Romans 9 - 5.19.25

Scripture

Romans‬ ‭9‬:‭14‬-‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ ” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?”

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Observation

This passage speaks on the Sovereignty of God.

God being sovereign means that He is in control of everything!

“The fact that God is sovereign essentially means that He has the power, wisdom, and authority to do anything He chooses within His creation. Whether or not He actually exerts that level of control in any given circumstance is actually a completely different question.”(Gotquestions.org)

I personally don’t believe that God causes bad things to happen because bad things happen due to us living in a fallen and sinful world. However, why does God ALLOW bad things to happen without intervention? Or another question is the theological debate of predestination and free will. Does God in His sovereignty predetermine who will be saved and who will go to hell or do we have the free will to decide? There are theological arguments for both sides because we will never know the extent to which God applies His sovereignty; however, “all mainstream Christian sects agree that God is preeminent in power and authority. God’s sovereignty is a natural consequence of His omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence.” (Gotquestions.org)

Application

Meditate on the character of God when we have unanswered questions. Also, read His Word, the Bible!

When I look back on my life and even current circumstances, sometimes I ask God if He could’ve taught me certain lessons without having to go through so much pain, hardship and grief. There are still so many unanswered questions and I know that as long as I’m living on this earth, more will come, but at the end of the day, I must TRUST in His Sovereignty and control even if I don’t get those answers this side of Heaven. He remains good, loving and faithful! Also, I need to thank Him for my trials because I know He is in control of them and making me more into the image of Jesus through them. There is always hope in Christ, even in the midst of grief.

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” -‭‭Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Another thing I love to do is to be in His Word. I’ve developed a deeper love for reading Scripture, especially knowing the joy the writers had even THROUGH their circumstances. For example, Joseph! He was the definition of being wrongly accused and oppressed. He was truly a major victim of his circumstances. Yet, he knew the Lord was with him and what his brothers meant for evil, God turned for good. I love reading the Psalms because King David wrote many of those while fleeing his enemies. He still worshipped with his whole heart and soul regardless of what he was going through. I love reading the New Testament (because the Gospels with Jesus, of course), but also the Apostle Paul! He still ministered even in jail and was able to have joy in the Lord no matter what God allowed him to go through. I love reading about Jesus and what a humble king He was. He is God and wasn’t even protected from disappointment, rejection, grief and hurt. He endured the ultimate rejection and abandonment when God turned His face from Him when He took the penalty for our sins! I could go on and on, and I know that many of you who read His Word could add to my list as well. 😊

Prayer

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for Your Sovereignty and power! I know that I’m not meant to understand everything and I know I wouldn’t be able to handle it even if you told me, but I’m grateful that I could rest in You. You are ultimately in control of it all. I pray that in times that don’t make sense, I would continue to run to You, Your Word and just worship You for who You are just like my brothers and sisters in the past did, with the power of Your Holy Spirit. I love You Jesus. Amen.

-Michelle Gaddi

Romans 6 - 5.16.25

Scripture: ‭‭Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭19-‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

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Observations:

The verse preceding Roman 3:23 

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” added a deeper meaning to me as I read this. 

This often quoted verse is part of an important lesson. Paul relates the change that takes place at salvation as not being slaves to sin anymore, but instead slaves to righteousness. Verse 18 says “You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.”

Using contrasting terms “set free” and “slaves” is thought provoking.  How can we be both?

Being slaves to sin puts us in bondage and leads to death. As we choose to offer ourselves as slaves to righteousness the benefit we reap leads to holiness which results in eternal life.  This gives Romans 3:23 more meaning. It also is an important message to share with others. Sin puts them in bondage and leads to death. However, the gift of eternal life is available to them. 

Application:

Webster defines righteousness as:

1: acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin

2: morally right or justifiable

a righteous decision

3 slang : GENUINE, EXCELLENT

I want to act in accord with God’s law. As I choose to serve and follow God in righteousness.  It does not happen automatically or easily. Just as being a slave requires work. I need to put effort into following God and obey His word.  When I do, I will reap wonderful rewards and the gift of eternal life. I included the slang for righteous because I think we should strive to be genuine and excellent in all we do.

 Prayer:

Father God thank you for your gift of eternal life. It came with a great price. Jesus’ death in my place. Please give me a heart to serve you as a slave would serve their loving master. Help me to not keep this wonderful message to myself, but share it with others. May your kingdom be built here on Earth.  Amen

- Cindy Howard

Ezra 1 - 05.15.25

SCRIPTURE: Ezra 1:1-4 NIV

“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia,

in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah,

the LORD—MOVED the heart of Cyrus—king of Persia—to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:

“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:

“The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and

HE has appointed me to build a temple for HIM at Jerusalem in Judah.

Any of his people among you may GO up to Jerusalem in Judah

and BUILD the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them.

And in any locality where survivors may now be living,

the people are to provide them with silver and gold,

with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings

for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’ ””‭‭

OBSERVATION

After 70 years in exile, the people of Israel were finally coming back home.

The new Persian emperor Cyrus had decreed that the Israelites

could return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple of their God.

God is using an unbelieving King to accomplish HIS Perfect Will-

something we see even Today.

If GOD does this…Imagine how much MORE HE Will Work THROUGH those who are HIS willing servants.

And not only are they released to GO…they are being sent with ALL the gold and silver that had been taken from the Temple along with goodwill offerings.

When the Israelites return to their homeland they don’t just see a place that needs rebuilding—they see complete and utter devastation.

Where once Solomon’s Temple stood as a glorious Monument onto The LORD—

in all its stunning grandeur—now—all that can be seen is—heaps of rubble—desolation—and overgrown weeds.

Can these dry bones live?

From this, God would rebuild—The Foundation—HIS Temple, The Walls, His People.

From this…God would bring a—rebirth.

APPLICATION

Set your Life on—CHRIST—The Cornerstone

God is in the Business of RE-BIRTH.

It seemed an impossible task when the Israelites returned after 70 years in exile.

How could the Temple be rebuilt? How could the walls and City be rebuilt?

How could the people come together and be rebuilt?

There was despair, the task alone seemed overwhelming, not including the opposition they encountered.

Sin and unwillingness to Repent had brought this punishment upon them.

In God’s unfailing love, HE had disciplined His children through the chastisement in Babylon. “If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.” (Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

God disciplines us for our good, “that we may share His holiness”.

By nature, we’re all so wed to this world and the things of this world

that the Lord has to bring us to the place where we find no rest in Babylon.

The dry times make us thirst after the living God,

who is the ONLY ONE who can satisfy.

AND—God is Now Setting His Rebirth in Action.

The Temple WILL BE Rebuilt. The Wall WILL be Rebuilt, AND Most Important-

The People WILL be Rebuilt—

It is IMPORTANT to Note—This ALL has been preceded by many prayers.

You can read two of these Intercessor prayers (Daniel 9:3-19, Nehemiah 9:2-37).

If you are wondering what can one person accomplish in praying???

Read Daniel 9:23 to see God’s response from HIS Messenger Gabriel —to Daniel,

“As SOON as you BEGAN to pray I received [God’s] command to give you an answer”.

Christ IS the Cornerstone-in the Business of REBIRTH.

The Cornerstone is the Setting Stone-the First Foundation Stone set in the construction of a building.

“Therefore, if anyone is IN Christ, he is a NEW creation. The old has passed away; behold, the NEW has come.” (2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭17‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

There is not any situation too desolate, too damaged, too devastated—that Christ isn’t ABLE to COME IN and Rebuild.

Can these dry bones live?

“Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them,

‘Dry bones, HEAR the word of the Lord!

This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones:

I will MAKE breath ENTER you,

and you WILL —come— to—life.”

‭‭(Ezekiel‬ ‭37‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

PRAYER

Lord Jesus,

Give me a heart to be one who will pray and fast like Daniel. Who will cry out to YOU in mourning over my sins, and the sins of this country. Give me YOUR heart to break.

Forgive my apathy and lack of urgency. Thank YOU for Your patience and mercy.

You are Sovereign and Powerful above ALL, worthy of our Fear. Able to DO infinitely MORE than I can DARE to HOPE or IMAGINE. Open my ears to HEAR the WORD of The LORD…Make Your Breath enter our Dry Bones to Come to LIFE that we May Prophesy to the Dry Bones in this Valley. May there BE a GREAT AWAKENING. In JESUS Name. And for Your Glory. Amen.

Tina L Kudelka