HeirsAndJointHeirs | Kristi's Morning Devotional

I need to tie this in with yesterday’s blog. My reading from Romans, chapter 5.

Yesterday I showed you where Abraham hoped against hope and received the heir God had promised he and Sarah years before. He never gave up believing that God would keep His promises.

The Bible tells us that Abraham was called the friend of God. They walked and talked together – friend to friend. The Lord and Abraham would share a meal and the Lord would reveal His plans to Abraham, they had that kind of relationship. (Genesis 13-19)

^“When the three men got ready to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked part of the way with them. ¹⁷The Lord said to himself, “I should tell Abraham what I am going to do,” Genesis 18:16-17 CEV

This is when the Lord told Abraham He was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of their wickedness.

But let’s go back to Romans now and see how Paul ties Abraham’s relationship to the Lord with the relationship the Lord has chosen to have with us.

“By faith we have been made acceptable to God. And now, thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ, we have peace with God. ²Christ has also introduced us to God’s gift of undeserved grace on which we now take our stand. So we are happy, as we look forward to sharing in the glory of God. ³But that’s not all! We gladly suffer, because we know that suffering helps us to endure. ⁴And endurance builds character, which gives us a hope ⁵that will never disappoint us. All of this happens because God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with his love.

⁶Christ died for us at a time when we were helpless and sinful. ⁷No one is really willing to die for an honest person, though someone might be willing to die for a truly good person. ⁸But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful.

⁹But there is more! Now that God has accepted us because Christ sacrificed his life’s blood, we will also be kept safe from God’s anger. ¹⁰Even when we were God’s enemies, he made peace with us, because his Son died for us. Yet something even greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, we will be saved by the life of his Son. ¹¹And in addition to everything else, we are happy because God sent our Lord Jesus Christ to make peace with us.” Romans 5:1-11 CEV

Do you see what it says there? Something greater than friendship is ours because of Christ’ death. We have something greater than the friendship that God shared with Abraham, something much greater.

Let’s end today’s thoughts by jumping ahead to Romans, chapter 8. Now remember this is all one long letter that Paul was writing and so these thoughts are all part of one teaching.

” ¹⁵ God’s Spirit doesn’t make us slaves who are afraid of him. Instead, we become his children and call him our Father.” Romans 8:15 CEV

We don’t have to be afraid of God because of Jesus. His death gave us the right to become God’s children and we now share the same relationship with the Father than Jesus has.

Something greater than friendship is ours. It’s called sonship!!

Thinking this morning about my earthly father and my heavenly father. My dad was a burly guy – a real man’s man. He wasn’t tall, just under 6′ but his hands were huge!

Our heavenly Father’s hands are big too. He says that he holds us in His hand, and no one can steal us out. His hands are my protection and my provision.

“I give my sheep eternal life. They will never die, and no one can take them out of my hand. ²⁹My Father is the one who gave them to me, and he is greater than all. No one can steal my sheep out of his hand.” John 10:28-29 ERV

God, our loving heavenly Father, comes to make peace in the midst of the storm, bring restoration to the brokenhearted, give freedom to those who are imprisoned, healing to those who are infirmed and forgiveness to us all!

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me. He has chosen me to tell good news to the poor. He sent me to tell prisoners that they are free and to tell the blind that they can see again. He sent me to free those who have been treated badly 19 and to announce that the time has come for the Lord to show his kindness.” 20 Jesus closed the book, gave it back to the helper, and sat down. As everyone in the synagogue watched him closely, 21 he began to speak to them. He said, “While you heard me reading these words just now, they were coming true!” Luke 4:18-21 ERV

These words summarize the ministry of Jesus and even though his disciples were with Him daily they still didn’t fully understand his mission. We see that when they asked this about the blind man they encountered begging by the roadside.

“As Jesus walked along, he saw a man who had been blind since birth. 2 Jesus’ disciples asked, ‘Teacher, why was this man born blind? Was it because he or his parents sinned?’” John 9:1-2 ERV

The disciples were asking an honest question. They made an assumption that many of us make when we see someone who has met with misfortune; “they must have done something wrong, and God is punishing them”.

Listen to Jesus’ answer.

“‘No, it wasn’t!’ Jesus answered. ‘But because of his blindness, you will see God work a miracle for him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do what the one who sent me wants me to do. When night comes, no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light for the world.’ 6 After Jesus said this, he spit on the ground. He made some mud and smeared it on the man’s eyes. 7 Then he said, ‘Go and wash off the mud in Siloam Pool.’ The man went and washed in Siloam, which means “One Who Is Sent.” When he had washed off the mud, he could see.” John 9:3-7 CEV

Our heavenly Father is not guilty of causing evil. He is guilty of unconditional love, sacrificing His only Son to reconcile us to Himself and of giving us His word for instruction and correction. He does not tempt us with evil but is responsible for every good and perfect gift that comes into our lives.

Thank you, Father, for holding me in Your hands. I can trust Your love!

Tag: HeirsAndJointHeirs

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