Reading your Bible for Today February 4

February 4: 2 Corinthians 3:4-6

KJV Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 3:5
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

Devotion:
Self-praise, or seeking others praise for doing what God would have us do should raise certain feelings of guilt within us. If we are aiming at doing God’s work from within our spirits, then that should be sufficient for us all! We should not have to seek glory or praise when we are doing God’s work – but that is very often what we do. We may do it openly where others will be able to see what a fool we make of ourselves by contradicting the very thing we stand for, or we may choose to do it silently, where we embarrass the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

When we go out and allow God to use us in whatever way He requires, then we are submitting to Him. By submitting we are showing Him we do respect the very word we seek to spread. If we are going to be honest about it, then we should admit that it is God who is allowing us or encouraging us to do what we do for Him. If we are subject to His will, then we are doing what He requires. If we are doing it right, then should not the designer of our work get all the praise?

Far too often in life we see the opposite happen. A person will design a new gadget which will be very useful, but it will be manufactured by a huge company who will then win all the praise. A scientist will create an invention, but the big company who manufactures the item gets all the praise. Someone comes up with an idea at school, but the person who shouts about it the most gets the attention. We seem to have this desire to build up our own selves rather than admitting we are created and we are basically anything at all because of our creator, God.

He alone is the one who has taught me His word. He has used ministers to explain it more to me when I was hard of hearing. He used physical things to show me. He has done so much to allow me to see that He is God and that He is sufficient for all my needs!

Points to Ponder:
Do you take credit for what your friends do?

Do you let God use you as a vessel?