Morning Devotions: You are Beloved

The Apostle Paul opens and closes the letter to the Romans by reminding them that they are “beloved.”
 

Romans 1:7 to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 
A quick word study (you know I love those),
Beloved G27, can be translated, “favorites, object of affection” it is a word ONLY used for born again believers.
Saints- from the Hebrew word meaning “dedicated, set apart for the Almighty.
Grace (lovingkindness) and peace (shalom: the war is over, no more conflict)
 
After chapter 1 verse 7, Paul does not use the word “beloved” again until you get to Romans chapter 9 where he quotes the prophet Hosea, saying (H5971) 

‘AMIY my people, my kinsmen. 

This pretty word was used by Boaz in the book of Ruth when he chose to redeem her as his bride. Ruth was a Moabite, a woman born as an enemy of the people of Israel. It is also used of the prostitute Gomer that Hosea married. The most undeserving of women were called “beloved”. It is the same with us. We do not deserve to be called the people of the Almighty, the bride of Christ, but Y’shua-Jesus still died to pay the price for us to be called beloved. We are free to dedicate our lives to Him because of His Lovingkindness (grace) and Shalom (peace) 

 
It is a precious gift we have been given. New life, beloved. The freedom to choose what you will do with this love is yours. As for me and my house? We will gladly serve Him. 

Mrs. Hagerty
June 1, 2016

Romans 9:14-26What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! For He says to Moses,
"I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION." (Exodus 33:19) So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh,
"FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH." (Exodus 9:16) So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.
 You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?"  On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles. As He says also in Hosea,
 " I WILL CALL THOSE WHO WERE NOT MY PEOPLE, 'MY PEOPLE,' AND HER WHO WAS NOT BELOVED, 'BELOVED.'" (Hosea 2:23)26 "AND IT SHALL BE THAT IN THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SAID TO THEM, 'YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE,' THERE THEY SHALL BE CALLED SONS OF THE LIVING GOD." (Hosea 1:10)