God Is…I Am... Devotional (100 Days to A Renewed Mind) TBN - Days 37 & 38 - Mar 3 & 4 2019

[Rev. Dr. Dorothy E. Hooks, PsyD]

God Is…I Am… Devotional

Day 37 – 3/3/19: RENEWING TRUTH:

God Demonstrated His Love for Me

RENEWING SCRIPTURE:

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

ROMANS 5:8

RENEWING THOUGHT:

Romans 5:8 once and for all puts to death the argument that God does not love us. ln this passage of Scripture, in the clearest way possible, Paul reminds us of three very important things: God loves us now; He loved us before we were born; and God loved us while we were sinners. ln no way could we have done any good work or paid enough penance to earn our salvation. lt was all God's love.

God is the initiator of love and the author of salvation. He is the only One who could have saved us, and at the cross, Jesus took the sin of the world upon Himself. Jesus paid the price that we could never pay. We were dead in our sin, separated from God. There was no way to reach God by our own merit. And then, two of the most powerful words in the Bible appeared…”but, God.” But God, not willing that any should perish and have all come to repentance, made a way for men to be saved (See 2 Peter 3:8-10).

God has demonstrated His love for you. He has revealed, shown, and proven His love for you. God loves you. Even if you’ve never felt loved in your life, even if you feel unlovable right now, let His love into your heart today. God loves you. Open the door…and let His love in.

RENEWING INSPIRATION:

The Christian life isn’t just a matter of you and me holding on and hoping for the best. No, the Christian life is actually about God holding you and me in his grip, and us trusting him to not let go.

                                                                                                                        -Jack Graham

 

 

God Is…I Am… Devotional 

Day 38 – 3/4/19: RENEWING TRUTH:

l Am Accepted in the Beloved

RENEWING SCRIPTURE:

... having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

EPHESIANS 1:5-6, NKJV

RENEWING THOUGHT:

Accepted, accepted, accepted. Maybe you've never felt accepted in your life.  I want you to know that you are three-times accepted. The Father has accepted you. Jesus has accepted you. And the Holy Spirit has accepted you. You have been accepted not once, but three times. You are accepted indeed!

To be accepted in the Beloved means that God has bestow His grace upon you. It means that God knows everything about you and, through Jesus, you have been found highly favored. If you are accepted in Jesus, you have been accepted at the highest level and to the greatest degree ever possible.

There is nothing higher. It is a better acceptance than any prestigious school, job, sports team, or powerful position. Nothing on earth compares with what it means to be accepted in Jesus.

One day, we will understand. We will see the Throne and the Glory and the Majesty. We will stand before the power and glory of God. You will be fully accepted then, but you don't have to wait. You are fully accepted now.

 RENEWING INSPIRATION:

Each day, boldly declare, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. God is pleased with me. He is on my side.” If you say something like that on a consistent basis, guilt and condemnation won’t hand around.

                                                                                                                              -Joel Osteen

Click here for PDF version of Days 37 & 38 - Mar 3 & 4 2019

God's Blessings,

Dr. Dorothy E. Hooks