Above Nothing But Hell(Romans 15)

Romans 15

1 We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. 2 We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. 3 For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.”[a] 4 Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

5 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. 6 Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. 8 Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews[b] to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors. 9 He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them. That is what the psalmist meant when he wrote:

“For this, I will praise you among the Gentiles;

I will sing praises to your name.”[c]

10 And in another place it is written,

“Rejoice with his people,

you Gentiles.”[d]

11 And yet again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles.

Praise him, all you people of the earth.”[e]

12 And in another place Isaiah said,

“The heir to David’s throne[f] will come,

and he will rule over the Gentiles.

They will place their hope on him.”[g]

13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

14 I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters,[h] that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them. 15 Even so, I have been bold enough to write about some of these points, knowing that all you need is this reminder. For by God’s grace, 16 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. 17 So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God. 18 Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them. 19 They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God’s Spirit.[i] In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum.[j]

20 My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else. 21 I have been following the plan spoken of in the Scriptures, where it says,

“Those who have never been told about him will see,

and those who have never heard of him will understand.”[k]

22 In fact, my visit to you has been delayed so long because I have been preaching in these places.

23 But now I have finished my work in these regions, and after all these long years of waiting, I am eager to visit you. 24 I am planning to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellowship for a little while, you can provide for my journey.

25 But before I come, I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believers[l] there. 26 For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia[m] have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem. 27 They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially. 28 As soon as I have delivered this money and completed this good deed of theirs, I will come to see you on my way to Spain. 29 And I am sure that when I come, Christ will richly bless our time together.

30 Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit. 31 Pray that I will be rescued from those in Judea who refuse to obey God. Pray also that the believers there will be willing to accept the donation[n] I am taking to Jerusalem. 32 Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other.

33 And now may God, who gives us his peace, be with you all. Amen.

The Trait
Paul was gifted. He was a gifted writer, preacher, and teacher. These were gifts from God. But, another gift that he was given highly influenced the tools of his ministry. That would be the gift of humility.
 
Paul knew Jesus as Lord. Paul walked with Christ in a morning in, and morning out relationship. By this, he knew Jesus' greatest traits. He knew that Jesus was a servant. He was aware that Jesus did not boast about His works, but that he was humble in all that He did. Paul took this as an example, and followed it.
 
Verses 1 through 5 scream this. Paul writes that this life is not about us, and supports that with the fact that Jesus even denied self.
 
We must put others first. I struggle with this. I struggle with selfishness and pride. I will admit that my selfishness gets in the way often. Our relationships cannot work with selfish hearts included. For a relationship to work, we must look out for the other persons' best interest. This is tough, but it is included in the call of Christ.
 
We see Jesus putting us first often. The most obvious example is the cross. We should have died. It was our debt to pay. But, Jesus, as a humble servant, gave himself for us. He put aside His wants and did what was best for us, even though we did not deserve it.
 
If the King of the universe did this, how much lower should we make ourselves? We must remember, that as followers of Christ, we have no rights. We traded our rights in for Jesus and a cross. Therefore, we are above nothing but Hell, and we deserve that. By the grace of God, Jesus took our punishment. This gives us an opportunity to love and serve others like He served us.
 
The Beauty of It All
Verses 5 and 6 paint a beautiful picture. Can you see it? All of God's children standing in harmony, with one voice, praising the Father. Don't you want to be a part of that? We have this awesome privilege. If we could stop being so critical, and have love for one another, we could sing a united song to the Father. Don't miss it.
 
Paul's Ambition
Paul's writings say a lot about his character. Starting in verse 14, Paul writes about his goals and motivations. If you've been reading through Romans, it's obvious that Paul's goal was to honor God. His goal was to give God glory. But, how would he do that? He would humbly remind the Romans to serve Christ. Stop there? I think not. He goes on to write about his love for reaching those who have never heard the good news.
 
What pushes you? Does the need for sharing the Gospel even cross your mind? So often, we get caught up in our own little lives and we forget about the necessity of evangelism. We forget that we live in a lost world. Does this concern you?
 
I had a conversation with my 8 year old brother about this very thing today. I mentioned telling others about Jesus and he began to laugh. This is a little boy who has grown up in a Southern Baptist Church. How does he not know about the deep need for evangelizing? I will take partial blame. We should have had this talk a long time ago. I explained to him that we live in a lost world, full of people going to hell, and that they should be a top priority. Are lost people just an after-thought? When is the last time you shared Jesus with someone?
 
Challenge: Put others first. Do so by telling them about Jesus.
 
 
 

Dear Critics, please shut up. (Romans 14)

Romans 14

1 Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. 2 For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. 3 Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him judge whether they are right or wrong. And with the Lord’s help, they will do what is right and will receive his approval.

5 In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable. 6 Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. 7 For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. 8 If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.

 

10 So why do you condemn another believer[a]? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For the Scriptures say,

“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,

‘every knee will bend to me,

and every tongue will confess and give praise to God.[b]’”

12 Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. 13 So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.

14 I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. 15 And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. 16 Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good. 17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. 19 So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.

 

20 Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble. 22 You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. 23 But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning. 
 
The Crowd:
Who was Paul talking to? This letter seems to be addressed to a room full of critics. It seems to be a room full of preferences and opinions. Sound like your church? Sound like your home? Probably so.
 
Our Day:
We are not much different from the Romans in this aspect. We are so opinionated. We are constantly criticizing, and constantly being criticized. A big thing going on today is a constant battle between traditional and contemporary music. Organ vs. guitar. You have your preferences and so do I. Does this make one better than the other? Does it really matter if I wear jeans or slacks? We have made things like this into a religion. We have divided God's family with denominations and preferences. Paul writes that this should not happen.
 
Less Talking, More Honoring
It is made clear that these grumblings were not to glorify God. It was made obvious that the critical hearts were not honoring God. Verses 5 through 8 sum up the entire Chapter. As Paul writes, we are to do everything for Christ and His honor. Whether we like Lacrae or the Presbyterian Hymnal, we are to do so in a way the honors God. Paul expresses this in a way that really grabbed my heart. He writes that whether we live or die, we do so honoring Christ. Challenge: Quit criticizing others. Examine your own heart. And, do everything so that it will honor Jesus.
 
Aiming for Harmony
I cannot sing. I love music, but could never make my own. I can't harmonize. My voice goes up and down, in and out, and cracks constantly. It's awful. And, sometime the church is not much different. Because of our preferences and opinions, we get in arguments and have fall outs with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul reminds us that this should not happen, but that we should aim for harmony in the church. We should love others like Christ has loved us. Do not allow your junk to tear apart the love that should be binding us together.
 
Conviction
We are not called to examine everyone else for imperfections. But, we are called to examine ourselves. We are called to look at our lives and throw out everything that does not resemble Jesus. Paul writes that we are to live by conviction. If the Spirit gives you a tap on the shoulder, and gives you a hint that what you are doing is wrong, don't do it. If you have to question whether something is right or wrong, it is probably wrong. A good example of this is sexual impurity. The question of, "How far is too far?", is often asked. If you're unsure if something is okay, then stay away from it. Paul writes that if we go against our heart's conviction, that we are sinning. What are you feeling led to do? Are you being convicted of you're sin? Don't fight conviction, but fight what you're being convicted of. Fight sin.
 
Constantly criticizing others doesn't honor Jesus. If it doesn't honor Jesus, don't do it.

My Biggest Struggle (Romans 13)

Romans 13

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2 So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. 3 For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. 4 The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. 5 So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.

6 Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.

8 Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.”[a] These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.

11 This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. 13 Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. 14 Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.

My Biggest Struggle
This chapter is hard on my heart. Sometimes what we read seems like eating rocks, and this chapter is that way to me. It's convicting and heart-wrenching. I don't get it. I have to submit?

My biggest struggle in life is control. I want it, and I don't want anyone else to have it over me. Just ask the people in my life. I hate being told what to do. I hate it when people bark out orders in my direction. And, when people do this, I usually bark back. I love to rebel. This passage tells me to stop it. This chapter tells me that when I rebel against authority, I rebel against God. And, when I read this, I come up with a million excuses. In my heart I begin to scratch and scream at the fact that I am wrong. Me? Wrong? Yes.

WE all struggle with this. Look at children. We, as kids, would listen to anyone else before we would listen to our parents. Men fight the law, their boss, and God on about every topic. And, lots of women rebel against the entire idea of men having power. We are born rebels. We are born sinners. And, when we do this, we don't only break the law, or hurt our spouse, but we disobey God. That's scary.

Here's the challenge: Submit. C.S. Lewis wrote, "The terrible thing, the almost impossible thing, is to hand over your whole self- all your wishes and precautions- to Christ." Submitting to authority is tough, but we must do it. When we submit to the authority that Christ is given, we submit to Christ. There is no better place to be than in the submission seat before Christ. Because when we finally give up, when we let Him take control, He doesn't mess up. Christ deserves our submission. If we really beliveve that Christ is King, Lord, Savior, etc then why don't we trust Him? Wouldn't the Lord of Lords do a better job directing our lives than we do?

Another Struggle
I'm a lot like you. I've been hurt. I have been kicked, dropped, and abandoned. Therefore, I struggle with verses 8-10. Loving others? But, others are the ones who have hurt me. Others are the ones who I trusted, and split. Others? Yea, they are the ones I struggle to simply like, but you say I must love them? Yes.

I struggle to like people, and all of their awkardness. But, I must stop being selfish and bitter. My emotions must move to ones that are full of love and mercy. My feelings must be transformed into ones that reach out to others, not push away. I need to feel about others, the way that Christ feels about me.

We must remember that we put Jesus on the cross. Our sins hurt Him. Our mishaps damaged Him. He could have gotten bitter and mad, but He didn't. He loved us more. He reached out to us with open arms, and without hesitation. And, by this He satisfied God's wrath. By this, He fulfilled the law. We must do the same with others. We must love them with an endless love despite their flaws, because that's how Christ did us.


Get Dressed
Pretend you're going to a ball. One where you will meet the love of your life. It's gonna be beautiful. Big lights, with live music, and great food. Do you wear jeans and a t-shirt? No. Men, you shave up and put on a tux. Ladies, you get all dolled up. You put on your most glittery jewelry, and wear a dress that will take Romeo's breathe away.

In the same way, we need to get ready for Christ. Paul writes that our salvation is closer than ever, and we need to be ready. How? We are to derobe ourselves of our sin and dress ourselves in the presence of God. God doesn't want our hearts to be causual, but He wants to see hearts dressed with Christ. Are you ready?

Living and Dying (Romans 11 and 12)

In Romans 9 and 10, Apostle Paul goes into deep detail about the choosing of His Children, both Jews and Gentiles. He talks about our sins, and God's grace. He continues in this trend through Chapter 11.

Tonight we will cover two chapters. We will read through Chapter 11 together, reflecting on the choice of Christ, and then move into Chapter 12 to discuss the call of Christ. I must say that Chapter 12 is my favorite Chapter in Romans, and one of my favorite Chapters in the entire Bible. It's a good one, so hold on!

Romans 11

1 I ask, then, has God rejected his own people, the nation of Israel? Of course not! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin.


2 No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you realize what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said,3 "LORD, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too."*


4 And do you remember God's reply? He said, "No, I have 7,000 others who have never bowed down to Baal!"*


5 It is the same today, for a few of the people of Israel* have remained faithful because of God's grace—his undeserved kindness in choosing them.6 And since it is through God's kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God's grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.


7 So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have—the ones God has chosen—but the hearts of the rest were hardened.8 As the Scriptures say,






"God has put them into a deep sleep.


To this day he has shut their eyes so they do not see,


and closed their ears so they do not hear."*






9 Likewise, David said,






"Let their bountiful table become a snare,


a trap that makes them think all is well.


Let their blessings cause them to stumble,


and let them get what they deserve.


10 Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see,


and let their backs be bent forever."*






11 Did God's people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves.12 Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God's offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it.


13 I am saying all this especially for you Gentiles. God has appointed me as the apostle to the Gentiles. I stress this,14 for I want somehow to make the people of Israel jealous of what you Gentiles have, so I might save some of them.15 For since their rejection meant that God offered salvation to the rest of the world, their acceptance will be even more wonderful. It will be life for those who were dead!16 And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy—just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too.


17 But some of these branches from Abraham's tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God's special olive tree.18 But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root.


19 "Well," you may say, "those branches were broken off to make room for me."20 Yes, but remember—those branches were broken off because they didn't believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don't think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen.21 For if God did not spare the original branches, he won't* spare you either.


22 Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off.23 And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree.24 You, by nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive tree. So if God was willing to do something contrary to nature by grafting you into his cultivated tree, he will be far more eager to graft the original branches back into the tree where they belong.






25 I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters,* so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ.26 And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say,






"The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem,*


and he will turn Israel* away from ungodliness.


27 And this is my covenant with them,


that I will take away their sins."*






28 Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.29 For God's gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.30 Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead.31 Now they are the rebels, and God's mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share* in God's mercy.32 For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.


33 Oh, how great are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!






34 For who can know the LORD's thoughts?


Who knows enough to give him advice?*


35 And who has given him so much


that he needs to pay it back?*



36 For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.


Boast in nothing but Jesus. He is King and His grace is clear. We are not worthy, no matter who your family is. Don't look at denomination, or earthly preferences. Look to Jesus.

Romans 12

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters,* I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.*2 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.


3 Because of the privilege and authority* God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.*4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,5 so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.


6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.


9 Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.10 Love each other with genuine affection,* and take delight in honoring each other.11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.*12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.13 When God's people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.


14 Bless those who persecute you. Don't curse them; pray that God will bless them.15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.16 Live in harmony with each other. Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all!


17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.


19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,






"I will take revenge;


I will pay them back,"*


says the LORD.






20 Instead,






"If your enemies are hungry, feed them.


If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.


In doing this, you will heap


burning coals of shame on their heads."*






21 Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.



I absolutely love this Chapter. I am in love with it because it is frank. I am in love with it because it is honest and doesn’t hold back. But, I am also in love with this Chapter because it is full of grace. I find my heart beating faster and faster due to the eloquence that Paul exhibits as he writes this letter of declaration and truth.



In this chapter, we see what we are called to be. We are called to worship. We are called to be humble. We are called to use what God has given us. We are called to love others and be patient with them. We are commanded to forgive. And, finally, we are called to live VICTORIOUSLY! How about that?





Called to Be…

To start off Chapter 12, Paul tells us that we are to do a whole lot more than just exist. Paul pleads with us to give our lives as a sacrifice. A living one at that…



Basically, Paul says that we are called to give up our rights. In our country, we have rights. With the constitution, and etc., we are given freedoms. In our Christianity, we are called to give these rights to Christ. We are to be crucified with Christ.



To follow Jesus, is to do what Jesus does. Well, Jesus was a living sacrifice to the Father. We find Him in the garden on Gethsemane, praying that God’s will be done over His own. We find Him being obedient as He is beaten beyond recognition. And, we see the Lord of Lords, and the King of Kings, being a living sacrifice as He dies. Even in his death He remained what The Father called Him to be.



We are to have the same life as the man we follow. We are submit our every desire to the cross as we shout, “Your will be done”, to the Father. We have been called to throw out every plan of man, and pick up our lives to follow Jesus. This means we go to school where Jesus wants us to attend. We work the job that Jesus wants us to work. We marry who Jesus wants us to marry. The call of Christ is to crucify our every right, so that we may have the freedom of Christ. And when we do this, we become the most blessed people on earth.



Acceptable? Paul writes that being a living sacrifice is the only thing that God sees as acceptable. Heart Check: Have you submitted your life to Jesus? Are you taking the steps that Jesus wants you to take? Or, do you find yourself in a self consumed world? I can tell you, submitting to God’s will is not comfortable, but it’s worth it. There is such a peace. Do you have peace about the future? Do you have a peace about the now? Oh, and by the way, you may not understand why God is telling you to do something. Good news: God isn’t calling you to understand, but to obey.



We are called to be a living sacrifice.



Called to Worship

Everything that we do is an act of worship. But, who are we worshiping? If we are anything but a living sacrifice to Christ, then we are not worshiping Jesus.



To follow the commands, and to walk every step in the Spirit, is true worship. We see this as Jesus speaks with the women at the well in John 4.



We are to rise and worship in Spirit and in Truth. Look at your life. Look at who you hangout with. Look at the music that you listen to. Look at the TV shows that you watch. These are all acts of worship. Who are you worshiping?



Called to Humbleness

When asked what a great characteristic of Jesus is, you have to mention humbleness. Jesus was a humble man.



To be a living sacrifice to the Father, we must be HUMBLE. In verse 3, Paul gives the Romans a warning. He tells us to not think that we are better than we are. Recently, God gave me a heart check here. I must say, He wanted to crush my pride. So often we think that we are invincible, and to our surprise, we are not. This is why it is so important to place every thought and desire on the walking altar.



We must make sure that we are not the focal point of our lives. Christ has to be. The glorification of HIS name has to be our top priority.



Who are you? Boast in nothing but The LORD.



Call to use the Gifts of God

As workers in the army of God, He has equipped us with the tools to get the job done.



Paul writes that God gives us these gifts and abilities through His grace. His grace makes these gifts a privilege to use. We should not boast about them, but feel free to use them.



God has given His children different gifts. But, they are all of value. If you follow Jesus, He has blessed you with spiritual gifts so that you may glorify His name. What a privilege! Are using yours?



Called to Love and Love with Patience

People get on your nerves like they do mine. As believers in Christ, we are called to have a SINCERE love for others. Paul reminds us to not pretend, but to be real.



Who do you struggle to love? Why do you struggle to love them? Think about it. Is it something silly, like them smacking their food when they eat? Or is it a serious habit? Do they struggle with honesty or commitment?



Just Saying: You struggle too. Just like me. But, through our stubbornness and sin, Jesus still loves us with a genuine affection. Are we not called to be living sacrifices for the cause of Christ? Then, should we not love the world and be patient with others? Yes, they are annoying, but we are too.



Called to Forgive

This leads us to forgiveness. As Christ loved us, He forgave us.



We have all been hurt. We have all been at the place where we feel that we’ve been wronged.



GIVE IT AWAY! Paul tells us not to hold on to this junk. Unforgiveness drags us down. We have to leave vengeance up to the Lord.



What if Jesus were to hold a grudge against you? What if He refused to show you pardon?



Who are you holding a grudge against?



Called to Victorious Living!

I love verse 21. “Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.”



God’s will is good, as we discussed earlier. Do God’s will. This is where the extreme blessing comes in. Because, God’s plan contains no worry and no doubt. We can be sure that God’s will is right. We can be sure that when we follow God’s will, we have been made right.



When we walk the way we want to, we walk in defeat. When we walk with Jesus, we walk in VICTORY!



Are you seeking God’s will? Do.

Pretty Feet and Big Hugs (Romans 10)

In Romans 9, we discussed Jews and Gentiles, Promises and Breaking Promises, and Faith versus Works. The Holy Spirit continues to work on us through Chapter 10...

Romans 10

1 Dear brothers and sisters,* the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved.2 I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal.3 For they don't understand God's way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God's way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law.4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given.* As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.

5 For Moses writes that the law's way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands.*6 But faith's way of getting right with God says, "Don't say in your heart, 'Who will go up to heaven?' (to bring Christ down to earth).7 And don't say, 'Who will go down to the place of the dead?' (to bring Christ back to life again)."8 In fact, it says,






"The message is very close at hand;


it is on your lips and in your heart."*






And that message is the very message about faith that we preach:9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.11 As the Scriptures tell us, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced."*12 Jew and Gentile* are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him.13 For "Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved."*


14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, "How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!"*


16 But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, "LORD, who has believed our message?"*17 So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.18 But I ask, have the people of Israel actually heard the message? Yes, they have:






"The message has gone throughout the earth,


and the words to all the world."*






19 But I ask, did the people of Israel really understand? Yes, they did, for even in the time of Moses, God said,






"I will rouse your jealousy through people who are not even a nation.


I will provoke your anger through the foolish Gentiles."*






20 And later Isaiah spoke boldly for God, saying,






"I was found by people who were not looking for me.


I showed myself to those who were not asking for me."*






21 But regarding Israel, God said,






"All day long I opened my arms to them,


but they were disobedient and rebellious."*



Re-cap:
 
In verses 1-4, Paul re-caps Chapter 9. He writes about his love for the Jews. Paul had the love of Christ within him. He re-establishes the fact that they refuse to follow God's way, which is The Way: Jesus. I love that the NLT uses the word "clinging" in verse 3. I can see the entire human race with a tight grip around their sin, refusing to let go of themselves. (We are all guilty)
 
News that is Good
 
Starting in verse 5, Paul writes the Gospel. Paul preaches the good news through writing utensil and paper. He establishes that Christ came for us. He did not sit in heaven, pumping His religious fist, but He left his throne to come get His people.
 
Work? The bible clearly teaches that salvation is a free gift. This passage re-iterates that. Verse 8 expresses that salvation is within easy reach. How awesome is that? It is in easy-reach because Jesus brought it straight to us. Straight to the manger, straight to the cross, and straight from the grave. Jesus brought it.
 
So what does that mean  for us? Read it, hear it, believe it, and live it. We must know and have confidence that Jesus saves, and that He is capable of saving us. Jesus is the only one capable of making us right with the Father, and we must trust in that fact through every smile and every trial.
 
Pretty Feet-
 
After we believe, we are given direct directions. In Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus tells the disciples to go and make disciples. Meaning, go, preach the Gospel, and teach them that Jesus is Lord. Paul knew this. Paul writes in verse 14 that those who do not know Jesus, will not know Him unless those who do know Jesus, tell them about Him. You get all of that?
 
If you believe, you are called to tell. You are called to tell the precious message of God's love to those who do not know it! And if you do this, you have beautiful feet.
 
I hate feet. They gross me out. Feet have never been seen as glorious or precious. That is why it was such a big deal for Jesus to wash the disciples feet. They're gross. Those feet belonged to men who wore flip-flops and rode camels. They belonged to men whose top priority was probably not their personal hygiene. Jesus did this to serve. We are to serve. One way to serve is by sharing the Gospel. The word tells us that all who share the good news have gorgeous feet.
 
What does God see when he looks at your feet? Are you spreading the Good News? Did you share it today? Why or why not? Heart-check.
 
Big hug...or Not?
 
Paul makes it clear that many will not cuddle up to the Gospel. Many people will reject what you have to say if you are telling the truth about Jesus. It will not be a bunch of big hugs, but you may have to deal with a rejection. As believers, this should break our heart in a way that motivates us to tell so many more souls!
 
If you have embraced Jesus, rejoice. If you have led someone to Christ, rejoice.
 
God's Love: Take it and tell it. It's a gift, and a privilege!

Out of Order (Romans 9)

Romans 9

1 With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it.2 My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief3 for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters.* I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them.4 They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God's adopted children.* God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshiping him and receiving his wonderful promises.5 Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are their ancestors, and Christ himself was an Israelite as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, the one who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.*

6 Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God's people!7 Being descendants of Abraham doesn't make them truly Abraham's children. For the Scriptures say, "Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,"* though Abraham had other children, too.8 This means that Abraham's physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham's children.9 For God had promised, "I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son."*


10 This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins.*11 But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes;12 he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, "Your older son will serve your younger son."*13 In the words of the Scriptures, "I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau."*


14 Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not!15 For God said to Moses,






"I will show mercy to anyone I choose,


and I will show compassion to anyone I choose."*






16 So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.


17 For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, "I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth."*18 So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.


19 Well then, you might say, "Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven't they simply done what he makes them do?"


20 No, don't say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, "Why have you made me like this?"21 When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn't he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?22 In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction.23 He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.24 And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles.


25 Concerning the Gentiles, God says in the prophecy of Hosea,






"Those who were not my people,


I will now call my people.


And I will love those


whom I did not love before."*






26 And,






"Then, at the place where they were told,


'You are not my people,'


there they will be called


'children of the living God.'"*






27 And concerning Israel, Isaiah the prophet cried out,






"Though the people of Israel are as numerous as the sand of the seashore,


only a remnant will be saved.


28 For the LORD will carry out his sentence upon the earth


quickly and with finality."*






29 And Isaiah said the same thing in another place:






"If the LORD of Heaven's Armies


had not spared a few of our children,


we would have been wiped out like Sodom,


destroyed like Gomorrah."*






Israel's Unbelief


30 What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God's standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place.31 But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded.32 Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law* instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path.33 God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said,






"I am placing a stone in Jerusalem* that makes people stumble,


a rock that makes them fall.


But anyone who trusts in him


will never be disgraced."*

 
God's Promise-
To open up this Chapter Paul discusses the promises that God has made to Israel. He goes on and on about the covenant that God the Father made with a certain group of people. To understand this passage, we must understand that God makes promises. God always keeps His promises. God does not waver. God does not un-commit. God doesn't leave us when we need Him most. Everything that God says is true, and if He says He will do something, He does it.
 
We must understand that God is always in order. God is never like a broken drink machine that won't spit out a coke. God is not like the out-of-order bathroom that keeps you from doing what you need to do. But, God does what He promises. He fulfills his word and His promises.
 
Israel's Sin-
Paul also writes that his heart is filled with bitterness and sorrow. Why? Because Israel did not keep their promise to God. Some of those who were thought to be God's, turned their very face from Him. Paul's heart was hurting. because He knew of their sin. He knew of their unfaithfulness to a faithful God.
 
Choice of Man-
Our sins exist because we chose them. We chose sin. This passage speaks an awful lot about choice, and Romans 3:23 says that we all have made the wrong one. Though God is fair and faithful, we are not. We have all wandered out into the wilderness looking for the answers to our desires. As God turned to us, we turned away from Him.
 
Choice of God-
God chose us. God knows our choices and desires. God knows our heart. Yet, He still chose us. Though we chose to break our promises, He chose to keep His. Because of our choice, he made one. God knew that we would choose wrong, so He chose right by choosing Jesus. In John 3:16, we learn that God kept every promise ever given by sending restoration and redemption through His Son Jesus.
 
God is a promise keeper. This is His nature. He cannot defy His nature.
 
So what now?
This has a deep effect on us. In verse 30, Paul begins to explain what all this means. The way to be saved is not by heritage. The way to be saved is not by works. But, the way to be saved is by having faith in Jesus Christ. Jew, Gentile, or Jewtile, the only way to salvation is through Jesus.
 
Thank God, He chose to give us such a glorious way!

Satisfied (Romans 8)

We are almost half-way through Romans. Can you feel it? I sure hope so!

Romans 8

1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.2 And because you belong to him, the power* of the life-giving Spirit has freed you* from the power of sin that leads to death.3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature.* So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.


5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will.8 That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.


9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)10 And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life* because you have been made right with God.11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.


12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters,* you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature,* you will live.14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children* of God.


15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.* Now we call him, "Abba, Father."*16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children.17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.



18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God's curse. But with eager hope,21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay.22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children,* including the new bodies he has promised us.24 We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don't need to hope* for it.25 But if we look forward to something we don't yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)


26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers* in harmony with God's own will.28 And we know that God causes everything to work together* for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn* among many brothers and sisters.30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.



31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else?33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself.34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us.


35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?36 (As the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep."*)37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.


38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,* neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love.39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

ECHO
Verses 1-5 of Chapter 8 somewhat echo Chapter 7. Paul seems to stress the Fact that we could not meet the requirements of the Law, so Jesus came and set us free from worshiping these rules and regulations. Paul also stresses that, in Christ, we are no longer enslaved to sin.

Paul stuck with the road of freedom in Christ, and continues to bring it up, because it is of much importance. There is nothing more beautiful than Christ setting us free from the grasp of our sin so that we can be grasped by our loving Father.

Do you feel this way? Do you feel freed from your sin? Do you feel forgiven of your filth?

Know this biblical truth. Know that Jesus loves you so much that with his blood he paid your ransom. Know that the righteousness that He gives is the only righteousness that can truly fulfill the law.

Living by the Spirit
In verses 5-11, Paul writes about the implications that following Jesus has on our sin. Following Jesus is about living by the spirit. And, living by the spirit is about control. If we are controlled by the spirit, we  do what the spirit does. If we are controlled by the flesh, we do what we want to do. To follow Jesus, is to live by the Spirit, and to live by the Spirit is to be controlled by the Spirit.

So what? Who are you controlled by? Are you making the decisions or are you living by the Spirit and doing what God desires for your life? Living by the Spirit is always the right decision.

If you are still living for and hanging on to your old sin controlled life, it is time for a heart check.




Result of Living in the Spirit
So whats the result of Living in the Spirit? You get to LIVE.

You get to walk in the Glory of Christ. We get to walk hand in hand with our resurrected Savior. This means we have no need to fear. This means we can be fully satisfied by Christ no matter what. Truly satisfied, no matter what you you lose in this world, whether it be possessions or loved ones.

This doesn't mean you will not feel pain. This doesn't mean you won't have tears, or mourning. The fact the we walk by the Spirit and we are satisfied by Christ does not excuse us from pain in this world, but we are to be satisfied and kept by the Father through that pain.

It does have eternal implications, as we see in verses 18-30. Though we feel pain in this world, we will not in the next. If we are controlled by Christ, we will one day live in His Glory forever and ever. Every need will be satisfied. There will be no death or pain. Those who walk with Jesus and live by the Spirit are freed from eternal damnation and misery. Man, how sweet is that?!

UNBREAKABLE
Our God is unbreakable, and so is His love for His children.

Paul explains, in closing Chapter 8, that through the blood of Christ, and that by our victory through Jesus' death on the cross, we our connected to our heavenly Father forever.

Jesus has freed us from our sin, and freed us to a life with Him.

BE SATISFIED!!!

F-BOMB (Romans 7)

Jesus has been kicking sin's gluts in chapters 1-6. In Chapter 7, Jesus drops the F-BOMB loud and clear!

Romans 7

 

(No Longer Bound to the Law)

1 Now, dear brothers and sisters*—you who are familiar with the law—don't you know that the law applies only while a person is living?2 For example, when a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her.3 So while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries.

4 So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God.5 When we were controlled by our old nature,* sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death.6 But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.

(God's Law Reveals Our Sin)

7 Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, "You must not covet."*8 But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power.9 At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life,10 and I died. So I discovered that the law's commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead.11 Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me.12 But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good.

13 But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my death? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death. So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God's good commands for its own evil purposes.

(Struggling with Sin)

14 So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.15 I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate.16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good.17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.* I want to do what is right, but I can't.19 I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.20 But if I do what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.22 I love God's law with all my heart.23 But there is another power* within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

Jesus dropping the the F-BOMB sounds a little bit out of character for Him. Well, this bomb is more significant than that four letter word. Here, Paul writes to the Roman Church about Jesus bringing spiritual FREEDOM.
 
Crucified to Free:
As we have discussed before, the Romans knew a lot about religion, but little about Jesus and saving faith. They were still so wrapped up in rules and regulations that they were not comprehending the grace that Jesus, and only Jesus, could give.
 
When discussing this, Paul did what we should always do: POINT TO THE CROSS.
 
In verse 4, Paul's writing and mind started to point towards the hill and tree that our Lord died on. He does this to stress that Jesus died on the cross to free us from legalistic religion, and life. Jesus' blood freed us from sin. The Romans did not understand how sufficient the grace of God is, so they pointed to what they understood, but failed to obey: The Law.

We do this.
 
Since we, as sinners, cannot keep the law, we are damned to begin with. But, as Jesus spread His arms and opened His heart, He gave us the ability to walk outside the fence of legalism, and to walk without the jingle of the chains called sin.
 
That's how Jesus dropped the F-BOMB!
 
Law still useful?
Yes. God gave the commands, therefore, they are good and holy. Paul explains in verses 7-13 that the Law is not the issue, but sin is.
 
 The law is to serve as a mirror. We are to in look into this mirror and examine ourselves. We are not to compare ourselves to a list of rules, but we are to compare ourselves to Christ who obeyed every commandment.
 
The reason we worship Jesus instead of regulations, is because we cannot keep the law and Jesus saves us from our filth that breaks the law. Therefore, we serve Him, not rules.
 
Sin Still The Issue
Apostle Paul finishes out this chapter with discussing his war with sin. Paul, like us, was sinful. He had fallen to the curse. He was not perfect. So, he is not talking non-sense. He has been there, and done that. He sums his battle up  by saying that there is nothing good in him. That as sinful people, our issue is not the law or the world, but it is our wicked hearts that pervert the law and this world.
 
SUMMING IT UP

We are wrong. The law shows us what is right. Jesus is right. On the Cross, He gave us His righteousness so that we can be made right with the Father. This is not an excuse to go on sinning, but a reason not to.

BE FREED!



Thanksgiving Thank you's

I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. Psalm 118:21

Thank you God for Life and Life more abundantly,
Thank you family for loving so consistently,
Thank you Mom for praying so persistently,
Thank you Dad for making me laugh daily,
Thank you mentors for putting up with my stupidity,

Thank you friends for being there through thick and through thin,
Brothers, Thank you for being Godly men,

Thank you food, you are so delish,
Thank you Cable, I don't have a dish,

Thank you teachers for putting in the time,
Thank you Lord for personalities,
We don't have to mime,

I know this is cheesy,
But tis all true,
My thanksgiving wouldn't be thanksgiving without you.

Thank you to the troops who protect this land,
Thank you neighbors for every lending hand,
Thank you summer for hot beaches and sand,
Thank you Mom for the veggie soup that you canned.

It's time to eat,
Oh yes indeed,
Everyone has cooked,
Look! A scrumptious treat!

Well I cannot say thank you enough,
For the love and other stuff,
 You've been kind, you've been sweet,
Now, lets say grace and begin to eat!

-With all sincerity, Thank you to all of you who support, love, and care for me. My life wouldn't be without you. Thank God for His grace today. Happy Thanksgiving and God Bless!

Kicking it to the Curb(Romans 6)

Romans 5: Jesus kicks misery's butt. Romans 6: Kicking sin to the curb.

Romans 6

1 Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace?2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him.9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God.11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.


12 Do not let sin control the way you live;* do not give in to sinful desires.13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace.


15 Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!16 Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you.18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.


19 Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.


20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right.21 And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom.22 But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

I could blog about this one chapter for months, and enjoy it.

Paul starts off with a question. He wants us to answer, and then he includes the answer that we should respond with.

Paul does this because the answer is obvious.


Implications of our Partnership
When you join a team, whether in the workplace or sports, you want to have the same goal as your partners and teammates. You want to own the same work ethics and habits.

As followers of Christ, we have been granted the privilege of being His partners. As a partner of Christ, we need to have the same goals and values as Jesus. We need the same uniform, code of conduct, and time sheet as Christ.

UNIFORM:
A football team wears the same uniforms so that they may look united. We are to be the same way with Christ. It should be obvious that we are on the same team as Christ.

Verse 6 speaks of being crucified with Christ. This was not a soft, gentle, and harmless death. They didn't velcro or thumb-tack Jesus to the cross, but he was nailed. Being nailed, beaten, and pressed upon beyond imagination leaves scars. It leaves marks. Now if we have been crucified as well, won't we have the same scars, and marks? These marks do not only show that we have died, but that we live through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Are you dressed like the King? Are you wearing His righteousness?

CODE OF CONDUCT:
Jesus was not religious. But, He was sinless. It was not about a list of rules, but about pleasing His Father in heaven. His code of conduct seemed to be like this:

1. If it pleases God, do it.

2. If it doesn't please God, Don't do it.

3. Glorify God.

Jesus never failed to please God. Jesus never fell to sin. Jesus always gave glory to Himself and His Father.

We are to live by these same guidelines. We cannot please God with sin. Sin displeases God. And God is not glorified by sin. So why sin?

If our goal is to please God, and to glorify Him, why do the very thing that He hates. We are to live for Christ, and live against sin.

CLOCKING IN:

Jesus never missed an appointment. Jesus never runs out of time, and Jesus is never Late. But, just as important: JESUS NEVER CLOCKS OUT.

If Jesus never quits being Lord and Savior, then why should we ever quit following Him as Lord and Savior? Does this make since? True beilievers of Christ, follow around the clock?

Do you clock out when you get around your friends? Do you take a break when you are at work? Do you sit down on the job when no one is looking?

Slaves

Paul teaches here that we are either a slave to sin or a slave to Jesus. That we have one master. A slave follows the commands of his Master. Who do you answer to? Who are you listening to? Who is your master?



Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

FACT: We have all sinned. Jesus can free us from sin. If He frees us from our sin, there is no reason to walk in it.

LUKE 9:62

62 But Jesus told him, "Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God."