Daily Devotional for Sunday October 13, 2013

How Often Do We Come to God with a Certain Need

(Luke 17:11-19)

***ASK BILL: Pastor Bill, if a person grows up in a Christian family and has always tried to follow Christ, would they need to feel an exact time of being reborn and if they don't, does that mean they are not saved?

ANSWER: Becoming "born again," making that personal decision for Christ, is something EACH person must do for themselves by faith. It does NOT happen by osmosis, or because you always went to church, or because your parents were Christian. This is a PERSONAL decision each person must make for themselves. It is difficult to believe anyone who makes the most important decision of their lives won't at least remember apx when that moment was.

How often do we come to God with a certain need, the Lord meets that need, and we don't even take the time to say thank you. Think back just over the last year of your life. Think back on those prayers that He has answered. What was your response when the answer came. A moment of thanksgiving? Relief that God had come through again? How quickly did you forget that answer to prayer you needed so bad, and started focusing on the next problem you wanted God to handle for you?

Much of our prayer life is taken up with asking God for this and that, like He is some kind of genie in the bottle we send our wishes to. Don't get me wrong, God has told us to bring our needs to Him, to come to Him in prayer with our problems. It is His pleasure to bless His children. I am simply trying to focus you today on your response to those answered prayers. Like the 10 lepers in the scripture today, 9 never even bothered to come back to say thank you. Are you like the 9 or the 1 who returned to give thanks?

So often we take for granted God's blessings, His love for us. The logical question is how do I show my appreciation to God for what He has done for me? Start with loving Him. Loving Him means to obey Him. You obey your parents, not out of fear, but because you love them and don't want to disappoint them. You are thankful for all they do for you and the best way to show your gratitude is to obey them and do what they have asked you to do. So is our relationship with our heavenly Father. The greatest way to show God how much we love and appreciate all He does for us is to obey Him, to live our life in a way that is pleasing and acceptable to Him.

I want to challenge you today. Never forget to thank God for all He has done for you. Show that gratitude by living your life in obedience to His Word. The Bible tells us that one of the things satan can't stand is the "word of their testimony." Your praise reports give others going through similar situations the hope to carry on. Think back over the last few months, and send me your praise report of something God has done for you. Simply go to www.liveprayer.com and click on the PRAISE REPORT section and type in your praise report.

I love you and am praying for you. Make sure you spend a few extra minutes today giving God thanks for all He has done for you. No matter how many trials you may be facing, there is still so much to be thankful for. I often think I am having things rough. Then I read the problems others are facing and I realize how richly God is blessing me. The best way to show your thanks to God is by the way you live your life. He is worthy of our praise and our lives dedicated to His service. Give thanks to God today with your lips, and with your life!!!

In His love and service,

Your friend and brother in Christ,

Bill Keller