These verses tell us that we shouldn’t be calling attention to ourselves by our outward appearances…but rather the emphasis should be on holy living and good works. This was really brought to life years ago at a Church we were attending. The members dressed very nicely…to the point it was almost a style show every Sunday. But one Sunday the Pastor stood at the pulpit and rebuked the entire congregation with this story. A family had visited the Church for the first time and had enjoyed the service but they felt they couldn’t come back…because they didn’t have nice clothes to wear and felt embarrassed. Our Pastor admonished us all and then wondered out loud just how many other visitors might have felt the same way. He then requested that we seriously reconsider how we dressed for Church.
Tag: spirituality
Romans 3:20 ” Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the Law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.”
The writer of Romans, Paul, reasoned that obedience to the Law cannot justify one before God – because no one can keep the Law perfectly. For the very nature of the Law was to prove to us that we’re sinful…and the purpose of the Law was to lead us from our futile attempts at keeping it to putting our trust in Jesus instead.
Hebrews 1:3 ” The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being…”
We look like our parents…we possess characteristics from both of them. Our DNA is a family history from generations past. Jesus was that perfect expression of His Heavenly Father. Jesus Himself said in John 14:9, ” Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father.” God’s divine glory and splendor took on flesh and came down here to earth to live among us…and His name was Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:8 ” First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.”
Every time you share your faith with someone…every time you openly declare your trust and belief in Jesus Christ…God’s word reaches farther into the world. Little did I know when I started this Daily Devotional a little over three years ago that it would now be reaching over 100 countries around the world. As it states in Romans 10:17, “Faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” Our faith and belief in the Gospel message, when shared with others, catapults His Word to the far-flung reaches of this world.
Psalm 94:11 ” The Lord knows the thoughts of man; He knows that they are futile.”
The Lord knows them all…every ill-intended, evil thought. He sees every vain and worthless plan, and will listen to every ridiculous scheme when we’re trying to impress Him with our wisdom. To paraphrase I Corinth. 3:20, The wisdom of the world is utterly absurd and ridiculous to God is so very true. Every time we think we know it all…we need to remember that we know nothing.
Jude 1:2 ” Mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance.”
On this first day of 2016, I pray this scripture over you and yours. May the Lord’s compassion be ever evident in your life…may you discover true peace that is only brought about by God’s tender mercy, granting you deliverance and freedom from sin…and may His unconditional love shine brightly on you as you journey ahead in this new year. God loves you!
II Peter 2:20 ” If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.”
So why do Believers fall away…even after experiencing the saving grace and mercy of Jesus? Is the pull of the world too strong, or is their confidence in this new-found faith too frail? Has the self-centered human nature triumphed over the newly gained eternal perspective? And why does Peter tell us they are worse off than before they knew Jesus…could it be that they may spend eternity lamenting their decision?
John 5:7 ” ‘Sir,’ the invalid replied, ‘I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.’ “
Something bad happens to us… what’s the first thing we usually do? We blame someone or thing for it. Blaming others rather than taking responsibility for the circumstances we find ourselves in is something we do rather well. I remember a saying that was popular years ago…”The devil made me do it!” No, the devil didn’t make you do anything…it’s all on you.
I Chronicles 16: 31 ” Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, ‘The Lord reigns! “
All authority, dominion and power belongs to God. His throne is established from everlasting to everlasting… His glory displayed for all. Let the heavens and earth shout for joy, for the Lord reigns!
John 9: 35-38 ” Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when He found him, He said, ‘Do you believe in the Son Of Man?’ ‘Who is He, Sir?’ the man asked. ‘Tell me so that I may believe in Him!’ Jesus said, ‘You have now seen Him; in fact He is the one speaking with you.’ Then the man said, ‘Lord, I believe.’ And he worshiped Him. “
The beggar had been born blind, but Jesus had healed him of his physical blindness. But now we find Jesus seeking out the beggar again to offer him something far more important… something with eternal consequences. Jesus was asking the man to put his faith and trust in Him, and thus to be then healed of his spiritual blindness.
Safetypinlove 