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Hear the Devotional here: http://bit.ly/2ZFIM09
13 For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. 16 For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, 17 as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations")—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become "the father of many nations," according to what was said, "So numerous shall your descendants be." 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 Therefore his faith "was reckoned to him as righteousness." 23 Now the words, "it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification. (Romans 4:13-25 NRSV)
Happy Tuesday, ConCafe Famiy! May Gods' rich and special blessings be yours, dear Friend! I pray this finds you bathed in prayer, covered in love, and dressed completely and fully in Jesus! Please continue to pray for those in your heart (the good, the bad, and the silly!); prayers for those facing medical challenges, and for those who are completely well and don't know how to act. Thank you for the prayers for my sister-in-law, Mrs. Edna Cruz; the surgery was postponed until later. The surgeon has decided to only do a part of that which is most needed at this time. Pray for one another; pray for yourselves.
I have shared how during my years in campus ministry, I was able to teach several Bible courses for university credit; allowed in those years; it benefited the university financially, as they got to charge per course hour, and I had a ready congregation of students that would usually plug into the programatic side of our ministry. There was a house near the campus owned by the Diocese of Brownsville in which young men who felt a calling into the priesthood could live and receive instruction and guidance by a young priest. These young men were encouarged to take my courses because of a basic difference in theology we share with our Roman Catholic brethern; grace verse works. The Protestant belief, stressed in this pasage, is that salvation comes by faith; while the Catholic belief is that one must produce evidence of good works for salvation. In college I had a chance to address this with a classmate who was studying at Southwestern University in order to become a nun. In conversation with my classmate, she shared how when she was in high school, she would volunteer to help clean her church after school, and one day while she was alone, a priest came and kissed her. She blamed herself and believed that the only way she could atone for "her" actions was to become a nun and serve the rest of her life in service to the church. I held a mini-Bible study with her and shared how a) this had not been her action, as she had not grabbed the priest and kissed him; and b) the New Testament shares how salvation comes through faith and grace, not by works.
Paul, in this letter that many call, The Gospel According to Paul, he shares the story of Father Abraham; father of the faith and father to millions, not because he obeyed and kept the law, but rather because he had faith in God. Nothing Abraham could have done, or did do, resulted in that visit by God to promise him an heir, and many descendents as numerous as the stars; God's promises rest on grace and not works. How else would we explain a 100 year old man pacing the floor of the maternity ward? And what doctor or nurse would have believed that a "good" and obedient woman of 98 would be in the Labor & Delivery room in the county hospital? God shared a promise, and Abraham believed it. God delivered the promise, and Abraham was blessed by it. Thus the title of today's devotional; does God want our behavin' or our believin'? Jesus addressed this in the parable of the two sons. The dad needed some work done, and one son said, "Sure, Dad, I'll get right to it! And never did. The other son griped, "Why me, Dad? It's always me! I won't!" But he did. Which of these was righteous? The one who ultimately did because in his spirit believed he would bless his father by his faith and so completed the work that needed to be done. The first son might argue that he should have credit for having said he believed, and maybe more so, because he said first that he would do the work. But, when the crop was brought in, it was the faith of the one who got up, angry as he was, and performed the righteousness of faith.
So it is with us, dear friends; we must believe that this passage was written for us, "who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our tresspasses and was raised for our justification." It is believing in God's promise that Jesus died for our sins, and raised for our good, that will utlimately and eternally bless us!
PRAYER: Loving Father, speak to my heart and mind. Allow us to hear and to do that which we know is righteousness before You. We seek to glorify You in all things; in Christ Jesus we pray, amen!
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Live a life that says "I believe" in all you say, think, and do!
Receive my blessings of joy and peace!
Pastor Eradio Valverde
