You are reading Joni and Friends 7th October 2022 Devotional, Saturday Daily Devotional Message. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Read Joni and Friends 7th October 2022 Devotional below;
TOPIC: Somebody Is Watching
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As much as we may try to deny it, we behave differently when we know for sure we’re being observed. We bite our tongues, hold our tempers, or restrain our impulses. We make more of an effort to be pleasant and helpful. This is why Hebrews 12:1 is at once so convicting and so encouraging:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…
I know the Lord is always watching (and yes, that ought to be motivation enough), but it still makes a difference when I consider that my earthly father—now in heaven—may also be observing me. When I’m tempted to blurt out malicious remarks or do something I’d be embarrassed about if I were found out, I stop, reminding myself that I’m surrounded by witnesses. A host of Old and New Testament saints, as well as departed family members and Christian friends (I think of Corrie ten Boom), are watching me, cheering me on toward obedience, faithfulness, and perseverance. Somehow, this thought helps inoculate me against the temptation of foolish, private sins. Scripture also seems to indicate that God’s holy angels observe our lives and consider our ways (see Hebrews 13:1-2; 1 Peter 1:12; 1 Corinthians 11:10).
When you’re driving by yourself, how do you respond when someone cuts you off in traffic? What do you do in a hotel room with an array of cable channels at your fingertips? Perhaps nothing deters us better from hidden, so-called “secret” sins than the knowledge that others—perhaps hundreds or thousands—are observing us, willing us to win the battle and stay faithful to Christ.
I believe the cosmic stakes and eternal ramifications of each day of our lives are incredibly high, far beyond what we might imagine. For now, earth is a battleground between vast spiritual forces, and we have only one brief lifetime to prove our faith and our love for Christ.
When Jacob woke up from his dream of a heavenly staircase, with God himself at the top and his angels coming and going, he was filled with awe. He said,
“Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it … How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” Genesis 28:16-17
That’s the sort of awe we should have about the place we are right now. In reality, everywhere we go and everyplace we rest is “the gate of heaven” …if only we had eyes to see.
Going Deeper
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel. Philippians 1:27
Take time today to imagine faces in the celestial grandstands who—right now—may be observing your obedience, your faith, your mind-set, and your perseverance. Stop periodically to acknowledge God’s presence—“How awesome is this place!”
Thank you for reading Joni and Friends 7th October 2022 Devotional Message
