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Romans 4 emphasizes the grace of God throughout the chapter, highlighting that it is given to the undeserved. Apostle Paul, in establishing churches, continually emphasized the importance of holding on to the grace and salvation through Christ. Faith can deteriorate when we stray from this core principle. The danger lies not far from us – it occurs when we lose gratitude for what we’ve received and start relying on our own contributions and deeds, which leads to arrogance. So, what should we be thankful for?

The cross stands as the most essential doctrine in Christianity, embodying the love of God in our hearts. The Son had no necessity or reason to suffer on the cross, and the Father didn’t have to give up His precious and beloved Son for sinners like us. The indescribable love of God landed in our hearts, and we must contemplate the heartrending pain the Father endured witnessing His Son’s suffering for us. Christ willingly took upon Himself the suffering and judgment we deserved, redeeming us. Now, what do we need to do?

God doesn’t demand righteousness from us, but rather, He asks for faith – faith that accepts His love, faith that simply accepts the resurrected Jesus Christ. When we believe in the One who justifies the ungodly, even when we are still ungodly, God credits us as righteous. This is the righteous person the Bible speaks of.

In Psalms 32:1-2, King David confesses, “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sins the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.” This confession should also be ours before God. The term “you righteous” in the last verse of the chapter (Psalms 32:11) refers to us, who have been granted justification freely by God’s grace, believing that we are forgiven despite our sins.

Let us, therefore, rejoice in the Lord, be glad, and sing for His mercy in our lives.

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As believers in Christ, we may often find ourselves without many material possessions. While we might not have the same material wealth as others, we possess something far greater—the House of the Father.

It’s essential to acknowledge that we cannot claim ownership of Heaven; we are unworthy to do so. As sinners, we don’t even deserve to stand before God. However, through Jesus, we are bestowed with love, righteousness, and the authority to be called children of God. He empowers us to share His message of salvation, granting us the strength to bring others from death to life through the Word of God. Our focus should be on giving, always being generous in spirit.

Even when we feel we have nothing tangible to offer, we can share the powerful testimony of Jesus. A testimony of life’s transformation holds more value than any worldly possession that ultimately fades away.

Let us emulate the compassion of Peter, who looked upon beggars seeking mercy and offered them exactly what they needed. Let us extend mercy to those around us, allowing the spiritually lame to walk towards God, the spiritually blind to see God, and the spiritually deaf to hear God’s words. May the Holy Spirit rest upon us, empowering us to spread the life-changing power of God wherever we go!

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Jesus shares a captivating parable that teaches us about the attitude and perseverance in prayer. He encourages us not to give up or become discouraged, but to pray continually. Often, we might rely on our own strength and self-centeredness in life, but as our faith matures, we come to acknowledge our limitations as human beings. We realize that every second of our existence is under God’s providence and guidance, as stated in Proverbs 16:9. Our steps are determined by Him, and we, as believers, are privileged to pray and entrust everything to our gracious and compassionate Father.

In this parable, a bad judge is depicted, who lacks fear of God and compassion for people, and a persistent widow repeatedly pleads for justice before him. Surprisingly, even this unjust judge grants her request. Jesus reveals a simple truth about prayer: Keep persisting in earnest requests. He reminds us of Elijah’s prayer, showing how he fervently and consistently prayed without being concerned about his reputation, and God listened to him. Elijah was just a human like us, and what we often lack in prayer is persistence and earnestness.

God doesn’t expect us to move the rock away entirely but to do our best in pushing it. As we keep knocking on the door of heaven through continuous and unwavering prayer, God will eventually move the obstacles before us.

If even an unjust judge responds to a widow’s plea, how much more will our loving Father, who hears every word we speak to Him, generously answer His children who seek His glory day and night? He will not remain silent to His people. Jesus assures us that our Father will even pour down the Holy Spirit upon those who ask Him. Therefore, let us be a people of God who persistently and earnestly pray with unwavering faith, knowing that God is attentively listening to our pleas. As we walk on the path of faith, we can draw strength from the power of the Holy Spirit bestowed upon us from above.

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The university students will talk with the dean of the university to with the permit and thus be able to work directly within the University of Guayaquil, where the Word and love of God are to be implanted.

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