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The Gap Between Hearing and Obeying – What Is Your Status?

Today Somebody Prayed for You

Today’s Bowl of Encouragement by Herb Cotton

Bible Text for Today’s Meditation and Application:

Matthew 28:16-20 King James Version (KJV)

16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

King James Version (KJV)

Public Domain

My Reflections on the Word of God Today:

I feel like God is chasing me as I write today, and He determines that He will not let me go until I write down what He says, align my life to make it of first importance, and then go and make disciples as I have commanded you. Notice, Herb, and all who reads this message, that it’s a command and not a suggestion.

Allow me to repeat it to you just like I have spoken it to the writer of the Gospel of Matthew 28:16-20, our focal text for today.

If you fail the test of being obedient to what you read and heard the Word of God speak, what is your dilemma that prevents you from being obedient to God? There is no middle ground in God’s eyes between obedience and disobedience? God does not accept as obedience, “I will do it when I get around to it. I’m too busy for that type of commitment right now.”

What then is the test for pleasing God in the matter of doing the will of God? My friends, it is to do God’s will and to do it His way. He gets to have the final word in the matter, and God has spoken, and let the people of God hear and obey.

James 1:22 King James Version (KJV)

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

1 John 2:4 King James Version (KJV)

4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Now that you have heard God speak I ask you to reconsider. I encourage you to listen and obey the commandment of the Lord. We are useful to God when we surrender our whole life to Him. He is Lord, and we are not.

Hebrews 11:1 King James Version (KJV)

11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:6 King James Version (KJV)

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Prayer Offered to Our Father in Heaven:

Father, I pray that everyone who reads or hears this Word of God, that comes from the heart of God, receive, believe and do the will of God in the ways God has commanded His people of every age. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, and in faith, we join our hearts in agreement by saying, Amen.

Invitation – Come and Listen

Text:

Psalm 66:16-20 (HCSB)

16 Come and listen, all who fear God, and I will tell what He has done for me.

17 I cried out to Him with my mouth, and praise was on my tongue.

18 If I had been aware of malice in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

19 However, God has listened; He has paid attention to the sound of my prayer.

20 May God be praised! He has not turned away my prayer or turned His faithful love from me.

Observation:

Last Friday we completed the first half of the year. This Monday morning we begin our devotional writing for the second half of the year.

I read the focal passage for today on Saturday, July 1. As I look back on the first six months of the year I can surely give testimony to the fact that I have experienced the presence, and power of God in my life, my family, and many that I have had the privilege of praying with, and praying for. I can agree with David, and the words of this Psalm.

Psalm 66:19 (HCSB)

19 However, God has listened; He has paid attention to the sound of my prayer.

Have you had the blessing of coming to God, and listening to Him? Did you experience the joy of having your prayers answered? Did you respond in worship by giving the Lord the praise and the thanks from a grateful heart?

Did you turn your worship into witness? David said, “I will tell what He has done for me”.

I invite you to not only be a receiver, but to also be a giver. Let’s give some glory to God for all our blessings, and joyfully tell others about His goodness.

Psalm 66:20 (HCSB)

20 May God be praised! He has not turned away my prayer or turned His faithful love from me.

Prayer:

Father God, we worship you, and we offer up to you our deep, and heart felt appreciation for hearing, and answering the prayers of your people.

Father, your love for us is so compassionate, constant, and complete. Lord, there is no God like You. We bow low, and stand amazed in Your presence. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

—

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Listen to all of the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

How Do You Receive the Word of the Lord?

Text:

2 Kings 7:1-2 (NLT)

1 Elisha replied, “Listen to this message from the LORD! This is what the LORD says: By this time tomorrow in the markets of Samaria, five quarts of choice flour will cost only one piece of silver, and ten quarts of barley grain will cost only one piece of silver.”

2 The officer assisting the king said to the man of God, “That couldn’t happen even if the LORD opened the windows of heaven!” But Elisha replied, “You will see it happen with your own eyes, but you won’t be able to eat any of it!”

Observation:

I was not looking for the words of Elisha the prophet of God; they found me, and spoke into my heart.

So, I am meditating, and reflecting on them today with an open heart to hear what the Lord has for me personally, and what He wants me to share with you the readers, and hearers of His divine, and Holy Word.

What do I hear? I hear this, “Listen to this message from the LORD”. When you read or listen to the Bible do you see and hear a Word coming to you from the Lord? I tell you my friend, God has something to say to you. Why not listen, and respond by doing what He tells you to do.

Don’t respond to the message of God’s prophet the way the King did when he heard the prophet speak the Word of the Lord.

2 Kings 6:31 (NLT)

31 “May God strike me and even kill me if I don’t separate Elisha’s head from his shoulders this very day,” the king vowed.

Don’t doubt the Word of the Lord because every decision you make has consequences.

2 Kings 7:17-20 (NLT)

17 The king appointed his officer to control the traffic at the gate, but he was knocked down and trampled to death as the people rushed out. So everything happened exactly as the man of God had predicted when the king came to his house.

18 The man of God had said to the king, “By this time tomorrow in the markets of Samaria, five quarts of choice flour will cost one piece of silver, and ten quarts of barley grain will cost one piece of silver.”

19 The king’s officer had replied, “That couldn’t happen even if the LORD opened the windows of heaven!” And the man of God had said, “You will see it happen with your own eyes, but you won’t be able to eat any of it!”

20 And so it was, for the people trampled him to death at the gate!

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, help us, by the power of the Spirit of God, to listen, and obey the revealed Word of God.

O, Father, help us not be a blamer or doubter. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

—

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Listen to all of the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

How Do You Prepare Your Heart?

Text:

Proverbs 16:1-3 (ESV)

1 The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.

2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit.

3 Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.

Observation:

Have you found this verse to be true in your life?

Proverbs 16:1 (NLT)

1 We can make our own plans, but the LORD gives the right answer.

I have heard it phrased this way, “Man proposes, but God disposes”.

The Bible speaks to the subject of the prepared heart. Notice what Jesus said to His first century followers, and to us today through the Word.

Matthew 10:19-20 (ESV)

19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.

20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

The key to being a follower of Christ is to keep your focus on Your Christ, and not on your circumstances. In this world you will have problems. Therefore, Jesus gives this admonition.

Matthew 10:16 (ESV)

16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

The world will hate you because it hastes the Christ of whom you are a follower.

Matthew 10:24-25 (NLT)

24 “Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master.

25 Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of my household will be called by even worse names!

Prayer:

Father, we ask You to lead and guide us in preparing our hearts to be used by You for Your purposes, and Your plans for our life. Lord, we ask that when we open our mouths that Your words would flow from our hearts. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

“Speak to my heart oh speak to my heart

Speak to my heart I pray

Yielded and still seeking Thy will

Oh speak to my heart today”.

Author: B.B. McKinney

—

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Do You Have Something to Thank God For?

Text:

Psalm 108:1 (NLT)

1 My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart!

Observation:

In this Psalm David gives three things in his heart that results in him singing praise to God with his whole heart.

Have you experienced a recent great victory in your life, and you can say with a confident heart that God did it for you? When God does something amazing in your life, why not give Him the praise that He alone deserves?

Psalm 108:3-5 (NLT)

3 I will thank you, LORD, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations.

4 For your unfailing love is higher than the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth.

Notice that David said, “I will sing your praises among the nations”. Next, David did something we all need to do more of; he listened to God, and heard God’s answer to his prayer.

Psalm 108:6-7 (NLT)

6 Now rescue your beloved people. Answer and save us by your power.

7 God has promised this by his holiness: “I will divide up Shechem with joy. I will measure out the valley of Succoth.

Finally, we find that God leads us to be more than conquerers through His almighty power.

Psalm 108:10 (ESV)

10 Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?

Have you experienced a victory in your life that you can say what David said to the Lord?

Psalm 108:13 (ESV)

13 With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.

Prayer:

Father God, I delight to lift my voice in the highest praise my heart can muster. Father, from the depths of my heart I will praise You, I will listen to You, and I will be more than conquerer through Your almighty power that lives in me. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/