Daily Devotional

Because He Died, We Truly Live

04/02/22 – 04/13/22

The Truth Confirmed

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  04/09/22

The two disciples on the road to Emmaus were hopeless and depressed. Even though they had heard reports of the empty tomb, in their minds the Messiah was not supposed to suffer and die—He was supposed to conquer Israel’s enemies and set up a political kingdom for God. But now, Jesus was dead. They were downcast and heartbroken.

Read Luke 24:13-35. When these two disciples encountered Jesus on the road to Emmaus, they did not recognize Him and shared the reason for their sorrow as they might have with any friendly stranger. But Jesus lost no time in rebuking their false assumptions: “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” (Luke 24:25-26).

The resurrected Jesus challenges our false assumptions, too. Without the resurrection, Jesus is just a martyr, a moral teacher, a dead hero—or worse, a liar. The resurrection of Jesus challenges the common false beliefs of our culture—that all religions are true and equal and any attempt at morality will earn you a seat in heaven.

Once they recognized the resurrected Jesus, these two discouraged, depressed, and disappointed disciples moved from fear to courage, from pain to power, from hopelessness to eternal hope, and from depression to mission. The evidence was conclusive: The same Jesus who had bled to death on the cross before their very eyes was talking to them and standing in front of them, alive and well.

They immediately got up—it was dark outside, the day was done, the road back to Jerusalem was dangerous—but they had a mission. Fear had gone and courage had taken over. Why? The Truth had been confirmed. They wanted to share the Good News: Jesus was alive. He had risen from the dead. Indeed, God had fulfilled His promise to Israel for the blessing of the whole world.

Prayer: Lord, please reveal any false assumptions I have about You. Help me see You as You really are—and help me to boldly and unashamedly share that Truth with others. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32).

Because He Died, We Truly Live

04/02/22 – 04/13/22

The Power of the Resurrection

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  04/08/22

The power of the resurrection is available to every believer in Jesus Christ, regardless of how powerless you may feel. It won’t give you a prestigious job, wealth, or fame. That’s not what Jesus came to do. He came to give us the power to overcome evil, addiction, and even the greatest enemy of all—death.

That same power transformed Saul to Paul—changing the greatest persecutor of Christians to a man sold out for the Gospel. Paul so knew the power of the resurrection that he came to consider it joy to suffer the loss of all things, including his life, for the sake of the Gospel (see Philippians 3:7-14).

Today, Leading The Way receives thousands of letters testifying to the transformative power of Christ’s resurrection. Terrorists have turned into evangelists. Criminals have become honest, Christ-loving men and women. Academics who once spent their lives searching for ways to undermine the Christian faith are now its biggest proponents.

Have you experienced this same transformative power at work in your own life? Remember: Christianity isn’t about following a set of rules, attending church, or acting religious. These things will not save anyone. The power of the resurrected Jesus does what no earthly power could ever do, changing the hearts, minds, and lives of all who believe in Christ and follow Him in obedience.

How are you experiencing the transformative power of Christ in your life?

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for utterly transforming me—for bringing me from death to life. I pray that as I reflect on the wonder of Your love, I would grow in faith and draw near to You, becoming like You for Your glory. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, . . .” (1 Peter 1:3).

Because He Died, We Truly Live

04/02/22 – 04/13/22

Remembering the Resurrection

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  04/07/22

The resurrection of Jesus is the greatest event in all of human history. So why did Paul feel compelled to remind Timothy—and us today—of this fundamental, life-altering event? Because God knows, and the apostle Paul knew, that we have fickle memories.

It’s easy to get bogged down in life’s problems and struggles. We can become bitter with our circumstances or distracted by earthly pursuits, easily forgetting the victory that is ours in Christ.

In the midst of imprisonments, detours, shipwrecks, beatings, and betrayal, Paul never lost sight of the big picture. His entire ministry was built on the Good News of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus—the cornerstone of the Christian faith. Through Christ’s blood-bought redemption, we too can rise above our temporary circumstances. Why? Because we have hope—not wishful thinking, but a guaranteed promise—of eternity with Christ in heaven, giving us power over the greatest enemy of all, death!

Do you desire to live a vibrant, purpose-filled life? Then remember the resurrected Jesus. Do you want to experience peace in a chaotic world? Then remember the resurrected Jesus. Do you want power for living? Then, today, remember afresh the resurrected Jesus!

What hinders you from fixing your eyes on Christ and the hope of the resurrection? How can you make a conscious effort to remember this great event every day?

Prayer: Lord, help me set my eyes on You, the author and perfecter of faith. I know I have victory in this world and beyond because the God of all creation has won it for me. Thank You, Jesus! I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, . . .” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

Because He Died, We Truly Live

04/02/22 – 04/13/22

Victory in the Resurrection

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  04/06/22

Remember the resurrected Jesus! The apostle Paul encouraged Timothy, a young, struggling pastor, with this life-giving battle cry. Writing from a Roman prison, Paul knew that his time on earth was coming to an end. In fact, most historians believe 2 Timothy is the last epistle Paul wrote before he died.

The great apostle used his final words to his young protégé not to complain about his situation, but to rejoice in the opportunity God had granted him to faithfully serve and suffer for Christ. Why? Because Paul understood the power of Jesus’ resurrection. He lived in the hope of the glory of Christ.

Without the resurrection, Jesus would have been merely a good teacher or a guru who died for a good cause. But when He rose from the dead, He declared victory over sin and death once and for all. No other world religion can make this claim.

This Resurrection Sunday, I implore you as Paul did—remember the resurrected Jesus, not just once a year, but every moment of every day. This battle cry will give you strength when you have none. It will give you victory when you feel defeated. It will give you comfort in the middle of sorrow. It will heal your painful memories; it will fill you with hope for the future; it will lift you up when you have fallen. So I implore you—remember the resurrected Jesus!

How can you make the resurrection of Jesus your battle cry of victory?

Prayer: Father, thank You for the Good News of the Gospel. Let this be my battle cry when my circumstances threaten to overwhelm me. I remember the resurrection—I am safe in Your hands. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained” (2 Timothy 2:8-9).

Because He Died, We Truly Live

04/02/22 – 04/13/22

Paid in Full

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  04/05/22

In Colossians 2, the apostle Paul presents a magnificent picture of how the Roman legal system worked. Under strict legal procedure, the Roman authorities would interrogate a witness.

Then his testimony had to be substantiated before the Roman court could bring his case. When the indictment had been handed down and the case came to trial, it was necessary for the accuser to stand in the presence of the accused to give his testimony before the judge.

This picture can be applied to our spiritual standing in this world. We are guilty sinners, and our accuser is none other than Satan. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death (see Romans 6:23)—we deserve death for our sin. And Satan is quick to point this out. He prosecutes us, unearthing every reason we should be thrown into the pit of hell. His accusations are just and true. A judge cannot dismiss an indictment if it is true. (That is why when the Pharisees brought forth accusations against Jesus, Pontius Pilate tried to wash his hands of the whole affair in Matthew 27:24—he could see that Jesus was innocent.) But we cannot escape the just judgment of our sin. There is no one righteous, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

But God in His mercy and compassion provided us a way out. He spared not even His own Son, but sent Him to live perfectly for us, die in our stead, and atone for the sins of the whole world—all of yours, all of mine, if we will but receive the gift.

In Christ’s day, when a criminal was convicted and sentenced, an official writing was drawn up by the courts. In it would be an explanation of the crime and its penalty. That is why Pontius Pilate had written on Jesus’ cross: “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS” (John 19:19). When a man finished serving his sentence and was released, his indictment would be taken down. A judge would write across it tetelestai, which means “paid in full” or “it is finished.”

As Jesus Christ hung on the cross, this was the last word He uttered, “Tetelestai”—”It is finished” (John 19:30). If you have committed your life to Jesus Christ and have accepted Him as your Savior, Satan has no legal right against you. You have been ransomed. In Christ, you have the victory!

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for saving me and perfectly paying the price of my sins past, present, and future. It is finished because You are loving and full of mercy and grace. I rest in You, my Redeemer. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“[E]veryone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).

Because He Died, We Truly Live

04/02/22 – 04/13/22

Into Your Hands

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  04/04/22

“Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When he had said this, he breathed his last” (Luke 23:46).

This prayer is profound in its simplicity because it indicates a willingness to deposit the most precious thing, the most prized possession, in the safest place of all. This sixth statement from the cross is an example of Christ’s complete confidence in His Father.

The word commit in this verse literally means to go and leave something somewhere and walk away from it, knowing full well, with absolute confidence and trust, that when you come back, it will be there. When Jesus cried out, “[I]nto your hands I commit my spirit,” His hands were fastened to that rugged wooden cross. The hands of wicked, evil men nailed Him to that cross.

In Matthew 17:22, Jesus warned His disciples, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.” The hands of men flogged the Son of God. Those hands hammered the nails through His flesh into the wood; those hands crowned Him with thorns. For twelve hours Jesus endured torture by the hands of men and was subjected to the worst that human hands could do.

Jesus was ready to be deposited into the holy hands of the Father, the greatest hands of all. He will never again be in our hands, but we will be in His hands. Do you deposit your all in the hands of the Father, or do you deposit some in His hands and hold on to the rest?

Prayer: Father, I realize that there may be some things that I have been unwilling to let go of—unwilling to entrust to Your care. Today I want to deposit my all into Your hands. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen

“Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, LORD, my faithful God” (Psalm 31:5).

Because He Died, We Truly Live

04/02/22 – 04/13/22

Lessons on Forgiveness

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  04/03/22

As we read through the last words of Jesus on the cross and discover His heart, His character, and His love for each of us—how are we to be changed?

First, we should be encouraged to approach Him in bold assurance that His grace is sufficient to cover and forgive your sins. There is no debt you could owe that Jesus, the once-for-all sacrifice, has not paid in full.

Second, we do not wait to “feel” like forgiving others when we have been wronged. Forgiveness is a decision of the will. When we honor God with our will, He will bring our emotions into line accordingly.

Finally, the Bible teaches us that to whom much is given, much is required. We have received forgiveness from God, and He requires us to forgive others. “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13).

We must become more forgiving by worshiping God for the forgiveness that He has shown us. When we appreciate our great need for forgiveness and wonder at the forgiveness we have received, we will be able to offer it more freely to others. When we refuse to forgive, we reveal a heart that has not begun to grasp the depths of God’s grace. Where do you stand in your forgiveness of others?

Prayer: God, help me to be a more forgiving person. Thank You for the forgiveness You have shown me. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (Matthew 6:14).

Because He Died, We Truly Live

04/02/22 – 04/13/22

I Thirst

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  04/02/22

With his last breath, Thomas Hobbes, the self-confessed atheist, said, “I am taking a fearful leap in the dark.” On his deathbed the French agnostic Voltaire sadly spoke these words: “I am abandoned by God and man! . . . I shall go to hell.”

In contrast to these two men, who died without Christ, is Christian evangelist Dwight L. Moody, whose last words were: “Is this dying? Why this is bliss. There is no valley. I have been within the gates. Earth is receding; heaven is opening; God is calling; I must go.”

For believers, the moment we take our last breath is the first moment we will draw in the heavenly air of our new home, our abode with the Lord Jesus Christ. To be out of Earth’s atmosphere is to be in His holy presence.

We rarely think about the difference between life lived here on earth and the one we will have in heaven. Instead, we often focus on our temporary home, how we can make it larger, decorate it with our favorite things, and enjoy it.

At some point, our thinking must switch from being earthbound to heavenbound. The short time we spend on this earth is not even a fraction of the time we will spend in eternity. Jesus was accustomed to setting this vision for others to reach. He never missed an opportunity to prepare His followers for His death, but, more importantly, He wanted them to understand His resurrection and the future blessings that would be theirs.

Even Jesus’ last words, “I am thirsty” (John 19:28), remind us that nothing this world has to offer can satisfy our needs. Only Jesus has the ability to provide the living water that satisfies our souls.

Prayer: Lord, I realize that only You can satisfy my thirst. May I drink deeply of You through Your Word and through prayer, drawing close to You by Your Spirit. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life'” (John 4:13-14).

One Lost Sheep

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  04/01/22

In Luke 15:1-7, Jesus shares the parable of the lost sheep to further reveal the heart of God to us. In it we see that God’s love is so merciful and personal that He notices and pursues even one erring sheep.

How amazing that our God is intimately concerned with those who have strayed from His fold. In the parable, when the shepherd finds his sheep in Luke 15:5, “he joyfully puts it on his shoulders” and carries the sheep all the way home. The shepherd never sets the sheep down but carries the entire burden on his strong shoulders.

Likewise, Christ stands ready to take on all our burdens, whether physical infirmities, heartbreaks, or worries. He has shoulders capable of bearing any weight we are willing to give up to Him. Your burdens become His burdens as you rest in Him.

Christ pursues us, saves us, carries us, and rejoices over us. Luke 15:6 says the shepherd then “calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'”

How long has it been since you brought so much joy to someone that the person wanted to throw you a party? How does it feel to know that your salvation brings such joy to our Almighty God?

Prayer: Lord, help me to fully understand how extravagantly You love me. Help me to remember that You are my Shepherd and have given everything, including Your life, to rescue me. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep'” (Luke 15:6).

A New Reformation

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/31/22

Western civilization is the product of the Reformation. The Reformers threw open the windows of God’s light after a thousand years of spiritual and cultural darkness. Today, as the barbarians are again surrounding our civilization, as the church drifts into error, ignorance, and apostasy, the time has come for a New Reformation.

What would that New Reformation look like? It would call men and women in the church to repent of all the things they have added to or taken away from the Gospel. It would call them to preach God’s Truth out of pure motives, instead of a lust for wealth or fame. It would call them to put away idols of the Prosperity Gospel, the Social Gospel, the Emerging Church, and all the other distortions and perversions of the Good News of Jesus Christ.

A New Reformation would show the world the face of authentic Biblical Christianity—a Christianity that preaches the Good News of Jesus Christ without compromise, that demonstrates Truth and love in perfect balance, and that cares about people in need but refuses to back down from the Truth even in the face of threats and terrorism.

A New Reformation is the only hope Western civilization has to reverse its present course of destruction. The God of the New Reformation is the God of mercy and grace. He is the God who hung on a cross to redeem humanity, the God who rose again to prove His divine power.

Today, with arms open wide, the Lord Jesus calls to the world, to all people from East and West, to everyone living in the City of Man, “Repent and come to Me. Come live forever in the City of God. This world is heading for destruction, but I have made a way of escape for you—a way of salvation.” Won’t you run to Him?

Prayer: Lord, how I long for this New Reformation! Help me to cling to Your Truth and find comfort and joy in You alone, dwelling in the City of God though I sojourn in the City of Man. Use me to lead people out of the City of Man and into the loving arms of Jesus. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19).

Heavenward

Romans 13-16

03/23/22 – 03/30/22

Authentic Discipleship

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/30/22

Read Romans 16.

Paul’s parting words to the church in Rome disclose three important characteristics of an authentic disciple of Jesus: Christians love one another, protect the Truth, and give thanks to God.

Love one another. Most of Paul’s letters end by emphasizing the importance of participating in genuine, loving relationships with fellow believers. From the list of names in Romans 16, we see the apostle cared deeply about each individual person (not just the church as a whole) and no doubt prayed for the believers of the cities he visited by name.

Protect the Truth. Paul also understood we can’t properly love people if we don’t also love Truth. That’s why we must protect Truth and stand against the greatest harm to the Christian community—the undermining of God’s Word. As believers, we must allow the Bible to have authority over our lives. When we give Scripture its proper place, it will weed out any false teaching that threatens to take our eyes off Jesus.

Give thanks to God. Like Paul, whose gratefulness for his salvation and sanctification is apparent in each of his epistles, we too must readily praise God for our redemption and renewal. As authentic disciples, we must daily thank our Lord not only for calling us but for transforming us day by day into people who reflect our glorious Savior Jesus Christ.

Prayer: God, thank You for Your grace and compassion for me, a sinner. I praise You for the wonder of Your love displayed through Jesus Christ and the precious gift of salvation. May You be glorified eternally! I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil” (Romans 16:19).

Heavenward

Romans 13-16

03/23/22 – 03/30/22

Dreaming Means Kneeling

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/29/22

Read Romans 15:23-33.

Paul had a clear, God-given dream—to preach the Gospel where it had never been preached. His ultimate destination was the place that at the time was considered the edge of the world: Spain (see Romans 15:24). Scripture doesn’t say whether Paul made it or not. From God’s perspective, it doesn’t really matter.

When it comes to your dreams, God isn’t interested in the destination—the accomplishing of the dream—as much as He’s interested in your faithfulness along the journey. Moses dreamed of stepping foot in the Promised Land after leading God’s people out of Egypt and through the desert, but he died before entering Canaan. David dreamed of building a beautiful temple for God. Instead, he financed the project, while the actual building was completed by his son Solomon. From God’s perspective, these imperfect men succeeded because they faithfully sought His vision for their lives. Though they stumbled along the way, they trusted God, and there is no doubt that they received a greater blessing than they ever could have imagined.

There is a desperate need today for God’s people to endeavor to accomplish great things for Him. The only way to do this is to begin on your knees. But be prepared—as Paul said, “[J]oin me in my struggle by praying to God for me” (Romans 15:30)—for this journey is often agonizing, spiritually straining, and self-denying. Are you ready to fight for what God has placed in your heart?

Prayer: Father, reveal to me Your vision for my life. May I be faithful to Your call to be holy as You are holy as I pursue Your purposes for my life. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me” (Romans 15:30).

Heavenward

Romans 13-16

03/23/22 – 03/30/22

A Fulfilled Life

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/28/22

Read Romans 15:14-22

In our culture today, people are desperately searching for fulfillment through careers, finances, relationships, or false religion. But Paul tells us how to pursue fulfillment the right way—by following a God-given dream self-sacrificially and giving Him the glory the whole way.

The New Testament declares that every disciple of Jesus is a priest with a sacred calling on his or her life. In the Old Testament, priests were responsible for offering animal sacrifices for sin, pointing to the need for a Savior (see Hebrews 10:11-18). Today, our final, perfect sacrifice for sins has been made: Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. Yet, we are still called “a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9). Why? Our job is still to point people to Christ, but our offerings are thank offerings. We joyfully sacrifice our time, talent, and treasures in proper worship to God, our Redeemer.

Whatever your vocation, God is calling you to perform your priestly duty to Him on a daily basis. Your priestly duty might be sacrificing your comfort to witness for Christ, serving your family, or giving sacrificially. Whatever it may be, let it be all for the glory of God out of the overflow of a grateful heart.

Paul accomplished so much for the sake of the Gospel, but he never took the credit. He said, “I glory in Christ Jesus; God did it all” (see Romans 15:17-19). May we share the same heart cry—to live a life of worship and adoration to the one who gave it all for us!

Prayer: God, You are my great reward. Help me to share this joy with those around me, pointing them as a priest to the glorious hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God” (Romans 15:16b-17).

Heavenward

Romans 13-16

03/23/22 – 03/30/22

Selfless Unity

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/27/22

Read Romans 15:1-13.

What would our marriages, homes, and churches look like if we all practiced selfless, fully surrendered obedience to God in our daily lives? What if we completely aligned our will to our Father’s will?

Following Pentecost, the Holy Spirit empowered the early church to boldly proclaim the Gospel and perform awesome signs and wonders that testified to the Truth of their message. Why did God grant them such favor? Because the believers were of one accord. They selflessly worked together to see the Gospel go forth (see Acts 2:42-47). We often pray for a spiritual awakening in our world, but God isn’t going to send a revival to people who aren’t united, body and soul, under the hand of the Holy Spirit.

In Romans 15, Paul shares six principles we must exhibit to receive the unique blessing of unity:

We put ourselves under the authority of Scripture.

We put others up.

We put ourselves lower.

We put Christ always before us.

We put ourselves under God’s power.

We put the pursuit of God’s glory above all else.

(Notice that selfless unity must first be grounded in God’s Word; the Truth of the Gospel should never be compromised just to get along.)

Where believers put these principles into practice, watch out! God’s power and love will become manifest to a world in darkness.

Prayer: Lord, give me the strength and the will to seek to live out these principles of unity for the blessing of Your people and the world. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:5-6).

Heavenward

Romans 13-16

03/23/22 – 03/30/22

Freedom Not to Sin

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/26/22

Read Romans 14:13-23.

While we have liberty in Christ, the apostle Paul is quick to add that stronger Christians have a responsibility to ensure their freedom isn’t causing weaker believers to stumble. Paul calls this type of humble and selfless behavior beautiful—the mark of a mature believer.

Christ ransomed us from the bondage of our fleshly nature not so that we could live any way we want, but so that we could make every decision with careful consideration to what brings Christ the most glory. This gives us the ultimate freedom—freedom not to sin. If any of our actions cause someone else to stumble, we don’t do it. That’s serving our brothers and sisters in Christ well. That’s true liberty.

Our goal is to emulate Jesus, the one who unites us. The one who, though fully God, gave up His splendor, glory, and freedom to become a humble servant and do His Father’s will. So, when you are tempted to say, “I am tired of serving my family, my church, my neighbor,” look at Jesus. Focusing on Jesus means you are willing to lay down your life for your friend. It means you’re willing and free to sacrifice your comfort, preferences, and pleasures—because that is what He did for us.

Prayer: Lord, open my eyes by Your Spirit to ways in which I may be causing a fellow believer to stumble. Grant me humility and freedom to sacrifice my preferences to build them up and love them well. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister” (Romans 14:13).

Heavenward

Romans 13-16

03/23/22 – 03/30/22

Christian Liberty

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/25/22

Read Romans 14.

If Paul is emphasizing one thing in Romans 14, he is pleading with believers to major on the majors and minor on the minors. As Christians filled with the Holy Spirit, we have liberty to exercise our judgment concerning practices that aren’t expressly restricted in the Bible or essential for righteous and holy living.

When our eyes are fixed on pleasing the Lord above everything else in life, we will naturally pursue righteousness—and we won’t waste our time focusing on the social habits of others. That doesn’t mean looking the other way at blatant sin, but in matters of Christian liberty—clothing, food, and certain practices, like smoking, drinking alcohol (not in excess), or other amusements—we shouldn’t become legalistic and create rules for behavior that aren’t in the Bible.

The enemy wants to distract us with small issues that create unnecessary division in the church. Let’s not waste a single minute or ounce of energy fighting the saints. Let’s use all our ammunition to defeat sin and temptation in our lives. Let’s turn our weapons toward the enemy of our souls. Let’s focus on what’s important to God—the heart, not outward appearances. And let’s faithfully exercise our liberty by seeking His will through prayer and His Word.

Prayer: God, help me to focus on pleasing You today. May I dwell on whatever is true, noble, excellent, or praiseworthy to be an encouragement to others and to follow You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand” (Romans 14:4).

Heavenward

Romans 13-16

03/23/22 – 03/30/22

Genuine Love

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/24/22

Read Romans 13:1-10.

Without question, the moment you receive Christ, He transfers your citizenship to the Kingdom of heaven—and this is your ultimate identity, your ultimate allegiance. But even though we Christians no longer have our identity in this world, we are called to love God and our neighbor by humbly submitting to the authorities He has set in place for us.

In Romans 13, Paul emphasizes that it is out of love for God that today’s Christian will willingly obey the law of the land, pay taxes, and vote. By diligently serving in these ways, we love our neighbor, our community, our nation—we fulfill our “continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law” (v. 8). In fact, the Bible-believing Christian lives in perpetual spiritual indebtedness. Indebtedness to whom? To God!

Only God can give you the resources by which you can pay your debt to Him. Christ has paid our ransom and transferred to us His righteousness. He has poured into us His own Spirit, His own power to love and obey. He loves through us so that we can love others. And the wonder is that the more you love God, the more God pours into you, and the more He pours into you, the more you pay your debt of love to the glory of God. And for the citizen of heaven who longs to glorify His God and Savior, that debt becomes pure delight.

Prayer: God, I know I could never pay my debt to love You and love others. That is why You came to give me life—to give me a heart of flesh. Thank You for empowering me by Your Spirit to love You and others and find joy and peace therein. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8).

Heavenward

Romans 13-16

03/23/22 – 03/30/22

Redeem the Time

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/23/22

Read Romans 13:11-14.

What does it look like to live in light of eternity? In the last few chapters of Romans, the apostle Paul gives us practical ways to follow God’s will in different areas of our lives—and it all starts with waking from our slumber.

One of the biggest struggles in the church today is spiritual drowsiness, even laziness. God’s Word tells us that when we are more concerned about worldly pleasures—reputation, career, wealth—than about what concerns Christ, when our love for Christ grows cold, when we succumb to self-indulgence, when we pay lip-service to God but presume upon His grace, we are spiritually asleep.

Is there something God has called you to do that you have delayed because you are waiting for a more opportune time? Christian, you belong to the day. It’s time to awake from your spiritual sleep. Christ is coming!

Paul urges us to redeem the time God has given us by using our God-given opportunities, talents, and spiritual gifts to glorify Christ—for “the night is nearly over; the day is almost here” (Romans 13:12). God may open doors of opportunity specifically for you. He may put a certain person in your life with whom He wants you to share the Gospel. He may give you a unique platform to firmly stand on His Word. May each of us be alert and prepared for the day when the clouds roll back like a scroll and the trumpets signal our Lord’s return!

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for the times when I fall asleep spiritually and forget the urgency of the age, for “now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). Use me, Lord, to share this Truth with those You put in my path. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11).

Let God Be God

Romans 9-12

03/15/22 – 03/22/22

A Disciplined Life

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/22/22

Romans 12:9-21.

In this age of self-care, self-discipline seems to be a dirty word. But good intentions and warm, fuzzy feelings toward God won’t turn us into fruitful Christians. To be a fruitful Christian, we must submit to the Lord Jesus Christ in everything we do—from the way we spend our money to the way we spend our time.

Self-discipline is foregoing that which is easy but wrong for that which is difficult but right. For Bible-believing Christians, this means submitting everything in our lives to the authority of the Word of God. In doing so, we make Him the true Lord of our lives.

In Romans 12:9-21, Paul shows us eight characteristics of Christlike love that are the fruit of a disciplined life:

1.Love hates evil (v. 9).
2.
Love gives honor (v. 10).
3.
Love is passionate about God (v. 11).
4.
Love hopes and perseveres in prayer (v. 12).
5.
Love gives (v. 13).
6.
Love feels deeply with others (vv. 14-15).
7.
Love refuses to get even (vv. 16-19).
8.
Love reverses cultural norms (vv. 20-21).
Only by surrendering to the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives can we seek to follow such sacrificial commands. Only by His power can we surrender every area of our lives to Him. As we do, the world will see Christ in us—and they will know that we are His.

Prayer: Father, empower me by Your Spirit to grow in Christlike love. May the people around me see the wondrous transformation You are making in my heart and glorify Your name. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord” (Romans 12:9-11).

Let God Be God

Romans 9-12

03/15/22 – 03/22/22

Our Only Response

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/21/22

Read Romans 12:1-8.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1). In light of God’s mercy toward us, Paul commands us to offer our lives to Him in worship. God has graciously given us everything we have, and acknowledging His tremendous love, we must give it all back to Him.

Worship is our only response to God’s great mercy. It is our only response to His unbelievable, indescribable, unfathomable grace. It is the only way for us to appropriately express our gratitude and thanksgiving. And it is the secret to lasting contentment, joy, victory, and satisfaction.

Worship is meant to include every moment of our lives—not just on Sunday, but Monday through Saturday, too. True worship means daily dying to yourself and living for Christ. Wherever you go, there must go a living sacrifice, whether you are in the boardroom or on the factory floor, whether doing housework, parenting, or serving others. Living for God is a slow death of our pride, will, and self-sufficiency; that’s why it’s often more difficult to live for Jesus than to die for Jesus.

Your motive for giving your life to God must always be generated out of a response to His mercy toward you. True worship is not about what you can get from Him, but what you can give to Him. It’s about showing God how much the mercy and grace He has lavished upon your soul means to you.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for lavishing Your love upon me and making me new. I want to be like You, Jesus, that You might receive honor and glory for resurrecting my dead heart and giving me eternal life. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).

Let God Be God

Romans 9-12

03/15/22 – 03/22/22

God’s Ways Are Unsearchable

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/20/22

Read Romans 11:33-36.

God has revealed Himself through the Lord Jesus Christ. By the revelation of His Son and the provision of His Word, we can know with certainty that God saves and redeems us and empowers us to obey Him.

At the same time, God has not revealed everything about Himself. In our fallen state, we couldn’t handle it if He did. Therefore, as long as we live in these mortal bodies, we must remain humble. We must let God be God. But many are doing the exact opposite—working as hard as they can to humanize God and deify man.

The apostle Paul wrote Romans to remind us to stand in awe of God and His indescribable riches, wisdom, and knowledge. In God’s unfathomable wisdom, He loves sinners like us. He died for sinners like us, making it possible for us to be forgiven completely. Remembering such things helps us bow to Him in both our joys and sorrows—reminding ourselves that He is God, He is in control, and we are not.

In the first eleven chapters of the epistle to the Romans, Paul has been climbing step by step up the mountain of salvation. Then he finally comes to the summit in Romans 11:33, and he can only exclaim, “God’s ways are unsearchable!” The Truth of these words causes me to tremble in wonder. Therefore, in difficult times and in good times, I humble myself and say, “You are God.”

Prayer: God, forgive me for having too small a vision of who You are. You are unsearchable, infinite, transcendent. May I bow before You in adoration every day, for You are God. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?'” (Romans 11:33-34).

Let God Be God

Romans 9-12

03/15/22 – 03/22/22

By Grace Alone

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/19/22

Read Romans 11:1-32.

Throughout the Old Testament, the Bible speaks of the faithful remnant within ethnic Israel. It was always faith in God, not simply being Jewish, that ultimately saved anyone. Claiming that all Jewish people had faith in God would be like asserting that all churchgoers today are born-again. Of course, salvation is not dependent on either our ethnicity or church attendance. Our relationship with God is a matter of the heart.

When the Jews hardened their hearts and rejected the Messiah, what did God do? He used their rejection to bring the Gentiles to salvation and to make His people envious, that they might come to their Messiah (see v. 11). God used Israel’s rejection of Jesus as a means of grace—not only for their good but for the good of the Gentiles.

You see, our indescribable God is the God of all grace. Both Jew and Gentile alike can only be saved by His mercy through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is based only on the merits of Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice on the cross. Therefore, not one of us has any room to boast, brag, or feel superior to another. We are all sinners who deserve hell apart from Christ.

The ground is level at the foot of the cross. This is the Gospel. This is the Christian faith. The door is wide open to everyone who will repent, regardless of who they are or what their background may be. No sinner is beyond Christ’s ability to redeem. That is indeed Good News.

Prayer: God, we are all creatures deserving of wrath, and yet You show mercy—even new mercy every morning. Thank You for Your grace. Thank You for making me Your child. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all” (Romans 11:32).

Let God Be God

Romans 9-12

03/15/22 – 03/22/22

Four Sinful Reasons

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/18/22

Read Romans 10.

Why would anyone reject Christ’s loving invitation for eternal salvation? Romans 10 gives us four reasons.

First, people reject Jesus out of misguided religious zeal (cf. 1-4). Some people’s own zeal—whether for legalism or false religion—is what blinds them to their need for Christ. Like Paul in the days when he persecuted Christians, many people have good intentions, but good intentions without Truth prove deadly.

Second, people reject Jesus due to their misdirected efforts (cf. 5-13). In many ways, it is the simplicity of the Gospel that causes people to stumble. If you give them a complicated formula, they will follow it, eager to justify themselves by their great works. But the Gospel is simple: Repent, confess Christ, and believe that He rose from the dead, for no one can earn salvation. The Gospel both seems too easy and grates against man’s pride.

Third, people reject Jesus because of a deliberate mishearing of the message (cf. 14-17). Some do not receive the Truth simply because they do not want to hear it. Their hearts are so hardened that even the Gospel of life reeks of death to them.

Finally, people reject Jesus out of sheer stubbornness (cf. 18-21). With open arms, God pleads with all humanity to repent. But instead of responding to His invitation of mercy, many choose to remain disobedient, preferring to go their own way rather than to submit to God.

On the day of judgment, no one will be able to say, “I didn’t know! I wasn’t predestined!” All will be without excuse—their sinful reasons for rejecting Christ laid bare.

Prayer: Lord, I know You are a just God. I marvel at the forgiveness You offer. May I share such a precious gift and promise with those You put in my path, that they might repent and choose life in You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: ‘Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world'” (Romans 10:18).

Let God Be God

Romans 9-12

03/15/22 – 03/22/22

Man’s Responsibility

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/17/22

Read Romans 10.

In Romans 8-9, Paul unpacks the concept of election—how God in His sovereignty has predestined believers to be saved since before the foundation of the world. Then, in Romans 10, Paul begins to explain how all of humanity is responsible to respond in faith to God’s offer of grace.

Do not be deceived, Paul is not contradicting himself. Man is responsible, and God is sovereign. When it comes to salvation, no one has an excuse for not accepting God’s gift of forgiveness. The full responsibility of rejecting God and His only means of salvation—namely the Lord Jesus Christ—rests squarely on the shoulders of the one who has done the rejection.

Five times in Romans 10 Paul makes this point clear, placing the full responsibility for rejecting Jesus at the feet of those who have rejected Him (see vv. 8, 11, 12, 16, and 21). In fact, the concluding verse of this chapter is a poignant plea on the part of God to a hard-hearted people: “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people” (v. 21).

If a person dies without Christ, it is not because he was not elected or predestined, but because he or she has rejected God’s loving invitation of forgiveness and eternal life. How depraved we are to refuse such a love. How wondrous the grace of God to offer it to us! May these Truths compel us to live humbly before our awesome God.

Prayer: Father, how wondrous Your offer of salvation! Help me grasp how wide and long and high and deep is Your love. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved'” (Romans 10:12-13).

Let God Be God

Romans 9-12

03/15/22 – 03/22/22

Will You Stumble?

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/16/22

Read Romans 9:19-33.

In light of God’s sovereignty, some may ask, “If God will have mercy on whomsoever He will, why pray? Why witness? Why get attacked by my coworkers or classmates for trying to tell them about Christ?” But here in Romans 9:19-33, Paul tells us that by asking such questions, we are expecting God to answer to us—when it is we, the created, who must answer to Him.

Don’t misunderstand: God does allow us as His children to ask why, and it is good for us to sincerely wrestle with Him about these matters. But we must not permit our pride to puff us up so that we demand answers from God and then reject Him when He does not respond in the way we think He should. We must remember we are but dust, just as Job did when faced with the majesty of God: “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know” (Job 42:3).

Though it is God who sovereignly elects His children since the beginning of time, in His perfect wisdom, He has chosen to use us as His messengers of salvation. Even though this confounds our understanding, this is core to the Christian faith and the heart of the mission of the church. May God grant us humble faith to receive this Truth so that we might not stumble over it but wear ourselves out in testifying to God’s amazing love displayed in Christ.

Prayer: God, You are Lord. You are sovereign over all, perfect in wisdom and all Your judgments. I trust You and surrender to You. Help me follow Your ways. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“One of you will say to me: ‘Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?’ But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?” (Romans 9:19-20a).