The Overflow of a Life with Jesus - Greg Laurie Daily Devotion - December 27, 2019
Friday, December 27, 2019
The Overflow of a Life with Jesus
But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. (Romans 4:5 nlt)
If you were to press most Christians today about whether good works get them into Heaven, they would quickly say, “No, it’s by God’s grace.”
But by the way they live, you would think they believe that good works somehow earn God’s favor.
Their lives seem to say, “I expect God to keep me out of trouble and answer all my prayers if I do my duty as a Christian. I get up every morning and have my devotions. Then I spend time in prayer. Maybe I share the gospel. I’ve done my duty. Now I expect God to bless me.”
In a way, they’re trying to earn God’s favor instead of understanding they have God’s favor.
I am not suggesting that you neglect starting your day with the Word of God and prayer. Nor am I suggesting that you don’t share the gospel. But you shouldn’t do those things to find God’s favor. Rather, do them because you’ve found it already. Let them be the overflow of a life with Jesus.
The apostle Paul wrote, “Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. For the Scriptures tell us, ‘Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith’” (Romans 4:1–3 nlt).
Paul was pointing out to religious Jews that God credited Abraham as being righteous, even before circumcision existed. In the same way, being raised in a Christian home doesn’t make us Christians. Water baptism doesn’t save us.
We can cling to these things as though they do. But they’re actually the outward showing of what God has already done, because salvation is a gift.
Copyright © 2019 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com.
Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.
In this fantastic 90-day devotional, author and pastor Levi Lusko uses illuminating stories, biblical teaching, and eye-opening surprises about outer space to show kids that they’re never alone because God is always with them. A copy of this beautifully illustrated book will be mailed to you when you make a gift of support to Harvest Ministries this month.
