Daily Devotional For Sunday, July 20, 2025
Good morning Southsiders! It’s Sunday and I pray all of you are going to be in worship to praise the Lord. He is certainly worth it for all He has done for all of us. Have you ever wondered why God created us? It is not because He was lonely and needed us. God has no needs. He has billions of angels in heaven with Him at all times. And since we believe God is omniscient – all knowing – He knew before He created us that we would sin against Him. He knew we would cause His perfect world He had created for us, to fall with us. So, I ask you again – why do you think God created us knowing all of this in advance?
I think He created us out of His grace. When you look at each day, after God was finished creating all the plants, animals and us, Genesis uses the same word to describe God’s grace – bless or blessed. It is the Hebrew word [וַיְבָ֧רֶךְ, yevarekh]. It was living, God blessed it. Look at Genesis 1:28, “God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth’” (NASB).
Over and over we read that everything God created He called it good. As humans we were commanded to multiply and replenish earth NOT just for sexual gratification, but to create more people in the image of God. We were initially created not just to show the grace and image of God, but to create offspring who would as well. We were created to enjoy God’s grace and to extend God’s grace to others. When you read the Old & New Testaments, what you see is God pouring out His grace on people who do not deserve it, but He gives it anyway in spite of knowing all their sins – past, present and future.
When we look at the Old Testament character of Abraham, we see this in Genesis 12:2-3, And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so]you shall be a blessing; (3) And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (NASB). Do you see it? God blessed Abraham not just for Abraham’s benefit but for ours today as well. Abraham was to be the means by which God would bless the whole world.
We see this all the way through the Bible. When God freed the Hebrews in Egypt and parted the Red Sea and saved them, God tells us why in Exodus 14:4, “Thus I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord” (NASB). God received glory through Pharaoh and His army in what God did. The most powerful nation and ruler saw and experienced the glory of God by God miraculously saving His people.
We see this with David, Daniel, Elijah, Elisha and others. Over and over God’s glorious grace was made known to both God’s people and pagans. Scripture affirms over and over that when God does anything to help or bless anyone, it is not just for them only. It is for His name, reputation and character to be glorious revealed in grace. Look at Ezekiel 36:22-23:
“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. (23) I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord,” declares the Lord God, “when I prove Myself holy among you in their sight” (NASB).
I hope you see it. We see this in the New Testament as well in Revelation 7:9–10:
“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; (10) and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb’” (NASB).
God blesses you and me with His undeserved extravagant grace so that we can extend His grace to others, especially the lost. Most people know John 3:16. The problem is they personalize it too much. They say God loves me. Is this wrong? No, it is true, but is that it? We say, “God loves me,” then who is the object? – me, ourself, instead of God! The Christian faith is God loves the world. He loves the lost. When we make our faith about ourselves, then we start making everything in our faith about ourselves – our music preference, the length of the sermon, the programs that best meet my needs. We start catering to ourselves and not to the lost, who Jesus loves also.
God is both the subject and object of our faith. God does love me, but He loves me so that I will extend His grace and love to others. In case you do not know: we are not the center of this universe. God is and this means as we look at Scripture that everything God does centers around Him. Why? Because He is the center of this universe. Without Him, our universe would go into non-existence. This means when we look at Matthew 28:19-20, this is not optional. Nowhere does the New Testament say missions and evangelism is for some and not others. But I have heard people say, “Well, that is only for the paid professionals, not me.” Wrong.
As Christian pastor and author David Platt says, “When we do this, we limit the obligations to share our faith to a selected few, while attempting to keep the privileges to all” (Source: David Platt, Radical, Apple Books, p. 29). When Jesus gave us the Great Commission, it wasn’t only for the 12 disciples. It wasn’t only for the 120 who watched Him ascend into heaven after giving it, It was for all redeemed and saved Christians then and in the future, which includes us today. I have always said that lost people are more willing to listen to you than me.
They see me as the paid professional, not the average Joe or Josephine in the church. Let me put it to you this way. You intend to buy a new vehicle. Who are you more likely to trust and believe – the sassy salesman at the dealership, who is the paid professional, or the satisfied customer who has bought from that dealership? The answer is obvious, right? Following Jesus is not a buffet where we pick and choose which of His commands we will accept and obey. I really believe you have a better opportunity to spread the glorious grace to others than I do. I just hope you will.
Assignment: Think about how gracious God has been to you. He has saved and redeemed you. Every good gift you have is from Him (James 1:17). He saved and redeemed you not so you could hoard His grace to you, but be a blessing to others, especially the lost. If you can, please put together a list of how you are or are not obeying the Great Commission personally. Being on this side of heaven, you owe it to share the Gospel to every person you meet on this side of hell? Where in your life is it evident that you are concerned about people dying and going to hell? Are you just sitting back, hoping the paid professionals do it? Are you a satisfied customer with God? If so, how does your life prove this in your sharing your faith with others?
Scripture To Meditate On: Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (NASB).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, I am a satisfied “customer.” I have no fault or anything against You. Please bring people into my life who are lost so that I can share You with them. I want to be a blessing to others as I share Your grace to the lost. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly