Tag: adoption
Children of God
Scripture reading for June 24: Romans 8
“So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 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. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs–heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.” Romans 8:12-17
Paul described those he wrote to and himself as debtors to God for the amazing gift of the Holy Spirit and salvation from sin and its penalty. The Holy Spirit now empowered them with true freedom. There was no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus concerning past sins or sins that may even now be committed. There was mercy and forgiveness available through Jesus Christ from the law of sin and it’s penalty of death and eternal separation from God. All believers are debtors to Jesus Christ, God the Father. There is nothing we can do to repay God, however, but to say “Thanks be to God!”
Paul plainly told these Roman believers about the wonderful Gift of the Holy Spirit that they had received as they repented of sin and trusted in Jesus Christ. They no longer were under bondage to their old sin nature that was bent on their death and destruction. They now were indwelt by God’s Holy Spirit Who would lead them in defeating the old nature. The Holy Spirit was producing eternal life, God’s very nature and life, in them. The Holy Spirit was a Spirit of adoption, bearing inner witness to each person that they were God’s child. In fact, the Spirit enabled each person to address God as “ABBA!” This word was an affectionate term meaning ‘Father’ or ‘Daddy.’ All believers are in the family of God and heirs of God’s gift of eternal life in abundance!
Have you ever felt that God didn’t care for you or want you in His family? How does this description of God’s provision of salvation through Jesus show His love to you? Have you felt the joy and freedom of knowing God as “Abba?”
Prayer: Abba! Father God! Thank You for Your great love demonstrated to me through the sacrifice of Your only Son, Jesus Christ. Thank You for the gift of forgiveness of sins and deliverance from condemnation. Thank You for adoption into Your forever family! Amen!
Sons (and daughters) of God!
Scripture reading for March 24th: Galatians 3, Psalm 60, Proverbs 29
Galatians 3:24-29 “So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.”
Paul likened the law of God to a guardian that watched over God’s people until faith in Christ Jesus was revealed. Legally, younger children were under their parent’s guardianship or a guardian was appointed for them if they had no parents. This guardianship was to instruct them and protect them until they reached the age of adulthood and could receive their inheritance. When Jesus Christ came, the promised “Offspring” of Abraham, through which all nations would be blessed, the law was no longer over God’s people as a guardian. Now faith in Christ brought adoption as full sons (and daughters) of God. All who believed on Him would become heirs of eternal life by faith just like Abraham! Hallelujah!
Psalm 60:4-5 “You have set up a banner for those who fear You, that they may flee to it from the bow. That Your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by Your Right Hand and answer us!”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, today I rejoice in Your great love and perfect sacrifice for me! Thank You for the blessing of righteousness and adoption into God’s forever family! Thank You that this promise is for all nations, sexes, and every man-made social status. I have been baptized into Christ Jesus and gladly ‘put Him on’ in joyful thanksgiving! You have answered our deepest need of salvation and everlasting life!
Proverbs 29:25 “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.”
Inheritance through adoption!
Scripture reading for January 28th: Genesis 47-48, Galatians 3, Psalm 25
Key Scriptures: Genesis 47:15-16 “And he (Jacob) blessed Joseph and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my Shepherd all my life long to this day, the Angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys; and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”
Galatians 3:26-28 “. . .for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”
Jacob had come to Egypt to be with his children. Upon seeing Joseph, whom he thought had been killed, he wept and was even more blessed to see the children that Joseph had produced. As Jacob blessed the two boys of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, he adopted them as his own. As such they would have Abraham and Isaac as their fathers and be in line for inheritance–a double portion! The Apostle Paul stated to the Galatians that in Christ Jesus–offspring of Abraham and King David, we who believe become “Abraham’s offspring” and heirs according to promise! Not by works but through faith this is so! Amen!
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your heavenly blessing of my life through the gift of the Holy Spirit! I am privileged to become “Abraham’s offspring” by faith and receive the promise of eternal inheritance!
Psalm 25:21 “May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You.”
God’s Amazing Plans!
Scripture reading for August 23rd: Ephesians 1, Psalm 19, Proverbs 15
Key Scriptures: Ephesians 1:5-10 “In love He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and on earth.”
God’s plans are amazing! The fact that He includes us in His plans is even more amazing! He lavishes on us His wisdom and purposes through the revelation of His Son, Jesus Christ. He is our redemption and through His shed blood we have forgiveness of sins freely given to all who repent. In Christ we are adopted as sons in God’s family and united with Him by His grace! The fullness of time will reveal the unfolding of these plans and nothing can stop them.
Faith confession: Thank You Lord for revealing Your amazing plans to me through Jesus Christ. In Him I have forgiveness of my sins and adoption into God’s family. I eagerly await the fullness of time!
Psalm 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
Relationship with Jesus!
Scripture reading for January 16th: Genesis 39-42, Matthew 12
Key Scriptures: Matthew 12:46-50 “While He was still speaking to the people, behold, His mother and His brothers stood outside, asking to speak with Him. But He replied to the man who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
Jesus used a visit by His own family to illustrate a point to His disciples. They were in Christ’s family because they had responded to His call and followed Jesus and learned from Him His will and ways. Joseph in Genesis followed God to do His will and his brothers came before him!
Genesis 42:6-7 “Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them.”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want to know You and walk with you in intimate relationship. I want Your will to come first in my life! Thank You for the new birth and adoption into Your family! Amen!
God’s Seed keeps us from willful sin!
Scripture reading for November 22nd: 1st John 3
Key Scriptures for over-comers: 1st John 3:7-10 “Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning because he has been born of God.”
False teachers were telling believers that it did not matter what sins they did in their body, their soul was saved by trusting in Jesus. John wrote to counter these teachers. He carefully explained that salvation involved a “new birth” with God’s “seed” changing a believers heart to be like the heart of God. Anyone that was born of God would not continue to willfully sin. The devil is the original “sinner” and was our “father” before our adoption through faith into God’s family.
Observations for over-comers: Over-comers enjoy and embrace their adoption in God’s family and through the Holy Spirit put to death the sinful deeds of their past life. “Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. I give you sound learning, so do not forsake my teaching.” (Proverbs 4:1-2)
Sunday Rest and Reflection:No Condemnation!
Dear Friends,
Greetings and hope today in Jesus Christ, our wonderful Lord and Savior. He has rescued us from eternal damnation and darkness and transferred us into eternal blessedness and light! As we approach this Thanksgiving holiday, we Christians have much to thank God for. Every day is a day of thanksgiving and rest in God’s great love! Every day is a feast of His blessings and provision. Take time today to gather with God’s people and to give Him thanks and worship!
One of the most encouraging passages in this past week’s reading comes from Romans 8:1-4. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering, and so He condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.”
We are free from condemnation that comes upon all who are under the law of God. The ten commandments bring a knowledge of sin to those under the law. (Jews) (Romans 3:20) The Gentiles are also under a law written on their consciences that also brings a knowledge of sin and results in condemnation. (Romans 2:12-16) Therefore, all Jews and Gentiles alike have sinned and are under condemnation.
Because God is just, sin must be paid for by death. God provided a way to remove the condemnation through sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to be a sin offering. He met the righteous requirements of the law as a sin offering by offering Himself on our behalf. After His resurrection from death, He has given us the Holy Spirit to empower us to live in obedience to God and live victoriously as witnesses.
We have great joy and freedom as people bought back from eternal condemnation. What a blessing it is to share the good news of Jesus Christ with all who will listen! Every Sunday is a celebration of resurrection and a coming Savior!
In His Love, Pastor John