Daily Devotional
You Need Grace First
“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord…”
2 Peter 1:2
July 27, 2020
Ponder This
Have you ever noticed how God puts things in sequence in the Bible? For example, the Bible says, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you.” It never says “peace and grace”—always “grace and peace.” Why? Because you’ll not know peace until you know grace.
The Bible also says “Believe and be baptized,” not “Be baptized and believe.” The Bible teaches believers’ baptism, “....if you believe with all your heart…” (Acts 8:37)
If you were baptized before you gave your heart to Jesus and truly believed, you haven’t been “baptized” at all. True baptism follows true belief. 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 God has put in the Bible: repentance and faith, always in that order: repentance first, then faith. If you’re having difficulty with faith, first try repentance.
Practice This
There’s nothing more debilitating, more smothering to faith, than a sin you’re harboring in your heart. The Bible speaks of a sin “that so easily besets us.” We all have our “besetting sin.” Do you know what it is? Have you confessed it to God and repented from 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.’”
