Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – December 31, 2017
But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. Matthew 5:37 nkjv
With whom do you need to communicate a firm answer of no? What opportunity is staring you in the face to which you know in your heart you have to say no? Hesitation or delay only creates an expectation of commitment. It is better to say no early on than to let silence send a message of yes. Learning to say no comes with mature faith in Christ.
God’s game plan requires us to go deeper with fewer opportunities and fewer people so that we are able to give them the quality time and attention they desire and deserve. If we halfheartedly say yes without the conviction of truly caring, then we dilute our effectiveness and the overall success of the project or the team. An active answer of no is better than a passive yes.
Children are a good example of regular opportunities to lovingly say no. They do not have the context or experience to discern between what they want and what they need. For example, is it wise to give them a cell phone without it costing them anything? It probably is not, even if they say, “Everyone else has one.” Your no helps them to mature.
In the same way, the Lord tells us no for our own good. Our heavenly Father is in a much better position to understand what is best for us. You may not understand today why He shut a relational or career door, but in the days ahead it will become abundantly clear. Do not listen to Satan’s temptation to lead you to question where God has already said no to you.
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, “You must not eat from any tree in the garden”?’” (Genesis 3:1). The devil is a master at causing us to doubt what Jesus knows is best for us.
The better you are at trusting and obeying the Lord’s no’s, the better equipped you are to say no. It is a faith journey that never ends until we are promoted to our eternal home in heaven. When you say no to a nice attraction, you have the energy and emotional margin to say yes to God’s best. Say no now, by faith, and become free from the fear of rejection.
“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word” (Psalm 119:67).
Prayer
Heavenly Father give me the courage to say no to good opportunities, but not Your best opportunities, in Jesus name, amen.Application
Who needs to hear my loving no, and what no do I need to accept from the Lord?Related Reading
Job 22:27; Psalm 119:168; Isaiah 50:10; James 3:1–12Post/Tweet today
Do not listen to Satan, as he tempts you to question where God has already said no. #wisdomhunters #saynoWorship Resource
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Do you have the bible reading in a year on line that I could download free?
Dear Ernie,
Happy New Year to you and yours. Great question! I have two answers for you. One, we have our 365 day devotionals available in the eBook form that you can download but there is a small charge. You can go to our website http://www.wisdomhunters.com and click on the bookstore link. The eBooks are available in VYRSO, KINDLE, Nook, iBooks and KOBO.
Also, our app provides the Wisdom Hunter’s devotional everyday. Again, you can go to our website for more information on the app. We are excited about the app and you can read the devotionals or listen to the devotionals, your choice!
Ernie, we are so thankful that you are a part of the Wisdom Hunter’s family! If you have any other questions or comments, please feel free to contact us at any time.
Believing and trusting,
Gwynne
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10: 24-25