Jan 31 2022

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

In the average year, firefighters respond to nearly a half-million structure fires. These range from homes to commercial buildings to barns. The job of a firefighter is to rescue people from fires and extinguish the fire from doing further damage. Often, fires are caused by human error—a dropped cigarette, a child playing with matches, a candle left burning overnight, and so forth.

When a firefighter rescues a family caught in a fire, there is much rejoicing when everyone has escaped. Even if the fire was started by somebody's mistake, that is not the focus at the time of rescue. The overwhelming peace that everyone is okay outweighs the reason why it started.

When God sent Jesus into the world, humanity was in a place where we were doomed. We needed a Savior. God didn't send Jesus down to make us aware of all of the fires we had started and to reprimand us—He came to rescue us. There is much rejoicing when someone is saved from the results of their sin. The focus then becomes knowing God and growing closer to Him. The focus is not on the wrongs of the past.

This can be difficult to understand because our human nature wants retribution. We do something wrong and we are punished to the extent of the law. But God operates differently. He is aware of everything we have done but still offers us His unconditional love.

The next time we have the urge to condemn others for the bad choices they have made, we should remember the pain that we have been spared and the grace we received ... even when we were sinners.

Jesus, there was a time when I was starting a lot of fires in my life. Without your help, they would have burned out of control and destroyed me. Thank you for salvation. I'm so grateful that you offer grace without condemnation and love without hesitation. Help me to do the same even when I don't feel like others deserve it. Thank you for saving me, Jesus. In your name, amen.

Jan 30 2022

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.:

According to a 2017 study by a research group, 87 percent of homes in the United States have a Bible. The average household has four or more Bibles. That's a lot to take in, especially considering that there are over 2,000 languages that still do not have their own translation of the Bible.

The Bible is 66 books of inspired, God-breathed scripture. Its words are useful in our daily lives and help us nurture a relationship with God. We can see God's faithfulness over thousands of years. We learn about His character and can study the life of Jesus. The Bible is truly invaluable.

The Word of God corrects us and shows us how our sin can lead us far from God. The Bible guides us when we face situations where we don't know what to do.

And the Bible equips us to live a life that honors God. Most of us have never experienced a time when we did not have access to the Bible. With websites and smartphone apps, there are now dozens of translations at our fingertips 24/7.

Today, we can be encouraged as we study God's Word. It was given to us as a reminder of who God is and helps us learn about Him and become more like Him. We can open our Bibles today and begin to know God like never before.

God, thank you for giving me your Word. Forgive me for the times I have taken it for granted. Lead me to your Word when I need guidance and show me how to better live for you. Give me understanding and wisdom. Show me things that I have never seen before. Lord, please remind me to study your Word. I'm so grateful for this beautiful gift! In Jesus' name, amen.


Add to Favorites

← View Last Verse View Next Verse →