There's nothing like a bit of God's Word to create purpose in your life that lasts the entire day and beyond. We encourage members to Read, Carry and Share the Word of God. Our Pocket Devotions are sent by E-mail every weekday (Monday to Friday). On weekends we encourage you to be creative and study on your own in any area of Scripture where God leads you.

These devotionals are written by Mike Brooks. A retired businessman, he is Moderator of South Shores church, leads the Deacon Board, serves on the finance committee, and he teaches a Men's Bible study and the Men's Ministry. Mike has a passion for evangelical missions. He is the husband of Sherry; the father of Ryan, Natalie, Krissy, Rebecca, and Amanda; the father-in-law of Ariel; and the grandfather of Conner and Christian.

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Below is the Pocket Devotion for today.

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Day 614: God's Grace -- Not Only Forgiveness

Romans 5:12a

Therefore...

Thoughts for Today:

Paul once again begins our passage today with the word "Therefore..." It is an indication that what has been discussed will be the foundation for new precepts. So let's briefly review: We just concluded the "Benefits of Salvation" which illustrated the many advantages we gain from God's grace and plan for saving man from the consequences of sin. The global term "justification" sums it up rather neatly and means we are declared righteous by God as a result of our faith, belief, and trust in Jesus Christ. Paul will now approach the principle of "Sanctification". (I know this can be rather confusing, but hang in there -- all are very important to more clearly understanding our faith and confidence in our Lord.)

Think about it -- would God just leave you a sinner? Justification means the court of heaven is still in session, yet God has forgiven your sin. It doesn't imply you won't sin anymore -- it's just God no longer demands payment from you (Jesus paid the price). However, God wants to make us into the kind of people we should be, therefore His plan for salvation is not only to declare us righteous (justification), but to make us righteous. How does He do so? The process of sanctification. Want to know more? Stay with us for the next few days.

Questions to Ponder:

Too often Christians only experience a small portion of God's plan for salvation. Why? Because they stop learning. They stop at the miracle of forgiveness of sin -- yet the Gospel is so much more. Forgiveness is only one component. Ephesians 2:7: "In order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus." What does "incomparable riches" mean to you? Have you discovered or explored those riches or have you stopped at the forgiveness of sin? Forgiveness alone is an amazing gift, but God has more to offer!

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