In Touch Devotional 6th October 2024, By Charles Stanley, Sunday Message
TOPIC: The Purpose of Life
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: John 17:1-3
Believers do many wonderful things for God. Sometimes, though, service can seem more important than the Master Himself. Hosea 6:6 makes God’s priorities clear: “I desire loyalty rather than sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” He wants our attention more than any gifts or works.
Unfortunately, many of us don’t press beyond an occasional good work or Bible reading. We ignore the Holy Spirit’s nudges about spending time in prayer. We worship out of a sense of duty. Does this sound familiar? If so, remember that your relationship with the Lord requires time and commitment but is immensely rewarding.
God instilled a thirst in us that won’t be satisfied except through Him (John 4:14). Paul made this passion clear when he wrote, “Whatever things were gain to me, these things I have counted as loss because of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:7-8).
We were created to have a relationship with God and to bring Him glory. Service and good works are a natural extension of that, but our foremost responsibility is to spend time with Him.
Bible in One Year: Matthew 11-12
Thought for Today: God created each person with a thirst that is satisfied only in knowing Him.
Dr. Charles Stanley, 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.