Unashamed Reading Plan
Check out all the previous Unashamed readings here.
Unashamed Reading Plan | Week 8 | Day 3
Prayer
Take a moment to be silent and still. In order to be fully present in body and mind, take a deep breath in and let it out slowly. Do this three times. Pray that God would open your eyes to wonderful things from His word today.
Bible Reading: Romans 8:12-16
Read these verses three times slowly.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
Reflection & Questions
We have been looking this week, in Romans 8, at the essential role of the Spirit in our lives. In today’s verses we dig into that a little more.
Paul says that another thing that the Spirit does is he “testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” The Spirit assures us that we are children of God. This is an amazing work. Before we couldn’t please God. Before we were hostile to God. But now we cry “Abba, Father” – literally ‘Daddy, Father.’
However, this is not a natural relationship. We are “adopted to sonship.” So relating to God as Father doesn’t come naturally. The Spirit takes on the role of teaching us and showing us how to relate to God as Father. And the Spirit keeps reminding us of our new identity as children of God. As we grow up in our Christian walk, we understand more and more the life and freedom that comes in being a child of God with God as our Father. We learn how to trust the Father as an earthly child rightly trusts a good dad.
It is an amazing thing to take in that God is our Father. The Spirit helps us do just that.
- Do you believe you are a child of God? How do you know?
- Do you trust God as your Father? Why or why not? How has the Spirit helped you in this?
Prayer
Talk to God in response to today’s reading.
Worship Song
You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:
Bible Reading: Romans 8:12-16
Read these verses three times slowly.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
Reflection & Questions
When we make the decision to accept the gift of salvation that comes from Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, not only do we get our sins forgiven, God adopts us as one of His own children! That’s a pretty big upgrade, considering that before forgiveness and salvation, we were slaves to sin. From slave to a child of God – Wow!
Adjusting to adoption is a little different than being naturally born into a family. We have to learn how to have God be our Father. That is why the Spirit is so important to have living within us. He teaches us how to relate to God our Father. He also keeps reminding us that we are children of God. As we grow up with God as our Father and the Holy Spirit teaching us how to be His children, we understand more and more about the life and freedom that comes from being His children. We learn to trust Him like a child trusts a good dad.
- How does it feel to know that you are a child of God? That you belong?
Pray
Thank God for the gift of salvation and for being your Father. Thank Him also for the Holy Spirit that teaches you how to be a child of God.
Check out more Bible Reading Plans here.
Questions?
Ed Applegate
