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

Psalm 103 - 5.14.25

Scripture

Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits (Psalms 103:2)

Observation

Bible scholars believe that David penned psalm 103 in his later years. This is a beautiful psalm that reminds us to not forget all the benefits that God has given us. The Psalm lists down some of the things we need to remember to be thankful for. 

He forgives all our sins and heals all our diseases (v 3). Let us not forget that it cost God everything to forgive our sins - the very last drop of Jesus’ blood. We were bought at a price (1 Cor 6:20). Through his death, he finished the work that is needed to heal us. He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and and by his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:5, 1 Peter 2:24). Thank you Lord for forgiving us and healing us.

He redeems our life from destruction, and crowns us with lovingkindness and tender mercies. (v 4). How many times has he picked us up from the pit? How many times has he crowned us with his mercy. Thank you Lord for redeeming our life from destruction.

He satisfies our mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's (v 5). All you ladies and gentlemen who look younger and stronger than your biological age, thank Him because He is renewing your youth like the eagle's! Thank you Lord for your strength and for the breath in our nostrils.

The Lord is merciful, kind and patient, and his love never fails. He does not deal with us according to our sins, and he doesn't punish us as our sins deserve (verse 8-10). Thank you Lord for your mercies which we do not deserve.

The phrase "East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet" is a famous line from Rudyard Kipling from his poem written in 1889. The Lord has done that for us literally. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our sins from us (v 11-12). Thank you Lord, because you have separated our sins from us just as the east is separated from the west.

Application

The scripture says “forget not all his benefits”. The scripture reminds us “not to forget” because we are prone to forget what the Lord has done for us. Let us remember the ways He has led us, the miracles He has done in our life, the doors He has opened for us and his mercies everyday. Let us make it a point to count our blessings and give him praise and thanks. Let us be intentional in thanking and praising God.

As the famous hymn goes:

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God has done

Count your blessings, name them one by one

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Prayer

Dear Father, thank you for everything you have given me. Thank you for my life, my health, my family, my job, my finances and every blessing that you have given me. Everything I have comes from you, and I have nothing that I have not received from you (1 Cor 4:7). Forgive me for the times I have forgotten your benefits, and have complained. Help me to be thankful and to offer the sacrifice of praise through my lips (Heb 13:15). In Jesus’s name. Amen.

- Asha Chacko George