Romans 7:1-25
Paul is still taking about the law. Is it good, is it bad? It's good - it's there to tell us what is right & what is sin. Before you became a Christian you were bound to sin, listening to it & reaping all the consequences of sin. Now that Christ has defeated sin, you are no longer bound to sin, you are no longer obligated to pay sin any attention. Pretty cool, huh?
There is nothing good or bad about the law. It is simply a list of right & wrong. Man, caught up in sin, made it something more than it ever was. It's what we do. We take God's creation & we twist it to make it our own, destroying what it was originally meant to be.
Even when we try our best to follow the law, to do what is right, sin is right there tempting us to do wrong. Can we ever be perfect? Can we ever do it all right on our own? No. We will always face temptation, we will sometimes even give into it. But thank God that Jesus is there for us. So turn to Him.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
Daily Reading
Romans 6:15-23; Psalm 93; Proverbs 13:21-23
If we are free in Christ, doesn't that mean we can just do whatever we want? Can there be freedom under authority? Well, Paul answers this question pretty plainly. We are always going to be under the authority of something since we were created by an ultimate authority. So our choices are God or sin. We can either let sin tell us what to do, or we can let God tell us what to do. When we choose sin, the Message Bible tells us, "As long as you did what you felt like doing, ignoring God, you didn't need to bother with right thinking or right living, or right anything for that matter. But do you call that a free life? What did you get out of it? Nothing you're proud of now. Where did it get you? A dead end."
Think about your life without God. Where did it lead you? What did you get out of it? Happiness, joy, peace? Probably not. So where is your freedom there? Paul is telling us freedom is found in following God's ways for that is where we find happiness, joy, & peace. Give this new freedom a try & see where it leads you.
Psalm 93 tells us of God's mighty power. He rules the storms & the seas. This gives us a great word picture that helps us understand Romans 6. God has total control over nature. Man attempts control, yet we have no ultimate power to make nature do our bidding. Look at our current troubles with the flooding. We can build dams & levies, but ultimately we can't force the waters to do what we want. Only God has control.
If we are free in Christ, doesn't that mean we can just do whatever we want? Can there be freedom under authority? Well, Paul answers this question pretty plainly. We are always going to be under the authority of something since we were created by an ultimate authority. So our choices are God or sin. We can either let sin tell us what to do, or we can let God tell us what to do. When we choose sin, the Message Bible tells us, "As long as you did what you felt like doing, ignoring God, you didn't need to bother with right thinking or right living, or right anything for that matter. But do you call that a free life? What did you get out of it? Nothing you're proud of now. Where did it get you? A dead end."
Think about your life without God. Where did it lead you? What did you get out of it? Happiness, joy, peace? Probably not. So where is your freedom there? Paul is telling us freedom is found in following God's ways for that is where we find happiness, joy, & peace. Give this new freedom a try & see where it leads you.
Psalm 93 tells us of God's mighty power. He rules the storms & the seas. This gives us a great word picture that helps us understand Romans 6. God has total control over nature. Man attempts control, yet we have no ultimate power to make nature do our bidding. Look at our current troubles with the flooding. We can build dams & levies, but ultimately we can't force the waters to do what we want. Only God has control.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Daily Reading
Romans 6:1-14; Psalm 92; Proverbs 13:
Paul explains baptism to us today. Water baptism is an outward action that symbolizes the inward transformation we experienced when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. When we are immersed under the water, we identify with Christ's death & burial. This death puts an end to our old way life of sin & doing things our way. When we are raised up, we identify with the resurrection of Jesus into eternal life. This eternal life starts our new life of following the perfect plan of God. The message Bible states, "From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That's what Jesus did."
How can we not praise His name? How can we not grab hold of this truth & life it out daily in our lives? How much better our outlook & choices would be if we just carved this truth right into our hearts & never let it go! The Message Bible ends this reading this way, "Sin can't tell you how to live. After all, you're not living under that old tyranny any longer. You're living in the freedom of God."
Feel like shouting praise to the Lord for His goodness, His freedom, His love? Shout out Psalm 92!
Proverbs is still contrasting righteousness vs. sin. Good comes to those who seek the righteous life, destruction to those who seek their own way (sin). Pretty easy choice when it's laid out that way, huh?
Paul explains baptism to us today. Water baptism is an outward action that symbolizes the inward transformation we experienced when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. When we are immersed under the water, we identify with Christ's death & burial. This death puts an end to our old way life of sin & doing things our way. When we are raised up, we identify with the resurrection of Jesus into eternal life. This eternal life starts our new life of following the perfect plan of God. The message Bible states, "From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That's what Jesus did."
How can we not praise His name? How can we not grab hold of this truth & life it out daily in our lives? How much better our outlook & choices would be if we just carved this truth right into our hearts & never let it go! The Message Bible ends this reading this way, "Sin can't tell you how to live. After all, you're not living under that old tyranny any longer. You're living in the freedom of God."
Feel like shouting praise to the Lord for His goodness, His freedom, His love? Shout out Psalm 92!
Proverbs is still contrasting righteousness vs. sin. Good comes to those who seek the righteous life, destruction to those who seek their own way (sin). Pretty easy choice when it's laid out that way, huh?
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Daily Reading
Romans 5:12-21; Psalms 91; Proverbs 13:19-20
So, here Paul reminds us that sin entered the world through the actions of one man - Adam. Everyone of his descendants (everyone on earth) inherited this propensity to sin. God laid out the law to Moses so that man would have a written account of what constitutes sin & what constitutes righteousness. The law doesn't make people better, nor does it provide a way out of sin. It simply points out exactly what sin is.
But God made a way, through one man - Jesus, to repair the relationship between man & God. And how wonderful is this gift! Sin brings death, but Jesus brings eternal life. How much more incredible this gift of life is. God's grace & forgiveness will always trump sin. So, don't focus on the negative. Don't be a glass-half-empty thinker. Focus on the love & grace of God & return to your relationship with him.
Psalms reminds us that "I will be with you in trouble; I will rescue you and honor you. With a long life I will satisfy you & let you see My salvation."
So, here Paul reminds us that sin entered the world through the actions of one man - Adam. Everyone of his descendants (everyone on earth) inherited this propensity to sin. God laid out the law to Moses so that man would have a written account of what constitutes sin & what constitutes righteousness. The law doesn't make people better, nor does it provide a way out of sin. It simply points out exactly what sin is.
But God made a way, through one man - Jesus, to repair the relationship between man & God. And how wonderful is this gift! Sin brings death, but Jesus brings eternal life. How much more incredible this gift of life is. God's grace & forgiveness will always trump sin. So, don't focus on the negative. Don't be a glass-half-empty thinker. Focus on the love & grace of God & return to your relationship with him.
Psalms reminds us that "I will be with you in trouble; I will rescue you and honor you. With a long life I will satisfy you & let you see My salvation."
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Daily Reading
Romans 5:1-11; Psalm 90; Proverbs 13:17-18
Paul hits a few key points in this reading:
1. When we finally turn to God, we will find that He is already open to & waiting for a relationship with us.
2. In that relationship, we find all that we need, so even the hard & difficult times can be handled with joy. For we begin to understand that even hard times can be beneficial to our lives by developing our character.
3. We don't need to worry about being "good enough" with God. He didn't wait for us to be "good enough" when He sent His Son to die for us. In fact, Jesus died for us while we were still spitting in His face. God loves you so much that He prepared a way for you before you even acknowledged that you needed a way. How incredible is that?
4. Now that you are acknowledging your need, now that you have entered into this new relationship - how can you do anything but shout out praise to God for all that He has done for you through His Son Jesus?
It's a lot to think about. Are you overcome with joy & happiness at your new found life? No? Well then, it's time to examine your thoughts & actions. Is God a true friend or just an acquaintance? Are you spending time with Him? Or have you placed Him on the back burner? He's there waiting for you, ready to accept you as you are. Ready to love you & guide you & help you. Seek Him out again, every day & see how these words of Paul come true in your own life.
Look at our psalms for today - this is someone who has forsaken God & then wonders why God has forsaken Him. See how he asks God to come back? Have you ever felt like this person? Felt cut-off & alone, even despised? Well, come back to the Lord & learn His ways. Proverbs gives a little insight here - Refuse discipline & end up homeless. If you refuse the Lord, you refuse His family & the home He has created for you. So, embrace correction - understand that your ways have not been beneficial to you & come back to the Lord, for He will provide you with an honored life.
Paul hits a few key points in this reading:
1. When we finally turn to God, we will find that He is already open to & waiting for a relationship with us.
2. In that relationship, we find all that we need, so even the hard & difficult times can be handled with joy. For we begin to understand that even hard times can be beneficial to our lives by developing our character.
3. We don't need to worry about being "good enough" with God. He didn't wait for us to be "good enough" when He sent His Son to die for us. In fact, Jesus died for us while we were still spitting in His face. God loves you so much that He prepared a way for you before you even acknowledged that you needed a way. How incredible is that?
4. Now that you are acknowledging your need, now that you have entered into this new relationship - how can you do anything but shout out praise to God for all that He has done for you through His Son Jesus?
It's a lot to think about. Are you overcome with joy & happiness at your new found life? No? Well then, it's time to examine your thoughts & actions. Is God a true friend or just an acquaintance? Are you spending time with Him? Or have you placed Him on the back burner? He's there waiting for you, ready to accept you as you are. Ready to love you & guide you & help you. Seek Him out again, every day & see how these words of Paul come true in your own life.
Look at our psalms for today - this is someone who has forsaken God & then wonders why God has forsaken Him. See how he asks God to come back? Have you ever felt like this person? Felt cut-off & alone, even despised? Well, come back to the Lord & learn His ways. Proverbs gives a little insight here - Refuse discipline & end up homeless. If you refuse the Lord, you refuse His family & the home He has created for you. So, embrace correction - understand that your ways have not been beneficial to you & come back to the Lord, for He will provide you with an honored life.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Daily Reading
Romans 4:1-25; Psalm 89; Proverbs 13:15-16
So, doesn't the Old Testament teach that it's all about what you do, how good you are? Nope, Paul answers that question right off the bat. Abraham is the "father of faith." Wasn't his relationship with God all about following the law? Nope. It was all about his faith. It's always been about faith. Paul points out that Abraham was brought into God's family according to what he believed, not according to what he did. You see, there are no special groups. The gift of God is open to EVERYONE who believes. Following the law, baptism, communion - these are all things we do because we believe, not so that we might believe. Abraham is our example in faith. he heard God & he trusted that what God said was right for him to do. It's all about faith. Say it with me one more time, "It's all about faith." So, stop looking at your circumstances & start trusting in God.
So, doesn't the Old Testament teach that it's all about what you do, how good you are? Nope, Paul answers that question right off the bat. Abraham is the "father of faith." Wasn't his relationship with God all about following the law? Nope. It was all about his faith. It's always been about faith. Paul points out that Abraham was brought into God's family according to what he believed, not according to what he did. You see, there are no special groups. The gift of God is open to EVERYONE who believes. Following the law, baptism, communion - these are all things we do because we believe, not so that we might believe. Abraham is our example in faith. he heard God & he trusted that what God said was right for him to do. It's all about faith. Say it with me one more time, "It's all about faith." So, stop looking at your circumstances & start trusting in God.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Daily Reading
Romans 3:1-31; Psalm 88; Proverbs 13:11-14
So, we all screw up & we all make mistakes, but God never changes. We may quit Him, but He won't quit us - EVER. And don't try to argue that our sin makes Him look better. That's a lie from the pit of hell. God doesn't need us to make Him look better 'cause there's nothing better than God.
Now pay close attention - our knowledge of God & the law isn't what saves us. Nothing we do puts us right with God, not our knowledge or our ability to follow a few rules. You can't make a pact with God to start being better. We cannot do it on our own. So God made it right for us by sending His Son to die in our place. The Message Bible puts it this way, "Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. he got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin . . . What we've got to learn is this: God does not respond to what we do; we respond to what God does."
Realign your focus! Stop trying to fix yourself & start allowing God to fix you. Does that mean you stop following the rules? No! It means you keep following the rules, but with a new outlook. Instead of following the rules to avoid consequences or to gain acceptance, you follow the rules because you understand their true purpose: they were put in place by your loving Father to keep you safe, happy, & healthy.
Are you at your wit's end? Standing on the edge of the great abyss trying not to fall in? Ready to give up on live? Read Psalm 88. Pray it out loud to God - shout to God for help. Then listen as He answers.
Proverb 13:11 is one of my favorites, for I have found it to be so true, "The best things in life are worth working for." Stop taking the easy road & start working. You'll be amazed at how much better you feel about yourself & the circumstances around you.
So, we all screw up & we all make mistakes, but God never changes. We may quit Him, but He won't quit us - EVER. And don't try to argue that our sin makes Him look better. That's a lie from the pit of hell. God doesn't need us to make Him look better 'cause there's nothing better than God.
Now pay close attention - our knowledge of God & the law isn't what saves us. Nothing we do puts us right with God, not our knowledge or our ability to follow a few rules. You can't make a pact with God to start being better. We cannot do it on our own. So God made it right for us by sending His Son to die in our place. The Message Bible puts it this way, "Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. he got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin . . . What we've got to learn is this: God does not respond to what we do; we respond to what God does."
Realign your focus! Stop trying to fix yourself & start allowing God to fix you. Does that mean you stop following the rules? No! It means you keep following the rules, but with a new outlook. Instead of following the rules to avoid consequences or to gain acceptance, you follow the rules because you understand their true purpose: they were put in place by your loving Father to keep you safe, happy, & healthy.
Are you at your wit's end? Standing on the edge of the great abyss trying not to fall in? Ready to give up on live? Read Psalm 88. Pray it out loud to God - shout to God for help. Then listen as He answers.
Proverb 13:11 is one of my favorites, for I have found it to be so true, "The best things in life are worth working for." Stop taking the easy road & start working. You'll be amazed at how much better you feel about yourself & the circumstances around you.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Daily Reading
Romans 2:1-29; Psalm 86:1-17; Proverbs 13:9-10
Romans 1:18-32 speaks about non-Christians - they have no excuse for not believing. But Christians don't get all proud & haughty, ' cause Paul has some things to say to you too:
Romans 1:18-32 speaks about non-Christians - they have no excuse for not believing. But Christians don't get all proud & haughty, ' cause Paul has some things to say to you too:
- judgment of others is just a convenient avoidance of your own sin. God is not fooled.
- saying you believe is MUCH, MUCH different than truly believing. Your actions will show your heart.
- another's faith is NOT ENOUGH to get you into heaven. It doesn't matter your ethnicity, family upbringing, social status, or intelligence - all are on equal grounds before God.
- there are two types of sin & each is judges accordingly: sinning w/o knowing & sinning in full knowledge.
- doing, not hearing, is what is important
- truth is instinctual. It is woven into the very fabric of our creation.
- if you are a mature Christian who leads others, take special care to not lead anyone astray. Remember to lean on God's understanding, not your own.
Psalm 86 gives some good advice - cry out to God when you are in trouble, put yourself in His hands, relinquish control & learn from God.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Daily Readingod
Did everyone have a nice Independence holiday weekend? I'm pretty sure I ate my way through, but oh was it so good. Is there anything better than BBQ ribs, corn on the cob, & watermelon? Or fireworks? Or freedom? I thank God the abundance He has given us.
Now on to the reading: Romans 1:18-32; Psalm 85:1-13; Proverbs 13:7-8
Paul is giving us a picture of the state of the world. God created the earth and His nature, His personality, His "invisible qualities" are revealed in nature. I just had a wonderful conversation with one of my church family about the floods, earthquakes, and forest fires we have been experiencing this summer. See, God made the earth & He made it somewhat self-sufficient. Weather patterns, flooding, forest fires all take place so that the earth may be cleansed, debris washed away, over-crowding thinned out. When left alone, the God-directed laws of nature keep the earth alive and healthy. And it is in these cycles of death and resurrection that the divine nature & power of God is revealed. As Paul states, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been made clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." God has revealed Himself to us, & we have no excuse for denying Him.
Yet, that is what man has done, they have rejected God & His ways, opting instead for ways of their own. Ways that are wicked, self-involved, and destructive. We have been built with a radar that seeks out God & His Truth, we instinctively know it - yet we continue to deny that piece of ourselves and we choose destruction. And God let's us. This is His gift to us: the freedom to choose. Why? Why does He do this, we does He let us choose? Well, the book of Romans will go into greater detail, but the simple answer is: because He loves us. Love isn't love when it's forced. God didn't make robots - blind unthinking, unfeeling beings who obey His every command. God made children so that we can have a relationship with Him. How liberating & freeing that is. How much more important & satisfying when we choose to love Him, choose to obey Him, choose to be in a relationship with Him. It's enough to blow your mind, isn't it. God loves you so much, He gave you a choice.
So, what will you do with your choice? Will you choose love or hate? Eternal life or destruction? Joy or hardship? The choice is yours.
Psalm 65 goes along with our Romans reading today. When we do things God's way, we find peace & love & goodness. When we cut ourselves off from God, we find folly, struggle, & strife. Why is this? Well, God created the world, so He knows how it best works. He gave us laws or rules for living in the best way possible. Think of a set of blueprints for a house. If you follow the blueprints, you will have a safe, warm, well-working house. If you ignore the blueprints & attempt to just build the house however you see fit, things aren't going to work out so well. But here's the nice things about God - He's always there waiting for you to figure out that you need His blueprints & when you ask - He will provide them.
Proverbs is comparing rich & poor. This is an important lesson: life is not about monetary wealth, it's about spiritual wealth. If you get your spiritual bank healthy & well-stocked, you will never need to worry about your monetary wealth.
Now on to the reading: Romans 1:18-32; Psalm 85:1-13; Proverbs 13:7-8
Paul is giving us a picture of the state of the world. God created the earth and His nature, His personality, His "invisible qualities" are revealed in nature. I just had a wonderful conversation with one of my church family about the floods, earthquakes, and forest fires we have been experiencing this summer. See, God made the earth & He made it somewhat self-sufficient. Weather patterns, flooding, forest fires all take place so that the earth may be cleansed, debris washed away, over-crowding thinned out. When left alone, the God-directed laws of nature keep the earth alive and healthy. And it is in these cycles of death and resurrection that the divine nature & power of God is revealed. As Paul states, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been made clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." God has revealed Himself to us, & we have no excuse for denying Him.
Yet, that is what man has done, they have rejected God & His ways, opting instead for ways of their own. Ways that are wicked, self-involved, and destructive. We have been built with a radar that seeks out God & His Truth, we instinctively know it - yet we continue to deny that piece of ourselves and we choose destruction. And God let's us. This is His gift to us: the freedom to choose. Why? Why does He do this, we does He let us choose? Well, the book of Romans will go into greater detail, but the simple answer is: because He loves us. Love isn't love when it's forced. God didn't make robots - blind unthinking, unfeeling beings who obey His every command. God made children so that we can have a relationship with Him. How liberating & freeing that is. How much more important & satisfying when we choose to love Him, choose to obey Him, choose to be in a relationship with Him. It's enough to blow your mind, isn't it. God loves you so much, He gave you a choice.
So, what will you do with your choice? Will you choose love or hate? Eternal life or destruction? Joy or hardship? The choice is yours.
Psalm 65 goes along with our Romans reading today. When we do things God's way, we find peace & love & goodness. When we cut ourselves off from God, we find folly, struggle, & strife. Why is this? Well, God created the world, so He knows how it best works. He gave us laws or rules for living in the best way possible. Think of a set of blueprints for a house. If you follow the blueprints, you will have a safe, warm, well-working house. If you ignore the blueprints & attempt to just build the house however you see fit, things aren't going to work out so well. But here's the nice things about God - He's always there waiting for you to figure out that you need His blueprints & when you ask - He will provide them.
Proverbs is comparing rich & poor. This is an important lesson: life is not about monetary wealth, it's about spiritual wealth. If you get your spiritual bank healthy & well-stocked, you will never need to worry about your monetary wealth.
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