“Thou believeth that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” James 3:19-20
Today’s Daily Devotional
I used to proudly claim my belief in God, as I wore a cross and danced half-naked for men. Something inside of me knew there was some sort of blasphemy in it, but I witnessed so many others around me claiming and doing the same thing. As time went on, I grew more comfortable with my blatant blasphemy. An accurate reflection of our heart’s desires and beliefs lies in our actions. We have the freedom of choice in this country and (most people) have the luxury to do what they want. For most of my life, my God was myself. I happily claimed to love God, yet served every evil and selfish desire I had in my heart (of course while still wearing the pretty cross). Because…I loved myself more than God. If something made me feel good or satisfied a desire, I was all about it. Over time, this selfish existence started to wear on my soul. I wondered if this was all that life was really all about? Life felt shallow because I was shallow. When these questions kept me up at night, I started to search through the scriptures for answers. I cried out to God: “If you are really out there, save me from a life that had lost it’s meaning.” When I did that, I encountered the REAL God. I began to see that my wicked self-serving god (MYSELF) was not going to take me anywhere good—it hadn’t so far! So, I went out on a limb. I asked Jesus into my heart and trusted God to lead me into a different life. I turned away from my self-absorbed lifestyle. I could see by my new desires and actions that I had a new heart; one that actually CARED about people other than just me! For this particular narcissist, this was a miracle! I know I will never be perfect, but I know one thing–when you love someone, your actions reflect that love. I love God for sending Christ to save me from myself. The devil believes in God, but he is not going to heaven. Who are you serving?
“Dear Heavenly Father,
Your word so plainly tells us that our actions and daily choices show us who we really love and what we really believe. I am a wicked person to claim to know you, yet live in a way that is exactly the opposite of what you ARE. How merciful you were to let me live and thrive as I took your name down in such a blasphemous way. Thank you for showing me the truth in your word, and bless everyone who reads this with the same revelation. We love the God we serve. Lord, open our hearts to see that serving you is the greatest joy and freedom a soul can have! We no longer have to be a “slave” to our own desires that will lead us into further sorrow, but we can have the change of heart to do the kinds of things that will be good for our families, our futures and our communities. Lord, bless us all with the courage to want the good things in life and not just settle for what “everyone else” seems to be doing. In Jesus’ precious name, bless us with the heart to chose your way, Amen.”