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.

Romans 1:11-12

When brothers and sisters n Christ get together,Paul says that there should b a significant part of our getting together that encourages each other n our faith n Christ;His Word;His Spirit;His Way;His Spiritual Gifts...that strengthens our faith(Romans1:11-12,”For I long to see you,that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you-that is,that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith,both yours and mine.”).Paul actually LONGED to get together w fellow Christians,so this MUTUAL ENCOURAGEMENT could happen,because he knew he needed it personally...,& that he yearned for the joy of being used through his personal

faith to encourage others.If there is not this yearning n my life,I lack something that these verses imply should b n my life.So,we should have a longing n us to get together w other followers of Christ....&when we do,a significant part of our “getting together”should b a mutual encouragement that strengthens our Faith n Christ;His Word;His Spirit;His Way;His Spiritual Gifts.N order for this to happen we need to personally b “fresh” n our personal stirring of His Word;His Spirit;His Way;His Spiritual Gifts n our life.If not,there is not much we have to “share from our side” during the “getting together”.& if both of us are not “fresh” n our personal stirring of His Word;His Spirit;His Way;His Spiritual Gifts,then we will more than likely not have much “mutual encouragement” happening when we “get together”.N the 1st century church,this “mutual encouragement”happened all the time.This is one reason why the 1st century church had such an IMPACT in the World for Christ!The lack of this may b one of the reasons that n most nations today,there is not the same IMPACT for Christ happening that positively effects our communities & the world around us for Christ.N fact other faiths that follow false gods are having an impact that the 1st century followers of Christ shook the World with.But there impact is n essence a direct affront to The One True Triune God;His Word;His Spirit;His Way;His Spiritual Gifts.Dear Lord Jesus,stir n me a fresh awakening of Your Word;Your Spirit;Your Way;& Your Spiritual Gifts n my life...& I pray the same for all of those that seek to know & follow You around the World....especially those n my community of followers.May this awakening n us & strengthen us n ways that impact those around us for the sake of Your Gospel....as it did during the time of the 1st century body of Your Followers.

Romans 1:5-8

The people Paul writes to n Romans have had their faith n Christ so change/impact their lives that their “faith is proclaimed in all the world”(Romans1:8).These people took their apostleship(Romans1:5)to heart,& “to life”.And because of this,the people around them were impacted by these “FAITH LIVES”!Verse 8 does NOT say that these people got up and became “Bible Thumpers”,nor that they looked to find who could be their latest “target” to “evangelize”.This verse says that their FAITH was proclaimed...that their neighbors and coworkers;family and friends...saw something in their LIVES that told story after story of a FAITH that sustained;gave hope;gave perspective;gave perseverance;and reflected a Grace&Mercy that could only come from a source of unexplainable Righteousness&Holiness from within...from a living relationship with Christ! There was something inside the people Paul is writing to that changed them and made them different in ways that only The Lord could enable.These people were not having easy laid back lives! They were being persecuted and challenged in all sorts of ways.& n the middle of these challenges,the world witnessed something so special,so unique, that “it” was proclaimed in all the world.Dear Lord,when I ponder these verses...PLEASE change me from the inside out with Your Word&Spirit so that my life may have a Lived Out Faith like these people.May the challenges this world brings on me be met with a FAITH that can only come from YOU...and my YOUR FAITHFULNESS be what people see...

Romans 1

N Romans 1:1-2,Paul says that he is called to a position & a purpose(“I Paul,a servant of Christ Jesus,called to be an apostle & set apart for the gospel of God...”)Before this,He says WHO he is&WHAT he is.And then he says what he is CALLED & SET APART to be and do!N the first 4 verses of Romans,The Apostle Paul identifies who he is,and what Jesus has personally called & set him apart to be!N verse 5 he includes WE into being CALLED & SET APART...for the same purposes that Paul himself was CALLED &SET APART for(“Through Him,&for His name’s sake,we received grace & apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.And you also are among those those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.”).My calling boils down to a FAITH that so overwhelms my life that I seek to live according to the Word;the Spirit/Life of Christ.Paul is saying that if I live my life according to these...then my life will be such an expression of God’s Grace & the apostleship HE has called me to,that my life will “call people” around me to the same Saving Grace of the Gospel of God.SO! If we truly live with THIS FAITH,then people around us will be called out & set apart as we have been.If we do not live with THIS FAITH,but other types of faith...then people around us will be called & set apart for other things.Dear Lord,a lot of my life I do not live like my faith is truly n You;Your Word;Your Spirit...&I do not honor the position that You have called me & set me apart to be.Forgive me...and work n my life through Your Word &Spirit to change my life...so I do honor the position and calling You have planned for my life.