Daily Devotional: Thursday, March 11

Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme: Grace

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Yesterday, Today and Forever by Vicky Beeching; The Time Has Come by Hillsong United; Your Name by Paul Baloche; Need You Here by Hillsong; Til I See You by Hillsong.

Read: 1 Peter 1:13-16; John 1:16-18  

Think: People have tried throughout history to please God or to gain His acceptance through trying to earn it somehow. Chuck Swindoll in his book, The Grace Awakening likens it to being invited for dinner by a friend- Say you went to his/her home, enjoyed a fabulous meal with great conversation and a really enjoyable evening. After a time of catching up on life and lots of laughter you make your way to leave. After thanking your host for the evening you took out your wallet and asked how much you owe them... That would be truly insulting to your host wouldn't it? They graciously gave you a meal and invited you into their home because of your friendship and because they cared about you!  

That is what we do when we try to DO something to earn God's love or get in His good graces... We try to pay Him back for what He has done for us!

Somehow people keep coming to the conclusion that if we just do the right thing, say the correct words, or work really hard THEN God will accept us, then He'll love us, then we'll have done our part and deserve His goodness. But that reduces our relationship with Him to works - what WE do, not what Jesus has done on the cross!  John 1:17 says "Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ." God's grace is about His Son and Jesus is the key to the Father's acceptance. It's not about our feeble attempt to earn our way, but His gracious outpouring that draws us to Him.

Do: What motivates you to do the right things? Are you trying to earn God's approval? If you've put your faith in Christ you have His love and acceptance because of what Jesus did, not because of what you have done! So do good, but do it as an outflow of God's love, not because you have to in order to be ok with Him.  

Pray: Your grace is enough Father and I know there isn't enough I can do to earn salvation or to deserve Your approval... Thank you that I don't need to - that your grace is enough to cover my sin and failures and that Jesus YOU are enough! Thank you for your grace. Amen.

The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.

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