“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17
What is the Gospel? It is the faith-producing message of God’s Word revealing the perfect righteousness of God imputed to all those who look in faith to Christ Jesus and His atoning sacrifice on the cross. It is a righteousness of faith and not of our failed works under the law; and it is revealed to faith — to those who, by God’s grace, believe God’s promise to justify and save those who trust in Christ Jesus.
O gracious God, grant me faith in the Gospel message that I may trust in Christ Jesus and His cross and be counted righteous and acceptable in Thy sight. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]
“But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.” Proverbs 4:18-19 KJV
The path upon which those who acknowledge their sins and look to Christ and His cross for mercy and forgiveness is brightly lit and shines brighter and brighter as they draw nearer the day when Christ receives them into glory. The way upon which the unbelieving walk is so dark they can’t even see the error of their ways or the eternal doom ahead of them.
By Your Word, O Lord, open my eyes to the truth and lead me in the way everlasting. Amen.
[Scripture is quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.]
“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
What a comfort it is for believers to know that nothing can separate them from the love of God that is theirs through faith in Christ Jesus, our Lord!
O gracious God, by the Spirit’s working through Your Word, keep me in the true and saving faith in Christ Jesus so that nothing separates me from Your love. Amen.
“But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” John 3:21
The light reveals our sinfulness and points us to Christ Jesus as our only Savior. Those whose lives are built upon the truth of God’s Word come to light so that it may be revealed that the good they do as believers is God’s work in them. They let the light expose their sins so that they might repent and look to Christ for forgiveness. They then seek His help and strength to walk according to God’s truth.
O God, forgive my sins and cleanse my heart for Jesus’ sake that I may live for You and bring glory to Your holy name. Amen.
“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.” John 3:19-20
Jesus and His teaching are a bright and shining light in this dark and sinful world. His Word reveals our utter sinfulness and the only way of salvation — through repentance and faith in Christ Jesus and His atoning sacrifice on the cross — but people prefer to avoid the light because they do not want their sinful way of life to be exposed and reproved.
Dear Lord Jesus, grant that I let the light of Your Word shine upon my soul and reveal my sinfulness that I might be moved to repent and look to You and Your cross in faith for pardon and forgiveness. Amen.
