Wednesday, January 5, 2022

Wednesday, January 5, 2022
Romans 5:8 “…But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Humans have been trouble ever since the Fall, when sin and death entered our world. When Jesus walked the earth, it was full of corruption and violence, and not much has changed since then. The world is still full of evil, but it’s full of people, whom God calls his children.

God’s overwhelming love for each and every individual is impossible to fully grasp, but we can get a small glimpse of it when we step back and realize that, even though every one of us has broken God’s law time and time again, He loved us enough to shed the blood of His son. The greatest act of love anyone could ever give to you happened two thousand years ago on a cross, and because of that sacrifice, we have hope beyond this world.

Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Tuesday, January 4, 2022
Romans 10:9-10 “…If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

Paul makes the message of the gospel clear: that if we hold to the authenticity of Jesus, and trust in His resurrection, we will be saved from our sins. “Confessing with our mouths” means that we do not hesitate to speak the truth about Christ. If we don’t stick to what we believe, our words are meaningless.

But believing “in our hearts” that Jesus was raised from the dead isn’t simply believing that He was resurrected, either. After all, God brought many people back to life throughout the Bible. Instead, this is a firm belief in the fact that Christ conquered death, sealing His sacrifice for all of humanity. He showed us that death no longer has any hold over us, and those who believe can look forward to eternity with a loving God who has forgiven us.

Monday, January 3, 2022

Monday, January 3, 2022
Romans 3:23-24 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

We all fall short of God’s standard for perfection. Because of our mistakes, we are barred from spending eternity in paradise with Him. A perfect God could not be perfect if He allowed any imperfection. However, He has offered to wash us white as snow, if we will believe in Him.

The beauty of Christ’s salvation is that it is a gift, not a wage. It isn’t earned by being good, praying, or trying to please Him; instead, we are called to simply accept the forgiveness that God freely gives us as a gift. Our salvation isn’t earned through hard work, but obtained through faith in Christ’s love and His sacrifice for us.

Friday, December 31, 2021

Friday, December 31, 2021
Old Testament Jeremiah records God’s truth that success is ultimately found in a life that invests in knowing Him.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me,” (NASB)

Heaven, here, states concisely a pathway to success! The great individuals in the world’s eyes boast of their ability to solve the problems of society depending on no one. They have all the resources necessary for their pleasure, boasting of strength sufficient to bend other’s will to their own! Impressive resume, . . . but one that falls short in God’s Eyes.

In human terms, living for eternity has no place in the plans of man. As a result, you must live as if there was no tomorrow – grabbing all the gusto you can for as long as you can – because you can’t take it with you! God’s way says, boast in the fact you are humble enough to seek a deeper knowledge of the eternal God, and live accordingly. God could not say it more plainly: to thrive in 2022 means aligning yourself with eternal resources – they are there for the asking!

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Wednesday, December 29, 2021
King David states there is happiness in keeping good company and wanting what God wants for your life.

Psalm 1:1-2 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law day and night. (NASB)

In poetic language, the Psalmist David, lays out a lifestyle for success! A thriving life make wise choices: some things they will do and others they will not. Do not be passive, instead intentionally determine to live life God’s way.

In the Bible when it a statement begins with “Blessed”, what it really means is, “Happy”. Albert Barnes writes, “He who casually and accidentally walks with the wicked, listening to their counsel, will soon learn to place himself in their way, . . . and he who indulges in one form of depravity, or in the neglect of religion in any way, . . . will, unless restrained, . . . be likely to run through every grade of wickedness . . . The sentiment in this verse is, that the man who is truly blessed is a man who does none of these things.” The result of making a firm decision to follow this model is staying power and joyous productivity. In short, a life of impact!

Tuesday, December 28, 2021

Tuesday, December 28, 2021
King Solomon declares there is safety in seeking the advice of wise counselors.

Proverbs 15:22 Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed. (NASB)

Pride often keeps us from seeking the input of others that could reveal weaknesses in our plans. When a great idea comes to us . . . we tend to think it’s all about us! A great idea is about those it will benefit . . . take the time to seek other points of view. Other’s advice can make a good idea, a great one!

John Gill wrote, “If a man determines . . . upon a matter, and at once . . . goes about it, without mature deliberation, without . . . taking the advice of others in forming a scheme to bring about his designs, it generally comes to nothing” Be vulnerable . . . seek the advice others . . . make your plans the best they can be!