NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: 1 Corinthians 8-11
SCRIPTURE READING
Matthew 25:45-46 (NIV); A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the
responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns
and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward.
The faithful servant obeyed his master’s wishes while the master was away, and reward followed.
When God tells us to do something and we respond with obedience, we will receive a blessing.
There should be evident fruit coming out of our obedience. If you feel that God is telling you to
start a new ministry involvement, there should be some semblance of fruit, even if the beginning
is rocky. If we continue to press on and press on when God has not called us to action, we are
displaying obstinacy and stubbornness, not perseverance. This is an important confirmation to
look for!
But saying that God will bless our obedience doesn’t mean that we will be showered with presents
of worldly success. It means that God will provide everything we need to carry out what He has
asked us to do. And God’s blessing will also produce some good fruit. Our actions will bring about
some positive affects in our lives and the lives of those around us. This all sounds so simple,
doesn’t it? Trusting God seems so obvious and secure when we step back and look at the big
picture!
Remember this warning: God is not obligated to get us out of situations that we have put
ourselves in by our refusal to listen to him. To declare “Provision, in the name of Jesus!” when we
have willingly entered into a situation that God warned us about will not be a magic pill. If that is
the case, we need to come to the Lord in humble repentance and start obeying Him today.
PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Think about areas of ministry, family and career. Where do you see God’s clear blessing in your
life for obedience in these areas? Thank Him for these things.
2. Thinking of these same areas of ministry, family and career, ask the Lord if you are not
experiencing His blessing in any way due to a lack of obedience. Repent of anything He reveals.
3. Where do you see evident fruit in your life because you’ve obeyed God? Ask Him to help you
continue.
