CAC LIVING WATER DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR SEPTEMBER 27, 2022 : TOPIC – EXPIRED GRACE
LIVING WATER CAC DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Tuesday, September 27, 2022. – World Tourism Day
EXPIRED GRACE
Read: Luke 16:19-31
[19]There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
[20]And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
[21]And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
[22]And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
[23]And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
[24]And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
[25]But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
[26]And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
[27]Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
[28]For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
[29]Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
[30]And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
[31]And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
MEMORISE: How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him (Hebrews 2:3).
EXPOSITION
Someone asked, can God’s grace expire? The rich man in our text surely thought it couldn’t, just like Esau (Heb.12:16-17). This is true of many of us today. We think the grace of God abides permanently, even where and when we keep abusing it by indulging in sin. Romans 6:1-3 answers us. We cannot be in sin and claim that God’s grace keeps abiding with us (paraphrased). This is the deficiency of the “eternal security” claim.
Extra-terrestrial visions and revelations from time immemorial and in the recent time are filled with stories of many earthly celebrities, including the clergy, that failed to make heaven but ended up in hell, a place of eternal punishment, with the same eternal fate of NO MORE GRACE! How shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? (Heb. 2:1-3) Don’t wait till God’s grace is withdrawn from you before you begin to seek God, to utilise His unlimited grace well. He who keeps abusing God’s grace now would soon wake up to discover that the grace is no longer there for him.
The passport to heaven is faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. But the visa requirements are more, as today marks World Tourism Day. We must “cut off” certain things as our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ admonishes (Matt. 5:29,30), and “put off” those things the Lord expects and commands (Eph. 4:21-5:15; Col. 3:6ff; 2 Pet. 1:5-11). Your salvation also depends on your willingness to align with Jesus and the redemption He offers. Do not be deceived! (Phil. 2:12-16; cf. Isa. 1:18-20)
PRAYER POINTS
1. O Lord, I thank You for Your grace over my life.
2. Lord, yesterday’s grace is not sufficient for today. Therefore, give me more and fresh grace for the journey.
3. Pray for CAC Orekoya Region, our father in the Lord, the Superintendent, and its officers at the various levels, as led by the Spirit of God.
HYMN FOR TODAY: CAC GHB 261
1. Grace! ’tis a charming sound,
Harmonious to the ear,
Heaven with the echo shall resound,
And all the earth shall hear,
Saved by grace alone!
This is all my plea:
Jesus died for all mankind
And Jesus died for me.
2. Twas grace that wrote my name
In Thy eternal book;
Twas grace that gave me to the Lamb,
Who all my sorrows took.
3. Grace taught my wand’ring feet
To tread the heav’nly road;
And new supplies-each hour I meet,
While pressing on to God.
4. Grace taught my soul to pray,
And made mine eyes o’erflow;
Twas grace which kept me to this day,
And will not let me go
5. Oh, let Thy grace inspire
My soul with strength Divine!
May all my pow’rs to Thee aspire,
And all my days be Thine.
Amen
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: 1 Samuel 15 – 17