Romans 3-4

N Romans 3-4,Paul makes it plain that the only way to have a living relationship w God is through Faith in HIM,PARTICULARLY in what HE Says and how HE Leads,& especially in WHO HE IS!Paul is referencing Genesis15:6,where after demonstrating his faith in several ways,God says that Abraham’s faith is “credited to him as righteousness”.The picture of faith painted by Abraham’s life is what Paul is pointing us to!N Genesis14-15 Abraham had demonstrated his FAITH n God’s Sovereignty when he let Lot choose what “appeared” to b the choicest land to live in; Abraham trusted how God tugged at his heart when Lot & his family were caught up in a war involving 9 kings...he knew what he “should do” and did it when he depended on/trusted God & gathered up 318 of his men to rescue his nephew(miraculously experiencing a victory that 4 worldy kings could not);then Abraham turns away from worldly reward so God alone is honored&glorified;and then when Abraham comes to God w his doubts about God’s Promises,Abraham accepts/receives God’s Encouragement and has his faith stoked by hearing and believing the reminders of God’s Voice/Word n his life(Genesis15:1-6).This is a model of living the kind of “maturing” faith n The Lord that is the only way of being considered Righteous before The Only Holy&Righteous Eternal God.Abraham was far from

perfect.Yet the Faith Abraham came to depend on more and more n his life-faith in God’s Sovereignty;God’s Heart/Spirit;&God’s Word-is what Paul is calling us to n Romans3-4!This is a picture of the “well rounded Faith” that God is at work to build in those that turn to Seek Him&Trust Him only.This is the kind of life that brings Glory to God in ways that draw others to know the saving Grace & Mercy of Christ....just by “living” n&through this Faith.Dear Lord,I fail so many times to have the kind of faith that Abraham shows me...I fail just as Abraham did many times.But,I pray for Your help in giving me the same perseverance/persistence/resilience and FAITH of Abraham that fires up his desire to keep coming to You to be reminded of Your Mercy and Your Promises...and grow n FAITH as Abraham did.

Romans 2:25-29

Romans 2:25–29 reminds me of a quote from “Batman Begins”,which says,”It’s not what you are underneath,it’s what you do that defines you.”The first part of this movie quote is wrong and twisted,the second part is right..,but it looses its connection with what should be the first part.If the above verses from Romans were to be applied to our lives as Paul describes,our more correct  “movie quote” would be->”What lives inside you is defined by what you do.”These verses are saying that how we live;think;respond;love;work;play...defines whether or not we are truly lovers of God,& how deep&wide we love God....how much our lives are impacted by the life/suffering/death/resurrection/ascension of Christ;His Word;& His Spirit.This is also what Jesus is talking about when he tells the parable of the vine...and the fruit we bare(how we live;think;respond;love;work;play...etc.) revealing what we truly are.Dear Lord Jesus,this opens a window n my life for me to see many of the areas n my life that are not changed by You yet,and others that I may have “taken back”.I pray for Your help as this day lives through me...that the ways I live;think;respond;love;work;play,etc., be evermore reflections of Your Life;Your Word;& Your Spirit...changing me and living in me.

Romans 1:28-31

Romans1:28-31 says that any time we “exchange TRUTH of God for a lie”(ESV)/“not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God”(NIV)relative to absolutely anything,we run the danger of having our lives so infected by sinful thoughts/emotions/pride/etc.,that we may wade into a long list of evil,greed & depravity that includes: robbing others of life n any way;strife(exertion or contention for superiority resulting n bitter sometimes violent conflict or dissension);deceit(the action or practice of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth);gossip;slandering;turning from acknowledging the Heart of God;doing&saying wrong things that we justify 2 ourselves;insolence(showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect);boastfulness;not respecting parents;not seeking true Wisdom&Discernment;living lives(or parts of our lives) that demonstrate faith n anything but God;not seeking nor sensing God’s Heart about life;being more concerned about ourselves than others.The presence of any element of this list being n my life indicates an area n my life that I have exchanged a TRUTH of God for a lie/not deemed it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God about something that is important to God.Paul goes beyond this to say that if I even approve of these things around me,I am exchanging The TRUTH of God for a lie/not deeming it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, I am allowing my heart to not stir as God’s Heart would react to any of these things around me,and somewhere n my life I am allowing a dangerous EXCHANGE to take place.The boildown is to know and seek The Heart of God about all aspects of LIFE and have the way we interact with those around us,& speak;act;think;be as God’s Heart would be compelled...as HE reveals throughout His Word.This doesn’t mean that we become “Bible Thumpers”,but that we seek to know and live how Jesus demonstrates throughout His life.And never forget the enormous Patience;Mercy;Grace that God has shown to me personally.May the Life&Sacrifice of Christ...& the Patience/Mercy/Grace to God has shown me personally and revealed through His Word,be what changes my heart & life today...and every day.

Romans 1:18-23

Through God’s Sovereign Omnipotence-Omniscience-Omnipresence,HE has made TRUTHS about HIMSELF known to every human being(Romans1:18”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 men are without excuse.”),but the arrogant  evil which infected the world has made our thinking&beliefs foolish and futile because we “suppress the truth” by wicked thinking&living(Romans1:18).N these verses Paul is not talking just about those that have refused to believe TRUTH,but also we who have accepted TRUTH as TRUTH,and the Gospel of Christ(Romans1:21-23,”For although they knew God,they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to Him,but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.Although they claimed to be wise,they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images...”).Part of this message is a wake up call for what I am “glorifying” in and through my life,AND what I am truly trusting in,i.e, where my real trust is placed for what I think&plan&live-because this is where my LIFE is demonstrating TRUST! I may say thanks to GOD,but what really matters is where my life/mind/heart are demonstrating TRUST...for this is what my life/mind/heart are GLORIFYING!Dear Lord,this hits me like a ton of bricks! Please make me aware of where my life/mind/heart are demonstrating TRUST...and what my life/heart/mind are GLORIFYING....& change me so I GLORIFY YOU only.

Romans 1:16-17

Romans 1:16-17 says,”For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘But the righteous man shall live by faith’.”N Paul’s life,this was a “stake in the ground” that he would live by,and not waver from.It was his confidence;his security;his purpose;the beat of his heart;a common thread for everything n his life....to “live by faith”!Paul says that his faith is based on the Gospel.In short, “the Gospel” is the sum total of the saving truth as God has communicated it to lost humanity as it is revealed in the person of His Son,His Spirit, and in the Holy Scriptures.Paul says that THIS is the POWER of God for SALVATION/LIFE for everyone who believes(to have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy, or ability of something to deliver on a truth&/or promise).N other words,Paul was planting The Gospel as the “stake in the ground” for his life.Paul goes on to say that The Gospel reveals the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God...His HEART;His CHARACTER;His LOVE;His GRACE;His MERCY.Paul says that his FAITH is defined by God, being revealed through Christ;The Holy Spirit; and the Bible.This FAITH was to be what Paul would be weave ever more into his life,every day of his life....seeking to have more of The Gospel lived through his life->”But the righteous man shall live by faith”.By quoting this,it is clear that Paul was a student of the Holy Scriptures that he had during his life time...he is quoting Habakkuk 2:4,and actually applying a message from Habakkuk to his life,& pointing us to the same.Dear Lord,help me to have only ONE stake n the ground for my life...the same stake n the ground that Paul had.Give me the same hunger Paul had to study Your Word...and may I live by the same stake in the ground as described n these verses.