God Released Her by Grace: Devotion for Thursday January 2, 2020

Devotion for Thursday January 2, 2020 

                    

Topic: God Released Her by Grace               

Text: John 8:1 – 11

When Jesus invited someone without sin to throw the first stone on this woman, the leaders slipped away one by one, from oldest to youngest. “Evidently the older men were more aware of their sins than the younger. Age and experience often temper youthful self-righteousness. 

We all have a sinful nature and are desperately in need of forgiveness and transformation” so says Life Application Commentary. None of us would have been able to throw the first stone because we cannot claim that we have no sin. We would have also walked away. 

Actually no one could claim he or she is sinless so as to stone this woman. Jesus had exposed their hypocrisy and embarrassed them. 

They went back in shame to think of some other ways to trap Jesus. No one had accused the woman and Jesus kindly said to He would not condemn her either. 

Thus she was released from death by grace. She was not simply free to go her way. Jesus didn’t free her from the Pharisees, He want to free her from her sin, so he added, “Go and sin no more.” 

Jesus didn’t condemn her, but neither did he ignore or condone her behavior. Jesus told the woman to leave her life of sin. 

As we have been graciously brought into this New Year, we should not abuse the grace of God. He brought us into the New Year because He expects a change in us. Don’t think you deserve to be alive; it is by God’s grace. 

Live in gratitude like this woman having received God’s grace to enter into this year.

Food for Thought: How grateful are you to God for the grace to see this year?

Memory Verse: Ephesians 2:8

Prayer: Lord I am alive by your grace. Help me to live my life in gratitude for this singular honour.

Do You Undermine God’s Word

Devotion for Tuesday October 31, 2017

Topic: Do You Undermine God’s Word

Text: John 12:44 – 50

John 12:48 is similar to Deuteronomy 18:19. Many people are eager to hear God’s word or preach it but very few are ready to apply same into their lives. The doers of the word of God are justified according to Apostle Paul (Romans 2:13). Thus James affirms in his exhortation in James 1:22.

Here in our bible reading for the day is an obvious truth. Jesus asserts that if anyone hears His word and does not believe it, that truth He preached will judge the person at last. A sinner will certainly remember the word he heard on the last day and that will be the source of his/her condemnation. Undermining the word of God we hear makes us not to be committed in the things of God and it makes us faithless when we come to the crossroads of life. Another side effect of undermining God’s word is that it makes us lose sight of what God is capable of doing for us. Lastly, those who undermine God’s word act hypocritically and are compromisers.

How do you treat the word of God you read, hear or preach? Do you read, hear or preach and undermine it? Do you attend all the conferences and conventions of your church and have nothing to show for it? When we hear the word of God and undermine it, the result will be what Paul said in 1 Timothy 4:2. Do not hear the word of God and refuse to surrender your life to Jesus? By so doing, you have already condemned yourself. Again, men of Nineveh will rise against you (Matthew 12:41) in judgement. Therefore, act now before it will be too late.  

Food for Thought: The conscience of a sinner will concur with the sentence of Christ on Judgement Day. Will your conscience condemn or commend you?

Memory verse: John 12:48

Prayer: Lord in your mercy grant that I will no longer undermine your word. Help me to be a doer of your word and not hearer alone in Jesus name.