Category Archives: Jesus

The Romans Challenge: Bigger, Bigger, and Bigger God

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“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭11‬:‭33‬, ‭36‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Since I am a Missouri Girl, it means one thing with regard to the ocean. I don’t get to see it that much… Every once in a blue moon, my husband and I take a trip to the coast and I find myself standing there staring at the ocean. It is amazing to me how BIG it is. Looking at a globe, seeing pictures, or even seeing it from a distance, cannot compare to standing there with your toes in sand as the waves are crashing on your ankles, gazing straight out to sea.

This is how it is in my relationship with God. When I have only heard about Him, maybe read a few Scriptures or heard a good sermon, He seems somewhat large, BUT when I am experiencing Him by hearing Him speak, seeing His miracles, or watching Him do things I could never do, He becomes bigger and bigger, until His greatness just blows me away!

Have You ever dove into the ocean of God’s great Word and explored knowing Him? Have You ever thought about the depths of His love or the vastness of His goodness? These are “the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!”

Years ago, I was reading a Bible story to my kids and I stopped to tell them that God was like the ocean, He wants us to dive in and explore and grow in our knowledge of Him. Then I distinctly heard the Holy Spirit say, “Yes, and you are content to sit on the shore dangling your toes on the edge…”.

We were created for the adventure of KNOWING Him! “For from Him” God made all of creation to show us Himself. “For through Him”… God is the One who sustains us and everything around us. We cannot do anything without Him. “For to Him”… God is to be glorified in our lives. This life is not about you or me. It is all about Him! If we try to make it anything less, we will live outside of His purpose and we will be discontented, discouraged, and eventually destroyed by our pursuit of “self” and selfish ways.

Where are You in relating to God. As you experience Him in a relationship, is He becoming BIGGER and BIGGER and BIGGER in your life. Or is He simply an occasional thought? Are you like I was years ago, “dangling your toes on the edge” of His vastness? You and I are meant for more! Dive in! Let the adventure begin!

The Romans Challenge: The Kindness and Severity of God

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“Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭11‬:‭22‬ ‭ESV‬

When we think about God and use the words “Kindness” and “Severity” to describe Him, it seems like we are contradicting ourselves. How can the two exist in a perfect and complete person? The very thought of a severe God or a God of judgement makes many cringe. “God is love.” How can a God who is perfect in love judge and punish?

What we tend to forget is the destructiveness of sin. Sin destroys! It brings nothing but death, darkness, and destruction into our lives. It separates us from God. God knows this. He is perfect, or complete, or Holy. He cannot have imperfection within Himself. He cannot have sin.

God’s deepest desire if for us to experience Him in relationship. He wants for us to be connected to Him and intimate with Him. His desire is for our good. He wants us to be happy in Him. BUT He also knows that sin will keep us from all of this, because sin keeps us from Him.

God’s severity is against sin. He HATES sin! Because He is completely holy (perfect in every way), He must be completely just (upright, honest, true, etc…) The same God who is love and acts only from love also is just and acts only with justice. This justice is exact or “severe.” However, even in judgement God is always working good and He is always judging out of love. His judgements and severity are against the very things that will destroy us. They are against the very things that separate us from Him.

There is a place where God’s kindness and His severity meet — the Cross of Jesus. It was there that Jesus took the punishment we deserve in order for God to be completely just. It was on the Cross that God’s complete kindness towards us was displayed. When Jesus took our punishment, it was so we could experience all of God’s goodness towards us. What is required of us? TO BELIEVE. It is faith in Jesus that gives us the right standing with God.

Jesus we thank You for paying the price for our sin. Thank You for the Cross you bore and the punishment You took for us. Thank You for providing the way for us to receive Your great gift of salvation by faith alone. You did it all! Your kindness and severity have met and we are free when we come to You! We love You! In Jesus Name!

The Romans Challenge: Grafted In

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“If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭11‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Long ago Abraham received a promise from God of an everlasting covenant. “I will…be your God.” (Genesis 17:7) God established relationship with him and his descendants forever. God chose His people. God also promised Abraham that “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:3)

You and I (as non Jewish believers) are like a “wild olive shoot” that has been attached or grafted in to the true olive tree which is that same promise/ covenant that God made to Abraham.

Because of Jesus, we belong to God. We are attached to Him! We receive from Him all that we need to live life as God’s people. We are “grafted in” to Him. To be “grafted in” is to be inserted into a body to which it did not originally belong. (Websters 1828) All of us were separated from God. But He has taken us and attached us to Himself. We now live our lives not on our own, but supported by Him.

I love this imagery. It teaches us a truth. “Without Jesus, we can do nothing.” We need to live our lives attached and connected to Him, depending on Him for everything! When we do we will experience relationship with Him and we will live in His blessing.

Father, help us to know what it truly is to live connected to You… “grafted in.” We know that Jesus came so we could experience a relationship of oneness with You — attached, united, connected, indivisible, and inseparable from You. Your desire is for us to receive Your “nourishment” and to be supported by You. We are not meant to live apart from You. This connected relationship is new to us. It’s not something we understand because all we have known in our lives is the separation that sin caused. But we desire to know You and experience You in this relationship You have provided for us more and more each day. In Jesus name!

The Romans Challenge: The Plan

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“But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭11‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God always has a plan! We may not see where all the things in our lives are going, but He does. He is sovereign. He is over all. He is in control.

Everything this happened to Jesus when He walked here on earth was no surprise to God at all. The reaction of the Jewish leaders and the rejection of Jesus were all a part of God’s plan. We know this because there is prophecy after prophecy in the Old Testament that told us exactly what would happen. In fact the Jewish people of Jesus’s time “transgression (sin of rejecting Jesus) means riches for the world…” heavenly ones for us! Had Jesus not been rejected and crucified, resurrection would not have occurred and salvation would not have been provided for us all!

Although I do not understand the full impact of this statement, I know a time is coming that God will do a great work in His people the Jews. And we will all be blessed by the “greater riches … their full inclusion (will) bring!” In Jesus, we will all be one!

God is at work in all things according to His plan!

This is a source of comfort to me in my life. When everything seems to be going sideways in my own personal life, I can know God has been, is now, and forever will be in control! He is working all things according to His will. He started His plan before the creation of the world. He knew how it would go and will go. He cares about the smallest of details. I can trust Him!

The Roman’s Challenge: The Origin of Faith

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“So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17 ESV

“If only I had more faith…”. I’ve thought that many times. “Maybe if I would squeeze my eyes tight enough and think about it enough, I will be able to believe for something big.” But faith is not something we generate on our own. It is a gift. The Scripture says we have all been given a measure of it. (Romans 12:3)

We receive this gift of faith through hearing. Which is to listen to; attend to; obey; and observe what is commanded. (Websters 1828)

In our walk of faith, we can all trace back the moment when someone, somewhere, spoke to us about Jesus. We heard the Word. Then we believed.

Faith continues to grow in that same manner. Our lifelong walk of faith becomes a strong pattern of believing and trust as we spend time in God’s Word. When we hear the Word (listen to what we have read) and obey the Word. Our faith will grow. We will see that God’s Word is the Truth. It is life. It will sustain us.

If you find yourself thinking as I have before, “I need more faith.” Or “I need stronger faith.” Or “I need my faith to grow.” God has given you and I all we need to live a godly life. May I encourage you to spend time in the Word of God.

You won’t be disappointed!

The Romans Challenge: Beautiful Feet

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“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!””
‭‭Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Following the footsteps of Jesus is a beautiful thing. He lived His life here on earth displaying God. Whatever He did from talking to the outcast woman at the well to touching the untouchable leper, was a display of His Heavenly Father’s heart. He came to make God known. He has called us to be like Him. We were meant to not only know God, but to make Him known. This is what it means to walk as Jesus did… to follow Him.

The people that God has placed around us need to hear about Him so they are able to believe. They can’t hear about Him unless we tell them. We cannot tell unless we are sent. Jesus told His disciples , “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21) You and I, as believers, are His disciples too. He is sending us too!

Wherever God sends us and to whomever we share His love, we are following the very footsteps of Jesus. We are doing beautiful things, and we are serving Him with Beautiful feet. These are the feet that are willing to go into all of the world and share what Jesus has done.

“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

The Romans Challenge: Salvation’s Certainty

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“As the Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”” 
Romans 10:11 NIV

The world is full of get rich quick schemes and self-improvement plans. It seems like the role of “life coach” is a booming prospect in a lot of circles. We, as humans, like to think we have found the answers to improve our lives and make us happy and rich. But time and time again, our plans fail…

There is only one way for us to truly be changed. There is only one way to find contentment and peace. This is found in a relationship with God. You and I were created for relationship with Him. We will not find what we are looking for chasing the latest fads and schemes.

The problem that causes all the discontentedness and disconnection in our lives, isn’t our lack of self realization. It is SIN and it is living according to our selfishness. Simply put, we need a Savior.

Jesus knew exactly what we needed when He came to provide the way for salvation. What is broken in us can be made new when we confess Jesus as Lord of our lives (turn our lives over to Him), and when we believe that He truly is our Risen Savior. God’s promise of New Life in Christ is certain. If we believe and if we call on Him, we will be saved. We are assured that we “will not be put to shame.”

God’s plan to renovate our spiritual hearts and to make us new are not some fantasy we chase. God’s promise of eternal life is certain. We won’t be disappointed or disgraced in the end. Plans for life change that fall outside of the truth of Scripture will always fall short. Because “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

Thank You God that You have provided all we need for us to have Your New Life that You offer us! Thank You for the certainty of salvation. We know You promises are true. What You say You will do. When we come to You and believe we won’t be disappointed. We “will not be put to shame.”

The Romans Challenge: The Word is Near

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“But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim:”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In 1987, the Rock band U2 recorded a song “I Still Haven’t Found what I’m Lookin For.” Its lyrics remind of this verse.

“I have climbed highest mountains
I have run through the fields
Only to be with you
Only to be with you
I have run
I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls
These city walls
Only to be with you.

But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for…”.

People are looking for truth. They are looking for peace. They are looking for the connection to someone greater… God. The problem is we feel like if we “ascend into heaven” or “descend into the deep”, we will somehow be able to make that connection. Or as U2’s song speaks of, doing all these great feats, we will finally achieve the goal. But, somehow we end up empty realizing, that we “still haven’t found what I’m looking for…” or EMPTY!

God is not like that. He says, “The Word is near you…” The Word is intimate, united in close ties of affection… as a close friend (Websters 1828)

John 1:1 tells us that Jesus is the Word of God made flesh. The Word is an expression that shows what is in the heart. What we speak reveals what is in us. God spoke when He sent His Word, Jesus, to show us what was in His heart toward us. This very Word made flesh, Jesus, is near us. He is intimate. He desires to be tied to us with great affection as a close friend.

We do not have to wander around looking for some truth or temporary joy to fill us. We can find what we are looking for in Jesus. We can receive God’s communication of Himself, His Word — Jesus, into our lives by faith. We can KNOW that He is near and that He is intimately acquainted with us as a Friend.

“The Word is near” us. May we receive Him by faith, and KNOW Him by pursuing a relationship with Him. This is His desire. It is what we were made for.

The Romans Challenge: Checking Off Boxes

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“Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

It is possible to do all the right “religious” things and miss the most important thing… relationship.

The Jews of Paul’s time did just that. They were “zealous for God, but their zeal {was} not based on knowledge.” The word zeal in this verse suggests a firey passion. They worked very hard to do everything that they thought would please God, but they missed the most important thing… the condition of their spiritual hearts.

We are no different. We can spend our lifetime “checking off the boxes” in terms of religion. Attend church… check. Read the Bible… check. Pray a prayer… check. Do a good dead… check. ETC. BUT, Our hearts can be FAR from God.

The whole point of Jesus coming was to fulfill all the “religious” requirements. He came so we could have relationship. Performance… “checking the box”… is a cold and dead religion. Jesus wants us to experience a relationship that is alive. He wants us to KNOW Him! This kind of know is more intimate than what we can experience with our spouse. It is more loving than a mother with a child. It is deeply personal.

Being zealous for God is a good thing! It is a firey passion, but this firey passion is based off of relationship. If it is just for “checking the boxes”, legalism, pride, and death will be the result.

Are you “checking the box?” Or is your relationship with God ALIVE? God is not looking for dead religion. He wants our hearts!

The Romans Challenge: The Patience of God

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“What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭9‬:‭22‬-‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

For many years, I struggled with the concept of the wrath of God. It seemed like God was an angry God, and that He was looking for the perfect opportunity to throw some lightening bolts toward us for messing up. What a lie I believed! God is a patient God!

In order to understand God’s patience, it is helpful to truly understand the nature of sin. Sin divides and separate us from God. This is because God is holy. He cannot have sin within Himself. Sin is like a spiritual cancer. It destroys our lives and will eventually kill us. Sin brings nothing but death, darkness, and destruction to our lives. God hates sin! This is because sin keeps us from being in a relationship that is close and connected to Him. God will eventually eradicate sin from our world when He comes in His judgement. He will end the pain and suffering sin has produced. He will make all things new. But for now He is patient in His longing to destroy evil. Why? Because He wants “to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy…”

He wants us to know Him. He has patiently waited for us to come to Him so He can have the opportunity to reveal Himself to us. God’s glory is the sum total of His attributes. It is who He is. He wants us to know—experience intimately— who He is. He wants us to know His perfect love. He wants us to experience His complete joy. He wants us to be intimately acquainted with His perfect peace.

We are the “objects of His mercy.” God’s mercy — His tenderness of His heart, His benevolence, His willingness to overlook our offenses (forgive) — is directed towards us! His plan for us is for us to know Him and through that knowledge, we will become like Him. We will display Him to those around us. We will make Him known. This is what God desires for us and intends for us. This is why He patiently waits for us to come!

God is continually holding out the opportunity for us to KNOW Him! Jesus provided all that we needed to be able to come close to God through His death, burial, and resurrection. God has given us the Holy Spirit to dwell inside of us so we can experience Him every moment of every day. God has given us His Word so we can learn about His character, His desires, and who He is. He patiently waits for us to come to Him and experience His glory — who He is!

Thank You Father for Your patience. We know Your desire is to end the suffering that sin has brought, and You wait patiently to execute your just judgements. This is because You desire for everyone to KNOW You! Help us to truly desire to know You more and to make You known to everyone You place in or path! In Jesus name!