“We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.” — Romans 3:22 (NLT)
Jesus once told a story about two men who went to the temple to pray—one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood tall, listing all his spiritual achievements. The tax collector stood at a distance, beat his chest, and prayed, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Jesus shocked the religious crowd when He said it was the tax collector who went home justified (Luke 18:13–14).
That parable isn’t just a contrast in prayer styles—it’s a revelation of how righteousness is received. Paul picks up the same theme in Romans 3 and says it plainly: righteousness is not earned by works—it’s received by faith. Not someday. Not when you’ve finally measured up. But right now, the moment you believe.
This righteousness is not watered-down mercy. It’s not God turning a blind eye to your failures. It’s God giving you His very own righteousness—perfect, pure, and permanent—based on what Jesus did, not what you’ve done. You are declared right with God by believing in the One who made you right.
But here’s the challenge: our flesh still wants to prove something. It feels “holier” to work harder, punish ourselves, or try to earn God’s approval. But that’s not faith. That’s pride dressed in religious clothing. You can’t earn what God has already given. You can only receive it.
Faith makes you right before you do right.
So stop striving, and start believing. You are not trying to become righteous—you already are in Christ. The Word tells us to “consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11). Why? Because it’s not always obvious. You won’t always feel righteous. But choosing to believe you are—because God’s Word says you are—will change how you think, how you pray, and how you live.
To consider means to think about it over and over—until it becomes your dominant thought. Wake up with it. Meditate on it at night. Speak it over yourself throughout the day: “I am the righteousness of God in Christ.” As that truth sinks in, your identity shifts. You stop seeing yourself as a sinner trying to do better, and start living as a righteous son or daughter of God. That change at the heart level transforms everything else—because life flows from the heart.
Excerpt from Follow Me As I Follow Christ by Kevin Casey. Click Here: Available on Amazon (Kindle & paperback).
Jesus once told a story about two men who went to the temple to pray—one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood tall, listing all his spiritual achievements. The tax collector stood at a distance, beat his chest, and prayed, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Jesus shocked the religious crowd when He said it was the tax collector who went home justified (Luke 18:13–14).
That parable isn’t just a contrast in prayer styles—it’s a revelation of how righteousness is received. Paul picks up the same theme in Romans 3 and says it plainly: righteousness is not earned by works—it’s received by faith. Not someday. Not when you’ve finally measured up. But right now, the moment you believe.
This righteousness is not watered-down mercy. It’s not God turning a blind eye to your failures. It’s God giving you His very own righteousness—perfect, pure, and permanent—based on what Jesus did, not what you’ve done. You are declared right with God by believing in the One who made you right.
But here’s the challenge: our flesh still wants to prove something. It feels “holier” to work harder, punish ourselves, or try to earn God’s approval. But that’s not faith. That’s pride dressed in religious clothing. You can’t earn what God has already given. You can only receive it.
Faith makes you right before you do right.
So stop striving, and start believing. You are not trying to become righteous—you already are in Christ. The Word tells us to “consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11). Why? Because it’s not always obvious. You won’t always feel righteous. But choosing to believe you are—because God’s Word says you are—will change how you think, how you pray, and how you live.
To consider means to think about it over and over—until it becomes your dominant thought. Wake up with it. Meditate on it at night. Speak it over yourself throughout the day: “I am the righteousness of God in Christ.” As that truth sinks in, your identity shifts. You stop seeing yourself as a sinner trying to do better, and start living as a righteous son or daughter of God. That change at the heart level transforms everything else—because life flows from the heart.
Excerpt from Follow Me As I Follow Christ by Kevin Casey. Click Here: Available on Amazon (Kindle & paperback).
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2026
January
Day 1: Knowing Jesus is Eternal LifeDay 2: That I May Know HimDay 3: The Supremacy of ChristDay 4: Christ the FoundationDay 5: Forgiven CompletelyDay 6: Forgive as You’ve Been ForgivenDay 7: A New CreationDay 8: Righteous by FaithDay 9: Adopted and ChosenDay 10: Accepted in the BelovedDay 11: Seated with ChristDay 12: God’s WorkmanshipDay 13: Nothing Can Separate YouDay 14: Christ in You, the Hope of GloryDay 15: The Mind of ChristDay 16: The Image of God RestoredDay 17: Grace That TeachesDay 18: The Measure of FaithDay 19: Faith Works by LoveDay 20: The Faith of the Son of GodDay 21: The Crucified LifeDay 22: Renew Your MindDay 23: Take Every Thought CaptiveDay 24: Think on These ThingsDay 25: Be Spiritually Minded
February
Day 26: Press Toward the GoalDay 27: Led by the SpiritDay 28: Walk in the SpiritDay 29: Spirit of Power, Love, and Sound MindDay 30: Empowered From On HighDay 31: Healing Is in the AtonementDay 32: Minister Healing to OthersDay 33: Pray in the SpiritDay 34: The Spirit Helps Our WeaknessDay 35: Be Filled ContinuouslyDay 36: Gifts of the SpiritDay 37: Spirit-Led MinistryDay 38: Fruit of the SpiritDay 39: The Spirit Bears WitnessDay 40: Walk Worthy of Your CallingDay 41: Love Is the GreatestDay 42: Unity of the SpiritDay 43: Forgive One AnotherDay 44: Serve in LoveDay 45: Bear One Another’s BurdensDay 46: Honor Others Above YourselfDay 47: Godly RelationshipsDay 48: Love in the HomeDay 49: Hospitality and GenerosityDay 50: Giving and GenerosityDay 51: Pray Without Ceasing Day 52: Seated with Christ in AuthorityDay 53: Reigning in Life Through Christ
March
Day 54: Put on the Armor — Stand in VictoryDay 55: Life Is a MissionDay 56: Ambassadors for ChristDay 57: Share Your StoryDay 58: Not Ashamed of the GospelDay 59: Make Disciples Who MultiplyDay 60: Redeem the TimeDay 61: Open Doors and Bold SpeechDay 62: Witness to, Honor, and Pray for IsraelDay 63: Suffer for the GospelDay 64: Strength in WeaknessDay 65: Don’t Lose HeartDay 66: Our Light and Momentary TroublesDay 67: Set Your Mind on EternityDay 68: Death, Grief, and Eternal HopeDay 69: The Judgment Seat of ChristDay 70: The Blessed Hope