WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
JULY 26, 2022
TOPIC: GOD IS WATCHING YOU
BY T. O. BANSO
âYou see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christâs authority, knowing that God is watching usâ (2 Corinthians 2:17 New Living Translation).
Many people live their lives as if they are not accountable to God. They feel that whatever they do doesnât matter to God. But that is an error. God is watching you because He is interested in what you do and how you live your life.
In 2 Corinthians 2:17, Apostle Paul distinguished himself from some preachers who were preaching for money â their motive for preaching the Word of God was to make money. There are still such people around today. âThey think that serving God is a way to get rich.â (1 Timothy 6:5b New Century Version).
Paul said he wasnât like such preachers, but he preached God’s message with sincerity and with Christ’s authority. âYou see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christâs authority, knowing that God is watching usâ (2 Corinthians 2:17 New Living Translation).
If youâre a minister of the gospel, are you preaching God’s message with sincerity and Christ’s authority, as Paul did, or youâre just interested in making money and using your own authority rather than Christâs authority? Are you greedy for money or hungry for souls? Paul said, âAnd we know that the God who sent us is watching us.â God is watching you, too, watching what youâre doing.
Donât follow those who have become a law to themselves. Donât emulate those He sent, but have departed from Him. Donât copy those that He didnât send at all, but have gone all the same. God instructed Moses to make everything pertaining to the tabernacle according to the pattern He had shown him and he did exactly that, which God instructed him (Exodus 25:8-9, 40; 26:30, 39:42-43; 40:16; Hebrews 8:5).Â
Donât do a self-centred ministry. Donât use God; let God use you! On Judgment Day, many will be rejected. âMany will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!ââ (Matthew 7:22-23 New King James Version). God is watching you.
But it is not only ministers of the gospel that God is watching. He is watching you, whether youâre a trader, an artisan, a civil servant, a politician, or a lecturer.
God is watching you. Do you collect bribes, produce and sell fake and substandard products, exploit your customers or clients, work lazily, and so on? God is watching you. He is interested in your business. Your business is His business. âHonest weights and scales are the LORD’s; all the weights in the bag are His workâ (Proverbs 16:11 New King James Version). The New Living Translation says, âThe Lord demands accurate scales and balances; he sets the standards for fairness.âÂ
If youâre an employee, serve faithfully and diligently. God is watching you. Do your work with enthusiasm, as to the Lord, and not to men (Ephesians 6:7). Proverbs 10:26 says, âAs vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the lazy man to those who send himâ (New King James Version). The New Living Translation puts it this way: âLazy people irritate their employers, like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes.â
If youâre an employer, take good care of your staff and give them what is due to them. The labourer is worthy of his wages (Luke 10:7; 1 Timothy 5:18; Deuteronomy 24:14-15). God is watching you. Do what is right.
Jesus said to each of the seven churches of Asia Minor, âI know your worksâ (Revelation 2:2, 9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15). He is also saying to you. He knows your work. He is watching you and will reward you accordingly. God is watching you.
Genesis 6:5 says, âThen the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continuallyâ (New King James Version). Please, take note of the phrase âthe LORD saw.â He is watching you. He is seeing everything youâre doing.
Sin will send anyone to hell. However, before such a fellow goes there, sin could also disgrace him on earth. Many have been humiliated by sin after they have enjoyed its service for a season! Donât be deceived; your sin will find you out (Numbers 32:23).
No matter how smart anyone thinks he is, his sin will be exposed one day. Somehow, something will go wrong and heâll be exposed. Some peopleâs secret sins are exposed after their death! If some sins are not exposed here on earth, they are bare before the Lord. âAnd there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give accountâ (Hebrews 4:13 New King James Version).
God is watching you. Jesus Christ says, in the letter to the churches, âHe who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy stillâ (Revelation 22:11 New King James Version).
He continues, âAnd behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Lastâ (verses 12-13 New King James Version)
Jesus didn’t come to call those who perceived themselves to be righteous, but sinners, to repentance (Matthew 9:13; Mark 2:17; Luke 5:32). The soul that sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:4b). But God does not want anyone to perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9b).
You are a slave to whatever controls you. Donât be a slave to sin (2 Peter 2:19b). Surrender your life to Jesus if you haven’t. Depart from sin. âNevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: âThe Lord knows those who are His,â and, âLet everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquityââ (2 Timothy 2:19 New King James Version). God is watching you.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner, and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life â your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and was raised on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, I repent and forsake my sins. By the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, I maintain victory over sin. I shall not be a slave to any sin. Holy Spirit, help me to live with the consciousness that God is watching me.
(For over 800 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
  
  
  
  
