Daily Devotional
You Put the Cart Before the Horse
July 27, 2019
BIBLE MEDITATION:
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord…. 2 Peter 1:2
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Did you know that God puts certain things in a certain order in the Bible? For example, the Bible says, “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you.” It never says “peace and grace”—always “grace and peace.” Why? You’ll not know peace until you know grace.
Here’s another one: “Believe and be baptized.” The Bible never says “be baptized and believe.” That’s why we don’t baptize little babies. They can’t believe. The Bible teaches believer’s baptism, “...if thou believest with all thine heart.”
Now if you were immersed or sprinkled before you were saved, dear friend—that’s not believer’s baptism. Believer’s baptism signifies “buried in the likeness of His death. Raised to newness of life.” If you’re baptized before you truly come to know Jesus Christ as Savior, that’s like having your funeral before you die.
God’s order is “believe and be baptized.”
That’s not all. Here’s another order: repentance and faith, in that order. If you’re having difficulty, say, with faith, try repentance first! There’s nothing more debilitating, more smothering to faith than a sin you’re harboring in your heart.
ACTION POINT:
The Bible speaks of a sin “that so easily besets us.” We all have our “besetting sin.” Do you know what yours is? Have you confessed it to God and repented of it? If you’re going to run the race of faith, you’ve got to do some personal conditioning.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
