Aug 15 2024

Afternoon Bible Verse

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

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Eternal life is the ultimate gift to everyone who believes in Jesus. Over the centuries, some people have chosen not to believe that this gift is offered to them. But simply not believing in something doesn't make it right or true.

God, through His Holy Spirit, raised Christ up from the dead. Whether we choose to believe or not, it still happened. The Apostle Paul says that if God did that for Jesus, then He will also do the same for those who believe in His Son.

As humans, we enjoy the privilege of making choices about everything, from what we eat and what we wear, to what career we pursue and whether or not we get married. Unfortunately, we also suffer the consequences of making bad decisions. Often, we learn painful and valuable lessons from these wrong choices.

However, what we choose in regard to our relationship with God has eternal implications. In His great mercy, God allows us to decide whether or not we will follow Him. This is an amazing gift, especially since God knows that everyone will not choose to serve Him. Even though God desires a relationship with us, He gives us the opportunity to decide for ourselves.

The choice each of us must make is whether to accept or deny God's sacrifice through His Son Jesus. That choice will determine our life now and our eternity.

Afternoon Prayer

God, I am so grateful that you've given me the ability to make my own decisions. Even though you know that I won't always get everything right the first time, your grace is always ready to catch me when I fall. Guide me in the decisions that I make so that I trust you, rather than my own human thinking. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Aug 14 2024

Yesterday Afternoon's Bible Verse

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).:

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Yesterday Afternoon's Bible study

We need mercy, although it may not be something we often think about. We're aware that we need forgiveness and grace, but why do we need mercy?

Maybe we can justify a criminal's need for mercy, but clearly, we haven't done anything as horrible as criminals have. Right? They commit crimes and deserve to be punished for what they've done, but we haven't done anything to merit punishment. Right?

Wrong.

Every sin we've ever committed deserves punishment. But fortunately for us, God's great mercy means that we don't have to suffer the eternal consequences. If we were to view our sin in the light of God's holiness, we would be keenly aware of how unworthy we are. But in the midst of our sinfulness, God reached down to us and granted us mercy.

This afternoon's verse says that "even when we were dead in our sins" we received grace through Christ. When we see others at their lowest point, do we extend that same type of grace to them?

Even when we demonstrate mercy to others, we are incapable of taking the next step that Paul mentions in Ephesians 2:4-5. We are made alive through Christ. We have no power within us that can bring us life. Only through His death and resurrection have we been offered eternal life that removes the curse of sin from us.

Now, though we were dead in our sin, we have been made alive through Christ. What an amazing gift!

Yesterday Afternoon's Prayer

God, how can I thank you for the gift of mercy you have extended to me? You saved me and offered me eternal life when I was unworthy. I will never be able to repay the debt that Jesus paid. I am alive in you and have everything I need to live for you. Thank you. In Jesus' name, amen.
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