Devotionals

Every week we want to have a 5 day devotional recapping our previous sermon so we can grow deeper together.

This Sunday Pastor Scott continued in our series on Romans. Looking at Romans 1:18-3:20.

Devotional
It's easy to look around and see what's wrong with everyone else. Social media makes this even simpler—we can scroll through posts, shake our heads at people's choices, and feel pretty good about ourselves in comparison. But here's the uncomfortable truth: when we point fingers at others, we often reveal our own hearts. Judgment becomes dangerous when it flows from a sense of superiority rather than humble concern. True accountability—the kind that actually helps people—requires us to first examine our own hearts. It means approaching others with the same grace we desperately need ourselves. The difference between judging and accountability isn't in what we say, but in our heart posture. Are we speaking from a place of humility, recognizing our own need for grace? Or are we positioning ourselves as morally superior? One builds bridges; the other builds walls. When we truly understand our own brokenness, it transforms how we interact with others. Instead of looking down from a pedestal, we find ourselves standing on level ground—all of us in need of the same mercy and grace. This doesn't mean we ignore sin or avoid difficult conversations, but it means we approach them with humility and love. Remember, the goal isn't to win arguments or prove we're right. The goal is restoration—helping each other walk closer to Jesus.

Bible Verse
'You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things' - Romans 2:1

Reflection Question
When you find yourself judging others, what does that reveal about areas in your own life that might need God's grace and transformation?

Quote
If your accountability only goes one way, it's not accountability, it's judging.

Prayer
Lord, give me eyes to see my own heart clearly before I look at others. Help me approach difficult conversations with humility and love, remembering that I too am in desperate need of Your grace. Amen.

Devotional
Have you ever tried to jump across a canyon? Of course not—you'd know it's impossible before you even attempted it. Yet many of us approach our relationship with God as if we could somehow leap across the gap between our imperfection and His perfect righteousness through our own efforts. The law—God's perfect standard—serves an important purpose, but it's not to make us righteous. Instead, it acts like a mirror, showing us exactly how far we fall short. When we honestly examine God's standards, we realize that even our best efforts are insufficient. We can't pray enough, serve enough, or behave well enough to bridge that gap. This isn't meant to discourage us but to redirect us. When we stop trying to earn God's approval through our performance, we can finally receive what He freely offers: grace. The law points us to our need for a Savior, someone who could live the perfect life we couldn't live and pay the price we couldn't pay. Recognizing our inability to meet God's standard is actually liberating. It frees us from the exhausting treadmill of trying to be good enough and opens our hearts to receive the gift of righteousness that comes through faith in Jesus. We don't have to perform for God's love—we can rest in what Christ has already accomplished.

Bible Verse
'Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin' - Romans 3:20

Reflection Question
In what areas of your life are you still trying to earn God's approval through your performance rather than resting in what Jesus has already done?

Quote
We can't live right enough. We can't act right enough. We can't do right enough to satisfy God's judgment.

Prayer
Father, help me to stop striving to earn what You've already freely given. Show me where I'm still trying to perform for Your love, and help me rest in the finished work of Jesus. Amen.