Today’s 333 Devotional: “You Can’t Give What You Don’t Got”

Whatever is not touched within us will be untouched in others that we minister to.

We cannot help others learn anything that we have not learned at the feet of Jesus. We cannot heal others if we remain in our own sickness. The more we discipline ourselves unto godliness the greater impact we’ll have for the Lord and for the things of God in the lives of those around us.

But just as true is that the more we spare ourselves from God’s training and discipline the less useful we will be. If we remain prideful, narrow, or hypocritical, the less able we’ll be able to be used by God to help others in these same areas. How can the Lord use us when we still remain in our own sins?

Jesus said, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:3-5)

So we need to discipline ourselves to godliness as the Apostle Paul tells us.

“Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:7-8)

Let’s take seriously the greatness of our responsibility before God to help those in need by taking the time of truly be disciples of Jesus, which calls for quality and quantity time in the Bible, prayer, and worship.

You can’t give out what you haven’t taken the time to first put in.