8/4/25 Daily Devotion: Your Choice

Colossians 1:9-14 ESV - And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The Christian life is a journey of choice. God has blessed us with the ability & freedom to CHOOSE … and we get to exercise that freedom countless times throughout EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

• Every decision that we make throughout every day is made with one of two mindsets … there are only two!

• Mindset #1: We make decisions while leaning on our OWN UNDERSTANDING.

• Mindset #2: We make decisions while TRUSTING & OBEYING GOD.

• Only two options. Every decision. You are either submitting to your self or submitting to God.

Here in Colossians 1, Paul shows us the BEAUTY in how God has designed us to experience a life of CHOOSING HIM.

BE FILLED.

• When we choose to accept God’s Gift of Salvation through Jesus we are able to be FILLED with the knowledge of Who God is & what God’s Will for us is.

• The Spirit of God begins to reveal directly to our hearts & minds WHO GOD IS. The Spirit of God also begins to identify, call out, nudge & direct us to FOLLOW HIM as He leads us in, to , and through God’s Will for our lives.

• We are the ones being FILLED. We are filled to our own capacity … God does not immediately upload ALL of His Truth into our brains & souls! God fills us with all of His Knowledge that we have capacity to contain.

TO WALK

• The Knowledge of God will ALWAYS call us into ACTION. … This is where we ALWAYS have a CHOICE. … Follow Him in OBEDIENCE or ignore Him in rebellion.

• Many of us get really good at brushing aside the CALL TO ACTION that the Spirit of God puts on our hearts as we learn about God. … How many times do you leave Church, having increased in your knowledge of God, and quickly brush aside some act of application?

• God fills us with Knowledge of Him & His Will SO THAT we would follow Him in Faith.

AND STRETCH

• God PROMISES three things will happen when we step out in Faith and OBEY HIM …

1. We will PLEASE God.

   The Creator-Master of the Universe God is FULLY PLEASED with us when we TRUST & OBEY Him!

2. We will BEAR FRUIT.

   God promises results! When we obey Him, He promises that we will produce fruit for His Kingdom!

3. We will INCREASE in Knowledge of God.

   But I thought we were already full?!

   This is so BEAUTIFUL! … When we step out and obey His calling in our life, God STRETCHES US and increases our capacity to KNOW HIM!

   We experience more & more & more of God as we continually step out in Faith & Obedience to Him!

REPEAT THE CYCLE

• When He stretches us, He fills us again and we start the cycle all over again! … that increased knowledge leads to a call to act, which leads to a choice to obey/rebel; obedience leads to fruit & more stretching, more filling, more choosing, more obeying, more fruit, more stretching … what an ABUNDANT LIFE to live!

It is all triggered by our CHOICE.

• Don’t stop at Knowledge and ignore God’s call to ACT … He has more planned for you!

What CHOICE has He put in front of you today? … DO IT.