Romans 9 - 09.03.26
SCRIPTURE
“…and the one—who believes in Him—will never be put to shame.””
Romans 9:33b NIV
OBSERVATION
We know from (Acts 18:1-2) that the church in Rome had existed for some time and was made up of both Jewish and non-Jewish followers. The crisis for this church began when the Roman emperor Claudius expelled all of the Jewish people from Rome. About five years later, (Upon the death of Claudius) all those Jews were allowed to return. When they did, they found a church that had become largely gentile in its customs and practice. This created a culture clash, and by Paul’s day, the Roman church was deeply divided.
Paul desperately wanted this divided community to become unified once again. Paul’s answer was to write this very thorough letter containing the most detailed explanation of the Gospel in the Bible. It reads like a trial brief in a court of law as Paul debates himself, asking and answering every question conceivable.
Paul’s ultimate point—Only the Gospel can “Unify the Church”
“Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises HE made to their ancestors. LChrist also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for HIS mercies to them.“ (Romans 15:8-9 NLT)
APPLICATION
Believe in Him—Follow Him—Be a Faithful Steward
“And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19)
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them—and they Follow Me” (John 10:27)
Whoever Believes in Christ—will Not be Put to Shame.
At seventy years old I have learned that my life can take many twists and unexpected turns. But One thing will always remain certain—Whoever Believes in Jesus—because of the Gospel—will not be put to Shame.
The Holy Spirit will Guide us into all Truth as we Follow Jesus.
I will always take his Hand and—Follow Him. In the wilderness, In the storms, In the Valleys, On the Mountain Tops. When I am uncertain and the way seems dark or hidden—I will not worry or fret. Jesus is WITH Me.
Jesus IS The Way. The Lord is My Shepherd. My Sheep Know My Voice.
Just Follow Jesus.
God continues to speak to me on the theme of setting my sights on the Reality of Heaven. (Colossians 3:1). We have one life here on earth. This One life has a very specific purpose. It is not to give us our own desires or our own achievements. It is preparation for the REAL Life that will begin in Eternity with Jesus. IF we belong to Christ who is our Master then our life is no longer our own. Our life belongs to Christ.
(1 Corinthians 6:19)
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3 NIV)
How do we use our time here to prepare for our eternal life?
Jesus explained this in the Parable of the Talents.
The Parable of The Talents
One of Jesus’ most significant parables regarding work is set in the context of investments (Matt. 25:14-30). A rich man delegates the management of his wealth to his servants. He gives five talents (a large unit of money) to the first servant, two talents to the second, and one talent to the third. Two of the servants earn 100 percent returns by trading with the funds, but the third servant hides the money in the ground and earns nothing. The rich man returns, rewards the two who made money, but severely punishes the servant who did nothing.
Christ is the rich man in this parable. And Christ has entrusted us each with our own set of Talents—a wide variety of gifts, that HE expects us to employ in His service. It is not acceptable to hide these gifts, ignore them, or use them unwisely.
The gifts we receive include finances, skills, abilities, family connections, social positions, education, experiences, and more. The point of the parable is that we are to use whatever we have been given for God’s purposes. Jesus issues a clear warning that there are severe consequences for the unproductive servant. A reminder that we are to steward our resources wisely, not waste them.
It's important to observe that both faithful servants who invest for the benefit of their master—return to him not only his original investment—but also what they additionally make on HIS behalf. In the end, the master praises these two trustworthy servants with the words, “Well done, good and trustworthy Servant” (Matthew 25:23). In these words, we see that Jesus cares about the results (“well done”), the methods ("good”), and the motivation (“trustworthy”).
It is a privilege to be entrusted with talents, resources, finances, and opportunities to work toward God's purposes in the world. The implication of the parable is that IF we Steward God’s given Resources Faithfully—we will take our place in the future among all the faithful, trustworthy servants of God, no matter how big or small our accomplishments may seem.
Jesus calls us to Faith by His merciful grace. We Learn to Follow Him in all our Ways. God bestows gifts to us that we use for His glory. These resources demonstrate our ability to be faithful and will result in our future eternal calling.
Believe in Jesus…Follow Jesus…Be a Faithful Steward.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus,
Thank You that You are a Faithful Father. Thank You for Your Love and goodness. Even with the unwise servant You didn’t judge unfairly. You asked why he would not have simply deposited the money in the bank to earn interest instead of burying it. You are gracious, generous, forgiving, and merciful. Slow to anger. Open my heart to hear more clearly and forgive me for any times I have not quickly responded to Your voice.
Help me to be a good steward of the resources you have provided to me. Help me to not be fearful, or hide, ignore, or use anything unwisely. May I always Follow You in everything You call me to. Fill me. Empty me of my own agenda. Guide me by Your Holy Spirit Love and wisdom. Use me for Your glory to accomplish Your Perfect purposes. Have Your way in me. In Jesus Name. Amen
Tina L Kudelka
Romans 8 - 9.2.26
Scripture
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1)
Observation
In the first 7 chapters of Romans, Paul explains sin and its consequences, and how we cannot help ourselves. It is only because of Jesus Christ that we can overcome sin (Rom 7:25).
Therefore there is no condemnation for those of us who are in Christ Jesus. (Rom 8:1). Paul continues to explain what he means by “those who are in Christ Jesus”. We do not live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (Rom 8:4).
The CEV translation makes it very understandable in everyday English what it means to be “in Christ Jesus” in the verses 5-8 - People who are ruled by their desires think only of themselves. Everyone who is ruled by the Holy Spirit thinks about spiritual things. If our minds are ruled by our desires, we will die. But if our minds are ruled by the Spirit, we will have life and peace. Our desires fight against God, because they do not and cannot obey God's laws. If we follow our desires, we cannot please God. (Rom 8:5-8, CEV).
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (Rom 8:1, NKJV).
Application
We who have accepted the Lord Jesus as our Savior, and who do not walk according to the world, but according to God’s Spirit, are not under condemnation anymore. We were sinners, but we were washed, we were sanctified, we were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Cor 6:11).
Now that we are made free, it is not the freedom to sin more, but the freedom to live right. We who have died to sin, cannot live in it any longer (Rom 6:2). We have to stand in the liberty that Christ made us free, and not get entangled in the yolk of bondage, by willfully engaging in a sinful lifestyle (Gal 5:1).
Prayer
Dear Father, Thank you for loving me. Thank you for opening my eyes and revealing yourself to me. I know that I did not choose you, but you chose me (John 15:16). Thank you for washing my sins away with your precious blood. Please help me to walk in the freedom that Christ has made me free and not get entangled in the bondage of sin (Gal 5:1). Thank you because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13). Make my life a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to you (Rom 12:1). In Jesus’s name. Amen
Asha Chacko George
Proverbs 22 - 9.1.26
SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 22:6
“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”
OBSERVATION: Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, wrote the Book of Proverbs under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which gives us practical insight and guidelines for life. Young people mattered very much to Solomon, and his special instructions to them are found in Proverbs 1:1-9,18.
The word “youth” is used in the Old Testament to apply to children from pre-birth through the first 20 years of life. “The way he should go” relates to the way God has created every normal human being. “Even Jesus in His human nature progressed through these natural phases. Jesus, as a young boy increased in wisdom (mentally) and stature (physically), and in favor with God (spiritually), and with people (socially)”. (Quoted from Gene Getz Life Essential Study Bible).
APPLICATION: “When parents ignore this growth process, they can create frustration, anxiety, discouragement, insecurity, and even anger, which can lead to rebellion. When this kind of resentment becomes persistent, children often make decisions to reject and “depart from” the will of God”.
As a parent of 2 grown sons now, I can look back and remember crying out to God countless times, especially in their teens, because of the mistakes I made misunderstanding their growth process, which in turn created negative reactions on their part. We once went to a family seminar and I heard something I will never forget from the speaker, “Rules without relationship lead to rebellion”. Well… I was what you would call a drill sergeant kind of mom, and was very strict with our 2 boys; a “mother hen”, and rules were VERY important, and THEY WERE ENFORCED! I was also known to raise my voice LOUDLY! This mother made ALOT of mistakes while trying to learn and understand the unique way God created our 2 boys, and how to nurture them accordingly. Even though I was young, immature and insecure when I became a mother, God showed up when I needed Him most, and lovingly forgave me, taught me how to correct my ways, and gave me a brand new start! God has used His Word to teach and train me to be a better mother to our sons, and to their children, and to their children. (Yes, we are now GREAT grand-parents!)
PRAYER: Thank You Lord for my children and for our grand-children. I pray You will help me to be a model of faith, hope, and love to them all. Thank You that You have heard my prayers, and that they will all come to know You and serve You well. May our entire family be part of the Church - the family of God, who walk worthy of You, and who have been called into Your kingdom and glory. Amen
- Robin Orefice