June 8, 2020


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Today's Bible Verse
"And in his name shall the Gentiles trust."
Matthew 12:21 (KJV)



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Today's Bible Study
In this verse from Matthew, we are told that Jesus fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy that the Gentiles will hope in the Lord. Today, we can rejoice in our salvation from a God who opens Himself up to all people, all over the world.

Sometimes, Christianity is presented as an exclusive religion. "How could only people who profess faith in Jesus go to Heaven?" a dissenter often asks. However, Christianity is anything but exclusive. Every person on Earth--regardless of their past, origin, family, social status, wealth, and sin--can call on the name of Jesus and be saved forever. No one is excluded from this promise. This is because, as today's verse says, the Gentiles (people who were not Jewish by birth) can trust in His name.

When Jesus died for our sins, He did not die for certain types of people or even certain types of sin. He wiped everything and everyone who calls on His name clean. He made it possible for everyone to become His son or daughter. That means whenever we meet someone, no matter who it is, we are meeting an individual whom Jesus dearly loves and died for on the cross.


As for what it means to trust in the Lord, that can have several meanings. The most essential is that we can trust that we have been saved. We trust that we can stand before the throne of God without fear; we know that we are clean before Him, not because of anything we have done, but because of His enormous grace. We do not have to be ashamed of ourselves or our pasts; we have only to look back at Jesus, the life He lived and then gave up for us, to know that our trust in Him is secure.



After we have trusted in Him for our salvation, we have the opportunity to trust Him for other things. We do not have to figure out our lives alone; we do not have to solve our problems alone; we do not have to be afraid of the future. Instead, like so many Gentiles and believing Jews before us, we can trust in His name.

Today's Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you so much for the power of your great name. You are perfect and holy, and I thank you for making me righteous before you through Jesus's death. Thank you for saving me and for giving me hope. In Jesus's name, amen.
Yesterday's Devotional
June 7, 2020
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Yesterday's Bible Verse
"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Joshua 24:15 (KJV)



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Yesterday's Bible Study
When Joshua, Moses's successor, is about to pass away, the Israelites gather together to renew the covenant and listen to him speak for one final time. He tells them that they have a choice: They will either serve the gods of the Amorites or the Lord. Joshua says that his family will serve the Lord. Today, this question is a serious prompt to think about our families and our own decision to honor the Lord in our lives.

Joshua tells the Israelites that they have to make a decision who they will choose. Like the Israelites in Joshua's day, we have to actively acknowledge the God whom we have decided to serve. We do not serve the Lord by accident or habit. It is instead the result of an often-difficult decision to trust and lean into His promises. Otherwise, we will inevitably slide into whatever is easiest or culturally acceptable--and a serious relationship with God is never an accident or the easiest path.


In the same way, we are called to intentionally guide our families in service to the Lord. What does that look like? It begins with each of us. Even if we do not live with family members, we are called to witness to them, daring to be different and self-sacrificing because we have God-given passion for others to know Him. On a practical level, this means we are the ones to show love. We should be the ones to remember birthdays, to give people rides to airports or hospitals, and even the ones to help other people move. We should show the love of Christ by doing the things that no one else wants to do.

If you are the head of the household, you have a special responsibility to make sure your family serves the Lord. And if you aren't the head of the household, and that person is not doing those things, then you are called to fill in the gap however you can. This can be challenging, but if our minds are made up that our house should serve the Lord, He will honor our efforts and give us strength.

Serving the Lord is difficult; helping your household serve Him can be even harder. However, the Lord will equip us, just as He equipped Joshua for so many years as Israelite's leader. We can rest assured that He will honor our faithfulness and help us honor Him.
Yesterday's Prayer
Dear Lord, please help me to serve you in all that I do. Help me to be a productive and Godly member of my household, keeping you at the forefront of everything that we do and love. In Jesus's name, amen.
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