House Church Family Devo
Head: Know God's Word | Heart: Love God | Hands: Follow God's Way
Read: Romans 3:19-25
Head
You cannot do enough right things to earn God’s love or righteousness. You cannot obey enough of God’s laws to be right with God. Some people think that means we don’t need the law, or rules, and can do whatever we want to do without consequence. But Paul says the law of God is still important because it makes us aware of our sin. It guides us in the way of God, and it protects us from negative consequences. However, we cannot follow enough rules or do enough good stuff to earn God’s love and right standing with God. We are made right in God’s eyes by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. Paul says, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”. He also says we are “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Jesus dying on the cross and rising again paid the price for our sin. Jesus took our sin and gave us His righteousness. We already have all of God’s love. We cannot earn any more of it, and we cannot make Him love us any less. That is so freeing!
Heart
Do you try to earn God’s love and favor by following all the rules? Reading your Bible, going to church, praying, being nice to people, doing all your work at school, and trying to be perfect.
Have you given up on trying to do everything right, so you just do what you want to do?
I hope you see that it’s God’s love and kindness through Jesus that gives us freedom and peace. It gives us contentment and a desire to follow in the ways of Jesus. Our motivation changes from striving for acceptance to resting in God’s abundant love and grace. This gives us the desire to do what Jesus would do.
Hands
I encourage you to set a timer for 5 minutes. In those 5 minutes, keep your thoughts focused on the truth that God loves you just as you are. When your mind starts to wander, tell yourself, “Jesus loves me. Jesus likes me. Lord, open my mind and heart for what You want to tell me.” Let that truth settle in your soul and be open to what God may tell you. If you’ve never put your faith in Jesus, I encourage you to pray this prayer and let someone on the church staff know.
Prayer: Father God, You are holy and I am not. I know that I am a sinner and need a Savior. Some specific sins of mine are________. I believe that Jesus is Your Son and died on the cross for my sin. Please forgive me of my sin in Jesus’ name. I put my faith in Jesus and accept him as Lord of my life. I want to live in a way that honors You, God. I cannot do this on my own. Thank You for saving me. Thank You for loving me. In Jesus’ name, I ask these things, Amen.
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