Paul writes the letter of Romans to the church at Rome while in Corinth on his third missionary journey. Within this letter is a detailed explanation of the Gospel. Paul introduces himself as a servant of Christ Jesus. He gave the church at Rome some facts of the Gospel; that it was promised from the beginning, that Christ died for our sins on the Cross, and that all who believe in Christ as the Son of God receive eternal life.
Even though we have different strengths, God has made us all for a purpose and we need to celebrate differences. Some are skilled in teaching, some are skilled in administration, and others may be skilled in encouragement. We may also have some weaknesses but let us be thankful that God always remains faithful, true, righteous, and just.
Rather than expecting perfection from others, we can accept each other as a child of God and work in unity using the specific gifts God has given us. Then we are not competing against each other but against our enemies like doubt, bondage, and hate.
God’s law helps us to see our faults and understand that we need help. Jesus is that help and the Spirit gives us the freedom to start new, to plan, to think and come up with ideas that make us better. God’s way to righteousness is not by legal obedience but by faith in Jesus Christ. It’s all about what Christ has already done to provide the clear path to victory.
Explained in the post “From Death to Life” is how the pattern of sin and death was broken by the free gift of Christ. The grace of God and the gift of righteousness reigns in life eternal. There’s no better deal in the world. To me, it makes good sense to take it.
So, the victory starts with one small step; one small step toward Jesus and those who step ahead will find that they can get further than they ever thought we could. Faith is like uncut diamonds that are improved and made into bright gems for a useful life. For it is through faith in His Son that this great power of the Holy Spirit is received.
Instead of building up an account like a bank account or a 401K account with money, we build up God’s eternal account with faith. One way to build up this eternal faith account is to capture thoughts from the Bible, from sermons, from experiences that we go through or those who we know go through. Other ways to build up eternal faith is gathering inspiration from music or photos.
I take my dog for a walk in the evenings and she loves it. She lives for the moment as she listens to the sounds of birds in the air and identifies the scents along the ground. She notices the change of seasons as it cools in the fall and warms up in the spring. We should follow this example as God walks with us in life; living for the moment, listening to Him, and following our Master’s direction.
Paul’s message for the church is that wWe are united with God through Christ who conquered death. We are a new person in Christ with the purpose of serving a great God who has given us the help of a body of believers. Just as a triple-braided cord is not easily broken, we are made stronger when we unite together. We can feed each other Spiritual food for the soul to fulfill God’s purpose. There is no need to worry or nothing to fear for we are free to be the person God wants us to be.
This day with God, know that you have a role to play because you have will and will is more important than skill. Choose to be on God’s side for He is always right. All winning teams have a game plan and the reading plan below will be used as I share over the next few posts. Let us be thankful that Jesus is God’s plan for us and by accepting Him as Savior; we have taken the steps necessary to make this day with Him amazing!
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Questions for Reflection
Romans 7:1-6
What analogy does Paul use to show the Christian’s relationship to the law? How does a person get free from the demands of the law? What application does Paul make in verse 4?
Romans 7:7-13
How does Paul show that the law and sin are not identical? How are they related? How does this passage show that you do not attain holy living by trying to keep rules?
Romans 7:14-25
What paradox does Paul experience (See Gal. 5:17)? What explanation and answer does Paul find to his struggle to please God by keeping the law of God? How can we overcome and live a life that is pleasing to God?
Romans 8:1-11
How does Paul summarize his letters so far? How can you be delivered from the struggle? On what condition can these promises be yours? What do your actions reveal to people around you about your identification with one of the groups?
Romans 8:12-17
Who empowers the Christian to live a holy life? What does each Christian have in common with Jesus Christ? Do my thoughts and the way I spend my time match up to what I believe God wants me to do with my life?
Romans 8:18-25
How are suffering and glory related (see V. 17)? What is the glory to be revealed? For what reasons do you have hope regardless of circumstances?
Romans 8:26-30
What else does the Spirit do for Christians (v. 23)? How can the Spirit strengthen our prayer life? How are you responding to God’s high purposes for you?
Romans 8:31-39
How does this section give perspective to Paul’s previous development of God’s grace and man’s suffering? Over what kinds of situations can the Christian be victorious? How can Christians be conquers? What is the basis of your confidence for victory over the problems and obstacles that cause you despair and suffering?
Resources and Supplementary Helps Used in Posts
Adeney, Carol. This Morning with God: A Daily Study Guide to the Entire Bible. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1978. Print.
“Bible.” The Bible – The Word of God – ChristNotes. N.p., n.d. Web. 2017. <http://www.christianity.com/bible/>.
Nicholes, Lou. “Recent Commentaries.” Family-Times.net – Devotional Commentary Index. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.family-times.net/commentary/>.
“BibleGateway.” BibleGateway.com: A Searchable Online Bible in over 150 Versions and 50 Languages. N.p., n.d. Web. <https://www.biblegateway.com/>.
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This Day With God - A Spiritual Journey 