{"id":3636,"date":"2024-01-04T05:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-03T21:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jec.com.ph\/jub\/?p=3636"},"modified":"2024-01-09T22:30:38","modified_gmt":"2024-01-09T14:30:38","slug":"daily-devotion-january-4-2024-responsibility-and-accountability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jec.com.ph\/jub\/index.php\/2024\/01\/04\/daily-devotion-january-4-2024-responsibility-and-accountability\/","title":{"rendered":"Daily Devotion (January 4, 2024): Responsibility and Accountability"},"content":{"rendered":"[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.21.2″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL PASSAGE<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Please read Genesis 3:1-13<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The woman you put here with me\u2014she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” <\/span><\/p>\n

Genesis 3:8-13<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

DEVOTIONAL<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

by Elder Chris Beltran<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

Often, when we are caught doing something wrong, we refuse to take responsibility for our actions. Look at what happened to our first parents, Adam and Eve. After experiencing all the blessings given to them by our Father God, they were tempted by the promise of wisdom, took the forbidden fruit, ate it, and disobeyed the commandment of God.<\/span><\/p>\n

Both of them did everything they could to avoid taking responsibility and accountability for their sins. Adam blamed his wife, “She gave me the fruit.” And even pointed\u00a0 an accusing finger at God, saying, “The woman whom You gave me…” Eve blamed the serpent, saying, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” God ignored their excuses and pronounced judgment they would be facing as consequences for their disobedience (vv. 14-19).<\/span><\/p>\n

As we look with amusement at their way of trying to avoid accountability, often we also are like them, refusing to take responsibility. \u201cOur spouse is not understanding.\u201d \u201cWe are so busy.\u201d \u201cOur friends let us down.\u201d \u201cOur employer is not caring.\u201d \u201cI was pressured.\u201d \u201cOur pastor is not a good preacher; that is why I’m not growing.\u201d Excuses are many, but remember what God did: He ignored Adam and Eve’s excuses. Forgiveness, mercy, and restoration will not happen until we accept full responsibility for our actions.<\/span><\/p>\n

If we make it a habit of making excuses and blaming others for our failures, we will never reach a point of genuine repentance. God will hold us accountable for our actions, not others, no matter how you blame them. When we blame and criticize others, we avoid some weakness and truth about ourselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Make it a point to strive to take responsibility for our own sins and ask for his mercy and forgiveness. This will free us to move forward to grow in our walk with Him.\u00a0 Before we place blame to escape accountability,\u00a0 let us be reminded that God knows our every thought, every motive, and what’s in our hearts. We may be able to deceive others by placing blame, but we can never escape God.<\/span><\/p>\n

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PRAYER<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Lord, nothing escapes You. You know my every thought, every way, my motives, and what’s inside our hearts. Help us to seek Your forgiveness and mercy every time we sin and not try to downgrade it by putting the blame on others. Help me, Lord. In Jesus’ name, we pray, amen.<\/span><\/p>\n

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TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL PASSAGE Please read Genesis 3:1-13 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10,12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3636","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-devotionals","category-text-devo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jec.com.ph\/jub\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3636","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jec.com.ph\/jub\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jec.com.ph\/jub\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jec.com.ph\/jub\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jec.com.ph\/jub\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3636"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/jec.com.ph\/jub\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3636\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3639,"href":"https:\/\/jec.com.ph\/jub\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3636\/revisions\/3639"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jec.com.ph\/jub\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3636"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jec.com.ph\/jub\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3636"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jec.com.ph\/jub\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3636"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}