Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video from the group Third Day singing … Blessed Assurance …poignantly singing the old hymn about how we can KNOW that we know that Jesus is ours - FOREVER!
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Highlight Verse[s]: Romans 10:9, …13 [NLT] … 9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. … 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
… Paul quotes from the OT [Joel 2:32] to show that anyone who believes in his heart that Jesus died for sinners and declares it openly is saved.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Romans 10:9-13 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… The Apostle lays out God’s truth on what it takes to be saved.
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Reference Passage [NLT] : … 1st John 5:13 [NLT] … 13 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.
… The Apostle John wrote this letter to help anyone KNOW that they are saved.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Dave Branon, told of a lovely older sister in Christ who illustrates the joy one can have KNOWING that they are saved. The ODB author wrote: Ruth cannot tell her story without tears. In her mid-eighties and unable to get around much anymore, Ruth may not appear to be a central figure in our church’s life. She depends on others for rides, and because she lives alone she doesn’t have a huge circle of influence.
But when she tells us her story of salvation—as she does often—Ruth stands out as a remarkable example of God’s grace. [See Photo]
If you’ve ever been around a joy-filled Christian like the woman in the photo, you can just see the confidence they have in knowing that they are saved. But the opposite can also be the case. … Some time ago I had a friend ask to meet me for lunch. When I met him, he was in tears, telling me that he doubted his salvation.
So, I asked him if he believed the Bible was true, to which he responded, “Absolutely!” Well, I had a Bible APP on my cell phone so I pulled up the highlight passage from Romans 10:9-13; and I had him read that passage. When he did, I again asked him if he knew that these words were true. Again he reiterated his confidence in God’s truth. … So, I asked him two more questions … [See below]. …
... Do you believe that you’re a sinner? … He said, “Well, of course!”
... Do you REALLY, … STRONGLY, … believe that Jesus died and was raised from the dead to save sinners, including you? … He said, “Yes!”
Well, I had my friend read the Romans 10 passage again; and I told him, “Since you know that to be true and you just openly confessed believing that Jesus died to save you from your sinfulness, God’s word just declared that you are saved; and no matter how much you might doubt that, … IT IS TRUE!” … His whole countenance changed from grief to joy.
One other thing I told him to do was to go read and meditate on John’s letter to Christians in the book of 1st John, which was written by the Apostle to help Christians KNOW, … beyond doubt, … that they were saved.
So, if any reader here runs into someone who doubts their salvation, perhaps you might use this approach to help them have the blessed assurance sung by Third Day in the linked song. … But if they can’t say “YES” to the questions I raised above, perhaps you can share your testimony with them about your joy in knowing that you are saved. And perhaps that will help lead them to God’s saving grace.
My Prayer Today: Abba Father, … King Jesus, … Precious Spirit … Thank You, Lord, for the joy, like Ruth in the photo, of knowing that You have saved me. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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