The Blessing Follows Obedience

The Blessing Follows Obedience

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy 28:1-2, NIV.

TODAY’S WORD

God rewards the people who seek after Him. Every time you obey His Word, His blessing will follow. If you’ll learn to obey Him in the small things, if you learn to pass the small tests, there’s no limit to how high God will take you. The scripture says, “When we fully obey God, blessings will chase us down and overtake us.” You can’t outrun the good things of God.

Always remember, when you obey God in the small, He will release big blessings. He has big opportunities, new levels of favor, healing, restoration, vindication, promotion, planned in your future. As you stay faithful to Him, you’re going to step into the fullness of your destiny and be all that God has created you to be!

PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, today I bless and lift You up because You are worthy. I dedicate myself to You afresh and anew. Keep me close to You and help me see Your goodness as I obey Your Word and honor You in all that I do in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

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God's Peace Beats Out Worry

by Rick Warren

“On your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stand strong.” (Ephesians 6:15 NCV)

Conflict makes you an easy target for Satan’s attacks. It doesn’t matter if your conflict is with God, other people, or even yourself; it will open the door for Satan to tear you apart.

You’ll become a pushover for his plans. It’ll open up every area of your life to Satan’s attacks.

You don’t want that. It’s why the doomsday scenario for many countries is facing wars on multiple fronts. If you’re fighting yourself, others, or God, you can’t fight against what Satan is doing in the world. You can’t fight a multi-front war effectively. You were never meant to do so.

All levels of conflict leave your flailing for support and searching for a firm footing, as if you’re being sucked into quicksand.

That’s why Paul urges believers, “On your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stand strong” (Ephesians 6:15 NCV).

Roman soldiers had hobnails on the bottom of their shoes. These little nails helped them get a better grip with their shoes, like cleats for football players. Without them, soldiers would slip and slide in battle. They wouldn’t be able to hold their ground.

Without putting on the “peace that comes from the Good News,” you too will slip and slide your way through life. Paul is writing about three different aspects of peace: with yourself, with others, and with God. It’s called reconciliation, and you need it in all areas of your life. If you wake up each morning at peace with yourself, God, and others, you’ll find yourself on strong footing. You’ll be able to stand strong against the attacks of Satan.

Satan tries to attack your peace through worry. We can worry about anything. We can worry about our future. We can worry about finances. We can worry about relationships. Often, we worry about what others think of us. When we worry, it means some area of relational peace is out of whack. In fact, most of the time it means we’re out of whack in each of those areas. 

And it means you’re shoeless — and not letting the peace of God’s Word take control.

The Bible says, “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them” (Psalm 119:165 NLT). In other words, the more I love and obey the Bible, the less I’m offended by what others say. The more I love God’s Word, the less I’m offended by what happens to me. The more I love God’s Word, the less my walk with God will be disturbed.

Choose to believe what God’s Word says about you, about others, and, most importantly, about God.

Choose to believe because obeying God’s Word brings you peace. Choose to believe because Jesus did. Choose to believe because what God’s Word says about you and the world around you is true.

Talk It Over

- What’s your biggest worry right now?

- What does God’s Word say about what you’re worrying about?

- How can you trust God to help you with what you’re worried about?

- What relationships in your life need to be healed?