God's Holy Fire: 'Special Messenger'

Sunday, June 22, 2025

[Paul wrote,] For by God's grace, I am a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you Gentiles. I bring you the Good News so that I might present you as an acceptable offering to God, made holy by the Holy Spirit. So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God.
— Romans 15:15b-17 NLT

Key Thought

There are moments when we recognize that we are in the center of God's will, doing what he would have us do, exactly when and where he wants us to do it. Paul is at that place when he writes today's passage. However, underneath his confidence in what he is doing is an even greater confidence - confidence that the Holy Spirit will take his offering of people and make it holy and acceptable to God. As we live our lives and as our lives interact with and influence other people, let's pray that the Holy Spirit will make our entire lives holy and acceptable offerings to God. Let's also pray that we can live in such a way that our words, actions, and influence invite others to come to Jesus!

Today's Prayer

O Father God, thank you for the influence you have given me. Please forgive me for the times I have squandered that influence or used it wrongly. Jesus, help me as I seek to lead people ever closer to you. O Holy Spirit, please present my efforts and the people I influence as holy and acceptable offerings to God. I ask all of this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

4 Related Resources by Heartlight

Whole and Holy
Devo: God's Holy Fire
"So, my dear friends, don't take my rather bold and blunt language as criticism. It's not criticism. I'm simply underlining how very much I need your help in..."
A Channel for Your Word
Devo: Praying with Paul
"Dear Father, I pray that I may be full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct others who want to know about your salvation...."
Beyond the Bucket List
Devo: A Year with Jesus
"Dear Beloved, Let me ask you several questions to get you started thinking about today's verses from Paul's letter to the Romans:What makes you..."
Paul's Reasons for the Road
Devo: A Year with Jesus
"Dear Beloved Disciple, Paul had many reasons to be on the road. He traveled extensively all over the regions bordering the northern and eastern..."

Illustration

Illustration of Romans 15:15b-17 NLT — So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God.

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Sunday, June 22, 2025

Unstoppable!
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
'Opening Paul's Eyes' (Acts 22:12-13)
"[Paul defended himself before an angry Jewish mob by recounting his conversion to Christianity. He told them about being blinded when Jesus spoke to...."
Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Evening Thought: John 16:15
"There are times when all the promises and doctrines of the Bible are of no avail, unless a gracious hand shall apply them to us. We are thirsty, but....."
Passion for Praise
A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
'My Strength Comes from GOD!' (Ps. 121:1-2)
"I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength comes from GOD, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains."
Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'Love Surpasses Knowledge' (Ep. 3:20-21)
"Dear Father, transcendent in knowledge and wisdom, Grant that I may know the love of Christ, a love which surpasses knowledge, that I may be filled....."

About This Devotional

God's Holy Fire is a daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The Thoughts and Prayer for God's Holy Fire are written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked MESSAGE are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

More God's Holy Fire

Translations