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Listen to the devotional here: https://bit.ly/3BZlEw5
"The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11 The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. 13 For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:8b-13 New Revised Standard Version)
Happy and Tremendous Tuesday, ConCafe Family! I pray that God's light shine brightly on you Friend as you seek Him today. May our prayers continue to bless those in need, especially those hurting, in need of healing, in need of love and hope; for those areas in the world that need peace, and for our brothers and sisters. May we truly use prayer as a form of worship to glorify God, and may we listen after we pray.
Have you ever been so close to death that you knew that the only next thing you would see next would be the face of St. Peter who would either let you in or send you down? If the answer is yes, then you know what salvation is. If the answer is no, thenget ready to learn or learn how to survive in a very very warm place. We know salvation is being taken out of the jaws of certain death and safely placed in an area where you are no longer in fear of being killed. You have life, and you get to keep it! And that is great news! Salvation is the key role of the Church. Every person who wants to be a Christian, must know that Jesus did and expereienced all that He did because He came to offer salvation. I live less than a mile from the river that tried to claim my life. I don't blame the river, but every time I cross a bridge over the Guadalupe River, I am in awe that such a beautiful river, on most days, on that one day that a dear friend and I chose to learn to canoe, was a raging gray rushing of muddy water. The type of flow that would require little paddling. The kind of flow that made my friend ask if we should really proceed with this trip. What, are you kidding? Two macho men, ready to explore this river, camp overnight on islands, and complete the journey in two days? Of course we proceed! Long story, short, canoe overturned, I almost drowned in one of those life-passes-through-in-seconds. I saw myself in a coffin with my mother crying over me, but the bright sunlight and the strong arm of my friend let me know that today would not be that day. I was saved. I had been saved earlier at the age of eight years old, when I asked Jesus into my heart and I knew that I belonged to Jesus. And often, I repeat the powerful words that Paul mentions here, "Jesus is Lord." And I truly, honestly believe in my heart that God raised Jesus from the dead; I am saved. And I confess that I truly also believe what Paul wrote about those who believe in Him will never be put to shame. Our Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on Him.
Several years ago, the Salvation Army held an open-air meeting where a man dared to give his testimonry about Jesus. A heckler yelled, "Why don't you shut up and sit down? You're just dreaming!" Immediately, the heckler felt a tug on his coat. He saw a little girl who said, "Sir, may I talk to you? That man who is talking up there is my daddy. Daddy used to be a drunkard. He used to spend all his money he made on whiskey. My mother was very sad and would cry most of the time. Sometimes, when he would come home, he would hit my mother. I didn't have shoes or a nice dress to wear to school. But look at my shoes. And see this pretty dress? My daddy bought these for me." But the little girl was not yet through with the heckler; "You see my mother up there? She's the one with the bright smile on her face. She's happy now. She sings even when she's doing the ironing. Then the little girl said, "Mister, if my daddy is dreaming, please don't wake him up."
Salvation is that door that leads people away from their evil past into God's bright future. Jesus opens and holds that door for us. And if we have trouble walking because of the burdens and weights of past sins, He will remove them and help us thorugh the door and inside He will embrace us and hold us for the rest of the journey we have here on the earth; and when it comes time to die, Jesus will again be at that door, but this time, the entrance is a forever entrance into a much better place.
PRAYER: Loving Father, thank You for Jesus. Thank You for the love and forgiveness that Jesus shared with us at the time we entered the door of salvation. For those who may be listening or hearing this for the first time, show them how wide open the door is for them right now; and guide them through. Help the hurting. Heal the sick, and bring life to those who have pretty much given up on life here; and it's in the strong name of Jesus that we pray, amen!
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be one who can guide someone to the door of salvation. At the very least, say with your lips so that someone can hear today, Jesus is Lord!
Receive my blessings of salvation's joy and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
