Jul 23 2024

Today's Bible Verse

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

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In this verse from Romans, the apostle Paul writes about our reconciliation with the Lord. We were once enemies, then reconciled to Him, and then saved because of Jesus. This is the greatest news anyone could ever hear! While we were once dead in sin and enemies of the Lord, we now can have a full life in Jesus.

Think for a minute about Paul's choice of the word enemies. He chose a word that was derived from the ancient Greek word for actively hostile. That has meaning for us today; even if we didn't know it, we were actively hostile against the Lord. Everything we did was against Him. Even worse, once we realized what we were doing, there was no way that we could ever be forgiven. We couldn't make ourselves right before the Lord and no way that a Holy God could treat us as anything but enemies.

Jesus changed everything. The Lord looked upon us with great compassion, knowing that we were helpless—but our sins needed to face justice before He could have a relationship with us. This justice was satisfied in full because Jesus lived a perfect life; He had no sin to atone for. When He died an innocent death, He was the sacrifice that we could never provide. Now, the Lord could forgive our sins.

Not only are we reconciled to the Lord, we are also saved forever. Our lives are not about a balance of good and bad deeds—they are about grace and love. We have been saved once and for all, and nothing that we ever do could separate us from the Lord's mercy on our lives.

This means we do not have to be afraid of death, which is only the beginning of eternity with the Lord in Heaven. We do not have to walk around in shame for our sins, which have been forgiven. Best of all, we can rejoice in our salvation all of our days, knowing that our futures are secure because Jesus paid the ultimate cost so long ago.

Today, if you are struggling with feelings in inadequacy or unworthiness, cling to the Gospel. You are reconciled with the Lord once and for all. You are saved and forgiven. You are a child of God, and He loves you more than any of us could ever understand.

Today's Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for forgiving me time and time again. Thank you for making it possible for me to be reconciled with you forever. Lord, I could never earn my salvation, and I am so grateful that you made a way. I love you, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Jul 22 2024

Yesterday's Bible Verse

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. :

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Yesterday's Bible study

In this verse from Proverbs, we learn about the bond of love that undergirds both family and friend relationships. This love transcends our circumstances—it exists at all times, including those of adversity. It is there when we need it, encouraging us and building us up to accomplish the work that the Lord has put before us.

Jesus gives us the best example of love we could ever have. He always made time for other people—He never turned away the sick, the needy, or young children. In the same way today, He does not turn away from adversity. Instead, He steps into it. When we rejected the Lord, He did not look upon us as a lost cause. Instead, He came down to Earth as a man, willingly submitting Himself to all the trials of humanity, even death on a cross. He shows His love for us by having time for us and entering into our own struggles.

As Christians, we have all experienced the love of Christ. We know what it is like to be the unmerited recipients of boundless grace. Now, being full of His love, we are called to spread it amongst other people, bringing the light of God's love into their hearts and minds. We should be friends that love at all times, as well as the brother or sister who loves even in times of trouble… because that's what Jesus has been to us.

The Lord will equip us to live up to this high calling. It is challenging to love on a consistent basis because it costs us something—self-sacrifice, freedom with our time, a call to give when we ourselves feel tired or worn out. The Lord knows this, and this is why He offers to fill us up each day whenever we come to Him.

Studying the Bible, praying, and worshipping the Lord may feel like tasks that take a lot of effort. But the rewards are many. Being steeped in the Word and conversations with the Lord will fill us with daily reminders of His love for us. When we follow through on these spiritual disciplines, we will be able to truly experience the Lord as a constant, loving companion and a brother who walks through hard times with us. Then—and only then—will we be able to do the same for our friends and family, loving them always because Jesus loved us first.

Yesterday's Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for loving me so much. Thank you for your great kindness and mercy. Please help me to share the love that you have shown me with others. I want to love my friends and family well with the love that you have given me. In Jesus' name, amen.
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