ICS Daily Devotions
Do Not Seek God by Religious Effort
Christianity is the only religion in the world that says God came in search for us. It is ironic that people are looking for religions but failed to realize that God sent Jesus in search for us. Many people have not heard the name of Jesus neither have they heard the Gospel!
Isaiah 53:6 (NKJV) All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, everyone, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
God has graciously chosen to give man the ability to make choices for their lives. We are aware that Adam and Eve made the choice to disobey God’s instruction and chose to believe the lies of the devil instead. Everyone makes their own choice regarding what they want for their lives including their personal convictions and beliefs. We have turned every different way except the way to God. There will be those who will try philosophy but will quickly realize that nobody can be completely good, holy and righteous. Their thought life is still conceited, evil, and full of vain thoughts.
There are those who attempt religious practices but there is a big question mark in their mind whether they are good enough to be accepted by God. There are those who pursued money, material possessions and status as their god. They have pierced their lives with many sorrows because they have compromised all their values just to be rich! They thought wealth can bring them happiness and fulfillment. They are still lost.
God is able to see all of this and He is someone who will leave the 99 to look for the one lost sheep. Everyone is important to Him. He will probably send you to search out for them. There will be a nudging in you by the Holy Spirit to share. He came in pursuit of our salvation because He desires that none shall perish. He came to solve the sin issue that separated us from Him. It is not true that all religions lead to the same God. There is only one way back to the creator. God is not a God of confusion. They are not seeing and understanding the gospel.
2 Cor 4:3-4 (NKJV) But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
There is a veil over the eyes of the people who are perishing and their minds have been blocked by Satan and caused them not to believe. They failed to see the goodness and the salvation plan of God. We need to pray and intercede for the veil over their eyes be lifted that they may see and hear and believe. They need to be saved. Jesus came to show us the way home and for us to know God. We are all lost and couldn’t find the way back to God. Therefore, we need to know the way home to God and also to ensure that we know Him.
John 14:6 (NKJV) Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus is the only one who claims that he is the way, the truth and the life. Nobody is able to go back to the Father except through Him. It is through the shedding of His blood where our sins are forgiven. It is the cleansing of His blood that cause us to have the imputed righteousness. This is the truth. This is eternal life. This is the way back to have a restored relationship with God through His blood for the absolute forgiveness of our sins.
JOHN 3:16 (NKJV) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
We have eternal life when we believe in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sins through His blood. The first step is to accept Him, get to know God through the revelation of the Scriptures with the help of the Holy Spirit. We have eternal life when we know God, His way of salvation through the blood of Jesus. We are assured of our salvation and eternal life when we know that the Son of God lives in our heart! This should be the message that is communicated to our children, loved ones, colleagues and friends. It is not the dates, days, rituals, traditions and liturgies of Christianity. It is not the form of religion but the wonderful and blessed relationship with God!
Sermon Series: He Came To Show Us The Father
