Tag: Pondering the Truth

I Will Still Choose to Believe. Choose Comfort. Choose Security. I Will Still Choose the Resurrection and the Life.

Today many TV shows offer new life in interesting ways: Tear down a needy family’s old house, and build them a beautiful, well-furnished new one.

Throw away all of a person’s old clothes and give them thousands of dollars to buy new ones for a new look.

Present all kinds of ways to lose weight, achieve “optimal” health and wellness.

Reclaim, fix up old unused cars, publicly repurpose them for another family.

The promise in all these new and reclaimed and re-purposed things, of course, is not just a makeover but the big opportunity at something more: a new life.

But do, can, temporary, superficial fixes really bring the joy that people crave?

Who would not want that big opportunity at something more – like a new life?

John 11:17-27Amplified Bible

17 So when Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb [a]four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away; 19 and many of the Jews had come to see Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning [the loss of] their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet Him, while Mary remained sitting in the house. 21 Then Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give to You.” 23 Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise [from the dead].” 24 Martha replied, “I know that he will rise [from the dead] in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “[b]I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, relies on) Me [as Savior] will live even if he dies; 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me [as Savior] will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed and continue to believe that You are the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of God, [c] He who was [destined and promised] to come into the world [and it is for You that the world has waited].”

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

Everybody needs comfort and security!

And we need it today, as well as tomorrow.

We need it always.

Martha and Mary, however, did not have much comfort and security and peace at this present time, even though they had some measure and degree of peace of mind and heart regarding the resurrection of their brother in the future sense.

But right now, in the moment of grieving, mourning, they had very little peace.

Everyone acquainted with the Bible knows the story so well.

These two sisters and their brother Lazarus were special friends of our Lord.

He stayed at their home many times.

Here He likely could relax after a busy schedule.

A deep relationship of friendship had been established.

But now Lazarus becomes sick.

And though he may have been better one day than another, his over-all condition is worsening.

Soon he is critically ill.

And Jesus is away in Perea, some 20-25 miles east or one day’s journey by foot.

Of course, they couldn’t give the Lord a telephone call urging Him to come immediately, nor drive out there to get Him.

A messenger, likely their fastest “runner,” is sent out, with haste, urging Christ to come at once.

But Jesus has no haste.

He tarries, to the confusion of the disciples.

How Martha and Mary must have been looking and waiting for Him!

But He just did not come in the instant they desperately desired.

And their brother, Lazarus died and was buried and sealed in a tomb.

Martha and Mary have problems.

Big problems – as all people, believers or otherwise, do when they lack faith.

The two sisters have several problems.

First of all, there was that problem of the “if.”

If only Jesus had been there, when Lazarus was so sick.

The If im­plies that they had no peace or comfort at that time, and they don’t have it now.

If has to do with the hypothetical, the conditional, that which is uncer­tain.

But the two sisters have more problems.

Jesus means something to them and would have meant a lot more to them, only when He is physically near to them – available at the exact moment of notice.

A Savior who is absent from them physically really means little or nothing to them.

He would have meant so much to them if He had been there and helped them physically by healing their seriously ill brother.

There are so many people like that.

They look for Jesus, pray to Him when they need Him for some physical help.

Otherwise, they can get along quite well without Him.

They treat God the same way.

Someone once said, “He’s like a handy man around the house.”

We like to have Him near when we need Him.

We like to have Him on our “speed-dials” on our smart phones.

We would love Him as our Face Book friend then we could “face-time” with Him in an instant – the same with any instant “social media” platform.

Such people use the Lord, and that almost ex­clusively for themselves.

And they call that religion! And they consider themselves to be religious.

They believe in God!

But in this moment of greatest “life and death” crisis,

Do they believe in the life Jesus offers as much as they believe in God?

Martha and Mary are like that here.

But aren’t we all like that so often, and altogether too much?

But the two sisters have still another problem.

Their faith in Jesus means something and will take on added meaning in the future.

Martha believes that Lazarus will rise from the grave someday, in that final day.

She does not doubt that at all.

But that will be “someday” in the “far off future day of the Lord”.

She has nothing now, in and for the present.

Jesus, the friend, Jesus the Master Rabbi, means nothing to her now, right now.

It’s obviously way, way, too late. Her dear brother is gone. He’s simply dead.

What does Jesus do?

Immediately go to the grave and raise Lazarus?

By no means.

He will teach them something first, preach to them, and the miracle will confirm the Word. After all, this was always the pur­pose of the miracles.

John 11:25-26New Living Translation

25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. [a] Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?

Martha and Mary, the Jews, you and I, must know what Jesus means when He says, I AM the resurrec­tion and the life.

Not I will be, some day in the future, no, no; NOW I am the living One.

Jesus speaks and acts already on the basis of what He is as the Son of God and what He will do and be as the One who will one day be risen One from the grave.

These two women must also know and believe that He is such a Savior, whether He is present with them physically or not.

He is and will be the ever-present spiritual Lord, to help them physically and spiritually.

They must know and believe that He gives comfort and promises it not only for the future, in that last day, but here, now, right now, in the immediate sense.

Now Martha, I AM the resurrection and the life.

He is the resurrection because He is the life, the eternal Son of God Himself.

All the weight of this text should take on much more immediate meaning for us, who live after and know about His cross, resurrection and the outpouring of the Spirit, have the complete written Word of God and believe in that Word of God.

Having given this grieving, sorrowing, Martha this assuring word, the Lord now goes on to ap­ply this wonderful truth to her in her present needs and to all of us.

In the contemporary sense, in the modern times we all find ourselves living in,

First of all, He shows that He is aware of the Christian’s sorrows and needs at each moment of life being “lived” and at the time of death.

He is also aware the Christian’s deep concerns and fears about living out the daily grind of “resurrection life,” the grave, and about rising from the grave.

With that in mind the Lord speaks those immortal words, “He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” 

These words refer to that future time when the body comes alive, then will die.

But he who be­lieves need not worry.

He will live again.

Christ here reaches out to that great and final day of His return when all the dead will be raised.

Surely the Lord knows how much we are afraid of the grave, re­turning to dust.

But be assured, He means to say, you won’t stay there, your body won’t.

You SHALL live again, be assured of that.

On what basis can He say this and give that kind of assurance?

Because He IS the resurrection and the life.

Today He is the risen, exalted Savior and Lord in heaven.

He is alive, as the risen Son of God.

He won’t leave our bodies in the grave.

Martha and Mary then, whatever our name is now, He means to say, “I won’t forget you. I won’t forget my people, my sheep. Never! They all shall live.”

That will take place someday in the future.

But how about the present?

After all, “Martha and Mary” and us too, needs comfort right now, especially when we are in that time and season of afflictions, sorrows and special needs.

This Jesus knows only too well.

And being aware of it and desirous to comfort these His people there in Bethany He further adds: “And whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”

With these words Jesus refers to the present.

He is speaking about those who believe and are alive.

Those who have the new life, with new hearts.

Paul calls them a new creation.

Those people never die, not really.

Not with their new hearts, their new in­ner life.

Through Jesus who is the resurrection and the life those people constantly receive the Spirit and life that is in Him.

They have that whether Jesus is in Perea or not.

They have that whether they live in America, or England or Ukraine, or Russia or wherever else it might be, or whatever circumstances they find them­selves.

They have that when they are healthy, but also when on their deathbeds.

This eternally living Lord is always with them.

Even the death of the body does not affect this relationship.

They simply never die.

They possess that new everlasting life.

C. S. Lewis said once, “Christians never say goodbye.” 

This Martha and Mary and all of us, must believe Jesus, as the Son of God.

Notice how Jesus adds to this powerful brief ser­mon a definite qualification.

It is not for everybody.

No, only for believers.

But even then, it must not be something that is objective.

It must be a soul-searching matter, one that brings us to self-examination.

Therefore, Jesus asks: Do you believe this? 

He wanted these women then, all of us today to believe His words, constantly to believe and to trust in Him.

And those who do so may be assured that He who can say, I am the resurrection and the life, is their Savior and Lord. And His promises are for them.

He will be the resurrection and the life when they die, when their bodies are in the grave, but also for their souls and hearts, for every moment of everyday, for all time, from the very present moment of their existence, even unto eternity.

Never is there or will there be a time when they do not belong to Him.

That’s the answer to all the fear, problems, and anxieties of the two dear friends in Bethany.

And for everyone who believes.

Then Jesus goes to the grave to raise Lazarus.

These people, and we with them, must know that Jesus knows what He’s talking about.

Also, that He can “back up” His words.

Also, when He says, just a few days later,

Let not your hearts be troubled. Peace I give unto you, peace I leave with you.

This is true for all believers, for all time and in all circumstances, bar none.   

The new life Jesus speaks of goes much deeper.

Two main questions help us believe and understand and experience the new life that Christ offers:

First, do I trust in Jesus as my Savior?

If I admit with all of my heart and all of my soul, to God that I am a sinner, deserving only punishment, and if I have faith that by his death on the cross Jesus paid for my sin, then God’s promises are 100% mine, and so is new life.

Second, do I promise to live for Jesus as the Lord and only Love of my life?

Have I genuinely, with all of my heart, all of my soul and all of my strength surrendered my wants and choices to Jesus’ will and what he wants of me?

With all of my heart, all of my soul and strength, do I cultivate a lifestyle in which the character of Christ is demonstrated in my speaking and doing?

With all of my heart, all of my soul, all my strength, do I truly pledge myself to grow in knowing God through Bible reading, prayer, and Christian fellowship?

If I answer yes, Jehovah God is with me, then Jesus empowers me by his Spirit to live and do these things to the best of my “limited” abilities, to the glory of God.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Dear Father in heaven, to you we entrust everything, for you have given us life and will call us to resurrection. You will help your children, your people, to reach what you have called them to. Protect your church on earth. Let her soon see your glory. Let her see Jesus Christ intervening in people’s lives and destinies until, shaken and trembling, they have to recognize that they should love and honor Jesus alone, to your honor, O Father in heaven. We thank you for all you have given us in your Word, which enables us to become your children and to find your way for us on earth. Bless us and give us the Holy Spirit. Protect us in these most precarious of days and seasons. Protect us so that nothing evil can divide and harm us. Alleluia! Amen.

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Hope in the Lord! Be Strong! Let Your Heart take Courage! Let Your Heart be Strengthened! Keep in Step with God. Psalm 27:14

Psalm 27:14Amplified Bible

14 
Wait for and confidently expect the Lord;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for and confidently expect the Lord.

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

Sitting in our rocking chair on our front porch on a sunny day.

Sitting in our rocking chair under our covered front porch on a rainy day.

Sitting in our recliners, watching television, doing crosswords or Sudoku.

Sitting in our Doctor’s offices or in an Urgent Care setting or Emergency Room.

Sitting in some waiting room waiting for some report on our loved one’s health.

Sitting outside Pastor’s office – the report was not what we were waiting for.

Sitting in our Pastor’s office – the report was not what we were hoping for.

Waiting …. and waiting …… and waiting some more …… for who knows what.

Reasonable …… Unreasonable Expectation we will all be …… for some reason(s)

Patient in our afflictions.

Patient in our sufferings.

Patient in our Patience.

Demonstrating sound Christian Principles …..

Modeling those Sound, Disciplined, Expected, Christ-Like Christian Behaviors,

Patient hope.

Patient perseverance.

Patient endurance.

Patient Patience …..

as we wait for the Lord to work in the difficult circumstances of our fragile life.

Such an “I’ll try to hold myself together for as long as I am strong enough, until God arrives” exhibition encourages someone’s faith in God to be strengthened.

Conversely, as one’s faith is often tested in those long and painful seasons of life, when patient endurance is called upon as we trustingly wait for the Lord to act, submissively waiting on the Lord’s promises to be fulfilled in prayer, and praise, and thanksgiving, we actually wait not with patience – but impatience.

The reality of it all is more like – “the Lord God should have been here an hour before anything, and literally everything, went awry a hundred different ways.”

It is absolutely correct to believe that Patience is a “fruit of the Holy Spirit” –

“I just wish God had given me all of His before things suddenly just flew apart.”

There always seems to be that “I got this thing under control gap” between what is communicated to us in the Word of God for His Children and reality.

When reality hits us square in the face – and it definitely will hit us somewhere, then the lessons of Scripture, somehow seem to end up in that somewhere else.

Yes! We need to confidently wait for the Lord to act on our behalf, knowing that His promises are ‘yes’ and ‘amen’ in Christ Jesus, and we all definitely need to faithfully wait upon the Lord with His psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, making music to the Lord in our praying hearts, with thanksgiving and praise.

But we first need to discipline ourselves to actually: “Wait Upon the Lord!”

Somehow, stop ourselves from taking that one more step into our distresses!

Get a grip on ourselves …..

Look out into the world …… what is the world offering you in this moment?

Look upward unto the hills from whence cometh our help …… (Psalm 121 NIV)

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.

Both now and forevermore …..

Look upwards unto the Heavens …. from where our help actually did come from.

John 14:1-3 NIV

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

When we are in step with the Holy Scriptures, when we are quieting ourselves, when we are sitting on a bench, walking in step with Christ, abiding in Christ, waiting for Christ, our inner heart is empowered, and our courage is enlarged.

When we turn our eyes upward instead of focusing outward, we are waiting for His quiet and quieting presence, resting in His love, our soul is strengthened by the Spirit of the Lord, for His strength is made perfect in our restful weakness.

When we take all of God at His Word and trust Him unquestioningly, despite our inner fleshly nature and outer distressing circumstances which scream at us to do something, we will be enabled, from within, to wait on the LORD and be of good courage. For we have been promised that He shall strengthen our heart.

The Lord has His own way of restoring us unto Him the Joy of our Salvation!

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Heavenly Father, too often my old sin nature calls upon me to take hold of the reins of my life instead of waiting, abiding in You and resting in Your promises. Help me to learn to wait on You alone and to be of good courage, knowing that You are in perfect control of my life and all I am called upon to do is to quietly wait for You to act on my behalf and to confidently wait on You with prayer and worship and a heart of blest and blessed thanksgiving and praise. In Jesus’ name, Gloria! Alleluia! AMEN.

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A Prayer does not Fix Everything, but It definitely does Change Everything!

Because of God’s greater and more perfect wisdom, I try hard to trust Him to determine what is much better and best, for me, along with His perfect timing.

Sometimes I realize the mere timing of the answer is a miracle in itself to show that it truly came from my God and not something of my own Power or Volition.

I have been ‘living’ these long years of my existence with this living thing called “my place and my station in my life” and when stuff happens, that’s where it all happens, exactly where I am at that very exact and exacting station of my life.

I was on my Shabbat with my wife on that cruise ship when we caught Covid 19.

All the precautions we all took, all of the negative pretest requirements we and everyone else did to even get ourselves board the cruise ship -the handwashing and hand sanitizing required before we sat down to our meals – and the masks.

Still, somewhere and somehow, in those moments – we brought Covid19 home.

Life – is a many splendored and joyous thing, an indescribably mysterious thing but it is also an impossibly fragile thing, changing every single ‘living’ moment.

Why are we not all fervently praying for every single living, changing, moment?

James 5:13-16Common English Bible

13 If any of you are suffering, they should pray. If any of you are happy, they should sing. 14 If any of you are sick, they should call for the elders of the church, and the elders should pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Prayer that comes from faith will heal the sick, for the Lord will restore them to health. And if they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 For this reason, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous person is powerful in what it can achieve.

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen

In today’s modern techno everything the eye can see, the hand can touch world sometimes it is too hard for us to start to imagine, realize the power of Prayer.

After all, man has accomplished so much that often we look for solutions to life’s problems in the natural world before even seeking God. It is often said that “Prayer Changes Things!” We should also add, “Prayer Changes Us!”

• It is true that our prayers will change things around us but sometimes our prayers are just meant to change us

• To make it more personal, “God always meant My Prayer was to Change Me!”

• At times, after prayer, our living situation even remains the ever same – but, by God’s grace, we come through it thinking and acting and behaving different.

To be brutally honest this moment of this day in an effort to help us all, I must admit there have definitely been times I have often wished that every prayer that I prayed would be directly and definitively and most decisively answered.

And I have wished that my prayers would be answered instantly, instead of the often “Wait” signal that comes from Heaven. But if I truly were to have those wishes answered, I would need to have God’s wisdom to go along with it, for sometimes we pray for things that are less than what God has in store for us.

So, I can definitely say it’s a good thing that God says “No” to some things, and “Wait” for others because He knows what is best for us. As I oftentimes say –

• We want what’s Good for us and God wants what’s Best for us.

• Once too many “Oftentimes” they are at the opposite ends of the spectrum.

“If that’s the case, then why pray at all?”

Though there are times when God says “no/wait,” I do know this – when I don’t pray, I’m left to handle things on my own power without Divine intervention!

Because of His perfect wisdom, I trust Him to determine what is best for me, along with His perfect timing.

Sometimes the mere timing of the answer is a miracle in itself to show that it truly came from God and not something of our own Power or Volition.

God loves to delight His children.

God loves to surprise His children and He loves to do things in such a way that it displays His glory to the absolute utmost and 100% maximizes our dependence.

I have tried to be a praying person for the majority of my Christian life.

Has it worked? – I have no earthly or heavenly way of knowing.

Has it fixed me entirely? Apparently not, because i still have a long way to grow.

We have no doubt prayed about some things, hoping for prayer to fix it, right?

• When we are Sick – we pray for God to Heal us

• When we are Poor – we pray for God to Provide

• When we have been Wronged – we pray for the Justice of God to make it Right.

• When we’re Confused – we pray to God for Clarity

• All of those prayers are good prayers

• God calls on us to trust Him in such moments to Move- to Work – and to Act on our behalf

• But still, prayer doesn’t “fix” all of the situations we encounter in this life.

In the Book of Acts, Chapter Four, we read the event of Peter and John being arrested for preaching about Jesus. Later, they are released after a strong lecture from the temple police about not continuing to spread the gospel. the church, in response, begins to pray. And here’s the spoiler alert —

• The persecution issue actually gets worse after the church prayed

• Prayer did not fix it

• The problem remained

• But prayer did change the situation or to say, it changed the variables.

Acts 4:23-30Common English Bible

The believers pray

23 After their release, Peter and John returned to the brothers and sisters and reported everything the chief priests and elders had said. 24 They listened, then lifted their voices in unison to God, “Master, you are the one who created the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. 25 You are the one who spoke by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant:

Why did the Gentiles rage,
    and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth took their stand
    and the rulers gathered together as one
    against the Lord and against his Christ.[a]

27 Indeed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with Gentiles and Israelites, did gather in this city against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and plan had already determined would happen. 29 Now, Lord, take note of their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with complete confidence. 30 Stretch out your hand to bring healing and enable signs and wonders to be performed through the name of Jesus, your holy servant.”

The fervent Prayer changed the Variables – the ones who were praying to God:

Acts 4:31Common English Bible

31 After they prayed, the place where they were gathered was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking God’s word with confidence.

What did the church pray for in the face of persecution?

greater boldness – greater power – a greater witness. And God answered that prayer, not by fixing the persecution problem, but by changing the variables.

• After this prayer, the meeting place shook

• They were all filled with the Holy Spirit

• Then they preached the Word of God with boldness

• All the believers were united in Heart and Mind

• And they felt what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.

We sometimes place a burden on prayer that prayer was never meant to handle.

• We treat prayer like a magic formula

• We treat prayer like there is a genie in a bottle waiting to be rubbed, released.

• We treat prayer like we have just been granted three “blank check” wishes.

What we essentially say to God is, “God, I have this issue, and I’m asking you to fix it for me.” And when the problem doesn’t resolve or go away quickly, we feel –

• Disappointed with God

• Discouraged about our circumstances

• Disgusted with our own lack of faith

What if, instead of expecting prayer to “fix” all of our negative circumstances, we actually trusted instead that God designed prayer to change the variables.

• Could it be that when I’m asking for God to fix my broken finances, His real desire is to for me to change, for me to grow my ability to manage my finances?

• Perhaps, instead of miraculously fixing areas of conflict in my marriage, God’s real aim is to change me and my spouse to be more like Jesus toward each other

God often heals, provides in response to prayer in dramatic, miraculous ways.

• I’ve seen it and, actually, genuinely, so have each of you!

• I believe in it and, actually, genuinely, so do each of you!

But more often my Brothers and Sisters,

God goes to work changing us and the people around us from the inside out – sometimes slowly and progressively – to be able to handle our challenges in different ways which we already had revealed to us but were too scared to try.

Here’s what I believe prayer does –

• Prayer changes all of the variables at work in any given situation, making possible either a miraculous and instantaneous deliverance or the slow, progressive change and growth necessary for overcoming adversity

• Let me try to frame it like this ….

o How many times did you pray not to have that surgery – Had surgery anyway

o How many times did you pray to meet that financial need – but lost money anyway or fell “just a wee bit” short of paying essential monthly bills anyway

o How many times did you pray judge would be lenient – but were sentenced to paying some monetary fine, received “points” on your drivers’ license anyway

o How many times did you pray for that new job – Did not get the job anyway

• PRAYER DOESN’T FIX EVERYTHING BUT IT CHANGES EVERYTHING

• Oftentimes we need to understand that Prayer changes us not necessarily the circumstance always

• God is always challenging us to work on ourselves in an effort to become more like Him

Handling life without prayer is like playing basketball with a flat ball.

• It just doesn’t work

• And we expect prayer to make us pro players who never miss a shot and we expect to happen overnight

• But prayer really gives us an inflated ball

– BETTER EQUIPMENT

– BETTER SKILLS

– BETTER OPPORTUNITIES

– MORE STRENGTH

– MORE SPEED AND STAMINA

– so, the game becomes winnable

• Prayer isn’t a magic formula that instantly and easily fixes everything

• But prayer is definitely powerful enough to change the variables of any situation to which we apply its power

Yes, my brothers and sisters,

– PRAYER DOESN’T FIX EVERYTING BUT IT CHANGES EVERYTHING.

• Our prayers do not ever alter God’s sovereign plan

• It’s not like we pray and God says, “Woah, hey now! Didn’t expect that one. Okay, gotta change things quickly. Time to shift things around. Let’s see, I’ll put this here and this here and…”

• God is not the penultimate Project Manager, trying to juggle the lives of who knows how many millions and billions of people as they each make their own preferred choices apart from His unchangeable, unknowable sovereign plan.

• He has planned and ordained history, and He knows precisely what will happen

• My prayers don’t change the wise, good, sovereign plan of the Almighty God

• Phew. Thank God they don’t because some of my prayers throughout the years….never mind

But in another sense, prayer really does make things happen.

Scripture is clear that God wants us to pray and that He really and truly does respond to our prayers.

Scripture makes it beyond “Crystal Sea” clear that prayer does change things.

James 5:13-15Easy-to-Read Version

The Power of Prayer

13 Are you having troubles? You should pray. Are you happy? You should sing. 14 Are you sick? Ask the elders of the church to come and rub oil on you[a] in the name of the Lord and pray for you. 15 If such a prayer is offered in faith, it will heal anyone who is sick. The Lord will heal them. And if they have sinned, he will forgive them.

The logic here is pretty simple.

• If you’re sick, call the elders to pray for you and God will hear and answer that prayer

• On the flip side, if you don’t pray the prayer will not be answered

Okay, so you are probably asking yourself at this point – well, what does prayer change then?

• Prayer changes Us

• Prayer changes the world around us

• God sovereignly uses our prayers to fulfill His perfect plan

• Yes, prayer does change things – therefore, we should pray

Prayer is, for the most part, an untapped resource, it is an –

• Unexplored continent where untold treasure remains to be unearthed

• It is talked about more than anything else and practiced less than anything else

• And yet, for the believer it remains one of the greatest gifts our Lord has given us outside of salvation through our ONE Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ALONE!

I wonder how we would respond if someone were to ask us in this moment – “why are you praying?” and we say, “I don’t know, I just felt this impulse,” –

• God would not get the glory He would get if we answered, I’m praying because Jesus is my Lord and has the right to overrule human plans in answer to prayer.

• I’m praying because the Spirit of God is a Spirit of love and compassion and forgiveness and will hear my prayer, even my many unspoken ones, for mercy.

Prayer and faith go hand in hand.

Genuine faith is grounded in God’s promises, a true understanding of God’s will.

Because of God’s perfect wisdom, I trust Him to determine what is best for me, along with His perfect timing.

Sometimes the mere timing of the answer is a miracle in itself to show that it truly came from my God and not something of our own Power or our Volition.

I close this devotional offering with a Poem:

Exhortation To Prayer Poem

What various hindrances we meet
In coming to a mercy seat!
Yet who that knows the worth of prayer,
But wishes to be often there?

Prayer makes the darken’d cloud withdraw,
Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw,
Gives exercise to faith and love,
Brings every blessing from above.

Restraining prayer, we cease to fight;
Prayer makes the Christian’s armour bright;
And Satan trembles when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees.

While Moses stood with arms spread wide,
Success was found on Israel’s side;
But when through weariness they fail’d,
That moment Amalek prevail’d.

Have you no words? Ah, think again,
Words flow apace when you complain,
And fill your fellow-creature’s ear
With the sad tale of all your care.

Were half the breath thus vainly spent
To heaven in supplication sent,
Your cheerful song would oftener be,
“Hear what the Lord has done for me.”

by William Cowper (November 26, 1731-April 25, 1800)

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

God, my Sovereign, Builder of all things, I know that when I acknowledge your authority and your power that you will make my paths straight in front of me. Please empower me to live a greater life in Christ. May your Holy Spirit who lives in me draw me closer to you. Give me a mind of understanding. Let me see as you see, and not as the world sees. I trust your judgment fully and know that my own judgment is limited. I believe you have everything in control, and you will guide me exactly where you want me to go. Gloria! Alleluia! Amen.

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In the Light of the Morning Sun. The Awesome Face of God on the Waters.

Psalm 29:1-2 Common English Bible

Psalm 29

A psalm of David.

29 You, divine beings! Give to the Lord—
    give to the Lord glory and power!
2 Give to the Lord the glory due his name!
    Bow down to the Lord in holy splendor!

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

The Wife and I plus a mutually unwelcome Covid virus have been back from our nine-day cruise up and down the New England Coast – from the port of New Jersey to Boston, Bar Harbor, Halifax Nova Scotia and back – for five days now.

The trip itself ….

A time of fellowship, shared with two very dear and precious friends ….

It was a precious time of Praise and Shabbot with my God and with my wife.

A much-needed time of Shabbot for both my wife and me and with our God.

The picture of the morning sunrise above is one taken from our balcony. It was one which captivated my wife and I while we waited for our ship to reach port.

It was such a rare sight for my wife and I that early in the morning. The gentle sound of the waters clapping upon the side of the ship and a cool ocean breeze.

We just kind of sat there on our balcony, putting our feet up, holding our hands.

The awesome presence of the face of God upon the far-off morning horizon, upon the far-as the eye can see, expansive waters of vast the Atlantic Ocean.

Psalm 29:1-2 Complete Jewish Bible

29 (0) A psalm of David:

(1) Give Adonai his due, you who are godly;
give Adonai his due of glory and strength;
2 give Adonai the glory due his name;
worship Adonai in holy splendor.

As we meet with God in the light of the morning, as our thoughts turn either to Him alone, His exclusive place in our lives in this moment, or the journey to our workplaces, or getting children to their schools or some other worldly concern,

we take at least a few quiet breaths to relax ourselves – to make a silent choice:

“Today, I will choose to see the awesome Face of God in those whom I Meet!”

In the adrenaline rush of the coming day, as we each move into the noise of the coming day, we intentionally find the time to weave into the noise, the silence of the Lord’s Sanctuary and remember this is the day that the Lord hath made and this is the day the Lord alone hath gifted to each and every one of us today.

Know that He takes His place upon the throne of our hearts and our souls when we deliberately give Him those precious few moments of our personal Shabbot.

We bow our heads, bend our knees and bow our spirits, but for a few precious moments throughout the day, each and every day – let the voice of God speak!

Our attentive spirits open the doors to heaven.

It is a doorway which swings both ways – for God comes to us no matter where we are or when we are or why we are – however it is we happen to be feeling.

The Wonder of such a simple worship is the wonder of His very real presence.

It is a chorus of singing angels, it is blessed, blest music from another world, wonder that floods out all the darkness and the dust of death this life contains.

We somewhere, somehow, rediscover the innocence of waves as they are heard peacefully clapping upon the sides of the ship and then returning to the ocean.

We somewhere, somehow, rediscover the innocence of children again as we are taken back to when our moms first held us upon their chests when first borne.

We praise and exalt the greater and greatest name of the Lord our Saving God.

He opens Himself to us – again and again and again – with the same measure of unwavering, unrelenting unconditional love and mercy and, grace, compassion.

It is the most awesome moment of our life for that day – beyond all other times!

Now, let’s consider taking ownership of those second to none “God Moments!”

Exalt, Worship and Praise the Lord in the Beauty of HIS HOLINESS – not ours!

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

O God, whose voice spoke the heavens into being,

whose Spirit hovered over the great expanse of waters

whose holiness is not limited to grand cathedrals or saintly persons,

spectacular mountains or mountain-moving leaders;

O God,

whose holiness is often discovered in simple everyday places

and simple everyday folk,

plant Your holiness in this place, in us now.

Grow us this very moment, throughout each coming hour,

nourished by your sunshine,

watered by the life-giving waters of your Son,

that we might blossom and flower, right where we are,

with the beauty of Your holiness.

Through our Savior Jesus we pray. Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxEyIZfm3ys

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Our Covenant Obligation: Our Sabbath Rest, Sabbath Reset. Redeeming our Time with the Only God of our Shalom. Exodus 20:8-11

Exodus 20:8-11Amplified Bible

8 “Remember the Sabbath (seventh) day to keep it holy (set apart, dedicated to God). 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath [a day of rest dedicated] to the Lord your God; on that day you shall not do any work, you or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock or the temporary resident (foreigner) who stays within your [city] gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and everything that is in them, and He rested (ceased) on the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy [that is, set it apart for His purposes].

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

Just look up at the stars and think about our Creator who knows each and every one of us by name and how much more He knows ME and knows YOU by name, knows EXACTLY what situation we are facing. Our way is not hidden from God.

Just as an entire body of any of the world’s ocean cannot be seen in a bay, or when looked at from a horizon, there is a vastness to God that cannot even be seen in the incarnation of Jesus. He was limited in time and space, but not God.

God is still ever alert, seated on his throne, and we can trust in His sovereignty.

He does not slumber, nor does He sleep, He will always act at the proper time.

Such a magnificent view of God is essential for great hope and great energy.

Humanity’s physical and mental fatigue have a deeper cause in a tired spirit.

Frustrations and dashed hopes mean we need to lift our eyes unto the Hills and the Heavens and change our focus to an everlasting God who never grows tired.

He gifts, He gives, His strength to the weary, increases the power of the weak.

Sometimes we must rest and sometimes we must reset ourselves, so we have the strength, alertness to lift up our heads unto the hills to see our Salvation.

We must mentally and physically “take a deep breath or two” wait upon and wait for the Lord to intervene, then He raises us up as on the wings of an eagle again and we can continue effortlessly propelled by the spirit of the living God.

Eagles will lock their wings in a storm and allow the strong winds to lift them and they soar above the storm. That is exactly what God will do for us when we “lock our wings,” rest and reset, simply trust him during our “busy” of living.

God made the Eagle ….

God made You ….

God made Me ….

God made My Wife

God gave me My Wife to love, cherish, care for “as unto the Lord, my God!”

Sometimes we just need to rest, reset and redeem the time God is gifted to us.

We have a Covenant Obligation to Remember the Sabbath and Keep it Holy.

But we cannot do that if we try too hard to be “perpetual motion” Christians, loving and serving the Lord our God and our neighbors in His Neighborhood.

The Great Commandment is to not just Love God and our Neighbors with all of our might, all of our hearts and souls and minds – but to LOVE OURSELVES too in the same zealous manner we love and serve the One God who is our Salvation.

So, after 295 consecutive days of studying, praying writing these devotions as my act of obedience to my Creator and my Redeemer, it is time to rest and reset.

My wife and I have not had a time and season to be “set apart, to spend with our God,” any vacation, since the Pandemic began and two plus years prior to that.

So, we will be taking the next two weeks or so to rest, refresh our love for each other and God and reset, redeem our time with our Savior upon the High Seas.

Exodus 20:8-11Amplified Bible

8 “Remember the Sabbath (seventh) day to keep it holy (set apart, dedicated to God). 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath [a day of rest dedicated] to the Lord your God; on that day you shall not do any work, you or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock or the temporary resident (foreigner) who stays within your [city] gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and everything that is in them, and He rested (ceased) on the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy [that is, set it apart for His purposes].

Our reading from the Hebrew Testament today states that “in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth … but he rested on the seventh day.”

The ambition and creativity we bring to our love of God and our labors in God’s Neighborhood is a reflection of our Creator’s. love and labors on our behalf.

It’s part of how we live out our covenant obligations, reflect his image and a big part of how we “tirelessly” try to minister, “tirelessly” serve as HIS witnesses.

God also rested on the seventh day, however, and he calls us to do the same.

For us, good work hinges on good rest.

Without rest, our love, our labors, our work in Ministry and Mission slows.

That is why, from time to time, Holy Spirit “hits our “rest and reset” buttons.

A divine reminder: Our obedience to our Covenant Obligation to Ministry and Mission, our discipline of a ‘regular rest and reset’ becomes our witness in our fast-paced world, especially when that time is focused on enjoying our Creator.

It speaks of God’s love to command what’s good for us.

Our zealous, over-zealous, attention to our (over) ambitious, ambitions would risk hindering, distract us from him and drive us into the ground if we let them.

How will you live out your Covenant Obligation to “rest and reset and redeem?”

How will you rest and reset and redeem your time this week and this weekend?

For the sake of good work later, let’s rest.

For the sake of good works of Ministry and Mission later, please rest and reset.

For the sake of our own SHALOM’s, please ‘rest, reset and redeem’ God’s time.

For the sake of sanity, let’s rest. For the sake of glory to God in regular worship and fellowship, let’s rest, reset. God blesses those who “work hard” at resting.

Let’s trust him to establish our work, give rest to our hearts, reset to our souls.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Psalm 90Amplified Bible

Book Four

God’s Eternity and Man’s Transitoriness.

A Prayer of Moses the man of God.

90 Lord, You have been our dwelling place [our refuge, our sanctuary, our stability] in all generations.
2 
Before the mountains were born
Or before You had given birth to the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are [the eternal] God.

3 
You turn man back to dust,
And say, “Return [to the earth], O children of [mortal] men!”
4 
For a [a]thousand years in Your sight
Are like yesterday when it is past,
Or as a watch in the night.
5 
You have swept them away like a flood, they fall asleep [forgotten as soon as they are gone];
In the morning they are like grass which grows anew—
6 
In the morning it flourishes and springs up;
In the evening it wilts and withers away.

7 
For we have been consumed by Your anger
And by Your wrath we have been terrified.
8 
You have placed our wickedness before you,
Our secret sins [which we tried to conceal, You have placed] in the [revealing] light of Your presence.
9 
For all our days pass away in Your wrath;
We have finished our years like a whispered sigh.
10 
The days of our life are [b]seventy years—
Or even, if because of strength, eighty years;
Yet their pride [in additional years] is only labor and sorrow,
For it is soon gone and we fly away.
11 
Who understands the power of Your anger? [Who connects this brevity of life among us with Your judgment of sin?]
And Your wrath, [who connects it] with the [reverent] fear that is due You?
12 
So teach us to number our days,
That we may cultivate and bring to You a heart of wisdom.

13 
Turn, O Lord [from Your fierce anger]; how long will it be?
Be compassionate toward Your servants—revoke Your sentence.
14 
O satisfy us with Your lovingkindness in the morning [now, before we grow older],
That we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 
Make us glad in proportion to the days You have afflicted us,
And the years we have suffered evil.
16 
Let Your work [the signs of Your power] be revealed to Your servants
And Your [glorious] majesty to their children.
17 
And let the [gracious] favor of the Lord our God be on us;
Confirm for us the work of our hands—
Yes, confirm the work of our hands.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Gloria! Gloria! Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen!

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Is Jesus Influencing, Making, Any Measure of Difference in our Life? Colossians 1:1 – 8

Colossians 1:1-8Amplified Bible

Thankfulness for Spiritual Attainments

1 Paul, an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed) by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 To the [a]saints and faithful [b]believers in Christ [who are] at Colossae: Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father.

3 We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we pray always for you, 4 for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus [how you lean on Him with absolute confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness], and of the [unselfish] [c]love which you have for all the saints (God’s people); 5 because of the [confident] hope [of experiencing that] which is reserved and waiting for you in heaven. You previously heard of this hope in the message of truth, the gospel [regarding salvation] 6 which has come to you. Indeed, just as in the whole world the gospel is constantly bearing fruit and spreading [by God’s power], just as it has been doing among you ever since the day you first heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth [becoming thoroughly and deeply acquainted with it]. 7 You learned it from [our representative] Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf 8 and he also has told us of your love [well-grounded and nurtured] in the [Holy] Spirit.

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

Today we are going to examine some important questions.

Is Jesus making a difference in your life?

Does Jesus have any degree or meaningful measure of influence over your life

The answer to this question is important because the answer to this question will tell us where we are at with Jesus and just how important He really is to us.

This devotional message is not intended to beat anyone down; it is meant to “stop our world from spinning off into the depths of “who knows where and why and when,” to challenge us to soar to greater heights with our great God.

How many times have we seen a person in athletics not reach their potential?

The NFL is getting ready to kick off its 2022 season.

Each of the teams started training camp with 90 players on their roster.

Now, before the season starts next Sunday, teams must get down to a roster of 53 players who “made the team by their efforts to meet “what it takes to win.”

That means that a whole lot of players of all experience levels will not be on the playing field – they “did not reach their potential, did not make the teams cut.”

How many times have we seen students of all ages go through their schooling and never reaching their potential?

It is a sad experience to read of the scandals of students just being “passed.”

Parents, Educators and Teachers and Coaches losing influence over that child’s life and witnessing then the growing and maturing influence of the “streets.”

Belonging to “families” becomes belonging to “drugs, guns and street gangs.”

It is a sad sight to see isn’t it.

People around them whisper about the waste of talent and potential they see.

• I believe the 21st century church is at a critical crossroads; this church is at a crossroads.

Individually, we must all decide how much we are going to let Jesus be our Lord, we all have to determine if we are going to totally give ourselves over to Him or are we just going to barely influence, scratch the surface, to be happy with that.

Corporately, we must all decide how much and IF and HOW and WHEN and WHY we are going to let Jesus be our only INFLUENCER our ONLY SAVIOR.

• Where we are at with Jesus is where the church will be at with Jesus.

Are we going to be “Christian?

Are we going to be a church that is absolutely sold-out on Jesus or are we going to be a church that is happy with scratching the surface of what GOD can do?

• I hope that as we delve into, through the book of Colossians, we will all learn something, some things that will help to challenge us to go deeper with Jesus.

Apostle Paul is writing this letter to a church that is struggling with some false teachings that were prevalent at the time.

This letter is written with three major purposes in mind;

these purposes are still absolutely valid today.

o To encourage the readers not to go back to their former way of life.

o To direct the people’s attention to Jesus and to get them to fully trust and worship Him and to fully recognize who He is.

o To emphasize the influence and virtue of Christ’s forgiveness and kindness.

Today we are going to look at four indicators that prayerfully will tell us if we are letting Jesus be our primary influencer, the primary difference in our lives.

Colossians 1:1-8New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Salutation

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 To the saints and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father.[a]

Paul Thanks God for the Colossians

3 In our prayers for you we always thank God, the[b] Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel 6 that has come to you. Just as it is bearing fruit and growing in the whole world, so it has been bearing fruit among yourselves from the day you heard it and truly comprehended the grace of God. 7 This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on our[c] behalf, 8 and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

I. IS JESUS THE CENTER OF YOUR FAITH?

I love the way this letter starts out.

It starts with the Apostle Paul in verse 2 saying that he is writing to the FAITHFUL brethren at Colossae.

Then he moves to telling the readers he is thankful for them and that he is praying for them always.

• Then he moves to what he is thankful for.

• He is thankful that he has heard of their faith in Jesus.

• When you think about it, this is an impressive statement.

The faith of the Church at Colossae is so great that it is known all around.

• Notice too that their faith is in Jesus; it is centered and based on Him.

• Their faith in Jesus made such an impact on the lives of those in the church that they gained a reputation for their faith.

• I wonder what people would say about the church as they walked around Colossae.

• I wonder what people say about the 21st century Christian Church when the subject comes up?

What are we known for?

If culture is the primary influencer, making the difference in our lives ….

• If Jesus is the primary influencer, making the difference in our lives,

will we then be known for our faith in our Master Rabbi, and Savior Jesus?

• The only way that our Master Rabbi Jesus, our Lord and Savior Jesus will be our influencer, the difference in our lives is if we have an undying faith in Him.

• I have seen too many people over the years play the church game.

We can get so caught up in things to the point that Jesus is not really the center of our faith.

For many the center of their faith is the status quo, it is their jobs, family or entertainment.

• Paul was not thankful for the church at Colossae because they had a really nice and diverse, inclusive, influential, politically correct and welcoming building.

He was not faithful because they sang a certain type of music or had a certain order of service, he was thankful for them in part because of their faith in Jesus!

• Faith means in part to trust.

Who do you trust?

Into whose hands do we really put your salvation?

Who do you turn to in times of trouble?

Who do you give the glory to when things go well?

• If Jesus is the center of your faith, your life will be different.

I hope that our church is known for our faith.

That will not ever happen unless two things happen.

First, our faith has to be evident in our lives and secondly, we need to be involved in the lives of other people so they can see our faith in action.

II. IS YOUR LOVE FOR THE BRETHREN EVIDENT?

The second thing Paul is thankful for is the love the church had for the brethren and for all the Saints (Christians)!

• Is Jesus making a difference in your life?

If He is, He will be the center of your faith.

The fact will manifest itself in how much love you have for your brothers and sisters in Christ.

• We have talked a lot about love in the past and we will continue to do it in the future.

This is an important issue.

IF you cannot love the most unlovely of us, then Jesus in not exerting any meaningful influence or making any measurable difference in your life.

• Jesus loved Judas?

He had plenty of reasons not to, but He did.

What is your excuse for NOT loving Judas?

• We cannot ask lost people to come in and love those we will not love.

If Jesus is influencing you, making a difference in your life, it will show by how you are able to love ALL of the brethren – WITHOUT EVEN ONE EXCEPTION!

1 John 2:9-11New American Standard Bible

9 The one who says that he is in the Light and yet hates his brother or sister is in the darkness until now. 10 The one who loves his brother and sister remains in the Light, and there is nothing in him to cause stumbling. 11 But the one who hates his brother or sister is in the darkness and walks in the darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

We can say how much we love Jesus all we want, tell Him how sold out we are to Him all we want, but if we do not love one another, they are empty statements.

• If Jesus is making a difference on our life, we will love the brethren!

III DOES YOUR FAITH REST IN YOUR HOPE IN HEAVEN?

• In verse 5 we find out why and how the Christians at Colossae had such a great faith.

5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel

• Their hope was focused on what was laid out for them in heaven.

• If Jesus is making a difference in your life, you will be able to realize there is a big picture.

You will not want to get even or take vengeance on every injustice done to you.

• Paul is thankful for their hope; faith and hope are always tied together.

Faith is based in hope.

• There has to be a pot of gold if you will at the end of the rainbow.

1 Peter 1:4-5GOD’S WORD Translation

4 We have been born into a new life which has an inheritance that cannot be destroyed or corrupted and can’t fade away. That inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 since you are guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of time.

If we have no hope of heaven, then we will not be able to persevere when we need to.

The things of the world will look too attractive to pass up if our faith does not rest in hope.

• One of the blessings of hope is it allows us to sacrifice the present on the altar of the future (Reverend Dr. John MacArthur Jr.)

• That runs contrary to human nature.

Young children, for example, have a difficult time waiting for something they want.

The world wants it and wants it now.

• The Christian has a different perspective.

He is willing to forsake the present glory, comfort, and satisfaction of this present world for the future glory that is his in Christ.

In contrast to the “buy now—pay later” attitude prevalent in the world, the Christian is willing to pay now and receive it later.

What makes Christians willing to make such sacrifices?

Hope, based on faith the future holds something far better than the present.

Romans 8:18-21GOD’S WORD Translation

God’s Spirit Helps Us

18 I consider our present sufferings insignificant compared to the glory that will soon be revealed to us. 19 All creation is eagerly waiting for God to reveal who his children are. 20 Creation was subjected to frustration but not by its own choice. The one who subjected it to frustration did so in the hope 21 that it would also be set free from slavery to decay in order to share the glorious freedom that the children of God will have.

If Jesus is influencing, is making a difference in our life, our hope in the future will truly allow us to sacrifice the present things for the future gain of heaven!

IV. IS GOD’S WORD PENETRATING YOUR LIFE?

5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. You have heard of this hope before in the word of the truth, the gospel

• Where did they get this hope, faith, and love?

Look at verse 5, they heard the word of truth, the gospel.

• They did not get their faith, hope, and love from the bottom of a cereal or Cracker Jack box; they believed it because they heard the word of God!

Romans 10:15-17New American Standard Bible

15 But how are they to preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who [a]bring good news of good things!”

16 However, they did not all heed the [b]good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word [c]of Christ.

CONSTANTLY BEARING FRUIT

• Wherever the gospel seed is sown, fruit grows. If the gospel has penetrated your life, your life will be fruitful for God. The fruit production will never stop.

• I absolutely love strawberries!

Every summer, a farmer plants acres and acres of strawberry plants and every year I can remember from my youth I can remember the farmer said they would get so many strawberries off them throughout the season we would get sick.

• With the strawberry plant, there would come a season when it would quit producing fruit.

For the one who has had the gospel penetrate their life, they will produce fruit in every season of life!

• Paul says for those at Colossae, that the Word has been bearing fruit from the day they heard and understood the word!

• Maybe some are not producing fruit because they are do not understand the Gospel Word.

The more you read it, eat it, the more understandable it becomes!  

Psalm 34:8-10New American Standard Bible

8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
9 Fear the Lord, you His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is no lack of anything.
10 The young lions do without and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the Lord will not lack any good thing.

CONSTANTLY INCREASING

• Not only will our lives produce fruit, but it will be in the increase all the time! As you grow and mature, you WILL produce more and more fruit for God!

• The spiritual growth of individuals will lead to new converts being won to Christ.

That was the easily observable pattern of the early church. (Acts 2:43-47)

Acts 9:31New American Standard Bible

31 So the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria [a]enjoyed peace, as it was being built up; and as it [b]continued in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it kept increasing.

You do not need some fancy program in order to grow; you need Jesus to make a difference in the lives of each one of us in the church!

• Part of the reason a church stops’ growing is because individuals within that church stop growing!

• If Jesus is making a difference in your life, the word of God will be penetrating your life and you will produce fruit for Him.

• Are you withering in the vine or are you feeding yourself with the Word daily?

V. ARE YOU AN EPAPHRAS?

5 because of the [confident] hope [of experiencing that] which is reserved and waiting for you in heaven. You previously heard of this hope in the message of truth, the gospel [regarding salvation] 6 which has come to you. Indeed, just as in the whole world the gospel is constantly bearing fruit and spreading [by God’s power], just as it has been doing among you ever since the day you first heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth [becoming thoroughly and deeply acquainted with it]. 7 You learned it from [our representative] Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf

We do not know a lot about Epaphras except for the couple of times Paul mentions him in the letter and once in Philemon.

• He is called a fellow bondservant who is a faithful bondservant.

He was most likely an evangelist.

• Notice in verse 7 we are told they learned the gospel from Epaphras! He was producing fruit. He was not going to leave it to someone else to teach people.

• You cannot teach what you do not know, and you cannot know what you do not study!

We are told in Colossians 4:12 that he was one who labored hard for Jesus.

• If you were mentioned in the Bible, what would Paul say about you?

• I hope we could all strive to be like Epaphras.

He was most likely nothing special; he was just willing to let God use Him!

• If Jesus is making a difference in your life, you will be a changed person!

Colossians 1:4-6Amplified Bible

4 for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus [how you lean on Him with absolute confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness], and of the [unselfish] [a]love which you have for all the saints (God’s people); 5 because of the [confident] hope [of experiencing that] which is reserved and waiting for you in heaven. You previously heard of this hope in the message of truth, the gospel [regarding salvation] 6 which has come to you. Indeed, just as in the whole world the gospel is constantly bearing fruit and spreading [by God’s power], just as it has been doing among you ever since the day you first heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth [becoming thoroughly and deeply acquainted with it].

It’s wonderful when someone comes into the kingdom of God.

That person receives God’s gift of grace through faith in Jesus, and they begin a new life of walking with the Holy Spirit.

The new believer realizes that their old life of selfish pursuits offers nothing that will ever satisfy.

They have turned their back on the darkness and are enjoying the light of the world, Jesus.

Praise God for his love!

Paul is filled with thanks to hear that the people of Colossae have come to faith in Christ Jesus and are showing their love for all God’s people.

He even says, “We always thank God . . . when we pray for you . . .”

They have become wonderful examples of living by faith in Jesus.

They believe and trust, they love, and they hope in what God has already stored up in heaven for them.

Drawing all this together, we can say with Paul that the faith of the Colossian believers is rooted in Jesus Christ.

Friends, my prayer is you will have faith in Christ Jesus; my hope for you is that in Jesus’ name you are loving others, giving yourself up for them, and growing in hope in all that God has promised and is storing up for you in heaven.

Stay rooted in Christ,

Anticipating the immeasurable reality of God’s kingdom on earth as it most definitely and decisively is in heaven.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Faithful Father, thank you that you have plans for your church that are for our good and your glory. The Bible says the church is your house, you dwell in the midst of your people. Let us be built on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ. Let us be built together in a way that honors you. May Christ dwell in our hearts through faith so that we, being rooted and grounded in love, may have the strength to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Savior. Amen.

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Covenant Obligation: To be Sharing our Faith Story Where Jesus Christ Is Not Known nor even Necessarily Desired. Romans 15:17-22

When I listen to the radio in my car, I often skip past music that I don’t like.

Some of it I simply don’t understand.

Some of it – based upon my age and upbringing, I would never call it “music.”

It spends far too much time glorifying a lifestyle which is fosters violence and counter cultural behaviors such as street gangs and illicit use of illegal drugs.

Yet even at my age, trying to understand the background of rap music or the anger of a Metallica song can give me helpful clues into the culture around me.

Paul learned how to take the cultural events and ideas of his day and connect them with the message of Jesus so that people of other faiths could understand.

If you have been a Christian for a long time and you are worshiping with others today, you can expect that the message you hear will be one you understand.

But is it a message that will also relate to guests who come for the first time?

In our churches are we speaking the language of the communities around us?

Many churches have become skilled at speaking the language of their culture.

They know that each Wednesday night or Sunday morning some people might show up who won’t understand all of their words, rituals, and ways of worship.

These churches try very hard to reach out, to be welcoming and also inclusive.

If you remember your first experience at being a first-time guest in a church or your own church, or you are a longtime believer, or whether you are a cradle to the grave member, remember that we do not need to understand everything.

We do not really need to know everything there is to know about everyone who is inside. We do not really need to know the denomination on the church sign.

We do not need to “google” the area churches for their consumer ratings.

We need to know if our experience in that Church will reveal God in Christ Jesus.

To know if our experience in that church only reveals the Gospel of our Culture.

There is no mystery in knowing and experiencing what influence culture has had on our church, on the message of Christ which “tickles our funny bones.”

There is always mystery in knowing what God has done, is doing, in the life of His church on a street corner, which is about tickling funny bones everywhere.

What we do understand, is the message of the Gospel of God truth though, is the language of welcome, acceptance, love, and grace but also of repentance.

We are covenanted by God with a holy and sacred obligation to preach the Gospel of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, a sacred duty to share our faith, influence the culture around us, not the other way.

It opens us up to the message from the Word that God wants us to hear today.

Romans 15:17-22Amplified Bible

17 In Christ Jesus, then, I have found [legitimate] reason for boasting in things related [to my service] to God. 18 For I will not [even] presume to speak of anything except what Christ has done through me [as an instrument in His hands], resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles [to the gospel], by word and deed, 19 with the power of signs and wonders, [and all of it] in the power of the Spirit. So [starting] from Jerusalem and as far away as [a]Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel [faithfully preaching the good news] of Christ [where it had not before been preached]. 20 Accordingly I set a goal to preach the gospel, not where Christ’s name was already known, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation; 21 but [instead I would act on this goal] as it is written [in Scripture],

“They who had no news of Him shall see,
And they who have not heard [of Him] shall understand.”

22 This [goal—my commitment to this principle] is the reason why I have often been prevented from coming to you [in Rome].

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

The problem with many worldly Christians, and perhaps some of you in this blog room, is that to you, your Christianity, your “Christiana-lity” is just such an incredibly intimate and personal thing; you do not ever desire to share it.

You have your ticket to heaven, you have your eternal fire insurance, and frankly, you don’t really care whether anybody else goes to heaven or not.

Sometimes Christians remind me of the lady who was taking a CPR and first aid course with me and several other healthcare professionals several years ago.

In the process of the class, the students were asked to give examples of how they had already been able to use their CPR or first aid training.

One day this young lady said, “I got to use my first aid training the other day. I heard a terrible crash in front of my house. A car had run into my yard, hit a tree, and the car doors had flown open, and there were some injured people on my front lawn. Because I had taken this first aid class, I immediately knew what to do. I sat down and took breaths, put my head between my knees, so I wouldn’t pass out.”

That’s the problem.

With our Christianity, we are like a bunch of people using first aid on ourselves.

When there are hurting people all around us, we are seen or acting like we need to take several deep breaths, then finding any quiet, non-descript place to be alone, tucking our heads between our knees to keep ourselves from fainting.

If your intent is not to faint in public at the slightest possibility of sharing the Gospel, if you’re content to hang on to the gospel and not share it with anybody else, you probably don’t share the zealous missionary heart of the Apostle Paul.

19 with the power of signs and wonders, [and all of it] in the power of the Spirit. So [starting] from Jerusalem and as far away as [a]Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel [faithfully preaching the good news] of Christ [where it had not before been preached]. 20 Accordingly I set a goal to preach the gospel, not where Christ’s name was already known, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation; 21 but [instead I would act on this goal] as it is written [in Scripture],

“They who had no news of Him shall see,
And they who have not heard [of Him] shall understand.” (Isaiah 52:15)

22 This [goal—my commitment to this principle] is the reason why I have often been prevented from coming to you [in Rome].

Did you notice the three locations there?

Jerusalem was the beginning point of the Christian church.

Then he said, “I preached the gospel all the way from Jerusalem to Illyricum.”

Now we would call that modern day Yugoslavia, all the way over to that part of Eastern Europe.

Then Paul says, “I’m probably going to come see you guys in Rome, but it’s only on my way to Spain.”

Had you looked at a map of the civilized world when Paul, in Corinth, wrote these words in about 56 or 57 A.D., you wouldn’t have found Spain on the map, because it was such an utter end-of-the-earth at that time.

In those days, they thought the earth was flat.

If you sailed much past Spain, you were going to drop off the end of the earth.

Paul says, “My heart’s desire is to go where Christ has never been preached, even if I have to go to the very ends of the earth.”

Fully Proclaiming the Gospel of Christ—Romans 15:17-19

“Therefore, I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done- by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So, from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.”

What a marvelous thing to be able to exclaim that everywhere you went you fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ without even one ounce of reservation.

What a great feeling to know that your life was given for the good news of Jesus, which has the power to save (Romans 1:16).

This was the theme and mission of Paul’s life.

He boldly taught Christ, faced all opposition to the message and ran the race set before him unto a glorious finish.

What is most amazing about this declaration is that Paul would not boast in anything except what the Lord Jesus accomplished through him.

His mission was to “go to the furthest reaches” to lead the Gentiles to Christ, he was the apostle set apart from his birth for this specific purpose (Romans 1:1).

Nowadays, that might be to go into an inner-city church for the first time to see and experience for yourself whether our prejudices and biases are reality based.

Everywhere, every culture where Paul went people came to the Lord because of the Living Word he taught, the demonstration of power that accompanied him.

The Holy Spirit verified by signs and wonders that he spoke on behalf of God.

Paul was the willing participant and the instrument God used to herald His amazing news to the world.

This is a critically important truth to understand; God confirms his Word by demonstration of power through the Holy Spirit.

Jesus established this truth throughout the gospels. When people cornered him asking if he was the Messiah,

he would answer them like this, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me” (John 10:25).

He never answered them by his own testimony, because the works he did, did all of the testifying to exactly who he was (see John 5:36; John 10:38; Matthew 11:4; John 2:23; Matthew 13:17).

To answer them plainly would not have satisfied Jesus, because the works that Jesus did were the evidence and necessary credentials that he was indeed the Messiah promised and sent by God.

Every miracle, sign and wonder that Jesus preformed was a fulfillment of what the prophets had foretold about the promised Messiah.

They testify that he came on behalf of God.

Even in the Old Testament, the prophet of God demonstrated that he was God’s spokesperson by performing miracles. 

Consider Moses as an example; he told Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go and demonstrated his command with the plagues because of Pharaoh’s hardness of heart.

When Pharaoh finally let the Israelites go,

Moses parted the Red Sea,

he produced water from a rock, and

he led the Israelites through the desert following the pillar of fire and stood by while God fed them quail and manna for those many years.

This was the proof that Moses spoke on behalf of God alone, because the Lord alone verified His word by these signs and wonders.

Elijah the Prophet had similar experiences.

To prove that He was the prophet of the One and only true God, he challenged the prophets of Baal to a battle.

He drenched the alter in water and asked God to send fire down from heaven to consume the offering.

Immediately fire came down and burned up everything.

He also prayed that it would not rain, and it didn’t for over 3 years.

Then when he prayed again, the heavens opened up and poured down rain upon the earth.

This is the proof of the prophet, the words spoken were confirmed by miracles.

There are countless others who experienced the same verification; Joshua, Abraham, Elisha, Isaiah, Daniel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Jonah, just to name a few.

This is a great reminder for today.

Paul experienced many people coming to the Lord by the gospel he preached and the work of the Holy Spirit present to confirm that the Word was true.

We too are ministers of the good news of Christ Jesus.

We should also expect confirmation by the Holy Spirit of the words we speak in preaching the good news of Christ. 

It is my hope at the end I will proudly boast of what has been accomplished by Jesus ALONE living through me.

I will always be ready to share the gospel with anyone who has an ear to hear, and I know that Holy Spirit will confirm the word spoken, because the gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (Romans 1:16).

Apostle Paul’s Ambition to Preach the Gospel Where Christ Was Not Known.

“It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. Rather, as it is written: “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.” This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you” (Romans 15:20-22)

Paul’s desire to share the gospel with people who previously had no knowledge of it, fueled three missionary journeys across the known world at that time.

Everywhere Paul, companions went they faced fiery, fierce, violent persecution because of the good news message of Christ as well as overwhelming response to it.

Paul acted upon the principal of what was written in Isaiah, 

“For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand” (Isaiah 52:15).

His desire was to share Christ where this message was previously unknown so this foundation would not be built upon anything thing else but grace.

Paul’s revelation of grace was unmatched by anyone.

He received it by direct revelation from Jesus (Galatians 1:11-12).

He understood the finer points of the Law because of his background as a Pharisee and Jesus showed him how each one was fulfilled and accomplished by His life, death and resurrection on the cross.

Paul understood the complete gospel and the grace of God toward mankind in the person of Jesus Christ, so naturally his desire was to reveal this knowledge to the rest of the world.

It is interesting to think how Paul alone was the apostle to the Gentile nation.

The Jews had the twelve’s apostles specifically set apart to share the good news of Christ with them and show them how he was their promised Messiah.

But Paul was the only one sent for the Gentiles.

He not only wrote most of the New Testament, but the details and accounts of his life and missionary journeys where incredible.

This is because Paul was able to share the good news of Christ Jesus to those who had no preconceived notions about who the Messiah would be.

Most of the time, they didn’t even recognize that one had been promised, let alone identify their need for a Savior.

When he shared the gospel in these areas, Paul didn’t have to combat doctrines or fight against the teachings and traditions of men.

He didn’t have to overcome inflexible ideology and tear down philosophy in order to build on a new foundation of Christ.

What is awesome is that he went to areas that had never heard of Jesus and was able to share the good news on his revelation of grace.

In this sense, the good news was too good to pass up and multitudes believed in Jesus and learned about this amazing grace under the apostle to the Gentiles.

This is an amazing truth, when we open our hearts to the Living Word of God without bringing in traditions, doctrines and preconceived ideas of what it means to follow Christ then we will also get such an indescribably powerful revelation of grace by the Holy Spirit, that our entire lives will be affected.

Not only ours, but those around us will be impacted as well.

So many times, in too many ways, our ‘religion’ gets in the way of relationship.

Search the Gospels, Jesus never spoke well of religion.

He told the disciples: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matthew 16:6). 

He was speaking against the established system that was corrupt and enslaving the people by rules, regulations and traditions that were meaningless.

These teachings kept them from God and finding true reconciliation with him by faith.

This is why, like Paul, our faith should be built on a revelation of grace through Christ Jesus.

Grace is what combats our meaningless traditions so that our lives stem out of relationship with Christ instead of “our connectional obligation” to religion.

The grace and mercy of Jesus is the cornerstone that holds it all together.

It is a firm foundation that cannot be shaken or removed by persecution or opposition to this message.

I am so thankful for Paul’s revelation of grace and his desire to share this great news to everyone who had an ear to hear it.

I am so thankful he wrote this amazing book of Romans inspired by the Holy Spirit so that we can understand the grace that we were called into through Christ Jesus. And to share our faith and live this grace all the days of our lives.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Mighty God, your Word is living and active. Help me to listen carefully to your voice as you give me wisdom and guide me through life. Your word is a lamp for my feet. When I don’t know where I am going, help me to look to you for understanding and follow the path that you show me. You are a light shining in the darkness. When I don’t know which way to turn, shine the light of your love into every corner of my life. Bring clarity to my thoughts. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

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My Duty and Covenant obligation to You is this: I do not want you to be unaware of God’s Words for Me and You unaware of God’s Words for You too. Romans 1:13-15

Romans 1:13-15Amplified Bible

13 I do not want you to be unaware, [a]brothers and sisters, that many times I have planned to come to you, (and have been prevented so far) so that I may have some fruit [of my labors] among you, even as I have among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I have a duty to perform and a debt to pay both to Greeks and to barbarians [the cultured and the uncultured], both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So, for my part, I am ready and eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

If you were to ask or have someone, ask, “For whom is God’s Word written?” someone will usually reply, “For quite literally everyone who has a birthday.”

But when you enter into those moments of “insufficiency,” ask a few more poignant questions and specifically dig deeper into the deeper issues which make you who you are, you probably begin to see an answer is not so simple.

Is the Bible written for people who say, act: “I could or could not care less?”

Is it written for people who cannot read Hebrew or Greek or Latin or English?

Is it written for the aware and the unaware, the agnostics or the atheists?

In this techno driven age, is it written just for people with or without a Wi-Fi, an internet connection, an IP address, social media, an email, a ‘smartphone’?

Is it written for those individuals who cannot unglue themselves from their smart phone screens or hopelessly, zealously lost in “intense” video games?

For example,

if I took all the letters I wrote to my wife while we were dating, and made them into a book, and then asked for whom it was written, what would the answer be?

Paul’s letter is for Greeks and non-Greeks, wise and foolish. rich and poor, the healthy and the unhealthy, the educated and the uneducated, believer or non.

But somewhere in that mix I too am included. God’s “letter” is for me too—not based on my gender, skin color, ethnicity, nationality or amount of wisdom.

It is for me, and you because God loves us and calls us to belong to him in Jesus.

Here’s what this means:

If I lean toward the foolish end,

God’s Word is for me.

If I am already wise and seasoned,

God’s Word is for me.

Why? Because God is not interested in simply teaching me theology.

God wants me to know him and hear him and love him.

That’s the whole point of the Gospel.

And that is why God’s letter through Paul to the Romans is for you.

God’s desire, as with any letter, is that you open it and read it

—and to do so more than just once or twice or a few times in your life.

Obligated to Proclaim

Romans 1:14-17New American Standard Bible

14 I am [a]under obligation both to Greeks and to the [b]uncultured, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed [c]from faith to faith; as it is written: “[d]But the righteous one will live by faith.”

These verses in Romans are a powerful introduction to this Book.

As Paul says, I am in absolute love the Gospel of my Savior.

As Paul says, I am in absolute love with my Savior Jesus Christ!

I’m not the least bit ashamed of it, this the “absolute greatest possible” good news Jesus Christ came for me, has died on the cross and risen from the grave.

I absolutely positively, love the Gospel.

I absolutely, positively, want to proclaim it boldly in the world around me.

But then he says right before that, “Not only do I want to; I have a duty to God! I’m under covenant obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both the wise and the foolish, the rich and the poor, the healthy and the unhealthy, to preach this gospel. That’s why I’m eager to preach to those of you who are in Rome.”

As a Pharisee, I’m sure Paul felt obligated to give instructions on how to live.

In fact, the Pharisees of his day were well known and thoroughly despised for preaching, teaching, heaping, a lot of extra obligations onto the Jewish Law.

So much so, the people were being “spiritually immobilized,” at a prolonged “spiritual standstill” and stood virtually little, no chance, of keeping the Law.

Even Rabbi Jesus commented on their behavior by saying, “You nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down” (Mark 7:13a).

This is why I find it so amazing that after only one encounter with Jesus, Paul exclaims, “I am obligated—to people—to everyone—to preach Jesus!

What a complete turnaround! Instead of insisting on rules and making the people miserable, Paul wanted everyone to know the person of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel of Jesus changed Saul from a zealous persecutor of the followers into Apostle Paul, from someone who had every reason to be confident in his righteous actions to someone who discounted it all for the sake of Christ.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul wrote,

“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith” (Philippians 3:7-9).

This is the power the gospel has in our lives.

It changes us from trying and coming up short to surrendering and gaining all.

On that Damascus Road, Jesus acted, changed Saul and renamed him Paul.

Understanding the gospel also transformed his passionate nature into a force in the early Church.

In the very same way, he zealously felt obligated to uphold the law, he was then obligated to preach about Christ to everyone, especially to those at the margins.

The beautiful thing is that we, too, can zealously let the gospel change us.

No matter where we start, the gospel has the power to transform us into new creations (2 Cor. 5:17). The rest of this letter is about this wonderful discovery.

These Verses from Romans Emphasizes our Need to Share the Gospel with all.

Zealously and Without Exception or Purpose of Evasion ……

Ownership of the Gospel creates a covenant obligation with the Gospel.

Acts 8:25-35New American Standard Bible

An Ethiopian Receives Christ

25 So, when they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Get ready and go [a]south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.” ([b]This is a desert road.) 27 So he got ready and went; and [c]there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of [d]Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was returning and sitting in his [e]chariot and was reading Isaiah the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this [f]chariot.” 30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:

“He was led like a sheep to slaughter;
And like a lamb that is silent before its shearer,
So He does not open His mouth.
33 In humiliation His justice was taken away;
Who will [g]describe His [h]generation?
For His life is taken away from the earth.”

34 The eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself, or of someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.

We cannot pretend we do not have the Gospel.

We cannot pretend we have not heard it for ourselves.

We are under a duty and covenant obligation to preach and teach the Gospel to all the nations – Matthew 28:16-20, Acts 1:8

And then Paul gets later in the book. He says, “I’m eager to get this gospel to Spain,” but he says these words, “I am under obligation.” (Romans 15:22-25)

Apparently in Paul’s mind, ownership of the gospel creates an obligation with the gospel because he knows the gospel; because he knows the good news of God’s grace in Christ, he owes it to God to make it known to all other people.

And so, I do pray! I want to encourage each of us to ponder and meditate about making the “genuine” effort to faithfully fulfill this sacred duty and obligation in each of our lives, for the souls of the uncountable billions who haven’t heard.

Romans 10:14-15New American Standard Bible

14 How then are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? How are they to believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? 15 But how are they to preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who [a]bring good news of good things!”

Now, we have the Gospel.

We have the good news of God’s grace in Christ.

We possess the Gospel.

It creates in us a duty, a holy and a sacred obligation unto God, with the Gospel, because we have knowledge of Christ, we owe knowledge about Christ to others.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

King of Kings, Lord of Lords, thank you that you are great and abundant in power, your understanding is beyond measure. In your wisdom, you have created the church, described as Christ’s body. May we work together as members of one body, using the gifts and abilities you have given us to faithfully love and serve one another. Would we find our strength from Jesus, the head of the body. May the Lord make us increase and abound in love for each other. May you establish our hearts as blameless in holiness before you. Through Jesus Christ, our Savior, Amen.

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God’s Most Eager Desire for Me: To Most Eagerly Pray, To Most Eagerly Preach, To Most Eagerly Proclaim, HIS Gospel. Romans 1:8-15

Romans 1:8-15Amplified Bible

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith [your trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness] is being proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God, whom I serve with my spirit by preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how continuously I mention you 10 in my prayers; always pleading that somehow, by God’s will, I may now at last come to you. 11 For I long to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift, to strengthen and establish you; 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged and comforted by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, [a] brothers and sisters, that many times I have planned to come to you, (and have been prevented so far) so that I may have some fruit [of my labors] among you, even as I have among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I have a duty to perform and a debt to pay both to Greeks and to barbarians [the cultured and the uncultured], both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So, for my part, I am ready and eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

In my brief experience as a pastor, and now as a writer of these devotions, I would never try to describe preaching as either easy or boast as simply fun.

But it can be incredibly meaningful when you sense that something in your message of God’s love connects with your listeners.

So, I can appreciate that the Apostle Paul is indescribably ­eager to preach the gospel to the people he most adamantly cares about in Rome.

The Apostle Paul is eager not because he thinks he’s so good at what he does or because he desperately desires to become the headliner for a few perfor­mances before tens of thousands of Roman citizens in the empire’s great colosseum.

The reason for his eagerness comes from the fact the gospel is the power of God.

And it is power for a specific purpose – Salvation.

The gospel is not power to get a new bill of health, to gain a reputation, or to sell a specific bill of goods or services or to gain the friend or spouse you desire.

It’s not power for financial success or fault-free parenting. It’s not power to get into heaven when you die.

It is God’s power for salvation.

And salvation has absolutely everything to do with getting to where we most desperately desire to be in our connection, Koinonia, relationship with God.

Paul’s eagerness in all this is a reflection of God’s desire.

God wants me to belong to him as fully and as completely and as maximally as I can in the life I am now trying to live.

That’s the point of the gospel, and that is its power.

The challenge for me is to have the same eagerness for God that God has for me.

The same eagerness which Apostle Paul expresses in His Epistle to the Romans.

Introducing himself, Paul gives us concise statements of the Gospel of God.

• The good news has absolutely everything to do with Lord Jesus Christ, the descendant of David by birth and declared the Son of God by His resurrection.

• Jesus’ death and resurrection brought us into a new relationship with God.

In these few lines, Paul laid out the thrust of his letter – the message of the Gospel.

This letter of Romans is different from the other letters he wrote, which concern the churches and their problems and needs.

• Romans focuses on God and His plan of salvation for man, both Jews and Gentiles.

Why Romans?

• Paul wrote the letter while he was in Corinth during his 3rd missionary journey.

• He was on his way back to Jerusalem with the collections from the Gentiles churches.

• So, the practical reason for the Letter was to communicate to the Roman Christians that he was planning to visit them after this trip to Jerusalem.

More importantly, he writes to present a clear explanation of the Gospel, the message that he has been entrusted with and proclaiming all this while.

• This was called for because of the differences in understanding between the Jewish and Gentile believers, with regards to their salvation in Christ Jesus.

Is there not now, in these times and seasons of 2022 great differences and even greater divides and chasms among Christians with regards to their salvation?

Are there not, even today, great expressions among “the believers” of ……

“You take your ‘theology’ and go your way towards your salvation!” and

“I will take my ‘theology’ and go my way towards my salvation!” and

“In the end we will see who is right, know who’s wrong, by who is in Heaven!”

Paul set forth the Gospel to unite us theologically and present Christianity fully.

• Romans turn out to be the longest of Paul’s letters that we have and the most in-depth, comprehensive exposition of the Gospel of Salvation in Jesus Christ.

That explains the introduction. He set the tone right.

• It is not about Paul’s message, or Peter’s message but the message of God; a message that is built upon the foundation of God’s revelation in the Scriptures.

• Salvation through Christ ALONE!

It is not any mere or meager afterthought but the plan of God all along and fulfilled in the Person and work of Jesus Christ – his death and resurrection.

• To bring lost humanity back to an eternally living relationship with Christ!

Romans 1:8-10Amplified Bible

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith [your trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness] is being proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God, whom I serve with my spirit by preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how continuously I mention you 10 in my prayers; always pleading that somehow, by God’s will, I may now at last come to you.

A deep and abiding concern for the believers in Rome was reflected in Paul’s opening message of thankful praise for each of them.

Indeed, their faith in the Lord Jesus had been made known throughout the Roman Empire.

What a wonderful, inspiring testimony of these dear saints of God, and what an awesome message of encouragement to all of us to boldly proclaim the glorious gospel of Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe.

Paul desperately did not want any single part of this important epistle to be lightly received, or lightly taken for granted and so he laid emphasis on his calling, his apostleship, and his bond service for the Lord Jesus Christ alone.

But infinitely more than this Paul called upon the eternal God of the universe, Creator of heaven and earth, as witness to his own deep and loving concern for their planted by God, blossoming, growing and maturing spiritual wellbeing.

Like all who trust in Jesus Christ, Paul had been given a new nature – a new life in Christ which delighted to spread the good news of the glorious gospel of Christ in spirit and truth, which loved these believers with a Christ-like love.

Paul’s love for these believers was reflected in his deep and earnest concern for them, as he constantly made mention of them to the Lord Jesus in daily prayer.

Let us seek to develop the same eagerness to preach and proclaim the Gospel.

The most eager and deep and loving concern for ALL our brothers and sisters in Christ, as we, like Paul, lift them up in earnest prayer to our Father in heaven.

Imagine yourself being a part of a faith community that was famous around the world because of its active faith.

When I meditate and ponder upon this Epistle to the Romans, it’s interesting the Roman believers did not have a previous visit from one of the Apostles.

After the persecution broke out in Jerusalem and the true believers fanned out, they spread the gospel everywhere. They made it as far as Rome and their church was thriving, and soon reports of their faith made it back to Paul.

One of Paul’s main goals in life was to visit Rome for mutual encouragement (Romans 1:11-12).

Paul was actively praying for an opportunity to go, but later in this letter he explains why he hadn’t been able to come (Romans 15:20-22).

He was hindered because there were many places in between that needed the gospel, which delayed his trip.

Amazingly, Paul reveals a bit of his passionate nature in midst of his waiting, “I remember you in my prayers at all times.”

Paul is simply reminding the Romans that, in the same way he serves the Lord wholeheartedly, this is the same way he remembers them in prayer. He thanks God for them and their faith and asks that the way be opened for him to come.

We can learn much from Paul.

Today, if you and I genuinely want to pray for people and do not know where to start, then start thanking God for their faith and what He is doing in their lives.

When we can recognize the way, He is working in others, we will see how He’s working in us and then find mutual encouragement through the Gospel of God.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

O Lord my God, you are my shield and my strength. Help me to trust you with my decisions and my future. Let me lean on you and the message of your Gospel, with all my heart instead of relying on my own frail, faulty, failed understanding. Give me clear guidance in my life Lord. As I submit myself to your Gospel, I know that you will direct my paths and I can have confidence that your direction is always the best way to go. Lord, bless me and keep me, make your face shine upon me. Turn your face towards me and give me peace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Alleluia! Amen.

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The Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Power of God, the Righteousness of God, the “Just” just faithfully walking upright with their Savior God. Romans 1:13-17

How do I feel about faith?

How do you feel about faith?

How do we collectively, as the Church, feel about faith?

How do we collectively feel about ‘being just’ and living in faith?

How do we feel about ‘just living in faith’?

Many people think faith may be a helpful protection in case they need it—like a fully inflated spare tire for their car.

Many turn to faith when facing struggles, but then innately turn back to something more “reliable” when a crisis passes.

In the beginning it may have been easier to have faith in God. Adam and Eve spent time in person with God, and they could ask him anything.

But when they disobeyed God, yielded to the deceptive words of the serpent and fell into sin, everything changed – they became aware of good and aware of evil. (See Genesis 2-3.)

God came looking for them but could not “find them” where He expected them to be. God called out to them, but their response was neither good nor expected.

They were hiding from God, behind the bushes and in their nakedness.

To say the least, their Father God got ‘righteously mad’ at them.

Their Father God began to demand some serious answers to why they hid.

God’s wrath was made evident, and Adam and Eve were tossed from the Garden.

They lost their full relationship with God and became stuck in their own sin.

Then they could only catch glimpses of God’s presence and his work in this world as if by squinting with blurred vision or in cloudy darkness.

They needed God to reveal himself—and he often did that in the following ages—to Abraham and his descendants and ultimately in Jesus, who became the Savior from sin.

But many people turned away from God and put their faith only in things they could see, like the moon and stars, or idols that their hands made.

For thousands of years faith was common in human history, until the Age of Reason (Enlightenment) swept through Europe in the 18th century.

Then many people figured they could be faithless.

In the name of “science” and logic, modern thinkers stopped believing in anything they couldn’t see. So having a “just and living faith” became harder.

Do you and I have faith?

Would you and I like to learn more about what faith really is?

Would you and I like to learn more of the Power of God?

Would you and I like to learn more of what the Gospel is?

What about learning more of and about God’s Righteousness?

Romans 1:13-17Amplified Bible

13 I do not want you to be unaware, [a]brothers and sisters, that many times I have planned to come to you, (and have been prevented so far) so that I may have some fruit [of my labors] among you, even as I have among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I have a duty to perform and a debt to pay both to Greeks and to barbarians [the cultured and the uncultured], both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So, for my part, I am ready and eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation [from His wrath and punishment] to everyone who believes [in Christ as Savior], to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed in a way that awakens more faith]. As it is written and forever remains written, “The just and upright shall live by faith.”

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

So far in chapter one the Apostle Paul has introduced himself to the church in Rome, which remember was not in any one central place in Rome but was many individual house churches which are scattered throughout the city. 

After introducing himself to the church he gave the purpose of his letter, to prepare them for his upcoming visit if it was God’s will. 

Paul desired to visit them so they could mutually encourage one another in the faith.  Paul also desired to preach the Gospel throughout the vast city of Rome.

Paul’s thankfulness for the faithfulness of the members of the church in Rome, his consistent prayers for them, his desire to meet them and his fellowship with them, and his desire to obtain some fruit among them by preaching the Gospel were Paul’s spiritual service of worship. 

Thanksgiving and prayer brought him into the throne room of God, fellowship with other believers built him up in the faith, while their faith was being built up, and preaching the Gospel was the task to which he had been appointed to by God.  All these together were Paul’s spiritual service which is worship.

Today, we are going to try to slow down a little bit and only look at two verses in which Paul gives us the theme of this letter he is writing to the church in Rome.

John MacArthur states about these two verses (16 and 17) that faithfully, they, “…express the theme of the book of Romans, and they contain the most life-transforming truth which God has put into men’s hands.”

To understand and positively respond to this truth is to have one’s time and eternity completely altered. 

These words summarize the gospel of Jesus Christ, which Paul then proceeds to unfold and explain throughout the remainder of the epistle.”

The overarching theme of the book of Romans is the righteousness that comes from God, the glorious truth that God justifies guilty, condemned sinners by grace alone through faith in Christ alone. 

In the two verses that we are looking at today, the Apostle Paul will announce this overarching theme to us and give us a summary of what we have to look forward to in the rest of the book of Romans.

Paul makes four statements in these two verses that I want to examine this morning as he unfolds his theme for us. 

Each statement begins with the little word “for” F-O-R.  

FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED (Romans 1:16a)

Paul had just finished saying in verse 15 that he was eager to preach the Gospel in Rome, to share the good news of Jesus Christ. 

Now he opens up this verse by saying, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel…” (Romans 1:16a, NASB95)

What does Paul mean by this statement?  He means that he is not only eager to preach the gospel in Rome, but when he comes, he will dare to preach it boldly.

Throughout Paul’s missionary journeys he had endured many hardships in preaching the gospel from both the Jews and the Gentiles. 

If you want to read about his hardships and the persecution that he endured for the gospel you can find it in the Book of Acts chapters 13-23. 

He was imprisoned, chased out of a couple of cities, smuggled out of some, he was beaten, he was stoned and left for dead, he was laughed at and considered a fool, but none of this stopped him, still boldly proclaimed the gospel of Christ. 

When he stood before the Jewish Council in Jerusalem, he was not intimidated by them, nor was he intimidated by the cultured, educated Greeks in Corinth, or Ephesus, or Athens. 

Paul was unashamed of the gospel, he never allowed opposition to stop him from boldly proclaiming the gospel. 

God had appointed him to the role of apostle to the Gentiles and Paul took this appointment seriously. 

Paul knowing the heart of man wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:22-25,

“For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentile’s foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Corinthians 1:22–25, NASB95)

Though this was true in the Apostle Paul’s day and remains still true even today, the gospel is the wisdom of God that has provided salvation for men. 

Paul never shrunk from the task of preaching the Gospel, and I believe the prospect of preaching it in a city where he had never preached before just made him all the more daring and eager and bolder. He desired one thing and one thing only: to share Jesus Christ crucified, buried, resurrected from the dead.

Unfortunately for many of us today the words eager and bold do not come to mind when we think of sharing the gospel. 

When God gives you and me an opportunity to share the gospel, how often do you and I, to the fullest extent possible, actually exercise that opportunity? 

I will admit to you that this is even difficult for me when I am one on one with a person or in a small group of unbelievers. 

Put me before a crowd of people and I will share the gospel boldly and eagerly, but when in a small group or one on one I must force myself to speak. 

Why are we like this? 

Because we know that to an unsaved person the gospel can be intimidating and “culturally” offensive and even, to the utmost degree imaginable, repulsive too.

It is so counterculture to the ungodly world that we live in. 

Pray and think about it, before we can share the good news, we have to share the bad news and that exposes man’s sin and his lostness, and it shows that we must strip away our pride and it shows that works righteousness, all that we do to try and make ourselves right before God is worthless before Him. 

Remember Isaiah’s words concerning man’s good works done in the flesh, he wrote in Isaiah 64:6,

“For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” (Isaiah 64:6, NASB95)

What is that reality they want no part of?

For the sinner they do not want to hear about their sinfulness, they do not want to give up their pride and they do not want to hear or have revealed that all their alleged good works are worthless, so they respond to the gospel with contempt and then may attempt to rigorously argue against it or become very defensive. 

I believe it is this response that keeps many people from sharing the gospel, for fear of what may be said of them, about them, to them, to their very faces, or for the abject and debilitating fear they can’t give one answer for their arguments.

Because of this unpopularity of the gospel many have tried to make it more culturally acceptable.  

But if we water down the gospel, minimize its depth of meaning, relevance to our lives, remove the offense of the cross it renders the message of the gospel ineffective, we make light of the offense of sin, removes the need for a Savior.  

Paul in his boldness and eagerness to preach the gospel never watered down or tried to minimize what he said about sin or about the Savior.  

His heart’s desire was to see men saved, he did not care about his own comfort, safety, popularity, reputation, or even if people ridiculed or imprisoned him.

He did not compromise the gospel that he preached because he knew that the truth of the gospel was the only power available to change the lives of men, women and children for eternity.  Paul was not ashamed of the gospel because without it, men, women, and children would go into a Christ-less eternity.

FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD (Romans 1:16b)

            Paul goes on in this verse to tell us why he is unashamed of the gospel and in doing so begins to give us the theme of his letter, he writes, “for it is the power of God…” (Romans 1:16b, NASB95)

The gospel contains the omnipotence of God, only the gospel has the power of God to transform lives.  

Only God’s power can save men from sin and give them eternal life.  

Paul says, this is why I am not ashamed, this is why I dare to proclaim the full measure of the gospel boldly, because it is the omnipotence of God. 

People want to change, they want to feel fulfilled in life, they want their lives to count for something and they spend their whole life searching for, trying to fill that void that they feel in their life. 

I know a woman who has been searching to fill that void for much longer than I have had the privilege to know her, she goes from job to job thinking that she will maybe find something that will fulfill her, something that will fill up that void in her life, something that will maybe make her good enough for her God. 

What she doesn’t understand is that void can only be filled by the Holy Spirit when she comes in repentance to God and trusts in what Christ did for her on the cross, that He paid the penalty for her sin, that He was buried, and on the third day rose from the dead, triumphing over sin and death forever. 

When she believes this the power of God will transform her life and she will find fulfillment for the first time, the void in her life will be filled and overflowing.

Only God’s power can accomplish that in a human life.

Jeremiah the prophet speaking the words of God wrote,

“Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil.” (Jeremiah 13:23, NASB95)

The Lord is saying if the Ethiopian can change his skin color or the leopard his spots, then we who are used to doing evil can change and do good.  

In other words, it is not possible for man to change his own nature, no more than an Ethiopian can change his skin or a leopard his spots.  

It is only the omnipotence of God that can overcome a person’s sin nature and provide spiritual life.  

The Bible is clear that people cannot be saved, cannot be spiritually changed by what they do, by good works, they cannot be spiritually changed by the church, or by some ritual or by any other human means.  

People cannot even be saved by keeping God’s law because as sinners we can never keep it perfectly in our own power.  

The law was given to show that we are sinners that fall short of God’s perfect standard.  

It was given to show that we need a Savior, a powerful Savior to save us because we are powerless to do so.

What is so absolutely incredible is that God has chosen us, even though we are weak and imperfect, to be the channel of His redeeming and sustaining power when we serve Him in obedience.  The gospel is the omnipotence of God to save.

FOR SALVATION (Romans 1:16c)

Paul goes on to tell us that God’s great power is, “for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16c, NASB95)

This is perhaps the greatest display of God’s power when He transforms man’s nature, forgiving his sins, loving him to the utmost (John 3:16-17) giving him eternal life through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Salvation is a word that means “deliverance” or “rescue.”

Paul is pointing out to us that God’s power in salvation rescues or delivers man from his sin and from the ultimate penalty for sin which is separation from God in the lake of fire where the sinner is tormented forever.  

Some would prefer that we do not use terms like “salvation” and “being saved” because in our generation they are virtually meaningless to our modern man,

and it is true when we are sharing the gospel, we might have to explain what we mean when we use these words,

but salvation is God’s word,

and I cannot think of one word that better describes what God offers to sinful mankind through the death of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  

Through belief and confession in and of Jesus Christ, through Him alone men, women and children can be saved from sin, from Satan, from judgment, from God’s wrath against sin, and from spiritual death.

Paul says that God’s great power for salvation is available to everyone who believes, to that person who in faith believes the truth of the gospel.  

What does it mean to believe, to have faith?  

Think about your life you put a great amount of faith into many things. 

Just now, as you began to read and absorb this devotional effort, you “sat down in the pew (your office chair, kitchen chair, lounge chair, bar stool) in faith.”

You sat down in the steadfast and immovable faith that it would hold you.

In the same way, you turn on a faucet and get a drink of water in faith that it is safe to drink, you drive across bridges in faith they won’t collapse under you.

Life requires this kind of natural faith.  

But when Paul says this salvation is available to everyone who believes or has faith, he is referring to a supernatural faith, produced by God, a faith that is not of ourselves but is a gift of God.  

Forgiveness of Sin, deliverance from sin and judgment, deliverance from wrath, and eternal life is gained and lived by faith from God in Jesus Christ.  

Salvation is understanding that nothing within us or that we can do can make us right with God, but only what Jesus Christ did for us by taking the penalty for our sin on the cross, dying in our place, being buried, and rising from the dead, walking out of the tomb is the only thing providing salvation and eternal life.

Paul goes on to say that this salvation has no distinction, it is available to all people regardless of nationality, country or race.  

God’s offer of salvation is extended to all people, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  

Paul uses the word Greek to refer to anyone who is not Jewish, any Gentile.  

Why to the Jew first, because this is who the promise and the Person of salvation came through, so first only chronologically because God had chosen them as the people through whom the Savior, Jesus Christ would be born.

Through Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection salvation was made available to all mankind and we can stand before God righteous through Christ.

FOR IN IT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IS REVEALED (Romans 1:17)

Paul gives us one last great truth of his theme for this book.  

He has already informed us that salvation is available to anyone who in faith trusts in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  

The one who does this in faith will have their life transformed by the power of God and be saved from sin, Satan, judgment, wrath, and eternal separation from God and will inherit eternal life.  

But now Paul tells us that in all of this action of God saving us, His righteousness is revealed. 

Paul writes, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘But the righteous man shall live by faith.’” (Romans 1:17, NASB95)

Faith in Jesus Christ activates the power of God that brings salvation and, in that sovereign, act the righteousness of God is revealed.  

This might be better translated the righteousness from God is revealed.  

The righteousness spoken of here is not the divine attribute of God, it is not describing to us that God is righteous.  

Paul is stating that at that moment of salvation God imparts His righteousness to us.  

We are clothed in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ so that we can stand before God justified. 

Paul described it this way to the church in Philippi in Philippians 3:8-9,

“More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,” (Philippians 3:8–9, NASB95)  

Paul wants us to understand this overarching theme that righteousness comes from God when we repent of our sin and believe Jesus Christ died for us, taking upon Himself God’s wrath against our sin, He was buried, and on the third day rose from the dead proving that sin was paid for, and death was conquered.

When we believe this in faith God imparts His righteousness to us.  

Paul explained it this way to the Corinthian believers in 2 Corinthians 5:21,

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NASB95)

Paul says this is from faith to faith, a phrase that preachers and theologians have debated for years.  

I believe it parallels the phrase in verse 16, “to everyone who believes”

and if this is the case Paul is singling out each believer who has received the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ.  

It is like he is saying from faith to faith to faith to faith. 

Paul ends this passage with a quote from Habakkuk 2:4, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17b, NASB95)

Salvation by God’s grace through faith was the plan of God from the beginning.

As one will learn, praying and studying further in Romans,

Abraham was the father of the faithful, because he believed it was credited to him as righteousness, 

this is the same with everyone who has exercised genuine faith, from before Abraham and after right up to today, that faith is credited as righteousness.  

This statement made by the prophet Habakkuk emphasizes a continuousness of faith.  

In other words, faith is not just a one-time act, but instead it is a way of life.  

Faith in Savior Jesus Christ justifies us before God because of His righteousness imparted to us, then we live the rest of our life by faith in the Son of God and the promises of His Word to us who believe.

FINALLY:

In these two verses Paul has given us a summary of the theme of this letter that he is writing to the church in Rome. 

The rest of this book is going to be an unfolding of this theme and a fuller explanation of this theme righteousness comes from God, God in His mercy justifies guilty, condemned sinners by grace through faith in Christ alone.

 Paul began this passage by stating he was not ashamed of the gospel then in explaining why he wasn’t ashamed of it he summarized the theme of his letter.

His reason for not being ashamed is because the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes and then becomes the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ.

Paul made this statement and lived it out boldly every day. 

Did that mean he was loved by everybody?  No! 

There were Jews and Gentiles who wanted to see him dead, did this stop him from boldly proclaiming the gospel?  No! 

Paul understood that more important than his own personal comfort was that as many people as possible needed to hear the gospel and have the opportunity to be saved from sin and the judgment that is going to come upon those who have not believed. 

God’s challenge to you and to myself in these coming days and weeks is to step out of our comfort zone and share our Saviors gospel with at least one person.

Let me remind you that all you are to do is share the Gospel, you are not responsible for their response that is solely between that person and God. 

Let’s pray for each other to “just” be bold, “justly” not ashamed of the gospel.

In the name of God, the Father, and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Father, I pray that, like Paul, I will boldly proclaim the gospel of Christ to all with whom I come in contact. Only in Him is there life and light, hope and love. I know that the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation, to all who believe on Him Who died and rose from the dead. To Him be all praise and glory, world without end, Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! AMEN

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