Raised to Walk Devo Day 9 - April 9

Let’s read Romans chapter 1, verses 1 – 17 prayerfully. Highlight V. 16 – “For I am not
ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation to
everyone who believes.” This is the writer’s testimony (the apostle Paul); is it your
testimony? Have you (Or are you) celebrating your new identity of a new life in baptism?
Baptism is an outward symbol of an inward work of God in our hearts and lives. But it
also serves another purpose: it's a public declaration of what God's done and what
you've decided to do.
In other words, deciding to follow Jesus in your heart and as an individual is great, but
there's something powerful about declaring without shame, in the presence of family and
friends, that you've decided to follow Jesus. It puts a certain realness to the whole
ordeal. Walking away from Christ and the things He has for you becomes more difficult
when you've made it public and made people aware of your decision.
In fact, that's part of the reason it's so powerful - you allow others to be aware of the
decision you've made, and now they are able to help keep you accountable.
If you begin to make selfish and unwise decisions again, these people have the ability to
speak into your life and remind you of the decision you've made. And on top of all that,
it's also a great form of witness. Many people invite their family members and friends to
witness their baptism, even if they don't know Jesus. This proves some of the
authenticity of what you've decided and of what God is doing in your life, and may even
serve as encouragement for them towards the things of God!
Imagine - you get baptized this coming Sunday at Siesta Key Beach, and your
friends/family members end up coming to Jesus as a result! How incredible would
that be!
Pray – for God to give you opportunities today to share without shame the Good news of
Jesus’ love. If you are planning to be baptized, pray for the ones you would to invite.

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