Charles Stanley In Touch Daily Devotional 4 September 2021 Saturday Message
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TOPIC: The Danger of Shortsightedness
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: 2 Peter 1:1-11
Charles Stanley In Touch Daily Devotional 4 September 2021
Did you know a person can have 20/20 vision and yet be nearsighted spiritually? That’s what happens when someone pursues short-term desires instead of the qualities God values: faith, virtue, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love (2 Pet. 1:5-7). Biblical stories about spiritually shortsighted people caution us against sacrificing future blessings for more immediate gratification.
Take Saul, for instance: He was Israel’s first king, but when he decided his way was better than God’s, the Lord took his kingdom away and gave it to David (1 Sam. 15:1-28). And, sadly, David himself is another example. He had been faithful for many years but in a moment of weakness made a devastating choice: His desire for Bathsheba led him to commit both adultery and murder. Although he repented and was forgiven, the consequences of his sin impacted the rest of his life (2 Sam. 12:7-14).
To avoid the kind of mistakes these men made, we need to prioritize God’s long-term goals for us. In other words, we must cherish the eternal over the temporal and strengthen our faith with godly virtues.
Bible in One Year: Ezekiel 26-28
In Touch Daily Devotional 4 September 2021 Message. Dr. Charles F. Stanley is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church Atlanta and founder of In Touch Ministries, both located in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Stanley’s heart’s desire is to get the gospel to “as many people as possible, as quickly as possible, as clearly as possible, as irresistibly as possible, through the power of the Holy Spirit to the glory of God.
