Charles Stanley Daily Devotional 18 November 2025 (In Touch) Tuesday Message
Charles Stanley Daily Devotional TOPIC: How Grace Changes Everything
TODAY’S SCRPTURE: 1 Timothy 1:12-17
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service,
13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief;
14 and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.
15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.
16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Think about the life of Saul of Tarsus before He was known as the apostle Paul. He persecuted anyone claiming to follow Jesus. He played a significant role in the unspeakable violence aimed at Christians and, in his own words, was the “chief” of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15 KJV). Nothing he did deserved God’s love or forgiveness.
Divine grace—God’s unmerited favor—led the Almighty to reach down, forgive Saul, and change the trajectory of his life. God lovingly transformed him into a man who dedicated himself to sharing the gospel message. The apostle’s life beautifully illustrates the power of God’s goodness.
No matter how many good deeds we perform, we are unable to earn our way into heaven. Salvation is possible only because of Jesus Christ; the One who made it possible for us to be free from sin deserves all credit for our redemption. He blesses us according to His goodness, apart from anything we’ve done.
There is no transgression too great for Jesus to forgive. We can add nothing to His all-sufficient act of atonement—all we’re able to do is receive this free gift. If we trust in Christ as Savior, God will save us, making us His children forever.
Bible in One Year: Acts 21-22
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: We can do nothing to earn God’s forgiveness—we just need to accept it.
Dr. Charles F. Stanley was the founder of In Touch Ministries and a New York Times best-selling author. Throughout his ministry, he demonstrated a keen awareness of people’s needs and provided Christ-centered biblically based principles for everyday life