Romans 2 continues the theme from the first chapter by slapping the reading in the face. Paul says that if anyone who is reading this and saying "YEEE HAWWW the immoral is finally going to get it" they need to look out because you do the same things. I think this is also the passage that people misuse because it says "DO not judge." But I submit to you that it is a warning to those who is quick to point out things in other people's lives and not look to their own.
I thought it was neat that in verse 12 through 15 Paul states that the law is the standard to which everyone is going to be measured but those who did not have the law will still be judged by it. If a person who has never heard the law they instinctively do what the law demands because they themselves are the law unto themselves. "They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts." Their consciences testify to this. You know what is right and wrong without being taught. Greatest example from history I can think of is that from Hammurabi. He wrote a law that is morally right because he knew what was right in his heart.
THe best part of this passage is that when Paul said that people's thought are competing. They will either accuse or excuse their actions and thoughts.
Do you do this? Does your thoughts excuse your actions or do they accuse you of wrong doing?
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Romans 1 A Description of an Immoral World
This is the beginning of a 90 day journey reading the New Testament Epistles and Acts. I will try and have these written and out published by the evening of the prior day. This will be a challenge for me. I am not one that does this sort of thing ahead of time.
Romans is a great starting book for new Christians. It almost records the "why" aspect of being a Christian. Romans 1:16 gives the basis on which a Christian should live, "by faith". According to Hebrews 11:1 faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. We know that God exists by what is around us. God's glory is in His creation. But Romans tells us that there are some people who deny His existence and we see what it means how not to live by faith.
Paul goes on to describe how people who deep down know that there is a God "did not glorify Him or show gratitude.(v. 21) They are also described as thinking that they are being smart and explaining away how everything came into being (evolution), yet they "became fools". As Christians this should burn us up. And it does! The next verse seems as though God deals with this laissez fare, hands off. But be rest assured because God has delivered them over to their own desires. Notice that Paul starts with the most evil of desires. Sexual immorality. He says that just as the females went to unnatural sexual desires so did the men. "...in the same way also left natural sexual intercourse with females and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Males committed shameless acts with males." If anyone says that God allows homosexuality then they should keep reading because those who think that God is not worthwhile to be in their knowledge do the things that are listed here. They not only do them but applaud others who practice them.
Have you seen on TV when a homosexual "comes out of the closet?" People applaud it when we should condemn it! No wonder there is the issue of same sex marriages. Politicians are wanting to excuse their own evil desired by excusing others immorality. But we cannot expect a person who is blinded by satan to be aware of such things. We have to remember that they are in bondage. We cannot set them free but the Holy Spirit can.
They are without excuse, because the evidence of God is all around them and they choose to not even notice. Therefore denying God and making excuses for their own unrighteousness and immoral acts.
Romans is a great starting book for new Christians. It almost records the "why" aspect of being a Christian. Romans 1:16 gives the basis on which a Christian should live, "by faith". According to Hebrews 11:1 faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. We know that God exists by what is around us. God's glory is in His creation. But Romans tells us that there are some people who deny His existence and we see what it means how not to live by faith.
Paul goes on to describe how people who deep down know that there is a God "did not glorify Him or show gratitude.(v. 21) They are also described as thinking that they are being smart and explaining away how everything came into being (evolution), yet they "became fools". As Christians this should burn us up. And it does! The next verse seems as though God deals with this laissez fare, hands off. But be rest assured because God has delivered them over to their own desires. Notice that Paul starts with the most evil of desires. Sexual immorality. He says that just as the females went to unnatural sexual desires so did the men. "...in the same way also left natural sexual intercourse with females and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Males committed shameless acts with males." If anyone says that God allows homosexuality then they should keep reading because those who think that God is not worthwhile to be in their knowledge do the things that are listed here. They not only do them but applaud others who practice them.
Have you seen on TV when a homosexual "comes out of the closet?" People applaud it when we should condemn it! No wonder there is the issue of same sex marriages. Politicians are wanting to excuse their own evil desired by excusing others immorality. But we cannot expect a person who is blinded by satan to be aware of such things. We have to remember that they are in bondage. We cannot set them free but the Holy Spirit can.
They are without excuse, because the evidence of God is all around them and they choose to not even notice. Therefore denying God and making excuses for their own unrighteousness and immoral acts.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
The Enemy of evil.
I have been often asked if God was the creator of evil. The answer is a simple NO. Many people get hung up on this question. Why is there so much evil in this world? Why does a good God let things like 9-11 happen?
Glance at any newspaper and the headlines tell you what's wrong with the world. Watch television, listen to the radio, talk to friends, and you will find no shortage of opinions as to what is wrong on planet Earth.
When terrorists hijacked passenger planes and slammed into the Pentagon, two NY skyscrapers, the world quickly called it evil. The destructive power of this epic evil event made people feel paralyzed and helpless. And that's what evil does best; it makes us feel powerless.
But we're not. Most of us experience evil on a smaller more personal scale. And for us, the apostle Paul outlined the proper response. He said we are to abhor evil (Rom. 12:9), not to repay it with more evil (v.17), and not to be overcome by it (v. 21)
The true victim of evil is goodness-- the goodness that God designed as part of creation for everyone to enjoy (Gen. 1:4-31). It is surprising then when Paul concludes that the casualty of evil is also its conqueror (Rom. 12:21).
Evil gets all the headlines, but God's goodness is stronger, and He wants us to use it on His behalf to overcome His enemy.
See also:
Prov. 20:22, MaTT 5:38-48, 1 Thess 5:15, 1 Peter 3:8-17
Glance at any newspaper and the headlines tell you what's wrong with the world. Watch television, listen to the radio, talk to friends, and you will find no shortage of opinions as to what is wrong on planet Earth.
When terrorists hijacked passenger planes and slammed into the Pentagon, two NY skyscrapers, the world quickly called it evil. The destructive power of this epic evil event made people feel paralyzed and helpless. And that's what evil does best; it makes us feel powerless.
But we're not. Most of us experience evil on a smaller more personal scale. And for us, the apostle Paul outlined the proper response. He said we are to abhor evil (Rom. 12:9), not to repay it with more evil (v.17), and not to be overcome by it (v. 21)
The true victim of evil is goodness-- the goodness that God designed as part of creation for everyone to enjoy (Gen. 1:4-31). It is surprising then when Paul concludes that the casualty of evil is also its conqueror (Rom. 12:21).
Evil gets all the headlines, but God's goodness is stronger, and He wants us to use it on His behalf to overcome His enemy.
See also:
Prov. 20:22, MaTT 5:38-48, 1 Thess 5:15, 1 Peter 3:8-17
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Launching the New Bible Grounds
Alright!!
I have been SUPER busy the past couple of weeks. School has started, both Seminary and public school. My daughter is going to school for the first time. Wait a minute... she is only 16 months. How can she go to school??? Oh thats right, she is going to "WEE" school. Kind of a mothers day out.
Any way, I havnt set a launch date for this site yet because I am still learning about how to set everything up. My goal is to have it to where all I have to do is recruit writers and write a little myself each week on certain sections and have an updated post section on prayer.
Look for all this soon!!!
I have been SUPER busy the past couple of weeks. School has started, both Seminary and public school. My daughter is going to school for the first time. Wait a minute... she is only 16 months. How can she go to school??? Oh thats right, she is going to "WEE" school. Kind of a mothers day out.
Any way, I havnt set a launch date for this site yet because I am still learning about how to set everything up. My goal is to have it to where all I have to do is recruit writers and write a little myself each week on certain sections and have an updated post section on prayer.
Look for all this soon!!!
Monday, September 6, 2010
Test of the first post
Well this is the first post. I am sitting here writing this in bed using my phone.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Starting Struggles.
For the past couple of years I have been wanting to write. I just wanted to be able to put my thoughts on paper. I have struggled with the motivation, the time, and the ability to control being scatterbrained. This is my attempt and effort to correct this.
I have always struggled with finding the time to do things that I should do. I should be writing a paper for school when I am watching TV. I should be cleaning the house when I am watching TV. I should be reading my Bible when I am getting that extra hour of sleep (because I was up late watching TV). I think you get the picture. The common thing here is that I watch too much TV. I can't blame it all on TV. I also like to play video games on my computer. Sometimes I get a little motivated to write something and I either check my email or I go to a site that gives me cheat codes for a game that I haven't conquered yet. I get distracted and never get to the task that I originally set out to do. It's that way when I try to read my Bible. I take it out and find something else to do with it. What I mean is that I will think of other ways to do my duty of reading God's word and never get to the task at hand. I have developed plans to read and then write a commentary on what I have read but I sometimes do not read until it is bedtime and I'll be sleepy when I am done.
Think I'm a slacker yet? or does this sound familiar?
When I am watching a show on TV and hear an interesting fact or something that strikes my interest, I will look it up on Wikipedia. I know that Wikipedia is not always accurate and that it is written by anyone, but there is some good stuff on there. I get so caught up following a rabbit trail that it is hours before I realize that I need to be doing something else. However, I could turn that research motivation into something useful. It is that I do this so that I can know more about a subject or a person. This is the exact reason we should read the Bible. Since God has written an autobiography and we say that God is so mysterious, why not read His autobiography and see what He says about Himself. It is no surprise that He tells us that this is the way that He communicates His thinking into the WHY of events and ideas. He tells us why He created man. He tells us why do bad things happen to good people. He especially tells us why we need Him. And best of all He tells us that He loves us. How does He tell us all these things you ask? Well you are just going to have to read the book to find out.
OK, here is the real purpose of today's post.
1. I am going to read my Bible:
I don't mean that I am going to have a plan. I am simply just going to open it and read. I may even look in the concordance and pick a topic that has been on my mind. (or if I get enough feedback I may even pick something that is on your mind.)
How much and for how long is going to depend on what the Holy Spirit is leading me to do.
2. Pray:
This is an area of worship in which I am lacking tremendously. I have heard the saying that is almost cliche now that "The family that prays together, stays together". My wife and I pray at meals and most times it is a canned prayer. I think this offends God and I ask forgiveness. My prayer life is not where it needs to be. From what I understand it is that when we read the Bible it is God speaking to us and when we pray it is us speaking to God. From some of my classes in college this is what is known as communication. It is a two way conversation. Certainly I am NOT putting God in a box and saying that He only communicates to us through the Bible. I know that He speaks to us in many other ways. My goal is that I need to change the way I pray and the frequency.
3. Write what I read:
I think once I get into the habit, I'll write more of these blogs. I do want to concentrate on writing on the things that I have read in the Bible and on the topics that I have received. But I need to have...
4. Feedback:
Feedback is the gauge as to what I direct my blog. I want to know what people think on these topics. Good and Bad. I am human and therefore under the curse so I do make mistakes. I do want this to be like a conversation. This is another reason why I have named this Breakfast with God. In order to have loads of feedback I need ...
5. More people to read this blog:
Please send this link to all your friends. If what I write is your daily devotion then please tell others about it. I am constantly trying to improve this blog to cater to more people.
Thank you for reading today. I hope today has been an encouragement.
If you have any suggestions on how to improve this blog or you have any comments PLEASE do so. I would love to hear from you.
I have always struggled with finding the time to do things that I should do. I should be writing a paper for school when I am watching TV. I should be cleaning the house when I am watching TV. I should be reading my Bible when I am getting that extra hour of sleep (because I was up late watching TV). I think you get the picture. The common thing here is that I watch too much TV. I can't blame it all on TV. I also like to play video games on my computer. Sometimes I get a little motivated to write something and I either check my email or I go to a site that gives me cheat codes for a game that I haven't conquered yet. I get distracted and never get to the task that I originally set out to do. It's that way when I try to read my Bible. I take it out and find something else to do with it. What I mean is that I will think of other ways to do my duty of reading God's word and never get to the task at hand. I have developed plans to read and then write a commentary on what I have read but I sometimes do not read until it is bedtime and I'll be sleepy when I am done.
Think I'm a slacker yet? or does this sound familiar?
When I am watching a show on TV and hear an interesting fact or something that strikes my interest, I will look it up on Wikipedia. I know that Wikipedia is not always accurate and that it is written by anyone, but there is some good stuff on there. I get so caught up following a rabbit trail that it is hours before I realize that I need to be doing something else. However, I could turn that research motivation into something useful. It is that I do this so that I can know more about a subject or a person. This is the exact reason we should read the Bible. Since God has written an autobiography and we say that God is so mysterious, why not read His autobiography and see what He says about Himself. It is no surprise that He tells us that this is the way that He communicates His thinking into the WHY of events and ideas. He tells us why He created man. He tells us why do bad things happen to good people. He especially tells us why we need Him. And best of all He tells us that He loves us. How does He tell us all these things you ask? Well you are just going to have to read the book to find out.
OK, here is the real purpose of today's post.
1. I am going to read my Bible:
I don't mean that I am going to have a plan. I am simply just going to open it and read. I may even look in the concordance and pick a topic that has been on my mind. (or if I get enough feedback I may even pick something that is on your mind.)
How much and for how long is going to depend on what the Holy Spirit is leading me to do.
2. Pray:
This is an area of worship in which I am lacking tremendously. I have heard the saying that is almost cliche now that "The family that prays together, stays together". My wife and I pray at meals and most times it is a canned prayer. I think this offends God and I ask forgiveness. My prayer life is not where it needs to be. From what I understand it is that when we read the Bible it is God speaking to us and when we pray it is us speaking to God. From some of my classes in college this is what is known as communication. It is a two way conversation. Certainly I am NOT putting God in a box and saying that He only communicates to us through the Bible. I know that He speaks to us in many other ways. My goal is that I need to change the way I pray and the frequency.
3. Write what I read:
I think once I get into the habit, I'll write more of these blogs. I do want to concentrate on writing on the things that I have read in the Bible and on the topics that I have received. But I need to have...
4. Feedback:
Feedback is the gauge as to what I direct my blog. I want to know what people think on these topics. Good and Bad. I am human and therefore under the curse so I do make mistakes. I do want this to be like a conversation. This is another reason why I have named this Breakfast with God. In order to have loads of feedback I need ...
5. More people to read this blog:
Please send this link to all your friends. If what I write is your daily devotion then please tell others about it. I am constantly trying to improve this blog to cater to more people.
Thank you for reading today. I hope today has been an encouragement.
If you have any suggestions on how to improve this blog or you have any comments PLEASE do so. I would love to hear from you.
Starting Struggles.
For the past couple of years I have been wanting to write. I just wanted to be able to put my thoughts on paper. I have struggled with the motivation, the time, and the ability to control being scatterbrained. This is my attempt and effort to correct this.
I have always struggled with finding the time to do things that I should do. I should be writing a paper for school when I am watching TV. I should be cleaning the house when I am watching TV. I should be reading my Bible when I am getting that extra hour of sleep (because I was up late watching TV). I think you get the picture. The common thing here is that I watch too much TV. I can't blame it all on TV. I also like to play video games on my computer. Sometimes I get a little motivated to write something and I either check my email or I go to a site that gives me cheat codes for a game that I haven't conquered yet. I get distracted and never get to the task that I originally set out to do. It's that way when I try to read my Bible. I take it out and find something else to do with it. What I mean is that I will think of other ways to do my duty of reading God's word and never get to the task at hand. I have developed plans to read and then write a commentary on what I have read but I sometimes do not read until it is bedtime and I'll be sleepy when I am done.
Think I'm a slacker yet? or does this sound familiar?
When I am watching a show on TV and hear an interesting fact or something that strikes my interest, I will look it up on Wikipedia. I know that Wikipedia is not always accurate and that it is written by anyone, but there is some good stuff on there. I get so caught up following a rabbit trail that it is hours before I realize that I need to be doing something else. However, I could turn that research motivation into something useful. It is that I do this so that I can know more about a subject or a person. This is the exact reason we should read the Bible. Since God has written an autobiography and we say that God is so mysterious, why not read His autobiography and see what He says about Himself. It is no surprise that He tells us that this is the way that He communicates His thinking into the WHY of events and ideas. He tells us why He created man. He tells us why do bad things happen to good people. He especially tells us why we need Him. And best of all He tells us that He loves us. How does He tell us all these things you ask? Well you are just going to have to read the book to find out.
OK, here is the real purpose of today's post.
1. I am going to read my Bible:
I don't mean that I am going to have a plan. I am simply just going to open it and read. I may even look in the concordance and pick a topic that has been on my mind. (or if I get enough feedback I may even pick something that is on your mind.)
How much and for how long is going to depend on what the Holy Spirit is leading me to do.
2. Pray:
This is an area of worship in which I am lacking tremendously. I have heard the saying that is almost cliche now that "The family that prays together, stays together". My wife and I pray at meals and most times it is a canned prayer. I think this offends God and I ask forgiveness. My prayer life is not where it needs to be. From what I understand it is that when we read the Bible it is God speaking to us and when we pray it is us speaking to God. From some of my classes in college this is what is known as communication. It is a two way conversation. Certainly I am NOT putting God in a box and saying that He only communicates to us through the Bible. I know that He speaks to us in many other ways. My goal is that I need to change the way I pray and the frequency.
3. Write what I read:
I think once I get into the habit, I'll write more of these blogs. I do want to concentrate on writing on the things that I have read in the Bible and on the topics that I have received. But I need to have...
4. Feedback:
Feedback is the gauge as to what I direct my blog. I want to know what people think on these topics. Good and Bad. I am human and therefore under the curse so I do make mistakes. I do want this to be like a conversation. This is another reason why I have named this Breakfast with God. In order to have loads of feedback I need ...
5. More people to read this blog:
Please send this link to all your friends. If what I write is your daily devotion then please tell others about it. I am constantly trying to improve this blog to cater to more people.
Thank you for reading today. I hope today has been an encouragement.
If you have any suggestions on how to improve this blog or you have any comments PLEASE do so. I would love to hear from you.
I have always struggled with finding the time to do things that I should do. I should be writing a paper for school when I am watching TV. I should be cleaning the house when I am watching TV. I should be reading my Bible when I am getting that extra hour of sleep (because I was up late watching TV). I think you get the picture. The common thing here is that I watch too much TV. I can't blame it all on TV. I also like to play video games on my computer. Sometimes I get a little motivated to write something and I either check my email or I go to a site that gives me cheat codes for a game that I haven't conquered yet. I get distracted and never get to the task that I originally set out to do. It's that way when I try to read my Bible. I take it out and find something else to do with it. What I mean is that I will think of other ways to do my duty of reading God's word and never get to the task at hand. I have developed plans to read and then write a commentary on what I have read but I sometimes do not read until it is bedtime and I'll be sleepy when I am done.
Think I'm a slacker yet? or does this sound familiar?
When I am watching a show on TV and hear an interesting fact or something that strikes my interest, I will look it up on Wikipedia. I know that Wikipedia is not always accurate and that it is written by anyone, but there is some good stuff on there. I get so caught up following a rabbit trail that it is hours before I realize that I need to be doing something else. However, I could turn that research motivation into something useful. It is that I do this so that I can know more about a subject or a person. This is the exact reason we should read the Bible. Since God has written an autobiography and we say that God is so mysterious, why not read His autobiography and see what He says about Himself. It is no surprise that He tells us that this is the way that He communicates His thinking into the WHY of events and ideas. He tells us why He created man. He tells us why do bad things happen to good people. He especially tells us why we need Him. And best of all He tells us that He loves us. How does He tell us all these things you ask? Well you are just going to have to read the book to find out.
OK, here is the real purpose of today's post.
1. I am going to read my Bible:
I don't mean that I am going to have a plan. I am simply just going to open it and read. I may even look in the concordance and pick a topic that has been on my mind. (or if I get enough feedback I may even pick something that is on your mind.)
How much and for how long is going to depend on what the Holy Spirit is leading me to do.
2. Pray:
This is an area of worship in which I am lacking tremendously. I have heard the saying that is almost cliche now that "The family that prays together, stays together". My wife and I pray at meals and most times it is a canned prayer. I think this offends God and I ask forgiveness. My prayer life is not where it needs to be. From what I understand it is that when we read the Bible it is God speaking to us and when we pray it is us speaking to God. From some of my classes in college this is what is known as communication. It is a two way conversation. Certainly I am NOT putting God in a box and saying that He only communicates to us through the Bible. I know that He speaks to us in many other ways. My goal is that I need to change the way I pray and the frequency.
3. Write what I read:
I think once I get into the habit, I'll write more of these blogs. I do want to concentrate on writing on the things that I have read in the Bible and on the topics that I have received. But I need to have...
4. Feedback:
Feedback is the gauge as to what I direct my blog. I want to know what people think on these topics. Good and Bad. I am human and therefore under the curse so I do make mistakes. I do want this to be like a conversation. This is another reason why I have named this Breakfast with God. In order to have loads of feedback I need ...
5. More people to read this blog:
Please send this link to all your friends. If what I write is your daily devotion then please tell others about it. I am constantly trying to improve this blog to cater to more people.
Thank you for reading today. I hope today has been an encouragement.
If you have any suggestions on how to improve this blog or you have any comments PLEASE do so. I would love to hear from you.
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