Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Wednesday, October 6, 2021
The apostle Paul writes of how God cared for you when you cared nothing for Him.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (NASB)

Don’t know about you, but when someone treats me badly, I don’t want anything to do with them. It’s like this: if you want to be friends – play nicely, otherwise, I’m out of here! It’s just human nature.

Good thing God doesn’t deal with us that way! Despite how you treat His commands; though you use His Name as a curse; though you don’t want anything to do with Him — He sent His own Son to die for you, to provide a relationship with Him, and forgiveness of sin. Imagine that . . .!

Tuesday, October 5, 2021

Tuesday, October 5, 2021
The apostle Paul writes of God’s extending a lifeline to the world.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (KJV)

Dealing with the fact you are a sinner matters! It’s a very big deal to God. Sin got Adam and Eve kicked out of the Garden of Eden. Sin brought death to mankind: physically and spiritually. So . . . you’re a sinner – what can you do about it?

Nothing. But . . . God saw a way He could help you get back into a right relationship with Him – the tricky thing was the wages of sin is death. Someone had to die, so believe it or not, God let His only Son die for you! That’s the gift of God. Now, you can accept God’s gift. This makes you part of God’s family and gives you a home eternally in heaven when your physical body dies. It’s a gift and you must intentionally receive it. Have you?

Monday, October 4, 2021

Monday, October 4, 2021
The apostle Paul writes of mankind’s inability to merit salvation

Romans 3:23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. (NLT)

It’s a humbling experience to admit that you’ve done wrong. As human beings, we look for any way to avoid humbling ourselves . . . we rationalize, we make excuses, we try and ignore the wrong. Yet, there’s no peace, no resolution until you do it God’s way . . . admit that you have sinned.

This is step one in receiving God’s gift of forgiveness. When you confess that you are a sinner and have fallen short of God’s standard of perfection, then you realize there is no way you could merit that forgiveness. That’s what the “good news” is in the Bible. Admit your sin and ask God to forgive you and He will!

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Friday, October 1, 2021

Friday, October 1, 2021
The apostle Paul writes of the resources God has given His followers.

II Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. (NASB)

This letter from the apostle to his protégé Timothy is the last letter Paul wrote, calling for him not to be ashamed of the truth of God’s love. This call came when Nero was persecuting Christians. So how do you live in the 21st century when you are being unjustly persecuted for believing in traditional marriage? How do you live unashamed in Africa and the Middle East when Islamic radicals are hunting you down to convert or kill you?

Paul says you are to choose to live courageously! The most common command in Scripture is: fear not. If you are fearful, that is not from God! What is from God is power to do what He wants you to do – so choose to live courageously, and as you do, you will experience the courage that God has put within you by His Spirit. The same is true of love for others. Remember this self-control is produced in the Christ-follower – also — as a gift of the Holy Spirit!

Thursday, September 30, 2021

Thursday, September 30, 2021
The apostle Peter writes of how to live — in light of Christ’s coming.

I Peter 1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (NASB)

Peter is issuing a call to anticipate the glorious future promised by our Lord! He says prepare yourself for the Lord’s coming and don’t be tied to the present world – be heavenly minded . . . live expectantly. Don’t be addicted to worldly living and worldly tastes – realize your citizenship is in heaven!

Exercise self-control, oversee your priorities. All that Christ has done for us in providing so great a salvation, should create within us a hunger, a passion for what is yet unfulfilled until Christ comes again!

Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Wednesday, September 29, 2021
The apostle Paul encourages Christ-followers to discipline themselves so they can live a life pleasing to God.

I Corinthians 9:25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. (NASB)
When athletes want to run in the Boston Marathon or the Olympics, they must first prepare themselves with a proper diet, building their endurance . . . strengthening themselves. They cannot live like people who don’t want to compete! If you want to compete and run a world-class race — you have to sacrifice and do hard things you don’t feel like doing. The same is true of the spiritual side of your life.
Living a life of impact for Christ requires self-control. For starters, you completely avoid all known sin. Period! Other aspects of self-control are more subtle and require more effort to identify. For example, things you enjoy doing that are innocent, but for someone else that activity could lead them to sin. Christ-followers must discipline themselves to be willing to, at times, give up good things for the sake of others! That kind of sacrifice will someday be rewarded with a crown that will last forever.