DATE POSTED
Monday, June 22, 2026, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa Apartment Homes, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Feel free to read the following Scripture in your Bible:

“…if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.” — 1 Samuel 12:15 (NIV)

“…today I am letting you choose a blessing or a curse. You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today. But you will be cursed if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God…” — Deuteronomy 11:26-28 (NCV)

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
I hope you’ve taken a moment to read the verses referenced above, as they’ll help you better grasp the context of this devotional.

This may be a subject that many feel goes without saying. However, I believe the Holy Spirit wants to remind us why some areas of our lives may not be going as well as we had hoped.

The Bible is God’s love letter to us. Within its pages are His commands, His guidance, and His wisdom for living. As we obey our Master, we make ourselves available for His wonderful and endless blessings. Conversely, when we struggle through life and wonder why our faithful Father is not leading us as He promised, perhaps we should first examine our own hearts. Could it be that we have become unfaithful or even disobedient to the commands of our Heavenly Father?

In our Scripture from 1 Samuel, Samuel was speaking to the Israelites about their rejection of God’s authority and their continued disobedience. As God’s spokesman, he reminded them that there are consequences for rebellion against the Lord. We must be careful not to assume that God views our disobedience differently today. While we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, God’s desire for obedience has never changed.

The verse tells us that if His people rebel against His commands, His hand will be against them, or He would curse them. I don’t know about you, but I cannot imagine anything worse. I dislike it when a friend is upset with me, but the thought of living outside of God’s favor and guidance is heartbreaking. As His child, I want to be as much like my Lord as possible. The thought of losing the joy of His fellowship or the blessing of His direction is something I never want to experience.

Now, in Deuteronomy, God spoke through Moses and presented His people with a choice: blessing or curse, obedience or disobedience. What strikes me is that God did not force their decision. He allowed them to choose.

The same choice stands before us today.

For those who belong to Christ, obedience did not earn you salvation, but it does reflect a heart that loves and honors God. The Lord promises blessing to those who walk in His ways. We often overlook just how blessed we already are. If we would take the time to count our blessings each day, we might find ourselves echoing the words of that old hymn: “Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”

Yet God also warned of the consequences of disobedience. When we become careless with His commands or begin picking and choosing which parts of His Word we will obey, we place ourselves in a dangerous position. Consider how devastating it would be if God removed some of the blessings we take for granted every day—our health, our provision, the sunshine, the rain, or even the ability to communicate with those we love. We are surrounded by God’s goodness, often without even noticing it.

Before Christ, many of us paid little attention to these warnings or promises. We simply expected our blessings and rarely considered the One from whom they came.

Then, through the miraculous work of God, we were drawn to Jesus Christ. We experienced His love, His forgiveness, and His saving power. We surrendered our lives to Him and discovered a joy and peace that can only come through a personal relationship with the Son of God.

However, I realize that some reading this devotional may have never truly surrendered their lives to Jesus. You may know about Him, attend church, or even believe in Him, but you have never given Him complete lordship over your life. It seems clear to me that the door to God’s richest blessings opens wide when we are fully surrendered to Christ.

Today, if you find where you fit into that last paragraph as it honestly describes you, please consider giving your life completely to Jesus. Turn from sin, trust Him as your Savior, and allow Him to lead your daily path. I am convinced that a life surrendered to Christ is a life transformed by His grace, guided by His wisdom, and overflowing with blessings that point others to Him.

The choice remains before us today, just as it did for Israel long ago: obedience or disobedience, blessing or curse. May we choose to follow Jesus wholeheartedly.

PRAYER
Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving us enough to give us Your Word, Your guidance, and Your commands. Forgive us for the times we have ignored Your voice, chosen our own way, or taken Your blessings for granted.

Help us to walk in obedience, not out of fear, but out of love for You. Search our hearts and reveal any area where we have become careless or rebellious. Give us the courage to surrender those things to You and the strength to follow wherever You lead.

For those who have never fully trusted in Jesus, draw them to Yourself today. Open their eyes to Your love, Your grace, and the abundant life found only in Christ.

May our lives bring honor to You and may our obedience point others to the goodness of our Savior.

In the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of the information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternatively, consider speaking with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I pray that one of God’s servants will pray with you and offer help and encouragement as you begin, or continue, your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, please visit NuggetsFromGodsWord.org, or if you choose, subscribe to receive a daily email containing each new devotional, as you will also find that option on this page. Friends, I encourage you to find a Bible teaching church home near your residence and attend as frequently as possible. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk while you invite God to work through you to bless them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that while also growing in your faith as you worship with fellow believers!