The Tree Church Daily

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Explanation:

In these very loved verses, Jesus addresses the people of Israel. He wanted them to bring the burdens of keeping their “do’s and don’ts” of the Pharisees to Him. He knew how this weighed on them. He knew they craved rest…rest that only He could provide!

A yoke was used to join draft animals at the heads or necks so they pulled together in farming. Jesus was referencing that we are to connect to Him. Submit ourselves to Him and let Him help carry the burdens of life. What a beautiful image this illustrates. Jesus, wanting us to come to Him for help. Wanting to carry that load for us.

I think of my children and how they come to me, which is quite often, asking for help. I love to be their helper! I love doing whatever I can to make their lives easier. I want to come alongside them and teach them how to do all the things. I want them to know they are safe with me, and they can rest.

Jesus wants that for us, too. He wants all His children to come to Him with anything. He wants to bear the most weight for us, with whatever we are going through. With Jesus by our side, we can power through the depression, the stress, and anything else that is weighing us down. We can be “yoked” to the one and only who can provide for our every need. Just ask. He’s ready to help.

Application:

1. What are you “yoked” to? Is it anything other than Jesus?

2. What do you need help with this week? Ask God to provide what you need this week.

Devo Plus:

Turn on your favorite worship music and spend time connecting with God. Put all other worries aside, and rest in Him.

Prayer:

God, this scripture is familiar to many. Sometimes we can rush past the words so quickly without letting them fall afresh upon us. Help us today to see these verses in a new light. Help us to connect with You, and receive that true rest we are craving right now. God, You are so good to us. In Jesus's name. Amen.

Luke 8:1-3 NIV

After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

Explanation:

As Jesus traveled with His disciples from town to town spreading the good news, He gained some additional followers and support by the three women mentioned in today’s scripture. In this time period, women would not have been looked to as a source of support. A woman would have been mostly confined to the home, could not testify in court (neither could Gentiles or other undesirables), and her role was considered private while a man’s role was seen as public. So, adding to the unlikely cast of characters that were about to change the world, Jesus again went opposite of the cultural norms and set the record straight through his actions. Women were active in His ministry, which would have been a direct contradiction in that culture.

These women were directly affected by Jesus's amazing healing powers. Their response to being healed was correct. They used their lives, status, and wealth to follow and contribute to Jesus’s ministry. The overwhelming thankfulness they must have experienced from being set free from mental illness and other diseases showed in their response, as their hearts were revealed to be overflowing with gratitude. (This seems to be a common theme in the Bible; women almost always seemed very grateful, while men were at times grateful and other times not.)

These women did not just follow and listen to Jesus. They served, and most likely even provided monetary assistance. Also of interest, these women were thought to be present at the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. These courageous women remained present as most of the disciples retreated into hiding.

Application:

1. What is your response to what God has done in your life?

2. Think back to a time when you were overwhelmed with gratitude. What were the circumstances?

3. Does your gratitude toward God make you want to advance his Kingdom and serve others?

Devo Plus:

• Luke 7:41-47, 9:58, 17:11-19, 24:10

• Today, slow down and think about all the things in your life you have to be thankful for.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for this day and each day before it. Thank You for Your abundant mercy and grace, and Your amazing sacrifice. Thank You for teaching and guiding us. Thank You for clearing our conscience, and forgiving our sins so we can speak to You as a son and daughter speak to a father. Thank You for loving us. Today and every day, we pray that we respond with a heart of gratitude that reflects how great You are. We give You all praise and all the glory, in Jesus’s name.

John 8:3-11 (NLT)

As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

Explanation:

As we join this story, Jesus was talking to a group of people who were not ones that we would consider “friendly.” In fact, they wanted to try to trap Jesus into contradicting Himself during His teaching. When this woman was brought before them, the Pharisees were encouraging Jesus to agree with them that she should be stoned to death. (During this time, the punishment for adultery was always death in some manner—stoning, burning, or something equally horrible.) The Pharisees quoted the law of Moses that said adulterers were to be killed, and wanted Jesus to contradict that law so they could throw Him in jail for false teaching. Instead, Jesus skirts the issue; He doesn’t excuse her crime, but tells her accusers to do a little self-reflection. If they had never sinned, they could kill her.

Jesus acted in a manner that totally outsmarted the Pharisees, by reminding them that they were also sinners. They turned and left, feeling ashamed. Jesus didn’t condone this woman’s sin; rather, He despised the act, but He loved the sinner. He loved the Pharisees who were trying to trick Him. He loved the people who came to hear Him teach. He allowed Himself to be approached by the lowest of low in society. Instead of calling for her death, He called for her repentance, and told her that when she left, she needed to change her ways and stop sinning.

What an amazing example this story is for us! We are called to be approachable, to love the sinner. We are to remind ourselves that we have all sinned and are far from God’s hand if we act on our own. But with Him, we are no longer stone throwers.

Application:

1. Imagine you are this woman. You know that your death is imminent, because you committed a crime punishable by death. Imagine what your reaction would be when, rather than being put to death, you were pardoned! What does this story look like when you visualize it in your mind?

2. Why do you think the Pharisees didn’t persist when Jesus called them out as sinners?

3. Did you notice the part of this scripture that talks about Jesus kneeling down and writing in the dirt? Re-read the passage, looking specifically for this reference. What do you think Jesus wrote or drew there? There is no documentation explaining what Jesus wrote, but on two occasions in this story He did so. I can only imagine He wrote or drew something that caused the scribes and Pharisees to take pause.

Devo Plus:

Stones are referenced in several different ways in the Bible. Read the following scriptures and take note of the different contexts where we see them discussed: Ecclesiastes 3:5; 1 Chronicles 12:2; Exodus 19:13, 1 Samuel 17:40-49; Proverbs 26:8

Prayer:

Ask God to help you evaluate areas where you are a “stone thrower” toward others. Ask Him to reveal things in your life that need repentance. Seek Him and His desire for us…to show love to those others call the unlovable.

Ephesians 2:1-9 (ESV)

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Explanation:

The above scripture is from the letter Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus. There are certain passages of scripture that mature Christians should know, or at least recognize, and this is one of them. When a non-believer asks, “Why you believe what you do?” Ephesians 2 should be one scripture you reference. In particular, Paul begins with a bold statement, saying we were dead in our trespasses and sins. Our sins are great, no matter who we are, because we like to do whatever makes us feel good. We seek out our own wants and desires. Everyone sins, and we all deserve death (Romans 6:23). However, God shows us mercy because He loves us.

At the end of today’s scripture, there is an important phrase every believer should know, “For by grace you have been saved through faith.” How powerful is that? There’s nothing anyone can do to earn or gain God’s extravagant grace. He gives it generously to all. The only thing He asks is that we believe in Him, and place our trust and hope in Jesus’s saving grace. His sin-free life and death on the cross satisfied God’s just wrath on mankind. Our sin required a perfect and pure sacrifice, so Jesus took our place. Because of this, we can now be in a relationship with a holy and perfect God!

The idea of grace can be a difficult concept to some, especially if you were raised in a home based on what you did and how well you performed. I grew up in a great home with encouraging parents that loved me always, but grace was still hard for me to understand. I knew what it meant to forgive someone, but grace was different…the blood of Jesus covers all our sin from the beginning of time to the end. I can only allow someone to wrong me or mess up so many times, and then I’m done with them. But God is not like us. God’s grace is always available, no matter what; we just need to ask. His only requirement is that we have faith and believe in Jesus. His grace never ends and cannot be exhausted. Grace from God is never earned, it’s a free gift. Grace from God is His love and mercy. Grace from God is Him sending His son Jesus to save us from our sins. Grace from God is for everyone.

Application:

1. Have you asked God to be the Savior of your heart? If not, what is holding you back?

2. What does it mean to you when Paul says God is rich in mercy because of the great love with which He loved us?

3. What is something you lack in your faith that you would ask God to give you?

4. What sin have you not given to God because you think it is too big for Him to forgive? Take some time to talk to Him, and ask for His grace over it.

5. Now you know that God’s grace can’t be earned. What people are you not giving grace to? Who has God put on your heart to forgive?

Devo Plus:

Sit down and listen to the lyrics of the song, “As You Find Me.” (LIVE) by Hillsong United.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you that you sent your Son Jesus to die on the cross for my sins. You didn’t ask anything but to trust in Your perfect plan. Thank you for loving me. Forgive me for my sins and the things I just keep holding onto. Help me to trust you and see your grace today. Love you Father!

Luke 8:43-48 (ESV)

And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all of her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before Him declared in the presence of all people why she touched Him, and how she was immediately healed. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

Explanation:

At the beginning of this passage, Jesus was in a large crowd of people. He was making His way to visit Jairus’s dying daughter. From within the swarm of people, Jesus felt the touch of a person. He stopped and asked the crowd for the person to show themself. The scared woman revealed herself to Jesus and the crowd. She had been ill for twelve years, and cut off from social and religious relationships. She fell before Jesus and declared why she had touched the fringe of His garment. Jesus immediately healed the woman and said, “your faith has made you well.”

When my children were very young, we took a family vacation to Disney World. Visiting the Magic Kingdom in June is bound to cause parents lots of anxiety, as the parks are overloaded with parents, children, and costumed characters. We have five children, which means we are one hand short to keep a grip on all of them. So, from a very young age, I trained my oldest son to keep a hand on me at all times. Wherever we went, I could feel his touch, and it had a distinguishable feel.

I am sure Jesus felt the same way when touched by the bleeding woman. He knew her touch was different, more personal than just a bump or nudge. The touch made Jesus aware of her faith commitment, and He blessed her in return.

Application:

1. How can your touch help another person in need?

2. In what ways are you reaching for God?

3. When we touch another person, we invite them into a relationship. During this time of social distancing, how can we demonstrate our desire for these relationships?

4. God longs for His people to reach to Him during praise and worship. Take a moment every day to lift your hand to God.

Devo Plus:

Matthew 9:20-22

Prayer:

Dear God, we pray that You will feel our hands reaching to You, asking for healing comforts. We pray for those in need of medical healing and those suffering from isolation. We ask You to keep watch over those who are lonely and sick. We give You all the praise. Amen.

John 1:1-4, 10-14 (NIV)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Explanation:

John introduces the Gospel to us in a very different way than Matthew, Mark, and Luke. John wants us to connect with Jesus in almost a reflective way. He walks us through the beginning of the Bible, emphasizing the fact that Jesus is God (the Word), and has always been a part of who we are long before He came to earth. It is only through Him that we exist, that anything exists. Genesis tells us that God spoke creation into existence. The Word, Jesus, is a natural part of everything. When we look at the world around us it is easy to identify a rock from grass, a flower from a bee, water from land, yet we don’t recognize the one distinguishing factor common to all things…God. He has created all things to be directly connected to Him, including us. Those who turn to Jesus in faith experience a “birth-like” connection to God and are perceived as His child. Jesus came into the world as a child, lived among us, and brought with Him the grace and truth of a loving Father. He has made Himself approachable.

When each one of my children were born, I remember the instant, deep connection I felt. For months, we shared a body and became familiar with each other. Without knowing what they would look like while still in the womb, I was able to recognize and identify them as my own once they entered the world. When they were separated from my body, they were comforted by my closeness, by my voice, and even my smell. They recognized me as their mother. Jesus became human for all of us to connect with Him in the same way. He wants us to recognize Him as our creator, comforter, protector, and above all, our loving Father. When He became man, He was familiar to us in form and gave us a way to approach God. When we choose to recognize Him and walk in faith and obedience, we become His children, and His grace is like a giant “welcome to the family” hug.

Application:

1. Can you think of a time when you were vulnerable with someone who wasn’t related to you? (Spouse, friend, co-worker, etc.)

2. How did becoming vulnerable impact your relationship? Was it easier to approach this person?

3. Children depend on adults for their basic needs to thrive. What are some needs you have right now that are not easily met? Write them down.

4. Spend time praying over these needs. Approach God with a childlike heart, be vulnerable, and ask Him to help.

Devo Plus:

Singing loud and carelessly is something I find so wonderful about children. In my home it happens frequently! Consider what God sees when you sing and worship Him with reckless abandon. Spend some time in expressive worship. Here are some song suggestions: No Longer Slaves by Bethel Music, Reckless Love by Cory Asbury

Prayer:

God, it’s hard to show vulnerability. You have instilled Yourself in everything around me. I want to let my guard down and approach You in a way that only a child can approach his/her father. May Your grace overwhelm me, and may I walk in obedience, knowing I’m never alone. May Your glory be shown to all. Amen.

Luke 7:36-50 (ESV)

One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

“A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Explanation:

This story beautifully illustrates God’s approachability. This woman walks right into a Pharisee’s house, in the middle of dinner, and weeps at the feet of Jesus, then kisses His feet and anoints them with oil. She loved God so much and knew His character that nothing else mattered to her. It didn’t matter what the Pharisee thought, it didn’t matter that they were in the middle of dinner…the only thing that mattered was her love for Jesus. How beautiful is that image? I love how Jesus uses this story to teach the Pharisee that the most important commandment is to love God, and that God is approachable to anyone who believes in Him.

This story reminds me of my own brokenness, and how I can be so quick to judge others by their sin. I have always struggled with this in my life. I can be so quick to judge someone, but God has been teaching me to give people the benefit of the doubt. He is teaching me to choose to see the good and change my perspective. Everyone falls short and everyone is broken. We ALL need a savior. I am so grateful that we serve an approachable God, that no matter what we have done, He is always there to forgive us and love us through it.

Application:

1. Have you ever found yourself in the Pharisee’s shoes? If so, ask God to soften your heart and change your perspective.

2. Let the imagery of the woman at Jesus’s feet, weeping and kissing His feet, sit in your mind and heart. Do you take that kind of posture when you are forgiven of your sins? Do you take that posture when you are praising God? Ask God to give you a sensitive heart toward Him.

3. Spend some time in prayer today, asking God to forgive you of your shortcomings. I want you to get detailed and really lay them at His feet, and be sensitive to Him and open your heart to His voice.

Devo Plus:

Read Luke 15:1-7 for another story showing how God is approachable and seeks out the lost.

Prayer:

God, thank You so much for the way that You love us. Thank You for being approachable. Thank You for always pursuing us and showing us grace when we need it. Help us this week to make spending time with You a priority. Soften our hearts toward other people, and give us a perspective filled with grace and love. Give us passionate and sensitive hearts to hear Your voice and to be obedient. Amen.

Hebrews 10:19-23 (NLT)

And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

Explanation:

Before Jesus, only priests were able to go into the Inner Court of the Tabernacle, or the Holy Place. They were considered to be the “most righteous” and the only humans worthy of entering into the presence of God. Before they entered, they had to go through a cleansing. This was both an outward and an inward cleansing to make sure they were completely “pure” and “clean” before entering into the presence of The Most High God. Others longed for this opportunity, but only the priests were allowed to do so.

But Jesus changed all of that. When Jesus died on the cross, the curtain that divided the inner and outer court of the Tabernacle was torn in two, symbolizing that everyone could now enter into The Holy Places. Now everyone had full access to the Most High God. They no longer needed a human priest because they had a High Priest, Jesus, who washed them, cleansed them, and made them pure. Because of Jesus, the people of God were no longer separated from Him, but could experience Him at all times.

What an incredible moment this must have been for the people of God. They no longer had to rely on someone else, but had complete access to God. They could go to Him at any moment. They didn’t have to be perfect or cleansed, they could come just as they were into the Holy of Holies, into the presence of God.

Jesus has made His people clean, forgiven, and righteous. He changed everything and made a way for all of us. When God looks at His people, He sees them through the lens of Jesus. We don’t have to have it all together, we don’t have to be perfect, we don’t have to go through a ceremonial cleansing…we simply need Jesus. He is the connector between us and God. Because of Jesus, we are clean, pure, and forgiven. We can boldly and with great confidence come before the throne of grace, into the presence of the Almighty God. What an incredible gift we have been given. May we go to God boldly and with great confidence that He is good, faithful, and trustworthy. May we never take for granted this ability to go to God always.

Application:

1. What was something new you learned after reading today’s scripture and explanation?

2. What do you think it would have been like to be the people of God during this time, to go from needing a priest to having full access to God?

3. Does this passage change your thoughts or posture at all on how you approach God?

Devo Plus:

Since this passage is about approaching God, I simply encourage you today to pray boldly. Take some time in prayer, talking with God and reminding yourself of this incredible gift we have been given. We have full access to God at all times.

Prayer:

Jesus, we are so thankful for You and the sacrifice You made on our behalf. Because of You, we have access to God at all times. Thank You for taking our sin and shame upon Yourself so we could experience the presence of God in our lives. We recognize how desperately we need a Savior. May we always come to You with boldness and confidence, because You are a God who is faithful, You are a God who is with us, and You are a God who cleanses us day after day, making us more like You. Thank You for cleansing us and making us new. We love You. Amen.

James 4:6-10 (ESV)

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Explanation:

James is warning Christian readers against living according to the ways of the world. He is pointing out areas of sin where believers are prioritizing worldly things over God. Our sin is real, but God’s grace is still greater. James chooses to reference Proverbs 3:34 by saying, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” God wants us to trust Him to provide what we need and what He wants for us. When we live in a way that rejects our dependency on God, and attempt to be god of our own lives, He lovingly opposes us because He is a jealous God.

James is calling us to draw near to God and submit to Him. When we resist the devil, the devil will flee. When we draw closer to God, God draws closer to us. When we humble ourselves and remember that we are sinners saved by the very grace of God, He will bless and exalt. God wants to be in control of our lives; He wants to challenge our hearts to depend completely on Him and not ourselves. It is important to remember our own brokenness and sinful nature, because it reminds us of the power of God’s love and grace toward His children. It is encouraging to know there is a God who loves us so much that He gives us grace when we don’t deserve it, and we have an open opportunity to draw near to Him.

Application:

1. How can we be reminded that our sin can never outweigh the power of God’s grace?

2. Why is it important for us to humble ourselves and not live with prideful hearts?

3. What areas in your life could you draw near to God and trust Him with?

4. This week, how can you remind yourself that God is in control, and He wants you to allow Him to be God over your circumstances and life?

Devo Plus:

For more scripture on this topic, read Isaiah 55:6-7, Psalm 145:18, and Micah 6:6-8.

Prayer:

God, we thank You that You are a jealous God who wants to be in control of our lives and to be near to us. We ask You to remind us of the truths of Your Gospel and Your grace, for us to know that though we are sinners, You still love us. We pray that You would challenge our hearts to let go of our pride and our control over situations, and that we would give everything to You, entrusting our hearts to You. Lord, we love You, we praise You, and we give You all the glory. Amen.

1 John 1:8-10 (ESV)

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Explanation:

This may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but there is something pretty amazing to me every time I see something old being restored. The combination of getting a historical glimpse through the object and the beauty of seeing something in its original condition simply amazes me every time. I love the process of seeing something start completely filthy, dusty, rusted, beat up, you name it, and then once it is restored being like new. Fun stuff.

Whenever I read passages like the one today, my thoughts gravitate toward examples like the one I mentioned above. Sin has such a devastating effect on the condition of our lives. Apart from Jesus and His amazing work on the cross, our lives are like an unfinished object. Sin leaves us filthy, beat up, saturated in muck, and incapable of making ourselves restored again. We may not contemplate the devastation of sin on our lives as often as we should, but when we ask God to reveal the true condition we are in when we’re not in Him, we’ll see the true devastation that sin creates in and through us.

Then again, we are reminded today that in Christ there is a powerful restoration. Jesus has taken, and continues to take, the once-ruined condition we were in and makes us a new creation. We see the true depravity of ourselves apart from Christ. And when we seek Him daily for forgiveness, genuinely confessing how we have sinned against Him, He cleanses us to make us fully restored, free of sin’s filth and fully capable once again to justly connect with the Father. Amazingly fun stuff.

Application:

1. Do you believe that when you confess your sins to Jesus, you are cleansed and made righteous before God again?

2. How has Jesus restored your life? How is He continuing to restore your life?

3. Why is it so important to recognize the effects of sin on your life?

4. Why is it so important to recognize the power of Christ’s redemption in your life?

Devo Plus:

Read Romans 3:23. What does this verse tell you about yourself? About God?

Prayer:

Jesus, I am a sinner. I want to take this moment to confess my sins to You. Sin can destroy my life, but I want to find restoration in You. I want to not only read the words You have said regarding my sin, but also live in a way that reflects the way You have overcome my sin. Thank You for forgiveness, and loving me in my unrighteousness.