#obeygod – herbcotton.org

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.

God Speaks – Hear The Word of God

The Wisdom of the Proverbs:

Proverbs 28:4 (NLT)

To reject the law is to praise the wicked; to obey the law is to fight them.

Proverbs 28:9 (NLT)

God detests the prayers of a person who ignores the law.

The Encouragement of the Psalms:

Psalm 119:27-28 (NLT)

Help me understand the meaning of your commandments, and I will meditate on your wonderful deeds.

I weep with sorrow; encourage me by your word.

The Hope of the Old Testament:

Psalm 119:27-32 (NLT)

Help me understand the meaning of your commandments, and I will meditate on your wonderful deeds.

I weep with sorrow; encourage me by your word.

Keep me from lying to myself; give me the privilege of knowing your instructions.

I have chosen to be faithful; I have determined to live by your regulations.

I cling to your laws. LORD, don’t let me be put to shame!

I will pursue your commands, for you expand my understanding.

The Gospel Message:

1 Peter 1:3-4 (NLT)

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,

and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.

Observation:

Are you a breaker or keeper of the law of God? When God speaks, do you listen and obey?

The Wisdom of the Proverbs verses tells us that the keeping of the law promotes righteousness, and enables God to answer our prayers.

Prayer:

Father God, as we read, listen, and meditate on Your Word today, we unite our hearts with the Psalmist in asking You to open the eyes of our hearts so that we might know Your will and do it.

Psalm 119:18 (NLT)

Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions.

Father, we have so much to be grateful for, so we offer up to You the sacrifice that is pleasing to Your eyes, the surrender of our whole life to You. We give the highest praise to God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

—

1 Samuel 3:10 (NLT)
¹⁰ And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

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

God Speaks – Hear The Word of God

The Wisdom of the Proverbs:

Proverbs 28:1 (NLT)

The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions.

The Encouragement of the Psalms:

Psalm 117:1-2 (NLT)

Praise the LORD, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth.

For he loves us with unfailing love; the LORD’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the LORD!

The Hope of the Old Testament:

Ezekiel 37:3-5 (NLT)

Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?” “O Sovereign LORD,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.”

Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the LORD!

This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again!

The Gospel Message:

James 1:19-22 (NLT)

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.

So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

Observation:

Notice what the Bible says about the power of the Word of God.

James 1:21 (NLT)

So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

The Word of God has the power to save your life. It is a mirror to help examine ourselves and see ourselves from the inside. In conjunction with the office work of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God will reveal the condition of our heart.

Notice what David said about the condition of his heart as He cried out to the Lord for help and healing.

Psalm 51:9-10 (NLT)

Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt.

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.

Psalm 119:11 (NLT)

I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Reading the Word and studying the Word is not enough. The blessing is in the doing of the Word of God.

James 1:22 (NLT)

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, we pray like David, “Create in me a clean heart, O Good. Renew a loyal spirit within me.”

Father, enable us by Thy power to be hearers and doers of the Word of God.

—

1 Samuel 3:10 (NLT)
¹⁰ And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

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

God Speaks – Hear The Word of God

The Wisdom of the Proverbs:

Proverbs 25:23 (NLT)

As surely as a north wind brings rain, so a gossiping tongue causes anger!

The Encouragement of the Psalms:

Psalm 81:1 (NLT)

Sing praises to God, our strength. Sing to the God of Jacob.

The Hope of the Old Testament:

Jeremiah 16:19 (NLT)

LORD, you are my strength and fortress, my refuge in the day of trouble! Nations from around the world will come to you and say, “Our ancestors left us a foolish heritage, for they worshiped worthless idols.

The Gospel Message:

1 Thessalonians 4:1 (NLT)

Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more.

Observation:

The Apostle sums it up well when he said these final words to the church at Thessalonica, “We urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God.” Are you living that way?

The testimony of Jeremiah in today’s Old Testament scripture is an encouragement to my heart, and I pray it will be to your heart. So, are the words of Billy Graham.

“There is no greater joy than the peace and assurance of knowing that, whatever the future may hold, you are secure in the loving arms of the Savior.”

Billy Graham

Key Word Commentary: Thoughts on Every Chapter of the Bible.

Prayer:

Father God, we are so grateful that we, the people of God, can have peace because we know that we are secure in the loving arms of our Savior.

—

1 Samuel 3:10 (NLT)
¹⁰ And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

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

God Speaks – Hear The Word of God

The Wisdom of the Proverbs:

Proverbs 25:9-10 (NLT)

When arguing with your neighbor, don’t betray another person’s secret.

Others may accuse you of gossip, and you will never regain your good reputation.

The Encouragement of the Psalms:

Psalm 80:7 (NLT)

Turn us again to yourself, O God of Heaven’s Armies. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved.

The Hope of the Old Testament:

Jeremiah 15:1 (NLT)

Then the LORD said to me, “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before me pleading for these people, I wouldn’t help them. Away with them! Get them out of my sight!

The Gospel Message:

1 Thessalonians 2:10-12 (NLT)

You yourselves are our witnesses—and so is God—that we were devout and honest and faultless toward all of you believers.

And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children.

We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.

Observation:

Today’s scriptures passages speak to me about the value of relationships.The Proverbs speaks of the damage that gossip will do to relationships, and how it will ruin a good reputation.

The Old Testament passage and the New Testament passages speak about the importance of transparency, and the impact it has on our lives. I remember hearing various preachers say when being transparent, “Confession is good for my soul but may be bad for my reputation.”

“Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway.”

Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Key Word Commentary: Thoughts on Every Chapter of the Bible.

Today I want to close our reading and reflection on the Word of God with the prayer of the Apostle Paul for the church at Thessalonica. I will pray it for you, and I ask that you pray it for me.

Prayer:

1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 (NLT)

And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.

May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people. Amen.

—

1 Samuel 3:10 (NLT)
¹⁰ And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

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

God Speaks – Hear The Word of God

The Wisdom of the Proverbs:

Proverbs 22:17-18 (NLT)

17 Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction.

18 For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart and always ready on your lips.

The Encouragement of the Psalms:

Psalm 55:22 (MSG)

22 Pile your troubles on GOD’s shoulders— he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out. He’ll never let good people topple into ruin.

The Hope of the Old Testament:

Job 36:3 (NLT)

3 I will present profound arguments for the righteousness of my Creator.

Job 36:10-12 (NLT)

10 He gets their attention and commands that they turn from evil.

11 “If they listen and obey God, they will be blessed with prosperity throughout their lives. All their years will be pleasant.

12 But if they refuse to listen to him, they will be killed by the sword and die from lack of understanding.

The Gospel Message:

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NLT)

16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.

17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Observation:

When I look around and see all that is going on in the world, I am so glad for the moments when I can be still, and listen to the Word of God, and what my Maker has to say to me. The Psalmist expresses what I feel in my heart in the words of the following Psalm. And, Nehemiah informs and inspires my prayers.

Psalm 43:3-4 (NLT)

3 Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live.

4 There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy. I will praise you with my harp, O God, my God!

Prayer:

Nehemiah 8:5-6 (NLT)

5 Ezra stood on the platform in full view of all the people. When they saw him open the book, they all rose to their feet.

6 Then Ezra praised the LORD, the great God, and all the people chanted, “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

—

1 Samuel 3:10 (NLT)
¹⁰ And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

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

God Speaks – Hear The Word of God

The Wisdom of the Proverbs:

Proverbs 28:9 (MSG)

9 God has no use for the prayers of the people who won’t listen to him.

The Encouragement of the Psalms:

Psalm 29:10-11 (NLT)

10 The LORD rules over the floodwaters. The LORD reigns as king forever.

11 The LORD gives his people strength. The LORD blesses them with peace.

The Hope of the Old Testament:

Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT)

3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

4 Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock.

The Gospel Message:

Galatians 6:9 (NLT)

9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

Observation:

In times like these, the people who identify as being members of the Body of Christ need to pray continuously.

The Lord will do His part. The burden and prayers of my heart are that we will do our part. The Word of God speaks to my heart today of my need for more of God. The power of prayer is that it brings us into the presence of God, and when we are in His presence, everything becomes new. In God’s presence, our mountains become molehills. O, for faith to trust and obey Him more.

Prayer:

Ephesians 3:20-21 (NLT)

20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

1 Samuel 3:10 (NLT)
¹⁰ And the LORD came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

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

Why Should You Listen to Your Mother?

Text:

John 2:5 (ESV)

5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Observation:

This is the context for today’s devotional thoughts.

John 2:1-5 (ESV)

1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.

3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”

4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

As we approach the observance of “Mother’s Day” the advice of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is wonderful advice for all of God’s children.

What a wonderful world it would be if all of God’s children would listen to Jesus; if we all would trust and obey the Lord.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you who are mothers now, and to those of you who will be mothers in the future.

Hebrews 6:10 (ESV)

10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.

Prayer:

Father, I am so grateful for all the mothers. In particular I am thankful for my mother; for my late wife; the mother of our children; for my daughter, the mother of my two granddaughters, and for my two granddaughters, the mother of my two great-grand children.

Father, I am so thankful that You remember their work, and the love that they have shown for their children. 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/

Where Are You Looking?

Text:

Philippians 3:20-21 (ESV)

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Observation:

The Apostle Paul took the upward look. He was able to take the upward look because of his relationship with Jesus; Paul was looking up because he was a citizen of heaven.

He did not have to spend a lot of time looking back because Jesus had taken care of the past.

Philippians 3:13 (ESV)

13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

God is able to take care of the past, present, and future. Do you believe in a God who is able; Paul believed in such a God.

Philippians 3:21 (NLT)

21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

Prayer:

Father, I lift up and exalt Your name above every name on earth and in heaven. Father, I agree that You are able, and I give You the praise, glory, and honor that You alone deserve.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (HCSB)

20 Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—

21 to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

—

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹ So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

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