In Touch 06-17-04

In Touch Daily Devotional
by Dr. Charles Stanley

Thursday June 17, 2004
InTouch Early Light Devotional

Obeying God: When We Say Yes
Matthew 16:13-17

When Peter said "yes" to Jesus' request to get into his boat, the future apostle's plans and life were irrevocably changed. Initially, fishing was put on hold; in the future, Peter would become a disciple of Christ.

Obedience to God never proves to be a disappointment. Jesus filled the empty nets with an enormous catch and made Peter into a "fisher of men". Our Lord will do this with our finances, relationships, or other areas of our lives that need transforming. He does it His way and with His purposes in mind. As Peter learned, we can trust God's purposes, even in periods of waiting or uncertainty.

Obeying God allows Him to demonstrate His power in our life. Peter witnessed the miracle catch of fish that started with a "yes" to a simple request. He could have looked at his to-do list and said, "Too busy." Or he could have said that he was a fisherman, not a taxi driver. Instead, he agreed and saw the power of God at work. As a disciple of Christ, he saw firsthand the Lord's transforming power in his own life.

Obedience always results in a deeper understanding of God and of ourselves. Having seen the miracle of the full nets, Peter gained fresh insight into who Jesus was and how he, Peter, was a sinful man. Eventually, he came to acknowledge Jesus as the Christ.

What is God asking of you today? Listen carefully, say yes by following His directions, and watch what He accomplishes in and through you!

For free online one-to-one mentoring with Dr. Charles Stanley, visit www.charlesstanleyinstitute.com.

To delve deeper into this subject and more, visit the In Touch Web site: www.intouch.org.