Category: Romans

Posted on

Surrounded By Love

I hope you are finding strength, joy, comfort and peace in our morning times together, as we explore the depths of God’s goodness.

Each morning the Lord reminds me of His love, girds me with strength, fills my heart with joy and infuses me with confidence that my trust and hope in Him is never in vain.

“Many are saying of me, ‘There is no help for him in God.’ 3 But You, O Lord, are a covering around me, my shining-greatness, and the One Who lifts my head. 4 I was crying to the Lord with my voice. And He answered me from His holy mountain. 5 I lay down and slept, and I woke up again, for the Lord keeps me safe… 8 It is You Who saves, O Lord. May You bring happiness to Your people.” Psalm 3:2-4,8 NLV

This Psalm was written by King David when he was running from his son Absolom who wanted to kill him and take his throne.

Talk about discouragement and hopelessness – this was it.

Your own son and some of your closest advisors and confidants joined together to kill you. If you stand and fight, lives will be lost, probably the life of your son. It seems to be a no-win situation. But then…you turn to God and He provides the safety and protection that you need.

I doubt any of us has ever faced such a situation, but we have all faced weariness and the enemy of hopelessness.

How do we survive? The enemy seems too large to fight any longer.

“ I will lift up my eyes to the mountains. Where will my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your feet go out from under you. He Who watches over you will not sleep. 4 Listen, He Who watches over Israel will not close his eyes or sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you. The Lord is your safe cover at your right hand. 6 The sun will not hurt you during the day and the moon will not hurt you during the night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all that is sinful. He will watch over your soul. 8 The Lord will watch over your coming and going, now and forever.” Psalm 121 NLV

The Father’s watchful care will not cease, He promises it now and forever. We are His beloved children, and He is our loving Father. He is ALWAYS faithful to His word.

“ Give all your worries to Him because He cares for you.” I Peter 5:7 NLV

When worries come and they will, we have two choices. We can let them become embedded in our hearts and produce fear or we can give them over to the Father and let Him handle them while we rest in His peace.

“ When we have learned not to give up, it shows we have stood the test. When we have stood the test, it gives us hope. 5 Hope never makes us ashamed because the love of God has come into our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who was given to us.” Romans 5:4-5 NLV

Take today’s worries and hand them over to the Father. Now, rest in His loving care!

Posted on

XOXO

Yesterday we were able to spend a few hours with our oldest daughter, her husband, oldest granddaughter, her husband and our two great granddaughters.

I love family time!

Our daughter had decorated her home for Valentine’s Day. On her laundry room door she hung a beaded X and O. Our great granddaughter thought they looked like a fish and they did.

I told her the O was a sign for hugs because when you wrap your arms around someone to give them a hug it looks like an O and when you pucker up to kiss someone your lips kind of look like an X. Now that’s silly I know, but it was great to have her play it out as she gave me hugs (O) and kisses (X).

I love you very much we said.

I love you very, very much. Is that different than a simple “I love you”? True love is unconditional and sacrificial so can we really love someone more than we did say 6 months ago? I think we can express love better than we did before and we may be willing to sacrifice in a greater way but if it’s true love, it really can’t be more. Time will reveal the depth of our love, its enduring commitment but true love is just that – love.

We are often caught in the vicious cycle of trying to do the right thing so that people and/or God will love us. We also strive to keep from doing the wrong things, so they won’t stop loving us and walk away.

That’s a really heavy burden to bear. No matter how good we try to be, there will be times of failure and if we feel that love is based on our performance that can be devastating.

One of my favorite passages on God’s love is found in Romans 8.

“So what should we say about this? If God is for us, no one can stand against us. And God is with us. 32 He even let his own Son suffer for us. God gave his Son for all of us. So now with Jesus, God will surely give us all things. 33 Who can accuse the people God has chosen? No one! God is the one who makes them right. 34 Who can say that God’s people are guilty? No one! Christ Jesus died for us, but that is not all. He was also raised from death. And now he is at God’s right side, speaking to him for us. 35 Can anything separate us from Christ’s love? Can trouble or problems or persecution separate us from his love? If we have no food or clothes or face danger or even death, will that separate us from his love? 36 As the Scriptures say, ‘For you we are in danger of death all the time. People think we are worth no more than sheep to be killed.’

37 But in all these troubles we have complete victory through God, who has shown his love for us. 38-39 Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not death, life, angels, or ruling spirits. I am sure that nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us or nothing below us—nothing in the whole created world—will ever be able to separate us from the love God has shown us in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:31-39 ERV

Nothing can separate us from God’s love! I just wanted to give you a few X’s and O’x from the Father. God loves you!

Posted on

A Message of Hope

Watching old westerns on the movie channel, preachers are depicted the same way over and over again. Hell fire and brimstone – turn or burn – tellin’ folks that God’s judgin’ them and thar goin’ to hell. Boy, how many times have we see that not only on the silver screen but in our churches.

One thing I know for certain, you don’t have to tell a sinner he’s sinnin’ cuz he already knows that – the Holy Spirit will convict of sin. Paul put it this way in Romans 2.

“God has been kind to you. He has been very patient, waiting for you to change. But you think nothing of his kindness. Maybe you don’t understand that God is kind to you so that you will decide to change your lives.” Romans 2:4 CEV

Paul was preaching the Gospel of Christ – gospel means the “good news, nearly too good to be true news”. Good news is that God loves you and sent someone else to take your place of punishment so that you could live in right relationship with Him and enjoy all of His blessings.

“ All have sinned and are not good enough to share God’s divine greatness. 24 They are made right with God by his grace. This is a free gift. They are made right with God by being made free from sin through Jesus Christ.” Romans 3:23-24 ERV

I’ve had folks in the past tell me that I am always focusing on God’s love and his blessings and not making people responsible for their sin but I choose to focus on that because the sacrifice that Jesus made is so much greater.

Do we go on sinning – the Apostle Paul said “God forbid”. But if folks think that God’s mad at them and that “God’s gonna get ya for that” then why would they want to come to Him. When we’re focused on God’s great love, we aren’t going to want to do things that will shame Him.

“ So what should we do? Should we sin because we are under grace and not under law? Certainly not! ” Romans 6:15 ERV

“So I tell you, live the way the Spirit leads you. Then you will not do the evil things your sinful self wants.” Galatians 5:16 ERV

The people in our life don’t need to hear about their faults and shortcomings. They need to hear about God’s unconditional love – who am I kidding, I need to hear about God’s unconditional love.

That first sin of Adam in the garden brought sin into the world for all of us but Christ’s death on the cross brought us all into a place of grace – we simply need to receive it.

“So that one sin of Adam brought the punishment of death to all people. But in the same way, Christ did something so good that it makes all people right with God. And that brings them true life. 19 One man disobeyed God and many became sinners. But in the same way, one man obeyed God and many will be made right.” Romans 5: 18-19 ERV

The Father wants relationship not rules, sons not slaves, grace not groveling.

“ For Christ is not only God-like, He is God in human flesh. 10 When you have Christ, you are complete. He is the head over all leaders and powers.” Colossians 2:9-10 NLV

Let God’s love be paramount in our lives and our actions today. Let’s bring a message of hope to our world!

Posted on

It’s All Good

Yesterday I had a regular check up with the doctor. When we came to the end of the exam he said, “It’s all good, I won’t need to see you for another year”. I like those words.

It’s All Good.

Yet, this morning as I sat here thinking about the second part of that phrase “I won’t need to see you for another year” it made me sad. Not sad because I won’t be seeing the doctor, I’m glad of that, but sad because that’s how so many think of their relationship with the Father.

When He walks us through the tough times and we find ourselves on the other side of the adversity some find it easy to go back to their regular routine which doesn’t include as much time with the Lord. It’s that time with the Lord that brings us to the good life.

“We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him. These are the people God chose, because that was his plan.” Romans 8:28 ERV

Yesterday I ended with Jesus telling his disciples that He is the good shepherd. Amen!

“The sheep know their shepherd’s voice. He calls each of them by name and leads them out. 4 When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice…14  I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me. 15  Just as the Father knows me, I know the Father, and I give up my life for my sheep.” John 10:3-4,14-15 CEV 

I love this analogy. Sheep following a shepherd. King David used it as well when he wrote Psalm 23. “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. He makes me lay down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters.”

A good shepherd, our Good Shepherd leads us and feeds us. He brings us to a place of rest, and he also cares for us in the presence of our enemies. It’s a daily leading. If sheep are left to themselves in a pasture they will eat the grass to the ground and then colic because they ingest the soil. They need to be led each day, making sure they are still well fed and safe.

“Show me your faithful love this morning. I trust in you. Show me what I should do. I put my life in your hands! 9 Lord, I come to you for protection. Save me from my enemies. 10 Show me what you want me to do. You are my God. Let your good Spirit lead me over level ground.” Psalm 143:8-10 ERV

It’s wonderful to know that the Father is there every morning to show us His love. Every morning. He protects and leads. Holy Spirit is a good leader.

I was so pleased to hear my doctor say all is good, I’ll see you next year but I am more delighted to hear my Father say, “all is well and I’m here to show you my faithful love this morning and each day that follows”.

Posted on

His Goodness

Last year we focused on the love of God during the month of January, this year the Lord has put it on my heart to center our thoughts on the goodness of God.

There is so much around us that isn’t good. There are those who choose to call good evil and evil good.

We who know and follow Christ are called to be ambassadors for Christ, pointing to God’s goodness and grace.

“For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” II Corinthians 5:19-21 NLT

An ambassador is someone who is a representative for a country or government, living in a foreign land. They present the thoughts and intents of their ruler or monarch to those in the land where they reside temporarily. They are backed and supported, in the foreign land, by their king or ruler.

We are Christ’s ambassadors on this earth. Our message is one of reconciliation. We are to bring God’s love, goodness and peace to this land we live in.

“Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” Romans 2:4 NLT

Other translations say that God’s goodness is what will cause people to turn to Him.

Here’s the big question. How will they know about God’s goodness unless we tell them?

” All who call out to the Lord will be saved. 14 How can people have faith in the Lord and ask him to save them, if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear, unless someone tells them?…17 No one can have faith without hearing the message about Christ.” Romans 10:13-17 CEV

We have received a commission – an assignment. We have a purpose.

“Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 20 and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.” Matthew 28:19-20 CEV

Join me as an ambassador; let’s take the message of the goodness of God to the people in our world.

Posted on

Friendship

This morning, I started reading in I John again. John was one of Jesus closest friends. John had been with Him from the beginning, and it was John that was standing with Mary, the mother of Jesus, at the foot of His cross. He loved Jesus.

In the first few verses of this letter John reveals his purpose for writing it.

“We are telling you what we have seen and heard, so that you may share in this life with us. And we share in it with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing to tell you these things, because this makes us truly happy.” I John 1:3-4 CEV

That’s how I feel each morning when I share my thoughts with you. I write this so that you will be truly happy. The joy found in friendship/relationship with Jesus is indescribable, complete and will sustain us even in the toughest times.

Jesus is the one who invested in us; He’s the one who developed the friendship.

” I no longer call you servants, because servants don’t know what their master is doing. But now I call you friends, because I have told you everything that my Father told me.” John 15:15 ERV

Maybe it’s been a while since you just sat and shared your morning coffee with Him or talked through things that are on your heart but He’s there waiting. Take Him with you on your camping trip, your next ride or hike; let Him go with you wherever that may be.

“ Be brave and strong! Don’t be afraid of the nations on the other side of the Jordan. The Lord your God will always be at your side, and he will never abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 CEV

Jesus wants to be involved in our everyday life. He met people in their routine and made life better.

“Even when we were God’s enemies, he made peace with us, because his Son died for us. Yet something even greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, we will be saved by the life of his Son. 11 And in addition to everything else, we are happy because God sent our Lord Jesus Christ to make peace with us.” Romans 5:9-10 CEV

Friendship with the Lord is definitely worth cultivating.

Posted on

Forgotten – Forgiven

I saw an image similar to the one I’m using this morning on a friend’s FB page yesterday. I had never seen this verse like this before.

“For unto us a child is born, and unto us a Son is given.” The reason the Son came was to forgive!

As I lay in the dark this morning so many thoughts came swirling through my mind.

“In Christ, he chose us before the world was made. He chose us in love to be his holy people—people who could stand before him without any fault. 5 And before the world was made, God decided to make us his own children through Jesus Christ. This was what God wanted, and it pleased him to do it. ” Ephesians 1:4-5 ERV

In Christ we were chosen by God the Father before the world was made! In Christ, we can stand before the Father and He sees us as faultless. We are forgiven.

“And I will forgive the wrongs they have done, and I will not remember their sins.” Hebrews 8:12

“ Because we broke God’s laws, we owed a debt—a debt that listed all the rules we failed to follow. But God forgave us of that debt. He took it away and nailed it to the cross.” Colossians 2:14 ERV

“Christ died for us when we were unable to help ourselves. We were living against God, but at just the right time Christ died for us. 7 Very few people will die to save the life of someone else, even if it is for a good person. Someone might be willing to die for an especially good person. 8 But Christ died for us while we were still sinners, and by this God showed how much he loves us.” Romans 5:6-8 ERV

In God’s eyes I have no past. He has forgotten my failings, my sins. He sees me completely cleansed by the shed blood of Jesus.

“His love for his followers is as high above us as heaven is above the earth. 12 And he has taken our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west. 13 The Lord is as kind to his followers as a father is to his children.” Psalms 103:11-13 ERV

Completely cleansed, forever forgotten.

That’s the message of Christmas. “For unto us a child is born, and unto to us a Son is given.”

We are forgiven and our sins are forgotten because of Christ. His gift to us is forgiveness. I pray you have received it and are sharing this wonderful gift with others.

Posted on

Prince of Peace

15 days to Christmas…shopping, wrapping, baking, cards to write, parties to attend, dinners to cook, family to prepare for and the list goes on.

Are you feeling the faster pace, the hustle and bustle? It’s something I have to resist every year. Time to put the brakes on – slow the roll, take a deep breath, spend a few more minutes in prayer and breathe in peace.

“ For to us a Child will be born. To us a Son will be given. And the rule of the nations will be on His shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Teacher, Powerful God, Father Who Lives Forever, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 NLV

Prince of Peace. What a wonderful name, what an amazing kingdom to rule – the kingdom of peace.

His path was set, His course was laid hundreds of years before His birth and then it was announced by angels.

“Today, One Who saves from the punishment of sin has been born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord. 12 There will be something special for you to see. This is the way you will know Him. You will find the Baby with cloth around Him, lying in a place where cattle are fed.”

13 At once many angels from heaven were seen, along with the angel, giving thanks to God. They were saying, 14 “Greatness and honor to our God in the highest heaven and peace on earth among men who please Him.” Luke 2:11-14 NLV

Christ came to bring peace on earth, not the kind of peace we think about with no wars or conflicts but peace with God.

“ Even when we were God’s enemies, he made peace with us, because his Son died for us. Yet something even greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, we will be saved by the life of his Son.” Romans 5:10 CEV

This child, the Son of God, came as the Prince of Peace. He’s the one who said “Peace, be still” and the winds and waves ceased. He’s the One who rescued a prostitute from stoning and brought soul peace to a man named Saul, who had been arresting and persecuting Christians.

This Prince of Peace has invited us into His kingdom to experience this amazing peace.

“ I give you peace, the kind of peace only I can give. It isn’t like the peace this world can give. So don’t be worried or afraid.” John 14:27 CEV

“I have told you this, so that you might have peace in your hearts because of me. While you are in the world, you will have to suffer. But cheer up! I have defeated the world.” John 16:33 CEV

Take a few more moments. Let the peace of God wrap around you like a soft blanket. Close your eyes, take a deep breath and make a silent prayer of Thanksgiving. “Thank you Lord for bringing me to a place of peace with You. Let my heart rest, knowing you are in control of my day and show me how to be an ambassador of peace to others. In Jesus name.”

Posted on

A Son is Given

It’s so hard to have your children or your grandchildren leave when they have been for a visit.

I can only imagine what the conversation must have been like when our Heavenly Father and Jesus spoke about His coming to earth. Coming in the form of a baby who would grow into a sinless man.

“A child has been born for us. We have been given a son who will be our ruler. His names will be Wonderful Advisor and Mighty God, Eternal Father and Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 CEV

No parent likes to see their children leave. Those of us parents who have had children join the military or enter other “dangerous” occupations know the heart ache, the apprehension and even the worry of having our children go off into the unknown, into hostile and harmful circumstances.

But if you’re God…

You’re Son has been with you every moment from eternity past. You have created universes together; you have intervened in the lives of your creation in a powerful way. Never a cross word spoken, never a rebellious thought or action – your Son is your dearest friend, He’s a part of all you do and have ever done.

He’s leaving now – headed to earth. He will be loved by some, treated with ambivalence by most and hated by others and they will plot to kill Him. Although You know all this, You still choose to let Him go and even more than that You choose to let Him die so that He can provide reconciliation for all those who are incapable of providing for themselves.

“17 When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new! 18 All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between himself and us. And God gave us the work of bringing people into peace with him. 19 I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold people guilty for their sins. And he gave us this message of peace to tell people.” II Corinthians 5:17

And all of this was not because of our great value or importance but because of His great love.

“Christ died for us when we were unable to help ourselves. We were living against God, but at just the right time Christ died for us. 7 Very few people will die to save the life of someone else, even if it is for a good person. Someone might be willing to die for an especially good person.But Christ died for us while we were still sinners, and by this God showed how much he loves us.9 We have been made right with God by the blood sacrifice of Christ. So through Christ we will surely be saved from God’s anger.” Romans 5:6-9

“Unto to us a Son is given”!

Would you be willing to give your son? Aren’t you glad He did!!

Posted on

With Us

I woke up several times during the night with these two words “with” and “among” going through my mind.

Last night we had been at a game night, and we were among a large group of people but we were sitting with only two of them. We could hear the conversations of those around us but we could personally interact with the two sitting across the table from us.

Do you know where I’m going with this?

“ All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” Isaiah 7:14 NLT

God is with us.

For thousands of years, God had been among His people revealing His character and His holiness. The occasions when He was with individuals is noteworthy. He was with the three young men who were thrown into the fiery furnace, He was with Daniel in the lions’ den and He was with David as he faced Goliath. He was with Joseph, Abraham, Noah and others.

And now, according to Isaiah’s prophecy, God was making Himself available to be with us through His Son.

“ All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

23 ‘Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’

24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife.” Matthew 1:22-24 NLT

We have all been given a personal invitation to be with God. He chose us before the foundation of the world. Christ’s mission was to reconcile us with God.

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.” Romans 3:23-24 NLT

“Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.” Colossians 1:22 NLT

“Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. 18 God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and he has given us the work of making peace between himself and others.” II Corinthians 5:17-18 CEV

Our heavenly Father knew that human efforts were not good enough to bring about reconciliation with Him. In His unconditional love for us He sent Jesus to provide the way for restored relationship.

Every day I am thankful for Immanuel – God with us. He will never leave us alone!

Privacy Policy Proudly powered by WordPress