MONDAY, February 14th
Pray – (1/2 minute)
Read – (3 minutes) “If in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about – but not before God.” (Romans 4:2)
Passage: Psalm 34:1-8
It’s a fairly common thought in the world that God has a pair of scales and on those scales He puts our good deeds on one side and our bad deeds on the other. If our good outweighs the bad, we get into heaven. If not, well . . . you know. If that picture was accurate and if you made it into heaven, then you would have something to brag about because it would have proven you were better than those who didn’t get in.
But it doesn’t work that way. Abraham knew it. King David knew it. God doesn’t offer us a home in heaven because of how good we are. He offers us a home in heaven because of how good He is. He doesn’t forgive sin because of any work we do. He forgives sin because of the work Jesus Christ did on the cross. On this day which focuses on love for others, spend some time right now and express your love for God. He has already expressed His love for you.
Apply – (2 minutes)
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Pray – (1 ½ minutes)
TUESDAY, February 15th
Pray – (1/2 minute)
Read – (3 minutes) “But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.” (Romans 4:5)
Passage: Psalm 32:1-5
Justified. The word is a legal term. It indicates that you have been declared innocent of any charge against you and that you are considered to be someone who has completely obeyed the law. In spiritual terms, it means that God views you as perfect. He has no record of a wrong word ever spoken. He has no record of any wrong action ever taken. He has no record of a wrong thought ever being imagined.
Justified. Just-as-if-I-had-never-sinned. Now I know I’ve sinned. You know you’ve sinned. But when you exercised faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, God no longer considered that you or I had sinned. Our sins are covered by Jesus. Our record has been replaced by His. Now, tell God thank you and then go live in a way that shows God your appreciation and that seeks to be a reflection of Christ to the world.
Apply – (2 minutes)
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Pray – (1 ½ minutes)
WEDNESDAY, February 16th
Pray – (1/2 minute)
Read – (3 minutes) “He received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised . . .” (Romans 4:11a)
Passage: Matthew 28:16-20
When you were born, you had the seed of your biological parents in you and there was no effort on your part that made you their child. Now there is nothing you can do to remove yourself from being their biological child, or cause you to be more of an offspring biologically than you already are. The things that you do in life, your eating habits, exercise, education, social relationships, etc., are all part of making you the best person you can be, but they don’t add to or alter your position as a biological child of your parents.
That physical reality is a picture of the reality of spiritual birth. When you put your faith in Jesus, God planted His seed (the Holy Spirit) in you and you became a child of God – period. Baptism as a public identification with Christ, Worship, Bible Study, prayer, service and stewardship are important things you should do to show your love for Christ and to become the best you can be, but they don’t add to or take away from you being justified in the eyes of God.
Apply – (2 minutes)
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Pray – (1 ½ minutes)
THURSDAY, February 17th
Pray – (1/2 minute)
Read – (3 minutes) “. . . He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed – the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.” (Romans 4:17b)
Passage: Colossians 1:15-20
Abraham was given a purpose by God to be a blessing to the world. He was given promises by God of land and descendants. At the time those promises were made, Abraham didn’t own any property and he was far away from the land God promised. He also was about 75 years old and his wife Sarah was well past the age of having children. But God said it and Abraham believed God.
What is your view of God? Do you believe He is limited or do you believe that he is the Creator of the Universe and all we see and that He has the power to do anything He has promised to do? Abraham believed the latter and when you stand by faith on the promises God has made in His Word, you will be living just like Abraham. Believe!
Apply – (2 minutes)
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Pray – (1 ½ minutes)
FRIDAY, February 18th
Pray – (1/2 minute)
Read – (3 minutes) “Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead . . . Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,” (Romans 4:19-20)
Passage: Luke 18:18-27
Face it. There are some things you cannot do. Now, faith it. There is nothing that God cannot do. God calls people to do what they cannot do on their own. He is pleased when people acknowledge they cannot do His work on their own. God equips people to do His work and when it is accomplished, He receives the glory.
Abraham and Sarah admitted they couldn’t have children, but God gave them Isaac. David admitted he was just a shepherd boy, but God made him a great King. Mary admitted she couldn’t have a child without a husband, but God overshadowed her and Jesus, our Savior, was born. God has things that He wants you to do. Don’t limit him by stopping at your problem. Be available to His power and let Him do His work in and through you.
Apply – (2 minutes)
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Pray – (1 ½ minutes)
SATURDAY, February 19th
Pray – (1/2 minute)
Read – (3 minutes) “The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness . . .” (Romans 4:23-24a)
Passage: I John 1:1-4
Do you ever have the thought that there are some super saints in the world that God uses and then there are people like you? That’s not true. God doesn’t have “super” saints. Every child of God is a saint. Every child of God is special in His eyes and loved just as much as every one of His other children. Every child of God has a purpose and a call to fulfill in touching their world for Christ.
It was reported that Billy Graham was once asked, “Who is the greatest Christian who ever lived?” He replied, “Probably some precious elderly saint that no one has ever heard of.” Billy knew that his ministry was dependent upon the prayers and giving of thousands of anonymous saints and that they shared just as much in the success of his ministry as he did – perhaps in reality, even more. Be the best you can be for Christ. You are a special saint and no one else can do exactly what God calls you to do.
Apply – (2 minutes)
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Pray – (1 ½ minutes)
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