Truth for Life - February 10, 2016
February 10
I Have Redeemed You
Pay attention to THE INSTRUCTIVE PICTURE: Our sins are like a cloud. As clouds appear in many shapes and shades, so do our transgressions. As clouds obscure the light of the sun and darken the landscape below, so do our sins hide from us the light of Jehovah's face and cause us to sit in the shadow of death. They are earthborn things and arise from the miry places of our lives; and when they collect and their measure is full, they threaten us with storm and tempest. Sadly, unlike clouds, our sins yield us no genial showers but rather threaten to deluge us with a fiery flood of destruction. How can it be fair weather when the dark clouds of sin remain within our souls?
Let our happy gaze ponder THE NOTABLE ACT of divine mercy--"blotted out." God Himself appears upon the scene and in divine generosity, instead of manifesting His anger, reveals His grace. He at once and forever effectually removes the mischief, not by blowing away the cloud, but by blotting it out from existence once and for all. Against the justified man no sin remains; the great transaction of the cross has eternally removed his transgressions from him. On Calvary's summit the great deed, by which the sin of all the chosen was forever put away, was completely and effectually performed.
Practically let us obey THE GRACIOUS COMMAND: "Return to me." Why should pardoned sinners live at a distance from their God? If all of our sins have been forgiven, let no legal fear hold us back from the boldest access to our Lord. Let backslidings be bemoaned, but let us not persevere in them. Let us, in the power of the Holy Spirit, work strenuously to return to intimate communion with the Lord. O Lord, restore us now, tonight!
Family Bible reading plan
verse 1 Job 9
verse 2 Romans 13
ESV Daily Devotional New Testament
The ESV Daily Devotional New Testament will help readers become familiar with the central message of the Gospel by guiding them through the entire New Testament over the course of one year.
Featuring 365 devotions, each day includes two readings – one from the first half of the New Testament (Matthew through Acts) and one from the second half (Romans through Revelation). After each reading, a short reflection helps readers consider the meaning of the passage and understand how it relates to Jesus Christ and the Gospel. Each devotion concludes with a short passage from the Psalms that ties thematically into the day’s Bible reading, as well as a “Thoughts for Prayer” section to guide personal prayer and meditation.
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From Morning & Evening revised and edited by Alistair Begg copyright © 2003. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org.
