Romans Ch 13 & 14 ~ Authority & Peace with each other

Chapter 13
V 1-7 do focus on submitting to govt authorities. I have however always felt convicted by these verses to submit to anyone placed in authority over me...supervisors, pastors, etc. it has always fascinated me how people in a workplace will not submit to authority. I think as Christians unless we are being asked to do something morally wrong or illegal we are called to ultimately submit to those in authority.

Of course v9...i doubt I love anyone as I love myself. What a thing to strive for.

Chapter 14
Today's chapter seems to primarily speak to getting along with those whose beliefs are different than ours. From the Message: v1 "Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way you do." v 4 "Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God's welcome? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help". V 17 & 19 "God's kingdom isn't a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness sake. It's what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy. Your task is to single-mindedly serve Christ. ... So let's agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help with encouraging words: don't drag them down by finding fault. You're certainly not going to permit an argument over what is served or not served at supper to wreck God's work among you, are you?" Finally, v 22 & 23 (parts chosen) "Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don't impose it on others. If you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe, then you know that you're out of line. If the way you live isn't consistent with what you believe, then it is wrong".

WHEW! It sounds to me like I need not be concerned from one denomination to the next what the "rules" are. God leads us all to something different based on the convictions he has given us, and it is not my place to judge what he has laid on someone else's heart as correct. I best be concerned with my own self and that I am living as he has called ME to live, and we all need to work together for the greater good, which is telling others about Christ!

Finally, from the NIV, 12 & 13. "So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your own mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way". I know I have been a stumbling block to others many times because of my attitude. I truly strive not to "turn my nose up" and what others opinions and beliefs are anymore just because they don't coincide with my own! God is in charge of their heart, not me. The Message adds in verse 4 "Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God's welcome? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help". I am the first to think someone cannot possibly be a Christian because of this or that...but it is not my call, is it? It is my call to love them and be at peace with them, not judge them because their beliefs may be different. God can handle it.

Romans Ch 12 - A Living Sacrifice

It starts at the very beginning for me. V 1 - "offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God" - I would love to walk around offering all I have in God's name. I get so emotionally and physically spent, which is the human side of me. But I need to be praying for abilities beyond myself to love those around me as God does - being whatever He asks me to be.

V 2 - "but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" - that is what I am trying to do!!! I have always read this verse knowing I needed to be spending more time with God to allow Him to put my focus on Him! I finally feel as if He is for the first time being given the opportunity to renew my mind - and it is awesome.

V 9-21 are instructions for how to live. I particularly like how they read in the Message. These are great verses that I should read every morning when I rise to set my mind straight for living that day.

Romans Ch 11 - Doxology

This Chapter really focuses on details of Israel, God's chosen people, turning their backs on God, thereby opening the doors for the Gentiles to come to God. Praise the Lord! It was in His plan to make a way for all of us to come to Him! I love all the verses about the grafting of the wild olive branches into the tree - but God will always graft back on the original branches - the Israelites - as soon as they turn back to Him. I don't think I ever give much thought to how much God loves His people - the Israelites - and how sad it must make Him that they don't recognize His Son as the one He promised.

V6 - "And if by grace, then it is no longer by works. If it were, grace would no longer be grace". We are saved by GRACE. Grace alone! We could never earn what God has given us - again, awesome verses to remember for ourselves when we fall, but also for the new Christian. We can never be "good" enough to come to Him.

I really love the Doxology at the end of this chapter.

"Oh, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?
Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen"

Our God is SO big - his paths beyond tracing out.

I am so filled this morning. It is amazing me what getting up and spending this time with the Lord does for my heart.

Enjoy your day :)

Romans Ch 10 - How Beautiful!

Romans is so full of salvation verses...Paul was given such incredible revelation from God on how to put it all into words to us so plainly, so all could understand!

V 9-10 "If you confess with your mouth "Jesus is Lord" and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." It is so simple that SO many do not get it because they feel like it must be more complicated! But it's not! Believe it in your heart and say it with your mouth - Jesus is Lord!

God has been laying on my heart over many months (and possibly years) how important it is to reach the lost with his words. V 14-15 put it to me again this morning. "How then can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"" Send...preach (hear)...believe...relationship. Can you imagine your life if someone had never told you about Christ?

I pray we will all have the boldness to tell others about Him.

Have a wonderful day! I am praying for you!

Romas Ch 9

I had SIX friends join me this morning to read! Praise the Lord!

Major Chapter theme ... God is in charge. We may or may not understand, but it IS God who is in control. Why is that so easy to believe when things go well, but not so much when they don't? I know for me it is because if God can fix it, why doesn't He? We don't always know...especially here on this side.

Regarding Jacob and Esau... (Msg) "What God did in this case made it perfectly plain that His purpose is not a hit-or-miss thing dependent on what we do or don't do, but a sure thing determined by His decision, flowing steadily from His initiative." God had a plan for Jacob and Esau and US!...a perfect plan.

Again for the new Christian, or one struggling to accept Jesus, v 16 (NIV) "It does not therefore depend on man's desire, but on God's mercy." God's has mercy on us...we can never be good enough.

Finally, v 20 (Msg) "Who in the world do you think you are to second guess God? Do you for one moment suppose any of us knows enough to call God into question?" Nope.

Again, let me say this is just what God has laid on my heart, for me. I pray His word brings you comfort and joy today.

Welcome!

One of the main purposes of this blog is to share what the Lord is sharing with me each day in my devotional time. I "meet" with several other women each morning via Facebook or texting. We read a chapter from the Bible, then share our thoughts with each other. I'm just going to pick up where we are today...it's a great place!

I want to keep a record of my readings because I feel like I am learning so much. Hopefully this is much faster than hand writing in a journal.

Today we read Romans Chapter 8. My thoughts:

What a great chapter! V 1 starts right off with awesome news, especially for those who you are witnessing to. There is no past in Jesus! Stop thinking he won't love you because of who you were!

V 9... I need to remind myself of this every day. I am NOT controlled by my sinful nature. I AM controlled by the Spirit of God.

V 26 ... How many times have I not been able to pray because of sadness, tiredness, irritation, anger? Praise God His Spirit does it for me then. I am never alone.

V 28 has seen me through countless trials and will continue to.

I pray you all got as much out of this chapter as I always do. Thanks for joining me today. You are loved!