Daily Devotional

ALL GOD’S CHILDREN PRECIOUS IN HIS SIGHT

February 16

hild of the King, do you know who you really are? Let me explain. No matter how sinful or estranged from God that you once were, in the instance that you confess your sins and repent of them, in that exact split second, the signal goes to heaven where the Lamb's Book of Life is located. Your name is instantly recorded in indelible print. You are now a child of God with all rights and privileges thereof. However, at this point God allows you to retain just enough of the memory of your past evil actions to correct you. Child, it is important that the full impact of your past sins be heavy enough to warn you strongly not to go back to the land of evil and sin. Again, your Father in Heaven allows just enough of the hurt and pain of your sinful life to remain fresh in your memory to act as a deterrent to future sinful participations. Then, in God’s presence you appear with other former sinners of all sizes, shapes and descriptions. You stand alongside former drug addicts, murderers, fornicators, mean-spirited people, as well as people who were basically good and did not go about recklessly breaking the commandments of God, but who themselves needed to confess their sin also to have their names written in the Lamb's Book of Life. If you were a pretty good person before you were saved you must be careful! Pride in that fact may cause you to be angry toward those who recklessly destroyed lives and families, but have been forgiven and given equal status with you in the presence and family of God--- yes, equal status! It is an insult to Christ for anyone anywhere to think that the precious blood of Jesus was not powerful enough to wash clean, and change forever both the foulest sick heart, and the no-so-bad one! What am I saying? All my children have equal status and should "come boldly before the throne" making their requests known with thanksgiving. Some will be thanking God for His great unexplainable mercy and forgiveness and others will be thanking Him that, even though their lives were not so terrible, they still need a Savior. "For by grace are ye saved, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of (human) works lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8, 9) Now, children do not resent those who have a stronger testimony than you! Do not wish that you had some terrible sins of the past to talk about, thinking that you could use this colorful past to persuade people of their need for Christ! Rejoice that the Father saw you in your need of Him and in your need for repentance. Obey Him and He will empower you greatly to testify and minister His word with power and authority! Blessings!

Prayer

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Father, in the name of Jesus, there indeed is level ground at the foot of the Cross. We all stand in need of daily grace to remain surrendered and broken before you. Help us to rejoice as with the angels when any sinner is converted. We bless you and praise you forevermore! Amen!