Daily Devotional For Thursday, April 24, 2025
Happy Terrific Thursday Southside. It is so sad to me that many people today think and believe that religion is the cause of much pain in the world. Sometimes they are not wrong. We see conflicts in Israel between Jews and Arabs. In Ireland there has been a long religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants. Nigeria has religious conflicts between Christians and Muslims. In the Sudan, Arab Muslims are going after anyone not Muslim and Arab. There are religious conflicts between Hindus in India and Muslims in Pakistan. Even in local churches in America, there are conflicts between staff and members, staff and leadership, members and members. Jesus said this in John 13:35, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (NASB). That’s a big IF isn’t it?
While followers of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity agree there is a God, Jesus is the One who makes the unique difference. He declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). You see, Jesus makes God personal. He brings a sense of moral responsibility because He surrendered His life for the sin of mankind.
Through His excruciating death and miraculous resurrection, He makes His own righteousness and authority available to us. We can never afford to step away from Him and His finished work on the cross. So, it is true—the greatest gift God will ever give you and me is Jesus. He changes everything. God gave us the gift of eternal life through the sacrifice of Jesus. He died in our place so God could forgive us our sins and so we might live forever in God’s presence.
Assignment: Find ways to express the love of Christ to people, especially to those you have conflict with in life. Model Christ, not our culture. Build bridges, don’t burn them. Reach out to those who you might even consider to be your enemies. Remember Jesus’ words to you in Matthew 5:44.
Scripture To Meditate On: John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (17) For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him” (NASB).
Prayer To Pray: “Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Your Son. Open my eyes to see Jesus, not just as a character in my Bible, but as the Living One who watches over my life. Help me to walk closer to Him every day and turn to Him when I face challenges and fears. Thank You for the eternal life I have through Him. Help me to love those I would rather not love. Help me to pray and find a way to do good to them. It’s in the redeeming name of Jesus that I pray, Amen.”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly