Today's Scripture
"We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard." - Romans 3:22-23
Thoughts for Today
Faith in Christ is the foundation, the first step to a relationship with God.
Today's scripture is one of many that explain the gospel message. We all fall short of God's standard … we all have sinned … and so none of us can have a relationship with God. The good news is that God loved us enough to send his Son, Jesus, to make a way for us. Jesus died on the cross and paid the price for every sin committed by man—past, present and future. Our responsibility is to trust Jesus as our Lord and Savior. When we do this, we are made right with God and can enjoy a personal relationship with him.
Webster defines trust as "assured reliance on the character, ability, strength or truth of someone or something." When we trust in Jesus, we believe that he is God's Son and that his sacrifice pays the price for our sin—and we are willing to rely on his character, his ability to do what he has promised, his power and strength and the truth of his love.
Consider this …
Have you trusted in Jesus? Have you received his love and his sacrifice for you? He loves you with a love we can't even begin to comprehend. And he is trustworthy. He will never leave you. He will never disappoint you. He will always love you. In this world of uncertainty, there is no hope. But in Jesus there is every hope.
Prayer
God, I realize that I am not worthy to be in your presence. But I believe that Jesus paid the price for my sin and that through him I can come to you. I receive him now as my savior. Please forgive my sins. I want to follow Jesus. In Jesus' name …
These thoughts were drawn from …
Insight Group: Discover the Path to Christian Character by Jimmy Ray Lee, D.Min. With its emphasis on developing Christian character it is a powerful group for those who want to be sure to prevent life-controlling problems from developing in their lives, as well as for those who need to overcome a current problem.
- It enhances people's understanding of themselves and others.
- It helps people bond together in meaningful relationships.
- It helps prepare people for more meaningful relationships in subsequent small groups like home groups and Sunday school classes.
- It surfaces people for help who may otherwise never seek help.
- It helps break down the segregation of people in churches, turning "those people" and "our kind of people" into just "us."
- It helps prepare people to minister to others.
- It serves as a powerful evangelistic tool by ministering to people's felt needs and then pointing them to Christ.
Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups, and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.
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