SCRIPTURE  FROM:   Romans 6:20-23 (NLT)

TEXT:  ²⁰ When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. ²¹ And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. ²² But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

OBSERVATION:   Paul relays to the church that there is a different mindset and a different lifestyle when one is transformed from the kingdom of darkness. Old values fade away, and a new life in Christ begins, with new values such as holiness that causes you to be ashamed of the old life that you once lived. There is a freedom that comes with your new life, that causes you to become slaves of God, as you quickly realize that He offers the free gift of eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ.

APPLICATION:   Paul found in his day that believers needed reminding of the world from which they came, and this was such a key point to them that he assured them that they don’t even want to think about it, because it makes them ashamed. This however, reminds the Christian of where our neighbors, family and friends might be at in their lives, and therefore give us a deeper yearning to share the Word of God with them. Friends, in verse 21 we are told that the end for the unbeliever is eternal doom. Is that what we want for those we love? I pray that this lesson today may be a reminder that time is short before the Lord returns to take His church home to glory. We have friends and family who are destined for hell – eternal doom; are we OK with that? As we celebrate this Easter, and the new life we have in our risen Lord, may we be careful to pray for those who are still deeply involved in sin and struggling to see the light and hope that we have in the glory of Easter and our risen Lord. This is a great time to encourage our loved ones to attend church with us, so let’s show them that we care, and pray earnestly for them that God will open their hearts to hear the truths of His Word this weekend.

PRAYER:   Lord, in the same way that we would be seriously upset over a neighbor or some other friend perishing in a fire, please make us just as upset in knowing that they have not accepted You as their Lord and Savior, for both brings death. Easter celebrations is all about You, our risen Lord. But please make us ever mindful of the new life the sinner might have in knowing You as their personal Lord and Savior. May this truly be a Resurrection Sunday for many who are lost in the darkness of sin and need You as their Risen Savior.  AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’.  If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog could indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely to subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. If you are anywhere near the Sebring, Florida area and do not have a church home, I would be thrilled to welcome you at Bible Fellowship Church, located at 3750 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872! Click the link to check out service times and/or other special activities. God is at work among us! Please consider coming to worship with us!