Ro13

Submitting to authority is actually submitting to God.   Conversely, resisting authority is actually resisting God!

The most unique commandment of the 10 commandments has to be the 5th one, "honor your father and mother".  The first 4 deal specifically with our relationship with God and the last 5 deal generally with our relationship with others.  Jesus summarizes them all with "love God, love people."

But the 5th command deals directly with two people...our parents.  Why?  I believe because it is this commandment that demonstrates the importance of submitting to authority in our lives.  A child who does not honor his parents and obey them will struggle all of his life to submit to any authority.

Learning to obey your parents is key.  If you missed that, becoming a submissive employee, citizen or leader gets even harder.  Following leadership honors Christ.

Read it here.

Ro. 12

It is an absolute waste of my life to live for anything other than Christ.  My "reasonable service of worship" is to offer everything to Him.

What does that mean?  Paul uses the term, "living sacrifice" and expects believers to live in a way that is "holy and pleasing to God".  He goes on to explain what he means by using two incredible terms.

The first is "conform".  He says for us to NOT be conformed to this world.  If my understanding of knowing Jesus and the gospel allows me to live comfortably in this culture, I am not getting it.  This truth applies to all cultures at all times.  To "fit in" is to conform.  The very thing Paul says NOT to do.

The second term is "transformed".  This is literally the process of changing.  Metamorphosis.  He is referring to a complete transformation in which we totally and completely live our lives to please God.

This is the gospel.  This is what it means to be a christian.  This is a tough road to travel.

Read it here.

Ro11

Do you wake up in the morning thinking it is all about you?  Resist making yourself the center of your world.  Even the greatest person (and you are not it), lives a meaningless life apart from God.

It is God's mercy that allows our lives to have meaning and purpose.  It is an even greater act of His mercy that we can be part of His plan.  And even greater still that we can spend eternity with Him.

He did that for us!  All credit goes to HIm.

Read it here.

Ro10

Any attempt to make heaven apart from Christ will be an absolute... FAIL!!!  Why then are so many believing that they will make heaven because of their good works.  Basically, it is because they don't read the bible.

Paul let the ignorance of the lost  move his heart and motivate his prayer life.  His prayer was simple, "God, please save people who don't know you yet."  After he prayed, he made it his mission to be a tool in God's hands so that others would be saved.

It is a great thing to pray for others to be saved!  In fact, it is probably the best thing.  It is ALSO a great thing to actually share the gospel with someone who does not know Christ yet.  I suggest we all try that as well.

Read it here.

Ro9

God is God and He does what He wants!  Period.  Who are we to "judge" His actions?  How can the clay speak and tell the potter what to do?  Can we actually try to reduce God to our understanding?  I think not.

Without doubt this chapter is one of the most difficult in the whole Bible.  Not because we can't understand what it is saying, but because we have a hard time embracing what it is saying!

Read it here.

Ro8

Listen to the voice of God!  First for faith and salvation. Second for leadership and guidance.  Don't live this life apart from the love and leadership of God.

God has poured out His spirit on all those who believe.  God has conquered sin and the death that results.  Since we have the Spirit alive in us, we are to live according to that Spirits leading.

Paul makes it clear that the "sons of God" are led by the Spirit of God that lives in them.  But do we?  If I were to ask you today, "What is the Spirit leading you to do today?", would you have an answer?

Read it here.

Ro7

Sin take you farther than you want to go; keeps you longer than you want to stay; and cost more than you can afford to pay.

Read it here.

Ro6

We are slaves of something; either sin which brings death or righteousness which brings eternal life!

If you are unable to "not sin" you should reexamine your faith.  Paul says that sin is a choice that we don't have to make because of Christ.  He challenges the believers to live in the new freedom they have been given through Jesus.

We either continue to sin and suffer for it, or we can live in the grace that has been provided by Christ and enjoy the blessings of not sinning.  Choose to not sin!  It is the best choice.

Read in here.

Ro5

God's judgement is based either on my sin or Jesus' righteousness.  What I believe about Jesus makes the difference.  God's love provided the option to be forgiven.  His justice will not allow forgiveness apart from Jesus.

I love this chapter!  Nothing is fair.  Because of Adam (and my behavior just like him), I will be judged and deserve eternal punishment.  Because of Jesus (and faith in him), I can stand before God forgiven.

God has poured out His love in the midst of sin by sending Jesus to cove it ALL!!  I am so grateful today.

Share the news.

Read it here.

Ro.4

If knowing that "your good works" won't save you causes you to "do less" for the kingdom of God, I bet you are actually truly lost.

I would argue that most people believe somehow that "works" are connected to how someone is saved.  Actually that is true only in one sense; my "work" of sin causes me to need salvation.  Someone said it right when they said, "The only thing I add to my salvation is the sin that makes it necessary."

On the other hand, if this understanding causes you to desire less of God and more of a sin-filled life, you totally don't get it.  Undeserved love and grace is not freedom to live how you please.  It is the opportunity to live as you should.  

I work not to earn salvation.  I work because of my salvation.  I work not to appease God.  I work because it pleases Him....and me.  When I sin I feel tremendous displeasure, not freedom.  When I choose to not sin, I feel the freedom that comes from salvation.

Thus Paul's point in chapter 4.

Read it here.

Ro3

If going to heaven is dependent on my good deeds, I am going to hell for sure! There is no better gift than the one given to those who believe in Jesus! They are declared righteous in the presence of God. Not by their works, but rather by Jesus' work.

The majority of unbelievers I know think that the path to heaven is paved by their "good deeds" and that they have done enough to merit God's acceptance.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  In fact, they have merited God's mounting wrath!

We have done nothing "good" to earn God favor.  That is why He sent Jesus!  It is by His life that we can be declared righteous before God not ours.  Only through His work can we stand before a holy and just God.

read it here.

Ro2

Some day God will judge what we have kept secret! Why not share your secrets today and get mercy and forgiveness?

There is no question; our secrets kill us.  The things we have done in secret are the things that condemn us and the things that God will judge.  The holy spirit convicts our hearts about those things and the devil condemns us because of those things.  

There is no greater moment than when we come clean with God and others and get set free from the guilt of our sin!  Walk in the light and claim the forgiveness that Jesus bought for all of us who believe. 

read it here.

Rom1

It is one thing to struggle with sin.  It is another thing to "applaud others" who are practicing sin!  

Paul begins this book describing himself as a "slave of Christ Jesus" and he wanted to be known as someone who lived his life to please his master.  His life was defined by his relationship with Jesus.  Hmm...what defines my life?

Paul said, "I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God to everyone who believes."  He made it his goal to share that life changing power with everyone who he encountered.  Hmm...am I ashamed of the gospel?  Am I sharing the life changing message?

Paul said that people did not want to worship God, but "rather exchanged the truth of God for a lie", and therefore, worshiped created things rather than the creator.  They gave themselves fully to things that were not honoring Christ!  He lists those things: unrighteousness, evil, greed, wickedness, envy, murder, quarrels, deceit, malice, gossip, slander, arrogant, proud, boastful, disobedient, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving & unmerciful!  He said that people, even though they knew what God wanted, refused to "do" what He says.  Hmm...Am I obeying God?

Read it here.

AC28

This concluding chapter in Acts has become "chapter 1" in the growth and expansion of the church.  Today God is writing His story in our lives!  What kind of chapter will it be?

I want to model my life after the men and women who trusted God, believed the gospel and stepped out in faith.  Paul's message to the Gentiles eventually reached me.  I am forever indebted and grateful.

I am challenged to be a link in the chain that brings others to Jesus.  Join me.

Read it here.

AC27

God uses SHIPWRECKS!  Don't believe that God cannot turn your wreck into His good story.  He has a way of making the worst events in life have happy and fruitful endings. "Shipwreck" is a term we use to describe a life that had promise but went badly off course.  Unfortunately that term would describe too many of our lives!

Paul was legitimately "shipwrecked" and I am sure that it was this event that caused him to talk to Timothy about those who suffer "shipwreck" in their faith.  God used this tragedy to allow Paul to emerge as a leader and save the lives of 176 men.

Read it here.

Ac25

If we saw people like Jesus sees people there would be no such thing as status!  Only two types...those who know Him or those who need to know HIm.

Festus & Agrippa...sounds like a western shootout!  In fact it was an evangelism challenge to Paul.  It didn't matter who you were or how much rank or royalty you had, his plan was to share the gospel with you.  Period.

I think this is a great plan.  Share the gospel with everyone.  When death comes we are all on the same level...Humbled before the creator of the universe.

read it here.http://mobile.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+25&language=english&version=49

Ac23

When 40 men vow to not eat or drink until you are dead, either there are going to be some hungry guys or you are about to die!

I am continuously perplexed by the religious guys who are always wanting to kill someone. What were they thinking?  There failure might have been the reason "professional assassins" were created.

read it here.

Ac21

Christians around the world today will be beaten and killed for their faith in Jesus.  Paul was just one of the first.  The pattern has continued throughout history.  In fact, persecution has escalated over the decades.  

How often have you seen violence as a part of a worship service?  Are people who believe differently brought before your congregation to be beaten by them?  I think not!

I continue to be amazed at the level in which violent activity and even murder took place in "the temple complex"!  What were they thinking?  This seems so barbaric for us to grasp today.  Yet it still is happening!  It is as Jesus said it would be.

Pure craziness.

read it here.