Romans___15

Scripture‭‭Romans‬ ‭15:4‬ ‭“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” Observation- What does it say?The Word of God gives us hope. It gives us hope that God's character never changes, hope that Jesus Christ died, resurrected and imparted His Holy Spirit in each Believer's life and also gives us hope of a life eternal after death.  Understanding-What does it mean?The Scriptures are trustworthy!In a world that is constantly changing, very unstable, and passing away, we can put our hope in the One who never changes. We can put our hope in His Word, the Bible. We can trust those in the faith who have gone before us and are recorded in Scripture who gave their lives to the mission of Jesus Christ. We can trust that heaven and hell are real and trust the hope of eternal life where there are no more sin, sadness, sickness or death. We can trust that we will be completely pure, perfect and without sin just like Jesus in the next life. We can find encouragement and hope to never give up and continue to endure in the faith amidst pain, suffering, hardships and trials as a Christ follower, just like in Hebrews 11. Life ApplicationWe must put our hope in God's Word!We put our hope in the Lord by reading and meditating daily on His Word and applying it to our lives as we are taught from them. We stay connected to our Father through His Word because it is the way He communicates with us. I also believe the Holy Spirit does not work apart from the Scriptures. It is not just a book, but it is Spirit breathed. (2 Tim. 3:16).
Dear Lord, thank You for speaking to us through Your Word. Thank You that You not only gave us Your Holy Spirit, but also the Bible to instruct us on how to operate the way You created us to operate.  I pray that we would desire to spend time with You daily and continuously be taught from Your Word. Thank You for the hope and encouragement it provides to continue to press forward in the faith. Amen.

-Michelle Gaddi

 

Romans___14

Scripture

Romans 14:8-9

For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live live or die, we belong to the Lord.

 

Observation

Paul continues outlining what living in Christ looks like, and in this chapter he tackles common misconceptions about the “strong and the weak.” He says that faith should decide how a person should live, and that it should drive every decision that believers make. He then proceeds to make this bold statement about dying for the Lord.

 

Understanding

Although Paul is extending this idea of passing judgement on each other, he makes it abundantly clear that our goal as believers should be the same. He boldly declares that the Lord is master of everything, including us and the people that we judge. None of us are masters over the other no matter what part of life they may be on. Instead, we should be confident in our position in Christ and because of this honor the Lord with their life. So it begs the question: what am I laying my life down for, and is it obvious to others?

I think the tendency is to focus on the part where Paul speaks of death because death seems to be an alarming topic, but we miss the importance of living for God. One of my favorite quotes from a book we read in the high school perfectly captures this idea, he says: “The mark of an immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of a mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.” Living humbly for a cause seems a lot more difficult than dying for one, but it’s what God calls us to do. Regardless of what we think about others and how much better we may think that we are. In humility alone do we boldly approach God’s throne and live life and to die to this life in a way that pleases God.

 

Life Application

Ask yourself: what does my life say to others, and am I living humbly for God? Then take time to listen for a response, actually listen. Take about ten minutes to sit in silence and listen for the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Try to rid your mind of distractions like what your going to eat for the day, or all the things you have to do. I think you’ll be surprised how much God actually speaks to us.

-Allison Khan

Psalm__36

Scripture

Psalm 36:1-4

1 I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. 2  In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin. 3 The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; they fail to act wisely or do good. 4 Even on their beds they plot evil; they commit themselves to a sinful course and do not reject what is wrong.

Observation-What does it say?

This is another Psalm from one of my favorite leaders, King David. In the beginning, he speaks about the wicked (those without God in their lives) and the last half of the Psalm, he gives praise for God’s love and faithfulness. Then in verses 10-12, he asks for God's love to continue and that the proud would not come against him.

Understanding-What does it mean?

Unbelievers are blind and lost and need the Lord.

King David describes the sinfulness of the wicked as them having no fear of God. They flatter themselves (are so prideful) that they don’t detect or hate their own sin. Their words are wicked and deceitful. They commit themselves to a sinful course. Basically, their lives are so lost and dark, whereas the faithful are protected by the love and faithfulness of God. It is our job as faithful servants of the Lord to share His love and light with a lost and unbelieving world.

Life Application

We must continue our mission to the lost. Who are the people on your PII list?

For those who are new to DSC, PII stands for Pray, Invest, Invite. We keep a list of unbelievers who do not have a personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ and we pray for them, invest in their lives, and we invite them to church and/or a personal relationship with Jesus.

Dear Lord, I pray that you would continue to give us Your heart for lost sinners. Holy Spirit, help us to be bold to share our faith with those who need You. Help us to be strong and courageous, even in fear of failure or rejection. Please give us such a deep love for them that we would want them to be part of our family and may that love override any fear we may have to reach out. Amen. 

 

-Michelle Gaddi