DATE POSTED
Saturday, September 12, 2026, and I was blessed to be at Mariposa Apartment Homes, San Marcos, TX when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find and read any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
I would love for you to read today’s Scripture in your own personal Bible!

Romans 5:1-2 (NLT): ¹ Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. ² Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

APPLICATION – as inspired by the Holy Spirit
I hope you’ve taken a moment to read the verses referenced above, as they’ll help you better grasp the context of this devotional.

One of the most difficult things for us as humans is extending grace to someone who has wronged us. Even after a person repents and turns from their wrongdoing, we often expect them to spend a long season proving themselves before we fully accept that they have changed. We may forgive, but we struggle to forget.

How different is the heart of God!

In human courtrooms, we often demand that the judge throw the book at offenders and issue maximum punishment. However, Paul reminds us in Romans 5 that those who place their faith in Jesus Christ are justified before God. In other words, they are declared righteous in His sight, not because of their own goodness, but because of what Christ has done on their behalf. The penalty for sin has been paid in full by Jesus. The stain of guilt has been removed. The believer stands before God no longer condemned, but accepted.

What a remarkable truth! The God who knows every thought, every failure, and every secret of our hearts chooses to extend mercy rather than condemnation to all who come to Him through faith in His Son. Instead of receiving the judgment we deserve, we receive grace. Instead of being treated as enemies, we are welcomed as His children.

Paul goes on to remind us that through Christ we now stand in a place of undeserved privilege. We did not earn God’s favor. We could never work hard enough to deserve His acceptance. Salvation is, and always has been, a gift of God’s grace. Jesus accomplished everything necessary for our redemption through His death and resurrection.

This gift is available to all who believe. Scripture repeatedly teaches that everyone who places their trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be saved. Those who receive Him can live with confidence, knowing that heaven is their eternal home and that their relationship with God has been secured through Christ.

To reject Jesus, however, is to remain on a path separated from God—a trajectory that leaves us bound to the enemy and eternal separation from our Creator. While Hell is a very real place, the way to life is clear: Jesus paid it all, but the choice to trust and accept Him rests with us.

Perhaps the most comforting promise in these verses is that we have peace with God. The separation that sin created between God and mankind has been removed. Because of Jesus, we no longer need to fear God’s judgment. We can approach Him with confidence, knowing that we are loved, forgiven, and accepted.

Friend, my prayer is that you know this peace personally. Not merely a peace that calms life’s troubles, but the deep and lasting peace that comes from being reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. And if you have already trusted Him as your Savior, rejoice today. You stand in His grace, rest in His peace, and look forward with joy to the day when you will share in His glory. Plan to join me around the feet of Jesus in everlasting worship to Him! That’s my King, and I pray you can say the same!

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TODAY’S CHALLENGE While you are able, ensure your eternal destiny is secure. If you have never placed your trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, make today the day you step out of guilt and into God’s standing grace. One decision changes your trajectory for all eternity.

PRAYER
Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the gift of salvation that comes through faith in Your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank You that we are not made right with You because of anything we have done, but because of what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross.

Thank You for declaring us righteous, forgiving our sins, and bringing us into Your presence through Your amazing grace. Help us to live each day in the peace that comes from knowing we belong to You. May we never take for granted the privilege of standing in Your grace and looking forward to the glory that awaits us.

For those who have not yet trusted in Jesus, soften their hearts and draw them to Yourself today. May they come to know the joy, forgiveness, and eternal hope that are found only in Christ.

We ask these things in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.

FOOTNOTE
If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please take advantage of the information provided on my page ‘To Know Jesus’. Alternatively, consider speaking with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. I pray that one of God’s servants will pray with you and offer help and encouragement as you begin, or continue, your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, please visit NuggetsFromGodsWord.org, or if you choose, subscribe to receive a daily email containing each new devotional, as you will also find that option on this page. Friends, I encourage you to find a Bible teaching church home near your residence and attend as frequently as possible. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk while you invite God to work through you to bless them. God is at work among His people! Please consider being a part of that while also growing in your faith as you worship with fellow believers!