Father, there is such great assurance in Your presence. Thank You for going before me yesterday. I realize that it is an everyday occurrence but I don’t ever want to take it for granted. I am blessed. Amen.
Matthew 3:7-10 (<<click the green)
Wow! Reading what John had to say the religious leaders of his day makes me step back a bit. He sure didn’t sugar coat it. He pretty much laid it all out and they, within just a few moments, knew exactly what he thought about them.
In our Bible study last night we discussed people of “religion” if you will. Many feel that they have the bases covered because they are so diligent in following the rules and regulations. Many feel that their eternal destiny is secure because their daddy was a believer and his daddy before him and his daddy before him, etc., etc. But John made it very clear that none of those things proved anything.
As Isaiah proclaimed “our righteous deeds…are nothing but filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:5-7) Nothing we are, nothing we can say, nothing we can do is worth anything in regards to our standing before God – it is all worthless. The only thing that is worth anything is when we turn from our way and give ourselves over to God’s way. John calls to us as well, “Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.”
We cannot earn our salvation by our deeds – that is a gift from God alone – but we must show by our deeds that salvation has taken place.
Lord, I am grateful that You have offered me salvation. It was at great cost to You – your very life. You gave Your life when mine should have been forfeit – my sins should have resulted in my death. But You took my place. Lord… may I “prove by the way [I] live” that I have turned from my sinful ways and turned to You. May my life be living proof of that relationship. Amen.
Sept 26th, Tues, 6:47 am
