Devotion for 11th Jan 2017

Roms 8: 28 #daily devotions # word of God # scriptures # bible studies

We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Paul reminds the believers in Rome that no matter what circumstances that they are in and no matter what hardship that they have to endure, God would use the circumstances to perform good works for the sake of His people. Let us remember that the believers at that time were being hunted and persecuted and in the natural they would have been tormented and traumatized.

However we see that though the believers were fearful but they had the peace and joy of God with them and they were able to remain composed throughout the ordeal. When the believers were flogged and imprisoned, they were rejoicing in the prison as they sang and worshiped God. This baffled the Roman soldiers and also the temple priests and leaders who tried to break the faith and joy of the believers.

What happened to the believers was that Jesus Christ had done a transformation in their lives. Their natural man looked the same but their spiritual man was not. All of them have been transformed into believers with strong zeal to continue on the work of the Gospel which Jesus Christ has started in them.

They were commended for the good works that they had performed under duress. This was described in Titus 2: 14 …who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purity unto himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works.

As the saying goes, “when the going gets tough, the tough gets going.” The apostles and the early Christians were not timid but they were bold and courageous. Not a single one was afraid to pay the price for the sake of the Gospel. They were first hand witnesses of the miracles that Jesus did with them. They heard His preaching and teaching and their faith was strong. What better way to build our faith than to hear and learn directly from Jesus Christ.

Paul also said in Roms 10: 17 …’faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.’ Their lives were living proof of the working of faith. Having heard and learned from Christ and the apostles, the faith of the believers were unshakable. Whatever persecution that the temple leaders and Roman army threw at them, none of the believers lost their faith. It must have been very frustrating to the persecutors for failing to break the believers.

Paul also described the conditions of the believers as in Eph 2 :10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them. Paul said that they were called and prepared to do good works for the Gospel sake. These good works include sharing the Gospel, winning converts, healing the sick, driving out the demons, raising the dead and every other miracle that needed to be done.

In fact the bible said that if all the miracles were to be recorded then there would not be enough books in the world to record them. This was their lifestyle, so different from our present time.

However, the good news is that Jesus had promised that in these End Times, we will soon be able to do the same works that He did and even greater works shall we do in His name. Jesus promised in John 14: 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you. He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do, because I go unto my Father.