Tag: Romans

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Looking For Some Encouragment?

I am. 

I am sitting here between meetings spending a quick moment trying to find some encouragement for myself and for you.  I have been rolling the Sidewalk Prophets song You Love Me Anyway around in my head this morning, and so my mind has drifted over to Romans 8.  If that chapter does not excite a person who is a follower of Christ, I am not sure what would.  But all of you shoudl be able to find some encouragement from the end of the chapter.

 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

   “For your sake we face death all day long;
   we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:31-37, New International Version, ©2011)

Well, I am encouraged and ready to get back to the meetings- how about you?

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Happy Birthday King James

I am still trying to adjust to a life without electricty so I decided to celebrate the 144 hour mark with a little blogging, however I have been undecided aboout what to write about this morning. In the scheme of things having no power is not that big of a deal, but it definitely highlights how wonderful a blessing a simple thing like a working electrical circuit is. So with dreams of SpectroMagic dancing around in my head I jumped over to my favorite online bible site and saw this verse today and thought it appropriate for all of us:

 11-13Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality. (Romans 12:12, The Message)

But then I realized that today is the 400 Birthday of the good old King James Version of the bible – and you know what htey say if its good enough for Paul, it’s good enough for us!

 11Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

 12Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

 13Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. (Romans 12:11-13, King James Version)

So Happy Birthday KJV! Long live the King!

And for all of you out there realize the blessings you have around you and share those with as much innovation and joy that you can muster!

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Friday FunDay, Awkward

It’s Friday, so I thought I would start of your Friday with this very strange viral video that has been circulating around the internet the last few weeks.

Wow talk about awkward moments! I guess that is a pretty good way to start Awkward Moments Day – which of course is today.

Awkward – sort of like a donkey talking to you.

28 Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”

29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”

30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”

“No,” he said. Numbers 22:28-30

Any way moving on…

It is Friday, and March Madness is off in full force. Hopefully you have your bracket complete and are following along and are not so broken hearted by the early upsets!

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

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Who Dresses You?

Yesterday I went out to lunch with a old friend and when we got to the restaurant we noticed some other co workers already there eating. Since my friend had not seen these guys for a while he went over and spoke with them. As the conversation wrapped up, one of the guys said to me in jest ( or I think it was in jest) “It’s so good that Amy dresses you, or there is no telling what you would look like”. In response I said “Me too, as I would just be naked all the time”. Of course that quickly ended the conversation with laughs and giggles.

Although that was a humorous conversation and I actually pick out my own clothes int he morning, and usually at the store as well ( some of you are not surprised and wish that Amy would dress me!). But here’s the thing – as we consider our spiritual selves, when we attempt to dress ourselves we unfortunately are as I responded – exposed, and uncovered and unprotected. But when we put on the clothes of Christ we are spiritually unstoppable!

23 Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:23-29 (New International Version, ©2011)

Heirs to the promise – unstoppable!

And with the clothing of Christ on, we are changed, and different.

13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. Romans 13:13-14 (New International Version, ©2011)

So as you go about today, consider who has dressed you. Are you dressing yourself and therefore leaving yourself exposed or are you putting on the clothing of Christ!

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Romans Redo

This past weekend I was also reminded of my of my favorite passages of scripture in the entire Bible – Romans 12.

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2 NIV

It’s such an encouragement to live a life that follows God. Not to show how good we can be. Not to earn one single thing. But in view of the mercy of God! An old preacher friend of mine used to say if you see a Therefore, find out what it’s there for. So take a peek back in Romans 11

33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay them?”
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen. Romans 11:33-36

Live for him today, not to earn, not to prove, but because of what he has given us – which is well – everything you have.