GOD’S WORD FOR JULY 29

We are reading from a daily devotional  called “Running To Win” written by Erwin Lutzer  and the late, great D.L. Moody.   Erwin Lutzer is a light in our day as D.L. Moody was in his.  Besides his many ministries, and many books, Pastor Lutzer was Senior Pastor at Moody Church in Chicago for 36 years and now serves as Pastor Emeritus there.  He is  Chancelor and a former professor at Moody Bible Institute, where he taught Theology and Ministry, and now has numerous radio teachings.

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AN HONEST EVALUATION

Romans 3:22-23

“There is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

D.L. MOODY

That is one of the hardest truths man has to learn.  We are apt to think that we are just a little better than our neighbors, and if we find THEY are a little better than ourselves, we go to work and try to pull them down to our level.  If you want to find out who and what man is, go to the third chapter of Romans, and there the whole story is told.  “There is none righteous, no, not one….For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”  ALL!  Some men like to have their lives written before they die.  If you would like to read your biography, turn to Romans chapter 3, and you’ll find it already written.

ERWIN LUTZER

The third chapter of Romans is a convicting indictment of the human race.  There we find God looking into the human heart and seeing its corruption and capacity for evil.

Ponder that for a moment.  What is God’s standard for entry into heaven?  It is His own glory and righteousness.  Anything less and we will be cast into the lake of fire.  We dare not judge ourselves by others, thinking we are better than them;  we cannot judge ourselves to reach God’s standard.  If we are to be saved, God must give us what we don’t have, namely, the gift of His own righteousness.

The issue is not the depth of our sin but the glorious truth of the wonder of God’s righteousness given to us through Christ.  On the cross, Jesus got what He didn’t deserve – our sin.  We, in turn, got what we don’t deserve – His righteousness.  This is the “great exchange.”

PRAYER

Father, thank You for Jesus who bore my sin and gave His righteousness to me when I believed on Him.  In Him, I see the glory of God.

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Romans 10:4

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness for all who believe.

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Psalm 7:17

I will give thanks to the Lord according to His righteousness and justice, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

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Psalm 9:8

And He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the nations with fairness (equity).

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Psalm 11:7

For the Lord is [absolutely] righteous, He loves righteousness (virtue, morality, justice); The upright shall see His face.

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2 Corinthians 5:21

   “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

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Philippians 3:9

    “And be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”

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Romans 1:17

    “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’”

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