Marie’s daily verse: So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves (Galatians 5:16, NLT).

DAILY DEVOTION, January 16, 2025

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. ¹² It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age, ^13. we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titis 2:11-14).

Paul’s summary of the Gospel is a powerful reminder of the grace of God that brings salvation to all people. We are like drowning individuals too far from shore, unable to save ourselves. It’s not enough for those on shore to shout, “Save yourself! Swim to safety!” Our only hope is a lifeguard will reach us in time. In the spiritual sense, Jesus is our lifeguard. He jumped into the water and brought us to safety. This is the salvation spoken of in our text. Paul further explains in Vs. 14 how Jesus saved us. He “gave Himself for us.” He went to the cross to “redeem us from every lawless deed.”

This is the unshakable foundation of our faith. Those who genuinely believe in the Son of God understand the basic Gospel message. We are on the right path when we know this salvation has come from a gracious God. We must regularly remind ourselves of this foundation to feel reassured and grounded in our beliefs.

Marie’s daily verse: The hope of the righteous will be gladness, but the expectation of the wicked will perish (Proverbs 10:28).

DAILY DEVOTION, January 15, 2025

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28).

Who are the people who know that God is working for good in all things? Those who, through unwavering faith, love and trust God the Father. They know that Jesus is the Son of God, and they love the Son. These individuals, who love the true and living God, comprehend that He works for our good regardless of the circumstances. Despite tragedy and evil, we believe God can miraculously transform these negatives into something good. This is the hope we have in God’s goodness, that He unfailingly works for good in the lives of those who love Him.

Paul adds this thought. Those who believe God works for their good are also called according to God’s purpose. What does that mean? How does God call? He calls us through Jesus Christ. His purpose is to redeem all those who believe in His Son. We are called by grace, from darkness to light, from bondage to liberty, from the company of sinful men to fellowship with Christ, from a trust in our righteousness to dependence on His, to grace here and glory hereafter. This is what it means to be called according to His purpose, to be chosen and set apart for a specific role in His plan for the world.

It may be challenging to maintain this belief at times, but God assures us that He is always at work, tirelessly promoting our well-being if we love Him and His Son. This is a promise we can hold onto and believe.

Lord, amid life’s challenges, help me to hold onto the belief that You are always at work, even in ways I may not fully comprehend, promoting my well-being. I am encouraged by the promise that You work for good in all things. I thank You in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Marie’s daily verse: Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand (Colossians 3:1 NLT). 

DAILY DEVOTION, January 14, 2025

Ephesians 2:4-7, But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),  and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

The apostle Paul reminds us of God’s rich mercy and great love.  Even when we were dead in our sins, God made us alive together with Christ by His grace.  He raised us and seated us in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus  to show the exceeding riches of His grace in the ages to come. This scripture is a powerful reminder of God’s love and grace for us.

God’s grace redeems us, forgiving us of all our sins. God’s grace relieves our fears. God’s grace reassures us when we face danger. And now, we learn that God’s grace not only saves us but also rewards us eternally. What a glorious future awaits us who are the recipients of God’s grace. There is much that is good in this life. However, all of life’s treasures and possessions are temporal. They wear out, they break, they rust, they decay. And even if they are still viable when life ends, you must leave them all behind.

God’s amazing grace brings us blessings that will last forever. It’s good not just for this life but also for the life to come. When we enter eternity, God plans to show us the exceeding riches of His grace in the ages to come. He intends to shower us with His kindness for all eternity. The troubles we endure in this life will fade away in the brightness of eternity.

Gracious God, what can I say but “Thank You” for Your amazing grace, which blesses me in this life and will bless me even more in eternity. Praise be unto You for Your great love. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Marie’s daily verse: For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” (2 Corinthians 5:19-20 NLT).

DAILY DEVOTION, January 13, 2025

We spent eight weeks reflecting on God’s grace in our Wednesday Bible study. Paul cautions us in 2 Corinthians 6:1, “not to receive the grace of God in vain.” You receive the grace of God by trusting in Jesus Christ, receiving Him as your Lord and Savior. If you fail to live under the shadow of divine grace, you have received it in vain. Thus, you frustrate His grace if you wallow in guilt over your sins, refusing to believe in God’s gracious forgiveness. If you live under a dark cloud of fear, you are not benefitting from God’s grace. If you go through your toils and tribulations and allow them to drag you down into depression or a negative mindset, you have set aside God’s grace. And if you have the mistaken notion that you can do something to earn eternal life, you received the grace of God in vain.

God’s grace is truly transformative. It does miraculous things in our lives, turning our fears into faith and our troubles into triumphs. It guarantees us an eternal future. Remind yourself daily, “I believe in a gracious God. I will live each day trusting in His grace. Whenever troubles or fears arise, I will not give in to negative human emotions. I will trust in my gracious God.” If you practice living under grace, you will agree with John Newton, who wrote the hymn “Amazing Grace.” Grace is truly transformative and inspiring.

Father, I pray that I will not allow negative experiences to quench Your grace. I do not want to be among those who receive God’s grace in vain. I believe You are a gracious God, and I can always count on You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.