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Hear the devotional here: https://bit.ly/3oM16jW
12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— 13 for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16 it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. 18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; 20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (Romans 8:12-25 New Revised Standard Version of the Bible)
Happy Tuesday, ConCafe Family! Welcome to blessings anew, dear reader! May this day indeed be filled with new blessings, both expected and unexpected; all designed to make you awesome before God! May we continue to pray for those who have asked for prayer, either for themselves or loved ones; pray for one another (You can say, "Lord, bless the ConCafe reader who lives closest to me! I may not know who it is, but You do! And you know their needs!). And pray for yourselves.
Yesterday, we studied Nick, at Night, getting an important lesson shared with him by Jesus, about the need to be a spiritual person. Today, that point gets driven home by the very first verse of today's passage. We must live spiritual lives, led and blessed by the Holy Spirit, and we need to set aside the things of the flesh. Paul knows and shares this truth: "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God." He explains, that by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we were adopted into God's family, and it becomes the Spirit living in us that bears witness to that fact: Eradio is a child of God! Ever since Nellie and I walked the streets of Israel and heard little children running behind their fathers yelling, "Abba!" that we know it is a special greeting, much like our "Daddy!" greeting to our fathers. And Paul says that we, as children of God, are heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; we will receive both the glory and the not-so-glorious things of being children of God as we walk in faithfulness with Him. And, as we suffer the hardships of this life, we know that these temporal things are nothing compared to that which is to come. The day is coming, when you and me, will see the bondage to decay removed from us and we will see, and enjoy, the freedom of the glory coming to us from God; and all the groaning of this body will give way to the songs and shouts of praise that will be ours on that glorious day. For it was in that hope, that you and I were saved. We believed in a hope we could not see, with the surety that one day we would indeed see that hope revealed to us; and that day is soon coming. And while we wait, may it truly be with the patience that only God can share with us.
Dear one, may today be the day when we finally and truly lay aside the desires and the pains of the flesh, to allow them to be replaced by the things for which we hope. Life is complicated, and sometimes life is difficult, but through the good and the bad, we travel in the company of He who will see us through and usher us into the glory of that great day of new life; a life without end, and a new world, without pain. Hold fast to hope!
PRAYER: Loving God, bless me and the reader/listener who lives the farthest from me with a new hope. Lord, I confess I do not know who lives the farthest from me, but You do, and You also know exactly what they need; and I guess someone is also praying for me. As I receive those prayers let me share joy with all who will listen to the goodness that comes from knowing, loving, trusting, and serving You; and I pray in Christ Jesus' strong and powerful name, amen!
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Shout your praises in faith knowing that soon they will be the praises that others need to hear!
Receive my blessing of joy and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
