed.
I would like to know what you mean by speak religious gibber jabber and act strange or draw attention to yourself.
Dear Danny~
Thank you for reaching out to us with that question. We appreciate you taking the time to seek out an answer.
While I cannot speak for Boyd on his exact meaning of “religious gibber jabber”, I hope I can offer some clarity to the phrase in the context of the devotional. I went to the Word to see what God says about our “conversation” and our “use of our words”. He makes it clear in several verses how HE wants us to talk and speak to others.
In James 3, we learn about the “taming of the tongue”.
“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.” James 3:9-10
My first thoughts about those speaking religious gibber jabber were the actions (and words…) of the Pharisees. I was “visiting” Matthew 23 and began reading about the Pharisees and how Jesus warned his people.
“Then Jesus said to the crowds and to His disciples:The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.” (Matthew 23:1-3)
“Everything they do is done for men to to see…” (Matthew 23:5)
Jesus exposed the hypocritical ways of the Pharisees, these men that knew scripture, spoke of scripture, but did not live by it.
My thinking when I read “Devoted Things”, is that when we are truly, sincerely and actively devoted to our Creator, we then live a life honoring Him with our choice of words and actions which are said and done with humility and love.
Danny, I don’t know that I even came close to answering your question and if not, I apologize. I thank you, though, for your question because it certainly made me “dig deep” in His word and once again, honestly, devote my home, myself and the ones I hold dear to Him. So, thank you.
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne
“Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of ever opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:5-6
Thank you so much for explaining what devotion really means.
The lord dropped this from the book of Joshua chapter 6 and 7, on my first day of fasting. I am so blown away and awed !!!
The lord is good … I surrender all to him,
He says to me , Wendy my child there is no breakthrough whilst you are still holding the cards…iyooo!!!! God is faithful