APRIL 27: Do Not Feel Condemned
(Begin with 1-2 minutes of silence)
There’s a lot to learn when going to another country, such as traffic laws and dress code. A person could travel from a very strict culture to one much more relaxed, or vice-versa.
Becoming a Christian is like traveling to a new country. We’re just conditioned to follow the rules of the old country. What happens when we break those rules? The rules that no longer apply to us?
If there is no condemnation in Christ, why is it that we sometimes feel condemned or shamed?
Habits, or culture, are hard to break. Romans 8:1 mentions two different ways of existing. Most people spent years living under the law of sin and death (and condemnation) before they were saved. Many Christians have spent much of their post-saved lives also under the law of sin and death (and condemnation). So where does condemnation come from? Simply put, the enemy. We have been set free from that law to live under the law of the Spirit of life. And those are two different ways of thinking, feeling, believing and existing: dead or alive.
READING & JOURNALING:
What do you consider to be the law of sin and death? What do you consider to be the law of the Spirit of life?
When you became a Christian, do you feel that you moved from a strict country to a free country or vice versa? Why do you think that is?
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, thank You for who You are, and thank You for who You are not. Remind me whenever I feel condemned that it is not You, that it is never You. Condemnation will only take me away from You, and I ask that You would show me how to be freed from any thoughts that are more life-draining than life-giving. Continue to help me see myself in the same way You see me. Amen.
(End with 1-2 minutes of silence)
F260 READING: (A Scripture Reading Plan for Busy Believers)
The F260 is a Scripture Reading Plan designed to read through the foundational passages of the Bible through a year (September 2019 – August 2020). It is a separate reading from the daily devotional but is included for those who would like to engage with the Scriptures on a deeper level throughout the year.
Read: Matthew 3 & 4
Note: Are you looking for a Study Bible to help you engage with the Scriptures at a deeper level? If so, click here for some recommendations.
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