DAILY DEVOTION, June 19, 2022

he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit Titus 3:5).

This morning we continue to reflect on mercy (grace) and our good works. Yes, unbelievers do righteous things. Christians do righteous things. What do our righteous deeds have to do with our salvation? In a word, nothing. When God decided to offer us a rebirth He was acting out of mercy. He was treating us in a manner we do not deserve. He was being merciful.

Paul mentions two parts that accompany salvation. First is the washing of rebirth. This is not an external washing but a cleansing of the soul. When we trust in Jesus our sins are forgiven.  Our souls are washed clean. Second, we are renewed by the Holy Spirit. Our past is cleansed and we move into the future with the aid and presence of the Holy Spirit. He changes us inside so we have a new interest in living a righteous life pleasing to God. What a wondrous blessing it is to be reborn and renewed!

Father, you have covered us with Your mercy. You have saved us, giving us a new birth and a new life. May Your name be forever exalted! In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen. 

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 

4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you (1 Peter 1:3-4). 

DAILY DEVOTION, June 17, 2022

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect (1 Peter 1:18-19).

How much money would it take to redeem your soul? All the money in the world cannot release you from a single sin. Peter describes our life before salvation as “empty.” It is a way of life handed down to us by our ancestors. Our ancestors all the way back to Adam and Eve have sinned before God.

Enter Jesus. He is described as a lamb without blemish or defect. He is the one perfect, sinless human being. Therefore His blood is precious, the very blood of God incarnate. His shed blood is the price God was willing to pay to redeem us. We must never think we can pay anything or do anything to earn God’s favor. What we must do is place our trust in the shed blood of Jesus and hold on to that faith until death takes us to our eternal home.

Father, I do not have the words to adequately thank You for all You have done for me. Your love astonishes me, that You would allow Your s

DAILY DEVOTION, June 16, 2022

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13). 

Jeremiah tells us how we may come to know God. If I seek God with all my heart, I will find Him. I will have a relationship with my Creator. The condition mentioned by the prophet requires some interpretation. What does it mean to seek God with all your heart?

It clearly means to seek Him with sincerity. If we are half-hearted or indifferent about seeking God, we will never come to know Him. The question w must ask is this; do I really want to know God? Those who sincerely want to know Him will find Him.

Of course, we must remember that we are under the New Covenant. Jeremiah spoke under the Old Covenant. For us, to seek God sincerely means to seek Jesus Christ and submit to Him with faith. Once we have a faith in Jesus that will never give up, we will know God. We will have a living relationship with our Creator.

It is not difficult to know God. He wants us to seek Him. He desires to have a relationship with us. What about me? Do I want what God wants?

Father, I thank You that You are not hiding from me.  I thank You that You have made clear what I must do to find You. I reaffirm my faith in Jesus, and I thank you that as I trust in Him, I have a relationship with You.  May His Name be blessed forever, Amen.  

DAILY DEVOTION, June 15, 2022

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him (1 John 4:9).

We know what human love is. It can be very powerful. If someone were hurting your child, love would compel you to do whatever it took to save your child. Our love, however, is very puny compared to the love of God. “God is love,” the Scriptures say. His love is so far beyond ours as to be incomprehensible. When God acted to show His love He did something remarkable. He sent His Son, Jesus, the second person in the Trinity, to suffer and die for us. When we trust in Jesus all our sins are forgiven. That is mega love!

God also gives us the gift of eternal life through Jesus. Sometimes we struggle to believe that God loves us. We feel so unworthy, and we are! But God has acted to redeem us nonetheless. God loves you with a love that far exceeds human love. Believe it! God loves you.

“Pause, my soul, adore and wonder,

Ask, Oh why such love to me?

Grace hath put me in the number

Of the Savior’s family:

Thanks, eternal thanks to thee.” (Author unknown)

Father, Your love for us is incomprehensible. While we struggle to understand how You could love us, we believe in Your love and we thank You for loving us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

DAILY DEVOTION, June 14, 2022

Who among you by worrying can add a single moment to your life? (Matthew 6:27).

It is a psychological truth that you cannot hold on to two conflicting thoughts at the same time. When you are worrying, you cannot think positive thoughts. When your mind is full of good thoughts, there is no place for worry. Paul not only tells us not to worry, but he also tells us to think good thoughts.  ^“And now, brothers, as I close this letter, let me say this one more thing: Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about. ⁹ Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9, Living Bible).

There are so many good things to think about. The truth of the Gospel, the promise of everlasting life, things beautiful, things pure, God’s many blessings etc. Proverbs 4:3 says, “Your thoughts run your life” (International Children’s Version). You can drive worry from your mind by thinking good thoughts. Do you want worry to run your life? Probably not. Memorize the many passages in Scripture that speak of God’s love, grace, joy, mercy, and peace. Call them to mind when worry wants to creep in. Godly thoughts grind worrisome thoughts to a pulp!

Father, forgive me when I give in to worry. Help me to fill my mind with Your goodness, love, and all the good things that are present in my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.