Monday: Calling Us Into Relationship – Read Matthew 11:28, Luke 19:1-10 & Luke 19-20. God’s heart is to be in relationship with the people. It is why God has made covenants through the ages with Noah, Abraham, Moses, & David. In Jesus, a new covenant was made of pardon and forgiveness. We call this justification. God’s grace has made a way. Through Jesus Christ we can love God once again. That is the message of the Cross – the body & blood of Christ given for forgiveness.

 

Tuesday: No One Else - Read Acts 4:12, Philippians 2:5-8 & John 14:1-6. John Wesley said, “Nothing in the Christian system is of greater consequence than the doctrine of atonement.” Because Jesus died on the cross for our sins, he is the way to salvation. Healing in this life and the promise of eternal life come by what Jesus has done. Our death to sin, he took on himself with his death.   We now have the hope of new life. We can trust in Jesus since he has completed his atoning work at Calvary. Due to his death, Christ has made us at-one (atoned) for our sin. Now, we have the chance to live with the Lord. 

 

Wednesday: A Gift of Grace - Read Ephesians 2:1-10. God’s unconditional love (grace) has been given to humanity as a gift. It is through this grace that we have been saved. God wants to save all people because of God’s love. It’s not what we do but what grace has done already. We are provided the cure for our sin sick souls. Notice that in 2:8 the text reads you have been saved. This is present tense. Salvation isn’t just for life after death. It is for healing and wholeness (peace) when you are living today! Are you starting to realize why this new life is so transformational? The old has gone, the new has come.

 

Thursday: What is Our Part - Read Revelation 3:20, John 1:12-13 & John 14:1. Ephesians 2:8 said “It is by grace you have been saved through faith.” Through faith is our part. Faith is a decision to place our trust in Christ alone. It’s a choice to die to our false self of pride, power, control,  destruction and egocentrism. Our response has two parts: Repent – turn away from our false self and turn back toward God. Second, belief is about putting our faith and trust in Christ. We recognize that only Christ’s grace can heal us from our sin. We have to answer the knocking on the door each and every day. Then, we will become children of God when we accept this gift of love.

 

Friday: Another Word for Justify – Read Romans 8:1-2 and 8:33-38. Another word for justification is pardon. Pardon is the opposite of condemnation. God could have condemned humanity for our sin because our sin is against God. But, God’s mercy and grace has shown us forgiveness. Christ has set us free from the law of sin and death to experience the Father’s justifying grace. The ungodly receive it by faith because of what God has done through Jesus Christ. We have not earned nor do we deserve this gift. Pray with gratitude and praise for all that God has done for you! Pray today for those who don’t know this grace and forgiveness in their lives. 

 

Saturday: Forgiveness – Read Romans 6:23, Isaiah 44:22, Isaiah 43:25, Psalm 103:11-13, Micah 7:18-19. Does it seem too good to be true that God delights in showing mercy? How does God forgive our sins and have compassion? Why doesn’t God hold our sins against us like a grudge? While we may still have feelings of remorse or guilt from our sins, our gracious God doesn’t hold them against us. God chooses to love us because of WHO GOD IS! Our salvation comes from God’s character of love. Perhaps it seems so difficult to accept because we know our hearts and minds aren’t like God’s. We are petty and vengeful.   We must cling to our rights and fear others. God is love and perfect love casts out fear (1John 4:18). Isn’t this grace the reason we sing, pray, laugh, serve and obey? WHAT A GOD WE HAVE!