1) God is a PERSONAL God. "He is the Lord YOUR God". He is not absent, passive or unconcerned. He is present, active and full of compassion.
2) God sets captives free. God's path does not enslave us, it liberates us.
3) Because God is the ONLY God who delivers, He is the ONLY God we should worship.
4) Everyone is devoted to something. The outcomes of your life are determined by the devotion of your life.
5) To be devoted to God is to offer Him the first and best of every part of your life.
6) We offer God our first and best because He gave us His first and best.
7) Too often we are to our self. Self-devotion manifests itself in the pursuit of POSSESSIONS, PLEASURE, POPULARITY, or POWER.
8) I cannot be devoted to myself and to God.
9) My devotion can be measured by evaluating how I schedule my CALENDAR, how I utilize my CAPABILITIES, or how I spend my CASH.
10) We can change our devotion my moving our treasure. Wherever we invest our treasure is where our heart will move.
Discretion is the practice of making decisions according to a predetermined plan. I show discretion when I choose not to purchase Swiss Cake Rolls because I am following a plan to save money and lose weight.
Understanding is the practice of thinking deeply and investigating carefully before reaching conclusions. When I react without thinking, or when I believe the first thing I hear, or when I assume the worst about a person; I am demonstrating a lack of understanding.
Discretion and understanding will protect you in life. Discretion is best when your predetermined plan is the path God has laid out in His Word. Understanding is most effective when your primary consideration is whether or not something aligns with the truth of Scripture.
Don’t make snap judgments today. Don’t act quickly or without thought. Because you are living in a sinful world, your instincts are sometimes tainted by sin. Instead, choose discretion and wisdom.