Romans 10-2.23.22
Scripture
Romans 10:3-4
Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
Observation-What does it say?
In this chapter, Paul continues to desire the salvation of the Jews, who still try to gain salvation through their own righteousness instead of the righteousness of Christ.
Understanding-What does it mean?
We do not work for our salvation. We cannot establish our own righteousness. Our works are filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6 and Romans 3:10) apart from the righteousness of Christ.
Paul continues to have a burdened heart for the people of Israel because they worked for God instead of accepting the work that Christ had already finished for them on the cross.
They based righteousness on how well they were able to keep the law, instead of believing, confessing and submitting to the righteousness of Christ as Lord.
Life Application
Let's stay committed to praying for the lost to come to Christ like Paul did. In verse 1, Paul states that his heart's desire AND prayer for the Israelites is that they be saved.
Let's recommit to praying for the people on our PII list and be intentional about investing in their lives, inviting them into relationship with Christ and inviting them to church. (Note: PII stands for Prayer, Invest and Invite and is a list of people who have not yet accepted Jesus’ invitation for salvation.)
Dear Lord, there are so many people on earth who are still dead in their sins. Even people who call themselves a "good person" are not good apart from Your righteousness. I pray that You would give us Your heart for the lost and we would be so burdened as Paul was to pray that the lost are saved.
- Michelle Gaddi
Romans 9-2.22.22
SCRIPTURE:
Romans 9:1,-3
"I speak the truth in Christ - I am not lying; my conscience is testifying to me with the Holy Spirit - that I have intense sorrow and continual anguish in my heart. For I could almost wish to be cursed and cut off from the Messiah for the benefit of my brothers, my own flesh and blood."
OBSERVATION:
Wow! Now that is supernatural compassion! Paul's love for his fellow Jews was demonstrated by his genuine love and compassion for them. Paul was almost wishing for his life to be cursed and cut off from the Messiah for the benefit of his brothers, which he considered his own flesh and blood. He had intense sorrow and continual anguish in his heart for the ones who had rejected Christ.
UNDERSTANDING:
Paul's example of leading with a heart of compassion toward others is the kind of compassion that God desires for all Christ-followers to have. It is absolutely impossible to love someone the way Christ loves us without His love in us.
Because of Paul's past record of hunting down and persecuting Christians, he nor anyone else ever expected God to pick Paul to be His apostle, but after Paul was overwhelmed by God's goodness, forgiveness, grace, and favor, his entire life changed in a split second. The gift of salvation that came to him wasn't deserved, but it was the thing that compelled him to want to give his life for the sake of Christ.
LIFE APPLICATION:
As a Christ-follower, I pray that my heart will be like Paul's. He anguished over the ones who rejected Jesus! I desire to have God's supernatural compassion for the lost. And most of all, I pray that my life will be used to show God's love toward others, not with mere words, but with heartfelt actions led by genuine compassion. It's because of God's mercy and grace which has been given to me that makes me want to pray that His passion will be my passion, and that I will share His love and evangelize the lost.
-Robin Orefice
Romans 8-2.21.22
SCRIPTURE
Romans 8:2a, 5b, 10b, 16 (NIV)
“... the law of the Spirit of life set me free.” “...Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires...if Christ is in you, your spirit is alive...The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”
OBSERVATIONS
1) There is glorious freedom for those who walk and live ruled by the Spirit. We are set free!
2) Sometimes the word “Spirit” is capitalized, referring to God’s Holy Spirit, and sometimes the word is written with a small “s”, referring to my spirit.
3) I know I have a body (my outer man, the flesh), and I know I have a soul on the inside (my mind, emotions, and will), but the text keeps referring to a third part of my being – my “spirit.” The words “soul” and “spirit” interchanged all the time, as though they were the same thing. Clearly, they are not.
4) Over and over in Romans 8, Paul confronts me with a choice: to live according to my lower, sinful nature (body and soul), OR, to live in victory by joining my spirit with the Holy Spirit.
5) This is a cardinal principle: Pro. 20:27a “The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord.”]
UNDERSTANDINGS
God did not create me with just an outer and inner self (bi-partite), but He fashioned me with a third and higher dimension of my being (tri-partite) – a spirit (1 Thess. 5:23). My spirit (small “s”) is to rule and have dominion over the rest of my being, and is the part that communicates to and relates to God. My ongoing battle for freedom from my sinful nature, and “to reign in life” in Christ (Rom. 5:17), is a spiritual warfare waged in the battlefield of the mind (soul). I need to understand and discern the difference between my “soul” and my “spirit,” and I need to become Spirit-centered and controlled instead of soul-centered. I need to be spiritual instead of soulish!! (Something to ponder. Sadly, Christians often serve God first in the realm of their souls, i.e., their mind, emotions, or will, instead of allowing their spirit and Holy Spirit to lead.)
Heb. 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active...it penetrates even to dividing of soul and spirit...” (“soul” is a different Greek word from “spirit”)
Luke 1:46, 47 “Mary said: My soul glorifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”
LIFE APPLICATION
Lord, make me purposeful about joining my spirit with your Spirit (1 Cor. 6:17), so the Holy Spirit can rule in my temple. Oh God, hear my cry. You are Spirit (John 4:24). Teach me how to “worship you in spirit...” Show me how to “live by the Spirit” (Gal. 1:16), how to be “led by the Spirit” (Gal. 1:18), and how to “keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal. 1:25). Holy Spirit, baptize me. Refill me. Empower me. Use me. Holy Spirit, through your fruit (Gal. 5:22ff) make my life beautiful, and through your gifts (1 Cor. 12:7-10) make my life useful. Amen.
-Jeff Farmer
Jeff Farmer is past president of PCCNA [Pentecostal Charismatic Churches North America], of Open Bible Churches USA, and of New Hope Christian College. He and his wife of 54 years, Ramona, have three children and nine grandchildren – all of whom love and serve the Lord.