No Longer Under the Law

          Romans 7 today was a passage I had read in the past, but in my mind always though about it running around in circles so I never really put much thought into it.  The law exposes our sins so that we are aware of them, but after accepting Christ’s Sacrifice for our lives we are no longer subject to the penalties of breaking those laws.

Romans 7:4 So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

          Once we come to a transformed life we gain a desire to serve and glorify God in all that we do and say.  Yet we are still trapped in this human body in a fallen world and sin will still tempt the flesh and sometimes win out in this battle.  The difference is that we now recognize that and hurt when we give into the sinful desires of the flesh unlike the unsaved that wallow in the sinful ways of this world like a pig wallows in the mud.  Paul in Romans 7 reminds us of this struggle:

Romans 7:21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?

25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

          Now we are not to think through this that we have an excuse to continue sinning without repercussions.  For God knows our heart and if we are truly repentant to the sinful desires of the flesh and do not delight in them even secretly He will see that in us even if others around us cannot.  This is a battle we will continue to fight here in this world, but we have God there to help us pick up the pieces once the last shot is fired in this battle and we finally come home to Him.

Hard Times for Good People

          As I read through my readings today I was able to see a common tie between Proverbs and Romans.  There is always Christ at the center of most any verse of course, but this is more how we are prepared in life.  Everyone will go through some hard times sooner or later and it is how we weather those hard times and how we come out the other side that matters.  Opening up in Romans 5 we are shown just what it is to go through these hard times.

Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, wet have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And wet boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

          According to these verses hard times bring us the ability to handle more hard times to come and glorify God in doing so.  We build perseverance, character, and hope.  Without hope we have nothing, but in Christ there is always hope.

          I said that Proverbs 17 echoes this somewhat as well.  I have heard it said that God forges us in the fires to purify us and make us better as a metallurgist works with precious metals.  This verse points to that as well.

Proverbs 17:3 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
but the Lord tests the heart.

          So the next time you find yourself facing a hard time and wondering what you have done to deserve such harsh treatment from God, try thinking of what He is preparing you for.  What is it He is making you better for and testing your heart for?

Justified by Faith

               I know this is an area I touched on yesterday, but I felt compelled to continue the thought.  In reading Romans 4 today as Paul talked about Abraham’s faith.  This is a faith in God to the point of taking his only son’s life, a life that God had promised to create nations from, yet a life that God had commanded Abraham to take.  Obviously if you know the story you know that God stopped Abraham short of committing the act, but yet Abraham was considered righteous for his faith.  These words Paul tells us we can take to heart.

Romans 4:20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." 23 The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

               This is the promise that God has given to all of us that believe.  How do we give glory to God in this on a daily basis?

Why the Law?

          Still recovering from the flu, but I wanted to keep this going so bear with me this morning.  I really enjoyed the reading out of Romans 3 this morning.  Although we may have heard this before it never hurts to hear it again. 

          Paul is talking about God’s faithfulness and man’s brokenness.  He talks about the Law and the fact that it is there not so that we can work to do right, but so that we are aware that we are not right.

Romans 3:20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.

          So then if we are sinful people and unrighteous how do we change that?  Obviously we do not, but through faith in Christ Jesus we become righteous in the sight of God.

Romans 3:22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

          If this is the case then once we believe in Jesus Christ and are saved where does that put the law?  Do we just disregard it and live in Christ knowing that we are saved?  Of course not, we would be stupid to think so.  It is because of this saving grace that we desire to uphold the law and honor God. 

Romans 3:31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

Judgment

               Again today in Romans as I started my readings the first thing I came across struck a chord with me.  Something as a society we do here in the US and other countries as well.  We divide ourselves into classes and tend not to interact with those we consider below us, because they do not talk the way we talk, dress the way we dress, drive a decent car like we do, make the same income as we do.  The problem is we do this in church as well.  You see it all the time when someone comes in that might be a regular attender, but may come from the streets or close to it and are dressed shabbily and may not have taken a shower recently.  You know the ones I am talking about and then you see those that are trying to move out of their way and try to avoid this person in a way that may not appear to obvious.  When someone like this comes into the church and they are treated like this do you think they feel wanted?  Are you showing them Christ’s love for them?  Did not the Jewish leaders treat these people in the same way?  And how did Jesus react to those Jewish leaders that felt they were too good to associate with people they considered to be beneath them?  Perhaps you have even done this yourself.  I will admit it I am guilty of this from time to time.  When we do this we are judging that person because of their outward appearance.  We never take the time to get to know the inward heart of that person.  So as we judge them remember these verses.

Romans 2:1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.  2 Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth.  3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment?  4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

               These are strong words and should be heeded wisely.  Of course there are many other ways to judge someone and I share one way in which I struggle.  The thing is we identify these areas we are weak in and repent.  We ask for forgiveness and strength to change when we find ourselves in these situations.  We are here to represent Christ and carry on His work here.  It is not about ourselves it is about God and all of those around us.  What have you done for someone else today?

Why Church?

          I could write about many of the things that I have read in today’s study, but I will try and keep it as brief as possible and focus on the main thing that stuck out to me the most.  The main point and the first thing I came to in my readings was in Romans 1 starting in verse 11 where Paul is finally in Rome speaking to the people there.

Romans 1:11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith.

          Paul is not there just for the people and the message that he can bring to them, but so that they may ALL grow in their faith.  This is why we are called to come together in church.  It is not just so that we can listen to the Word of God be spoke, we can do that at home.  Many people think they can be good Christians and not have to go to church.  They figure as long as they are good people and pray and read their Bible occasionally they do not have a need for a church.  They can commune with God by themselves.  Some even think that while they are out in the woods hunting and just spending quiet time they are fulfilling that obligation of being with and worshiping God there, the woods are their church.  Paul shows us this is not the case; we need each other in order to grow in God.  Maybe we should think about that next time we are in church and not just that we need others, but that others need us.

Those That Will Not Hear

          As I read today’s devotional as Acts closes out I am reminded that there are always going to be some that just do not get it.  Although it is sad and your heart just goes out for people there are going to be times where you are just wasting your time.  If you have already testified to them and they remain stubborn you have to move on to those willing to hear.  As Paul is quoting Isaiah here at the end of Acts we see that the hearts of some people will just not be opened.

Acts 28:26 "'Go to this people and say,
"You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving."

Acts 28:27 For this people's heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.'

          Now we always hold out hope for the lost especially if they are close to us, but it is in God’s hands if they ever will come to understanding.  All we can do is set an example of a Christ-like life as we live it out before them and if one day God softens their heart they will come to us.

Do Not Be Idle

          Reading in Proverbs today is very convicting to me.  We are called to work while in this world and in this Proverb we are given the ant as an example.  Although there are harsh words here we must consider they are told to us in love, to motivate us to a better way of living that is honoring to God.

Proverbs 6:6 Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!

Proverbs 6:7 It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,

Proverbs 6:8 yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

Proverbs 6:9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep?

Proverbs 6:10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—

Proverbs 6:11 and poverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man.

          True for myself I had lost my last job due to problems within the company and they just could not afford to keep me on, but that does not give me the right to sit around while I wait for something else to come back from my applications.  Work has to continue.  In my defense however work in other areas that does not put bread on my table, but does bring glory to God continues.  Work here on this daily devotional, work on this blog, continued schooling to prepare myself for a life of service to God, work in the prayer room at church and witnessing to others about the saving grace of God, and premarital counseling to couples preparing for a committed life together for God.

          I understand also that I am to put food on the table for my family and God has blessed me with income resulting from my time in the military.  I still have to find the means that will supplement that more and allow me to honor God in the process.  

          So when we think about the ant and the work it does, where do we fall in comparison to the ant.  Is there more we could be doing?  Is there more we should be doing?  I am not saying we cannot enjoy some rest to a point, but if we truly love God with all our hearts, mind, strength, and soul would we ever want to stop working for His glory and spreading the Good News of salvation.  There can be no rest in this area of our lives till the day comes when we are reunited with Christ.  Our very lives should be a shinning example to others and this is the work we must carry on.

Discipline

          Let’s face deep down most all of us hate discipline.  Doing the thing that you know you should be doing for the greater good, but hating it because there are other things that you would rather be doing that are far more pleasing to our selfish and sinful nature.  Sitting on the couch eating a stack of cookies with some milk watching your favorite television show as opposed to hitting the gym and burning off a couple hundred calories is much more fun.  So why do we try to instill discipline in our lives, but more times than not fail miserably?  It is the nature of sin in a fallen world.  We give into our sinful desires even if they are seemingly innocent when compared to greater sins as we see them.

          Obviously I speak to this from my own personal struggles and not as someone trying to inflict the law of the Word on others as if I had nothing to confess to in all of this.  In reading Proverbs 5 today along with my other readings I am hit right between the eyes with the Word of God.  I find that this happens more and more as I read and get to know and build my relationship with the Lord through all of this.  So when I read the following verses they hit home and are convicting.  I confess my weaknesses in these areas and ask the Lord for forgiveness, also for strength to uphold discipline in my life in order to glorify God and be an example to others.

          So in reading these following verses I need to keep in mind, as I hope whoever reads this will to, that the opposite side of the coin to not keeping discipline in your life is a harsh reality.

Proverbs 5:12 You will say, "How I hated discipline!
How my heart spurned correction!

Proverbs 5:13 I would not obey my teachers
or turn my ear to my instructors.

Proverbs 5:14 And I was soon in serious trouble
in the assembly of God's people."

Proverbs 5:23 For lack of discipline they will die,
led astray by their own great folly.

          My prayer is this, that these words be read, taken to heart and used as a reminder the next time we decide I really do not want to do this or that and that you see the other side where it is good in the end to be disciplined, that all this will be honoring to God and reflective upon yourself to others that they will see the good that can come from leading a disciplined life.  Either we give in to sin and temptation or we strengthen our resolve through the Holy Spirit to resist it and do what is right in the sight of God.  These are our choices.

Generosity Towards Others

          Today’s readings were very good, but as I read Genesis 45 one thing struck me, the Pharaoh’s generosity towards the brothers of Joseph.  Once the Pharaoh found out who they were this was his reaction.

Genesis 45:16 When the news reached Pharaoh's palace that Joseph's brothers had come, Pharaoh and all his officials were pleased.17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Tell your brothers, 'Do this: Load your animals and return to the land of Canaan,18 and bring your father and your families back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you can enjoy the fat of the land.'

Genesis 45:19 "You are also directed to tell them, 'Do this: Take some carts from Egypt for your children and your wives, and get your father and come.20 Never mind about your belongings, because the best of all Egypt will be yours.'"

          Now the Pharaoh could have just been happy for Joseph and after Joseph had done so much for the land of Egypt this was, but a small token of his appreciation for that, which I am sure is part of the truth.  However the Pharaoh also knew that the Spirit of God was with Joseph and he feared and respected that.

Genesis 41:38 So Pharaoh asked them, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?"

          So for that fact that Joseph had done great things for the country of Egypt through the power of God the Pharaoh honored that and honored God in doing so.  We should turn to this as an example of how we are to treat others.  We do not do so out of our desire to please them or look good in the eyes of others, but out of a fear and reverence for the Creator of this universe.  He has told us “to love others as ourselves.”  I think to add to that a little more that we should love them as God loves them and us.

God’s Desire for Us

          Today’s readings were very good in Acts 23, Proverbs 3 that I am reflecting on here, Psalm 61, and Genesis 44.  I could have reference all of Proverbs 3 here without much hesitation and it would be right since God’s Word means so much more than mine, but this is a way again for me to be accountable in my reading and understanding of such things.

          As Proverbs 3 opens up it talks about love and faithfulness two attributes that we should posses and that should be apparent to all of those around us especially those that are closer to us.  I know that sometimes we can put these on as we would put on our clothes in the morning.  Not to say that they are not genuine, but we use them when it suits us and take them off in the evening when we are back with those that we should be showing this to more so.  So this needs to be a part of who we are because it is a part of who God is and who He wants us to be.  So:

Proverbs 3:3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.

Proverbs 3:4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.

          To follow this one up we must gain understanding and wisdom, but not of our own doing, but through the Lord so that we may not boast in our own accomplishments.  

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

Proverbs 3:6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.

Proverbs 3:8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

Proverbs 3:13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,
those who gain understanding,

          We must honor the Lord also in all that He has given us and return back a portion out of our faithfulness.  Let’s face it if we are holding back then we really do not believe this passage here and we have no faith in the One we profess to have faith in.  They say you can tell a person’s faith by their actions.  How do people see you?

Proverbs 3:9 Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;

Proverbs 3:10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.

          Finally the hard one for all of us to really fall in line with is discipline and rebuke.  No one likes to be told they are doing something wrong, because of our own self-arrogance.  Look at our children as they are told no and disciplined for doing wrong, how do they react?  Do we not act the same way when we are rebuked?  Proverbs also tells us that the wise accept rebuke while the fool rejects it.  Strong words to remember next time you are in the middle of being corrected.

Proverbs 3:11 My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke,

Proverbs 3:12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.

God Judges

          I have always believed that everyone has a chance to accept God in his or her life, but in Psalm 58 David talks very harshly against the wicked.  He states that they are that way from birth, giving us the impression that there is no good in them.

Psalm 58:3 Even from birth the wicked go astray;
from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies.

          The thing is that we cannot rightfully judge who these people are.  True by a person’s action we can discern what they are like, but we have no idea what God’s plan is for them.  If that were the case then we would have judged Saul long before he became Paul and one of the greatest instruments of God after Jesus.  So we should not judge as this passage starts out.

Psalm 58:1 Do you rulers indeed speak justly?
Do you judge people with equity?

Psalm 58:2 No, in your heart you devise injustice,
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.

          We need to be careful how we look at people.  True there will be those that are bent on doing evil in this world.  There will be those that we feel we can help and show them the light that for a time will accept, but will go right back to the sinful life they so enjoy.  All we can do is help these people by showing them the love and Word of God, but it is God that is in control of everything and we must leave it to Him and trust in His ways.

          So if you ever feel that the wicked people of this world are getting one up on you and that God is not watching over you or that things are just unfair remember the last few verses of this passage.

Psalm 58:10 The righteous will be glad when they are avenged,
when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked.

Psalm 58:11 Then people will say,
"Surely the righteous still are rewarded;
surely there is a God who judges the earth."

          OK kind of graphic here, but you get the idea that God will judge and God will avenge our travesties and that it is not up to us to do so.  We are to let it go and let God deal with it.

Love Your Neighbor

          OK today’s devotionals were short and did not produce anything in me that I felt note worthy, but last nights connection meeting at the church followed in the path of yesterdays thoughts.  We are called to do God’s will, but in doing so we are also called to love.  We are to love God and we are to love others.  I am finding myself more and more caring of those around me.  Not that I was not before, but I can feel God’s love growing inside of me.  I am especially concerned with those who are lost and looking for God in their lives, but are not sure how to go about it when they are so caught up with the sin in their life that is a part of this world we are stuck in.

          I am sure that we have all heard this verse repeated in a few places in the Bible, but it is one that we need to hear over and over again to drive it home and make it a part of our daily make up of who we are as Christians.

Matthew 22:37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

So we hear this all the time and wonder how in the world are we to love all those around us especially when there are times that we would much rather do just the opposite.  Rick touched on a verse out of 1 Thessalonians 4:9 last night that we should take to heart.

1 Thessalonians 4:9 Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.

          Wait I do not remember God teaching me anything.  Really?  What about the entire story of Jesus while He was here on this earth in human form, giving up everything that He had in Heaven with His Father, coming done here and being ridiculed, persecuted, tortured, and killed by us humans.  And why?  For us, because of His love for us regardless of how we treated Him and still do today.  If we really, truly loved Him today, would we not be breaking our backs to do everything and anything that He has called us to do?  Can we start by loving our neighbor the same way that Christ loves us?

What We Are Called to Do.

          Good reading today that reminds me and convicts me deeply about what God calls us to do once we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  Paul really hits it home with this little statement out of Acts.

Acts 20:25 "Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again.  26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you.  27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.  

          Paul said, that his is innocent of their blood, because he did not hesitate to proclaim the Word of God.  If we turn this on ourselves then the question becomes, whose blood are we guilty of because we withheld the Word of God because of our own fear of others in what they would say or do?  I know really convicting and it should be when we are not doing the will of God.  

OK, but I am not that strong of a person and I could never do that.  We do not have to do it on our own.  Joseph said it well in the passages in Genesis that I was reading today.  The Pharaoh had asked if Joseph could interpret his dreams for him and Joseph answered him:

Genesis 41:16 "I cannot do it," Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires."

We do not do this on our own, but we are still called to do it nonetheless.  God is with us through the Holy Spirit and will guide us as long as we put our trust in Him.  We are also part of a community in the church so we have each other to fall back on and support as well.  Paul goes on in Acts to say this:

Acts 20:28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.  29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.  30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.  31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

          As servants of God we take on a lot and have some tough and serious work to do here in this world, but the reward on the other side is going to far over shadow anything we have ever been through here.  None of it we will ever deserve, but how much less will we deserve it if we have never lifted a hand to help out others?  I do believe all that profess Christ as Lord and Savior will go to Heaven, but I also believe that we will have to answer for our actions in this world as Christians.  What worries me is how am I going to be able to answer that one.  Good news is that I still have a chance to work much harder at following God’s will in our lives.  At least I hope I still have time.  How about you?

Where is Your Heart?

          Today’s readings touched me in the fact that we really need to know where our heart is in carrying out God’s will in our lives.  This has to be a totally selfless act that we are here doing.  I think so many times our own pride, selfish desires, and personal goals can get in the way of doing God’s work.  As I read through Acts 19 this was clear in the actions of some of the Jews desiring to do the same great works that Paul was doing.

Acts 19:11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul,12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out."14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.15 One day the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?"16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

17 When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.

          When it comes to doing the work of God we need to adopt the selfless attitude that Paul and especially Jesus displayed while here in this world.  The Jewish priests were doing it for their own glory even though they said they were doing it "In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches…”  I think we hear these type of people everyday preaching from the pulpits, on the radio, and on television.  I am not saying that everyone is that way, but you can tell those that are or at least question their motives when you see the life they live.  So let the life you live be a reflection of Jesus, as He set the example while He was with us in this world.  A selfless, thoughtful, loving and caring life giving hope to those that are looking for it.