Daily Devotionals

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing
in the heavenly places in Christ”
– Ephesians 1:3 –

How many blessings the Father bestows upon us by taking us our of the clutches of death and leading us to life!

1. We are chosen. Some misunderstand this, and consider that if the choice is God’s, we have no say in the matter. What is clear is that salvation begins with God. The initiative is His. We are not the ones who seek God, it is God who seeks us. Salvation is by grace, and the sinner responds to God’s choice voluntarily.

On one hand, divine soverignty seeks to save; on the other is the human response and responsibility. Choice is a sovereign act from our eternal God. God initiated a cascade of spiritual blessings in heavenly places. Choice is the basis of all other spiritual blessings.

Our election was made with the purpose of setting the chosen apart from the rest of the world and equipping them with spritual qualities that distinguish them from the world, identify them as belonh=ging to God, and being sent as intruments of salvation to all people.

2. We are adopted. We are all predestined for salvation; that is, salvation is offered to all of us. God does not predetermine those who will be saved. Adoption has a present and future time. We join the family through conversion and the Lord receives us as adult children, with the rights to His inheritance. Our adoption will be completed when Christ returns and we are glorified.

3. We are accepted. We are not the ones who accept ourselves. It is God who accepts us. The choice, adoption, and acceptance are all based on God’s love. Our response to that love must also be love.

Ricardo Palma wrote a poem that addresses life and death:

Who Are the Death?
“The death are not the ones who, in sweet calmness,
enjoy peace in the cold grave.
The death are the ones whose souls are dead
and yet still live.
The dead are not the ones who receive rays of light
in their mortal remains.
Those who die with honor are the living,
those who live without honor are the dead.
Life is not the life we live.
Life is honor, it is remembrance.
That is why there are dead people who live in the world
and men who live in the world, dead.”

We thank you, Father for Your blessings,
which leads us from death to Your Life! Be blessed…

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints
who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus”
– Ephesians 1:1 –

Paul probably wrote this letter to the Ephesians when he was imprisoned in Rome. The theme of the epistile is unity in Christ. Paul writes to a church or churches composed of Jews and Gentiles. Asian and European, slaves and free: all representatives od a broken world that needed to be restored to unity in Christ. This implied the unity of individuals, families, churches and ethnicities.

The restoration of a spirit of unity with others, carried out
within in every believer, is a principle of the restoration of unity
in the universe until God achieves the “restoration of all things” (Acts 3:21).

Chapter 1 of the Epistile highlights the following:

1. God chose us and predestined us for salvation. No one needs to be lost unless they want to be lost (v. 5).
2. We can be saved because we have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ (v. 7).
3. Our assurance of this salvation is the action of the Holy Spirit in our lives (v. 13).
4. Those who are saved live having faith in Jesus and relating to eacht other with kindness (vv. 1, 10, 14).
5. God wants us to grow in our knowledge of Him through the wisdom He gives us (vv. 8, 17).
6. Christ was resurrected and intercedes for us (vv. 4-7, 20).
7. He is the head of the church (v. 22).

On January 24, 1990, a nineteen-year-old named Adolfo took a bus from Guayaramerín (Bolivia) to a Brazil University with the dream of studying theology. He had to leave his brothers and mother, who insisted the he not go so far from home. Adolfo left with a small bag of clothes, an old guitar, and just $100. It was seventy hours of travel filled with many expectations summed up by his personal motto: “If I have a dream in my head and God in my heart, He will bless me.”

Years passed and Adolfo not only fulfilled his dream of becoming a pastor, by the grace of God he is also a professor and writer, and has a doctorate in theology. He also formed a wonderful family with his wife and two daughters. Today Adolfo Suárez id the director of the Theological Seminary of the South American Division. God does not answer prayers that are not prayed or fulfill dreams that are not dreamed.

“Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! For in our union with Christ he has blessed us by giving us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly world. Even before the world was made, God had already chosen us to be His through our union with Christ, so that we would be holy and without fault before Him. Because of His love, God had already decided that through Jesus Christ He would make us His children – this was His pleasure and purpose” (Eph. 1:3-5).

What a privilege it is to be the son
or daughter of a God who wishes to save us,
at the cost of the blood of His only begotten Son.

Thank you Lord…

“But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross
of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world
has been crucified to me, and I to the world”
– Galatians 6:14 –

A tourism company organized a three-month trip through seven countries for twenty thousand dollars, to visit the seven new wonders of the world. They were chosen in 2007, in an election by Internet with one hundred million votes at the behest of Swiss philantropist Bernard Weber. They are as follows:

1. The Taj Mahal (India): jewel of Muslim art and one of the masterpieces of world herritage. It took more than twenty thousand workers to build the white marble mausoleum that houses the tomb of the then emperor’s wife. It attracts eight million visitors a year.
2. The Great Wall of China: an ancient fortification built and rebuilt with the intention of protecting the northern border. It is the longest wall in the world, as it was 13,170 miles long, although only one third is perserved today. On avarage, it measures 20 to 23 feet in height and 12 to 16.5 feet in width.
3. Chichen Itza (Mexico): one of the best-perserved ruins in Mayan history.
4. Machu Picchu (Peru): its spectacular architectural and scenic features and the veil of mystery have made it one of the most popular tourist destinations on the planet. The monument is located on the Sacred Valley of Peru.
5. Christ the Redeemer (Brazil): one of the most representative icons in South America. The statue of Jesus located at the top of Mount Corcovado has a height of 125 feet, and with open arms, can be seen from almost every corner of the city.
6. The city of Petra (Jordan): the most vistited tourist attraction in the country. It is a collection of caves, temples, and tombs excavated in the rock.
7. The Colliseum (Rome): the largest amphitheater ever built, an icon of Imperial Rome, the venue of gladiator contests, able to hold up to eighty thousand spactators.

However, a true wonder makes all these together pale in comparison. The sacrifice of Christ was for the apostle the center of his life and the gospel. Paul’s opponents gloried in circumcision. The world put Jesus in the most humiliating torture and death; however, the cross became the most wonderful symbol in history.

A unique wonder, and the greatest of all, is the fact that Christ
took my place and yours so that we can have access to His Throne
and a final, eternal life.

“Look in faith to the cross. Look and live.
This will be our study and song throughout eternity.”
(This Day with God, p. 176)

May the Lord be with you…

“Bear one another’s burdens”
– Galatians 6:2 –

Carl F. George said that the phrase “one another” is repeated fifty-nine times in the New Testament. There are also many expressions that refer to harmony, to service, and to good relations with others: “be at peace,” “wash each other’s feet,” “love each other,” “everyone will know that you are My disciples,” “be affectionate,” “have the same care,” “have the same minds,” do not judge one another,” greet each other,” “wait,” “have the same care,” “serve each other with love,” “do not be boastful,” “do not envy,” “support one another,” “be kind and merciful,” “forgive one another,” “submit yourself to one another,” “encourage one another,” “build each other up,” “exhort one another,” “abound in love,” “comfort one another,” “motivate each other to good works,” “do not speak evil,” “do not complain,” “confess your sins,” “pray,” “be of the same mind,” “be compassionate,” “be brotherly,” “be humble,” “be fervent,” “be hospitable,” “serve each other,” and “clothe yourself in humility.”

If we love one another, God will be in us and His love will be perfected in us. Paul added that we should bear one another’s burdens. The believer who is guided by the Holy Spirit thinks of others and seeks to serve them.

Legalists are not interested in carrying burdens; on the contrary, they increase the burdens of others. The Pharisees did that (Matt. 23:4). Legalists are always harder on others than on themselves.

Those who are led by the Holy Spirit
demand more of themselves than of others.

Legalists seek to condemn and hide their sins behind the fallen. Spiritual individuals recognize their sins and seek to restore, like someone who mends a fishing net so that it continues to be useful, or restores a broken bone.

Legalists rejoice when a brother falls, and they show it. Spiritual individuals are saddened, do not compete with the one who erred, and do not seek to look good by making others look bad.

Those who are led by God have a spirit of meekness, love, and humility because they recognize their own weakness; meanwhile, legalists have an attitude of pride and condemnation, since they are “exempt” from sinning.

Legalists do not have the willingness to win over their fallen brother.
Spiritual individuals seek to save because the love of Christ is in their hearts.

Wiersbe said that Mr. William Booth, fouder of the Salvation Army, could not attend a convention and sent the brethren a message in a single word: “Others!” In a popular comic strip, Lucy asks Charlie, “Why are we here?” He replies, “To make others happy.” Then she thinks and asks, “Then why are others here?”

Paul challenged us in the name of the Lord
to bear one another’s burdens.
Some do the work of the accuser;
onther, the work of the Comforter.

Which job are we doing? God bless you…

“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass,
you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness”
– Galatians 6:1 –

In this chapter of Galatians, we have seven valuable tips:

1. When we find someone doing something wrong, our role is not to accuse, but to restore in spirit of kindness (v. 1).
2. When we alleviate someone’s burden, we are fulfilling God’s expectation of each of us (v. 2).
3. We need to examine our lives, the way we do things, so that we can grow in grace and faith (vv. 3-6).
4. We cannot deceive God; it is impossible. And remember that life will offer us what we have put into it (v. 7).
5. We must always do good, under all circumstances. (vv. 8, 9).
6. We must do good to all, but especially to those who are of our community of faith (v. 10).
7. As we choose Christ, we turn our backs on the world and we look at the cross as the greatest good of our lives (vv. 12-14).

No Christian can think that he is independent and does not need help from others or that he is exempt from helping others. No one is so wise that he cannot learn something from his fellowmen, or so ignorant that he has nothing to teach others.

An island is, in appearance, one portion of land surrounded by water. However, the reality is something else: islands do not float in the sea; they are lands that emerged from the earth’s crust.

Similarly, all human beings are connected with each other. We often see ourselves as islands, separated and disconnected from others, surrounded by an empty space that, in an imaginary way, protects us from a society we believe is hostile.

“Nothing makes sense if we do not admit that people are not islands;
every person is a piece of the continent, a part of the whole” – Thomas Merton. –

In the Vietnam War, the city of Saigon was beginning to be evacuated when an orphanage was hit by an explosion. An orphanage staff member made radio contact with a doctor and a nurse and told them that a small orphan was dying from loss of blood because of the explosion. The doctor knew the girl would need a blood transfusion, so he found a boy and asked if he would be willing to give his blood to save the girl’s life. He agreed.

As his blood was drawn, he began to cry and said, “After I give my blood, she’s going to live and I’m going to die.”

They asked him, “Why are you doing it, then?”

He replied, “She’s my friend.”

We are not islands. We are all part of the same continent.
How willing are you to give your blood,
even if it meant your death and the life of your neighbor?

Think about it… God bless you…

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
And those who are Chrit’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires”
– Galatians 5:22-24 –

The fruit of the Spirit is a life led by the Holy Spirit. It is the opposite to the works of the flesh. The fruit comes from life; the works come from one’s own efforts. The flesh produces dead works; the Spirit produces living work, which bears more fruit than contains seeds that will produce even more fruit.

When the Spirit produces fruit, the glory is for God and the believer does not become vain; however, when the flesh works, the person gets proud. The fruit of the Spirit is to become more like Christ. It is like a cluster, that is several fruits together.

There are fruits that apply to our relationship with God, there are fruits that refer to our relationship with others, and others that can refer to ourselves.

In relation to God: First is mentioned the fruit of love, all the others are the result of this. Love is a gift from God, and we must cultivate it and pray for it to grow. As we live in love, we experience joy, an inner satisfaction that does not depend on circustances. Love and joy produce a peace that “surpasses all understanding” (Phil. 4:7).

In relation to others: Patience, kindness, and goodness are all love in action.

In relation to oneself: Faith, that is, faithfulness; meekness, the correct use of power; and self-restraint, which is self-control.

Just as a fruit cannot grow in all climates, the fuit of the Spirit cannot grow in the lives of everyone. The fruit grows where the Spirit and the Word work in abundance. This fruit is not for our own consumption, but to bless others and to glorify God. When this happens, we are also the first beneficiaries.

Someone wondered what fruit we should bear and came to the conclusion after spending some time thinking deeply on these things, she felt more and more deeply the sin that means neglecting to keep the soul in God’s love.

Alive unto God, through a living union with Christ, we trust in the promises, constantly gaining greater strength by beholding Jesus. What can change the heart or shake the confidence of the one who by beholding the Saviour is changed into His likeness? (Selected Messages, vol. 2, p. 236).

Natural medice often uses sugar to treat ulcers, which are typical in patients who spend a lot of time in bed. The high concentration of glucose cleanses, takes out dead tissues, and prevents microbes from moving in.

If the sugar of love were used to combat the ulcers, blisters,
and sores of the soul, we would see the best results.
For every ailment of the heart, what better remedy is there than love,
because the foot goes where the heart learns.

Let love grow…

“Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh;
and these are contrary to one another,
so that you do not do the things that you wish”
– Galatians 5:16-17 –

The desire of the flesh is one thing, and the desire of the Spirit is another. They are opposites. Paul said it is a struggle; he wanted to do one thing, but he did somethiing different than what he originally wanted (see Rom. 7:10-24).

The sheep is a clean animal, and if it falls in the mud, it feels uncomfortable, annoyed, and wants to get out. On the other hand, if the pig falls in the mud, nothing bothers it; it feels happy and wallows in the dirt. The pig is called “hog” and “swine,” which are all negative connotations often transferred to human behavior. Scientific reports claim that pigs do not have sweat glands that regulate body temperature, so they control their temperature by bathing in mud or water. Dogs use their tongues to cool themselves, so they pant. However, in the case of pigs, what they do is wallow in the mud to cool themselves.

Now let us think about the dove and the crow. When the rain of the flood stopped and the ark rested, Noah sent a raven, but it did not return. The raven found a lot of food, since it feeds on worms, caterpillars, spiders, toads, frogs, mice, rats, and carrion – that is, all kinds of dead animals.

Instead, when he sent the dove, a clean animal, it returned. However, when it was sent for the last time, it did not return, and so Noah knew that the dove had found a clean place to settle down and thet the waters had gone down.

Our carnal nature is like the pig and the raven who always look for dirty things. Our new, spiritual nature is like the sheep and the dove that want what is clean and holy. It is an ongoing struggle within the believer, and will be victorious; in short, it is the nature we feed best.

Beware of feeding the sinful nature that drags us
into the filth of this earth. Let us nourish the spiritual nature
that elevates us to cleanliness and holiness of heaven.

We are so involved in listening to the noise of the world that we do not have time to listen to the language of the Spirit, to pray, to study the Bible, and to serve others. “The things of eternity are made subordinate, the things of the world supreme. It is impossible for the seed of the world to bring forth fruit; for the live of the soul is given to nourish the thorns of wordliness” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 51).

Let us not feed ourselves from the filth of this world.
Let us walk in the Spirit, revived by His Word,
living like sheep and doves.

Be blessed, my dear brethren…

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision
avails anything, but faith working through love”
– Galatians 5:6 –

Neither legalism nor license leads us to the right path. It is not our works that earn us the right to heaven, but our works show what the quality of our faith is. Paul said that it is “faith working through love” (Gal. 5:6). Circumcision or uncircumcision can make you a slave, but for those of us who trust in Jesus and allow Him to direct our actions, His love leads us to the “trio” that guides our existence: faith, hope, and love.

Thus, true love does not create its own rules, but is expressed in obedience to the will of God. Faith has its works motivated by the pure love of the presence of Christ in us. God’s love and will do not create a saving faith in us; it is saving faith that creates love in action.

A very famous writer told us that when we speak about faith, we must always keep one distinction in mind. Belief is one thing, and that differs from faith. For example, the existence and power of God, the truth of His Word, are facts that even satan and his hosts cannot deny. The Scriptures say that “the demons believe – and tremble” (James 2:19), but this is not faith.

Faith is believing that God exists;
faith is submitting to His will; faith is surrendering
our hearts and affections to God.

[A] faith that works by love and purifies the soul. Through this faith the heart is renewed in the image of God. An the heart that in its  unrenewed state is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, now delights in its holy precepts, exclaiming with the psalmist, “O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day” (Ps. 119:97). And the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us, “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” (Steps to Christ, p. 63).

The faith that saves is a living, active, and working faith. Salvation is a gift from God, the fruit of His love and compassion for us; in gratitude, we return the warmest affection of our hearts. Spurgeon explained that when Jesus is everything to us, He is the Lord of our hearts. Faith, instead of being a poor and miserable thing, as some think, is the greatest cause of love, and therefore, of obedience and holiness.

May our faith be so real that for the love of Christ and for Christ,
it produces the best and abundant fruits.

May the Lord bless you…

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free,
and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage”
– Galatians 5:1 –

In chapter 5 of Galatians, Paul emphasized remaining in the freedom of salvation by faith in Christ. He also argued that love is the essence of the law (v. 14).

An important call of the apostle was for them to stand firmly on a solid foundation. That foundation was the truth established in the Holy Scriptures. The diligent Christian perseveres in studying and discussing the Scriptures and examines them to find out if he remains steadfast in the faith (vv. 7-9).

Noo matter how much we know about the Scriptures and their interpretation, we must always continue searching for the truth. That is why I want to tell you: get to know the truths of the Bible, live those truths, and continue growing, discovering, and applying them to life.

Paul reminded the Galatians that they were not under the law and warned them that the Holy Spirit never led people to seek salvation by conforming to the requirements of the Jewish ritual system or by any legal justice system, or even salvation by obedience to the moral law of the Ten Commandments (vv. 10-15). On the other hand, those who submit to a legalistic religion are at war with the Holy Spirit (vv. 16-18).

Finally, he pointed out the fruit of the Spirit, which refers to what develops naturally in our lives when the Spirit takes control. The results of this control are in contrast with the works of the flesh (vv. 19-23). The fruit of he Spirit is not a spontaneous product of human nature, but of a completely different power that comes from outside the individual.

The word “fruit” is in the singular, while the word “works” is in the plural. There is only one “fruit of the Spirit,” and that one fruit includes all the Christian graces listed there. In other words, all these graces must be present in the life of the Christian. Understanding this means experiencing true freedom and fullness of Christian joy (vv. 1, 13).

He who is trying to reach heaven by his own works in keeping the law is attempting an impossibility. There is no safety for one who has merely a legal religion, a form of godliness. The Christian’s life is not a modification or improvement of the old, but a transformation of nature. There is death to self and sin, and a new life altogether. This change can be brought about only by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit (The Desire of Ages, p. 172).

Christ’s grace gives us freedom from sin and leads us to obey.
It is obedience that comes from God’s love,
and not obedience that tries to get God to love us.

Be free from bondage, be blessed….