Romans 5 - 1.6.26
SCRIPTURE: Romans 5:1-5 “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that sufferings produce perseverance, perseverance, character, and character, hope. 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.”
OBSERVATION: Paul wrote this message to the church in Rome, explaining that all believers have been justified through faith, which means ‘JUST IF I’D’ never sinned! When Jesus hung on the cross and died, it was to pay the price for OUR past, present and future sins! (Not His because He had no sin). The punishment we deserved, (death), was paid in full by Jesus Himself! Paul went on to say that we not only boast in the hope of the glory of God, but we also glory in our sufferings.
APPLICATION: So…What exactly does it mean to glory in our sufferings? It’s the end result that causes us to glory in our sufferings. Suffering produces perseverance, character and hope, and those are all character traits that point to the attributes of Jesus. If we TRULY want to become more like Jesus, then EVERY time we suffer, and remember that God is with us, and will be faithful to bring us all the way through, then we will glory in our sufferings.
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
In the book of James, he doesn’t say IF you face trials, he says WHEN you face trials of many kinds, consider it pure joy because the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” There’s another great reminder of the end result that God brings AS WE GO THROUGH our trials.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come SO THAT the proven genuineness of your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though it is refined by fire - may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your great mercy and love that was demonstrated when You sent Your only Son Jesus to reconcile us to You. Please help me not to be a grumbler or a complainer when my faith is tested, but help me to remember all the good that You bring when I glory in my suffering. And thank You that I never have to suffer alone because You are always with me, AND because Your mercies are new EVERY morning! Thank You for Your faithfulness, and for promising to bring me through every trial that I will ever face as I keep my eyes on You.
- Robin Orefice
Ezekiel 18 - 1.5.26
Scripture
Ezekiel 18:32 NIV
“For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!”
Observation
In this passage, the people of Israel are in the midst of life’s struggles. They believe God is punishing them for their ancestors’ sins, when in fact they couldn’t be more wrong.
Ezekiel then gets a word from God. God tells the people of Israel that He is holding each person accountable for the lifestyle they are choosing to live by. The current struggles they are experiencing is from their own sinful behaviors, so if they want to blame anyone, then they need to look no further than in the mirror.
But, in God’s grace, righteousness, and mercy, He offers the people of Israel liberation from the burden of ancestral sin. God offers them a fresh start and direct relationship based on personal choices, not inherited guilt, calling everyone to choose righteousness and live.
Application
Choose righteousness and live!
Some people picture God to be someone who is just waiting for us to mess up and the moment you do…WHAM!!! God is ready to just pounce on us, punish us, and send us to Hell. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
The verse I chose today shows you God’s heart for people. He doesn’t want to send anyone to Hell. He doesn’t want ANYONE to spend eternity separated from Him and His love. God loves us all! But, God is a holy and righteous God. He is just and He cannot contradict Himself. He can’t just allow sin to go unpunished and “sweep it under the rug”. So, God provided a way for all of us to be cleansed from our sins. He provided a way for us to be righteous. He provided a way for ALL to spend eternity with Him in Heaven. Enter Jesus.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” -John 3:16-18
God came out of the comforts of Heaven to be born in the flesh as Jesus. He was the only one to live a perfect and sinless life. Yet, He willingly died a sinner’s death on that cross and because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we all have that opportunity to be righteous through Him. We all have the opportunity (just like the Israelites in this passage) to turn away from our sinful way of living and to choose righteousness; to choose Jesus and live! When it’s all said and done, God will hold each of us accountable for our actions and choices in life. We can’t live off of our parents’ faith. It has to be our choice, our decision. What will that choice and decision be for us today? What will we choose to do with the name of Jesus? 🤔
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love. Thank You for Your heart for humanity and not wanting to see any perish, but for all to have this opportunity, this free gift of salvation that was paid for us by Jesus. I pray that others may know You the way I do. Give me the courage and boldness to share Your message to others around me so that when that day comes when You hold them accountable for their actions and choices, they will be found righteous because of their faith in Jesus. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.🙏🏽
-Moses Gaddi
Romans 1 - 1.2.26
Scripture: Romans 1:18-20
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
Observation
Paul is writing to the Romans about the works of Jesus Christ. The Good News of Jesus is more than facts to be believed; it is also a life to be lived – a life of righteousness, justified freely by God’s Grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Paul is giving us the bad news before he gives us the Good News. We are all under the wrath of God because of sin and he explains it in two words.
Ungodliness – refers to a lack of reverence or obedience to God, a lack of worship. Encompassing impiety, wickedness, and sinful behavior that goes against commands, often characterized by irreligion, worldliness, or actively opposing God’s nature and will. It’s essentially living apart from God, characterized by sin and a rejection of divine principles, leading to spiritual separation and potential judgement. (Google)
Unrighteousness – means violating God’s moral standards, encompassing injustice, wickedness, dishonesty, and deliberate opposition to divine law, separating people from God’s holy character. (Google)
Application
In this world that we live in there is so much ungodliness and unrighteousness. In these scriptures Paul states, there is no excuse for not knowing God. His invisible qualities are clearly seen. He keeps the earth moving on its axis. He keeps the sun and the moon at their proper distance so we don’t burn up. He wakes us up every morning with breath in our lungs. I just got back from a vacation on Kauai, HI. God’s handiwork is all over that island. The majesty and beauty of that island is so incredible that you cannot deny God’s hand on it. The magnificent shoreline and how the waves and water keep their boundaries. It rains everyday so that the land is green and lush. God is so evident there and in our everyday lives here where we live.
People are under God’s wrath for rejecting God and living in sin but He gave us His son Jesus Christ to bridge the gap. If we repent of our sins and ask Jesus to come live in our hearts…everything changes. THE GOOD NEWS!
Prayer
Dear Lord,
Thank You for giving us your son so we don’t have to experience your wrath. Thank You for making a way for us to be in right relationship with you. Thank you for being so present on this earth, that we can see your hand all around us. Thank you for loving us so much that you would let us enjoy your magnificent handiwork. You are a Great and Marvelous God and worthy to be praised by all mankind. Give us boldness to share your Good News with everyone we encounter. We worship and adore you!
- Michelle Craig