Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.

It was my junior year of high school when my school counselor came to me and asked me about my ACT prep and when I planned to start taking the test. Even being a diligent scholar, I didn’t even know what the ACT was nor its significance. After learning that all of one’s life hinges on this test and the implications of what a good score could do for the college application process, I did what any good student would do. I waited until the last possible second of my senior year to take it.

There were three testing opportunities left. I took the first one and did well enough to coast through the rest of high school and had no plans to take the test anymore. After sharing this information with the counselor and my parents, I was then informed that I was in fact wrong and that I would take the test two more times. I took it the third time and gained two more points on my score. Before the final testing opportunity, the school put on an ACT prep course. How fortunate for me to spend, not one, but two more grueling periods of time taking this test. During the introduction of the prep course, the instructor shared a system used to help testers. It was the acronym K.I.S.S., Keep It Simple Stupid. I immediately thought, “Wow! The instructor knows me by name!.” Testers were to use this acronym to remind them that the answers were simple and that overthinking the answer could cause you to second guess your answer and consequently get it wrong. Reading through Chapter 10 I find the same concept of the gospel on display.

Read Chapter 10:8-10. What does it mean to believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead? You see, we are not just talking about accepting facts. We see in James 2:19 that “even the demons believe and shudder!.” So, what does the resurrection mean for God’s people? It means we can’t build a resume to get into Heaven. Jesus won’t look down at a sheet of paper at the pearly gates and read, “Wow! Two mission trips in 2016, gave to the homeless, lead a house church for 3 years, adopted 47 puppies, etc. Come on in Chief!.” We needed a Savior to do what we couldn’t. It’s the personal conviction that Jesus is sovereign. We must repent from sin, trust in Jesus and His promises for salvation, and SUBMIT to Him as Lord of our lives. While the day-to-day of denying ourselves (Matthew 16:24) and pursuing God can be difficult, the concept of the Gospel is quite simple. In Mark 10:14-15, Jesus rebukes His disciples for turning children away and says, “Do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it..” The Gospel is easy enough for children to understand it. The difference between Satan and the Saints is we don’t just believe it. We submit to it completely.

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Take a few moments to reflect on the grace God has given us through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ.
• Who do you know that has never heard the Gospel? In what ways can you pray for that person, and in what ways can you show them the Gospel?
• Prayer: God, we are humbled by Your love and Your grace. We’ve run from Your sovereignty, Your goodness, and Your will for our lives and yet You pursue us still. Give us boldness and courage to share what you’ve done in and through us with those around us. We love You.

Family Devo: Romans 10

By: Cody Smith

When partnering with your family to know, love, and follow Jesus, we strive to create and share content filtered by the Head-Heart-Hands model.

Head: the knowledge of God and His Word | Heart: the personal connection from scripture | Hands: a missional mindset

Head

In Romans Chapter 10, we learn about the importance of faith and the message of salvation. The apostle Paul talks about how we can have a close relationship with God through Jesus. He explains that it doesn't matter who we are or where we come from; anyone who believes in Jesus and follows Him can be saved. Paul tells us that believing in our hearts and confessing with our mouths that Jesus is Lord is the way to receive salvation. He reminds us that God is ready to welcome and save anyone who calls on Him, whether they are Jews or Gentiles.

Heart

When we read about salvation and having a personal relationship with God through Jesus, it should make our hearts feel excited and full of joy! We can be so thankful that God made a way for us to know Him and be saved. Just like Paul shared the good news with others, we can also share this amazing message with our friends and family. We can tell them how much God loves them and how Jesus can change their lives too. It's incredible to think that we can have a close relationship with God and experience His love and forgiveness.

Hands

Knowing the good news of salvation, let's take action and share it with others! We can start by being kind and loving to those around us, showing them the love of Jesus through our actions. We can also talk to our friends and family about our faith and invite them to learn more about Jesus. Praying for others is another way we can help them come to know God. Let's remember that God wants everyone to be saved and have a relationship with Him, so let's do our part in spreading the good news!

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for the message of salvation through Jesus. Help me to understand it more deeply and to grow in my faith. Show me ways that I can share this amazing news with others and help them know You, too. Give me the courage to speak up and invite others to learn about Jesus. In Jesus' name, amen.