Category: Romans

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Monsters Under the Bed

Remember when we were little and thought there might be monsters under the bed? As a child, I was plagued with nightmares. The monsters seemed so real; I was afraid to go to sleep and would wake up crying. Mom would show me that I had nothing to be afraid of.

In this day of corona virus, social distancing, limited groceries and all the mayhem that is loose in our world, living in the power of God’s Word is such a comfort and place of safety. It exposes the monsters that are lurking in the shadows and brings them out into the light.

“For [then] He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. 4 [Then] He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust and find refuge; His truth and His faithfulness are a shield and a buckler. 5 You shall not be afraid of the terror of the night, nor of the arrow (the evil plots and slanders of the wicked) that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction and sudden death that surprise and lay waste at noonday.” Psalm 91:3-6 AMP

The way I see it, the Lord promises to protect us from hidden peril – from the things we cannot see. A bird doesn’t see the trap until it’s caught; plagues come without advance warning. He also protects from disasters that can be seen.

The picture in verse 4 is that of a mother hen or bird that sets herself down over the top of her chicks to protect them from danger. She risks her own life and cuddles her young under her wings. Isn’t that what Jesus did for us? He gave His own life to protect us from the ravages of sin and its effects.

“So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? ” Romans 8:31-35 MSG

No matter what time of day or night, the Lord promises to be there and be our protection. When our children were little, Dave and I would pray with them and over them each morning before they headed out to school. We would pray these verses over them then and we still do. Now we’ve added their spouses, our grandchildren and great grandchild.

We have traveled hundreds of thousands of miles, literally, in our vehicle without ever having an accident. We’ve been in the presence of danger many times and not even known it until later and then we saw how God’s hand protected us.

We can take these verses as our own and use them to bring a covering of protection for our families as well. God’s word is true; He does not lie!

It doesn’t just come automatically though, we have to appropriate it – we have to believe it. Compare it to the electricity that comes into our homes; it’s there but we will sit in the dark and the cold unless we turn on the switch and put the power to work.

Turn on the switch in prayer and watch the power of God work in our lives!

Let me end with this. God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours – His plan of protection is better than ours. As the rain is higher than the earth and comes down to cover the earth; God’s ways are higher than our thinking and He rains down His protection to cover us.

“Rain and snow fall from the sky and don’t return until they have watered the ground.
Then the ground causes the plants to sprout and grow, and they produce seeds for the farmer and food for people to eat. 11 In the same way, my words leave my mouth, and they don’t come back without results. My words make the things happen that I want to happen. They succeed in doing what I send them to do. 12 ‘So you will go out from there with joy. You will be led out in peace…'” Isaiah 55: 10-12 ERV

God’s word will cause our lives to bring in a crop of good fruit – it will cause us to prosper and our lives to be filled with joy and peace. God’s word will drive out fear – no more monsters under the bed!

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You ARE Loved

I’ve not met anyone yet who never felt like they weren’t on their own and all alone at least once in their life. It might be just a moments thought or that thought could lead to depression that lasts a few days/months/years or it could be such a devastating thought that they come to the verge of suicide. I don’t think there is one person who has ever escaped the haunting question of “Am I loved?”.

Let me answer that with a loud and resounding – YES! Yes, you are.

“This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him!” Romans 8:15-27 The Message

God loves us so much He adopted us; He made us one of His own. We will certainly have tough times, Jesus did too. However, we have God’s promise to go through it with us. He won’t leave us. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate us from God’s love.

“So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture…None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.” Romans 5:31-39 The Message

This is the greatest Valentine’s message we will ever receive. As it says in the verse above I am absolutely convinced that nothing – absolutely nothing can get between me and God’s love for me. Nothing! These words were written by Paul, the apostle. The same man who arrested Christians and had them taken to their death. He knew first hand that nothing will separate us from God’s love.

I hope Valentine’s Day just took on new meaning. You ARE loved. I was at a low place once and I heard this message, “with God you will never be alone and you will always be loved”. That changed my life forever.

It’s not my responsibility to make myself good enough for God. Only He can do that and He did it when He sent His Son for me and then adopted me into His family.

Who can separate you from the love of God? Absolutely no one or nothing, you ARE loved!

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How Long Is Forever?

For many years of my life I lived with doubt that God truly loved me. I felt that any failure or shortcoming on my part would effect the love that came to me from God, the Father.

I felt that the love God gave was merit based. The church I grew up in had a long list of do’s and don’ts. As a teenager and young twenty year old, I failed continually no matter how hard I tried. I almost came to the point that I gave up on trying to live a Christian life.

Somewhere in the back of my mind was this gnawing feeling that I was misunderstanding God’s love. I mean, my mom and dad loved me. I knew that and never doubted it. Even when I messed up, I always knew they loved me. Why would God be any different? In my thinking, His love should be greater than what I received from my earthly parents. Things just didn’t measure up. I was so frustrated!

Fast forward eight to ten years.

Dave and I were at a Cowboy Cathedral and we heard the preacher say that God’s love was unconditional. We can’t earn and we can’t lose it! WOW!! That word was sent straight from heaven to my heart.

But…could he back that up with Scripture? Yes, yes he did.

“From far away, the Lord will appear to his people. The Lord says, “I love you people with a love that continues forever. That is why I have continued showing you kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3 ERV

“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.” Romans 5:6-9 NLT

Do you see that? God’s love for us continues forever. When we were at our worst Christ died for us because God wanted to show us how much He loves us. Amen!

Let that sink in – He loved us at our worst and His love will continue forever!

When this revelation of God’s love got passed my religious thinking and sank deep into my heart all my doubts about God’s love were gone. There is nothing I enjoy more than telling people about God’s love. Nothing better than that.

Most of the time when I think about how much the Father loves me (and you too) my heart overflows with so much gratitude that my eyes spill over with tears.

The Father’s love for you and me is forever – that’s a very, very, very long time!

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Winning Strategy

Have you ever struggled with something – a new computer program, a project at work, or a relationship? You were sure you knew exactly what to do to make it work but your efforts ended in failure.

Not long before King David died, he told Solomon:

“My son, I will soon die, as everyone must. But I want you to be strong and brave. 3 Do what the Lord your God commands and follow his teachings. Obey everything written in the Law of Moses. Then you will be a success, no matter what you do or where you go.” I Kings 2:1-3 CEV

Our thinking or reasoning isn’t always the best. Take Joshua as an example. He was tasked with conquering the city of Jericho. It was a walled, well fortified city, many people lived there and the city was guarded. I’m sure Joshua was developing a plan of attack when the Lord spoke to him.

“Meanwhile, the people of Jericho had been locking the gates in their town wall because they were afraid of the Israelites. No one could go out or come in. 2-3 The Lord said to Joshua: With my help, you and your army will defeat the king of Jericho and his army, and you will capture the town. Here is how to do it: March slowly around Jericho once a day for six days. 4 Take along the sacred chest and have seven priests walk in front of it, carrying trumpets. But on the seventh day, march slowly around the town seven times while the priests blow their trumpets. 5 Then the priests will blast on their trumpets, and everyone else will shout. The wall will fall down, and your soldiers can go straight in from every side.” Joshua 6:1-5 CEV

Seriously, was he supposed to take a city by marching around and blowing trumpets? It wasn’t the tactic that caused Joshua to be successful. He captured it by being obedient to what the Lord has said!

“The priests blew their trumpets again, and the soldiers shouted as loud as they could. The walls of Jericho fell flat. Then the soldiers rushed up the hill, went straight into the town, and captured it.” Joshua 6:20 CEV

What is our “Jericho”? Is it the challenges we face at work, a rocky relationship with someone who had been a close friend or loved family member, a looming financial crisis or perhaps a health issue?

If we’ve been trying to figure out the correct strategy on our own it’s time to listen to the One who has the perfect solution. When we do, we’ll be victorious!

“No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” Romans 8:37 NLT

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But God

We had a wonderful time yesterday while on our family camping weekend. We visited a local attraction known as the Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch. The animals were amazing and we had a great time. (I’ll tell you more about this in another blog.) While feeding the animals I was particularly focused on some of the birds that we hand fed.

A few days back I reminded you that God’s love for us is so much greater than His love for the birds, and since it is, we can trust Him in all things. He is rich in mercy and love. Anytime things seemed stacked against us, remember this, BUT GOD! God is in control and He loves us so deeply. How can we not come out a winner when we know that no matter what happens BUT GOD?

“But God is rich in mercy, and he loved us very much. 5 We were spiritually dead because of all we had done against him. But he gave us new life together with Christ. (You have been saved by God’s grace.) 6 Yes, it is because we are a part of Christ Jesus that God raised us from death and seated us together with him in the heavenly places. 7 God did this so that his kindness to us who belong to Christ Jesus would clearly show for all time to come the amazing richness of his grace. 8 I mean that you have been saved by grace because you believed. You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God.” Ephesians 2:4-8

There isn’t a problem too big or a reward so great that they aren’t solved or enriched by BUT GOD. The enemy of every Christian is satan and he sends many challenges and problems to discourage and destroy BUT GOD… Then we also have rewards and opportunities that look too good to pass up BUT GOD will show us if they are traps to get us off course or if they are really opportunities He is sending to bless us.

The old saying no ifs, ands or buts about it, was used to drive home a point that something was solid or unchangeable. The Lord is our miracle worker and nothing is impossible with Him.

“So what should we say about this? If God is for us, no one can stand against us. And God is with us. 32 He even let his own Son suffer for us. God gave his Son for all of us. So now with Jesus, God will surely give us all things.” Romans 8:31-32

As you go about your day, when things come up and they will, remember BUT GOD and know that He is for you so anyone or anything that is against you has to face no one else BUT GOD!

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Don’t Lose Heart

How many of you keep a list of things you’ve prayed about and are waiting to see the answer? I have such a list. On it are situations and circumstances that I have prayed about; there are the names of friends and family who need miracles in the health and personal/business dealings. Then there are the things in this world that need God’s touch.

On that list I mark the date when I see the answer come. I draw a line through the name or circumstance and put a date out beside it. I love crossing things off the list. Someone is given a clean bill of health, another receives a new job or promotion and still another comes to peace with a troubling situation.

For almost eight years Dave and I lived waiting for our house in Montana to sell so that we could return to Arizona. Some mornings I would get up and be so discouraged. I would find myself saying “when Lord, when?”. Other mornings I would get up full of joy saying “thank you Lord we are one day closer”. I’m glad to say there were more joy filled days than frustrating ones.

I’ve just finished reading about Abraham and Sarah and the birth of Isaac. God had promised Abraham he would have countless descendants twenty-five years before their son was born. I imagine he had days of discouragement during that time but he held on to God’s promise. His faith in God’s promise was greater than his circumstances.

“Abraham believed he would be the father of many nations. He had no reason to hope for this, but he had been told, “Your children will become many nations.” 19 Abraham was about one hundred years old. His body was about dead, but his faith in God was not weak when he thought of his body. His faith was not weak when he thought of his wife Sarah being past the age of having children. 20 Abraham did not doubt God’s promise. His faith in God was strong, and he gave thanks to God. ” Romans 4:18-19 NLV

Let me encourage you today. Don’t lose heart; don’t be overcome by discouragement. Be confident, trust God; He is working where we can’t see. He will keep His promises.

“Do not throw away your trust, for your reward will be great. 36 You must be willing to wait without giving up. After you have done what God wants you to do, God will give you what He promised you.” Hebrews 10:35-36 NLV

We are one day closer to seeing God’s answer! Don’t lose heart.

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You Don’t Have to Give It Back

Here we are just a few weeks after Christmas. If you’re like me you have probably made room in the cupboard, the closet or on the table top for the gifts you received at Christmas. Just yesterday I was out in the RV making room for the great camping items we received. Every gift was given with love and no one has called or come by to ask for their gift back. That would be so strange – a gift is an expression of love, it’s not something we take back.

Well God doesn’t take back His gifts either!

“For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” Romans 11:29

I’ve read this verse and heard it taught on many times. In the context of the chapter, Paul is talking to Gentiles about how the Jews didn’t accept Jesus as their Messiah so that now the message is being preached to the Gentiles, us, who are non-Jews. God’s calling for salvation is available to everyone who will believe! That’s the calling of God.

However, yesterday I stopped and focused on the first few words. “For the gifts…are without repentance.” That’s when this verse took on a whole new light. The gifts – the gifts of God are without repentance, God doesn’t go back on his word. God doesn’t regret giving us something and then come take it back.

“God never changes his mind about the people he calls. He never decides to take back the blessings he has given them.” Romans 11:29 ERV

In early Bible history the Israelites or Jews were considered a blessed people and today they are still walking in that blessing. We, as believers, are also blessed of God.

“Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same.” James 1:17 ERV

When Jesus was teaching the Sermon on the Mount He compared God’s character with that of man. God’s love is unconditional, unearned, unchanging – man’s love can be tainted by circumstance. If earthly parents, with natural affection, know how to give good gifts to their children how much greater are the gifts that God gives to us.

“Continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you. 8 Yes, whoever continues to ask will receive. Whoever continues to look will find. And whoever continues to knock will have the door opened for them. 9 “Do any of you have a son? If he asked for bread, would you give him a rock? 10 Or if he asked for a fish, would you give him a snake? Of course not! 11 You people are so bad, but you still know how to give good things to your children. So surely your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him.” Matthew 7:7-11

So when circumstances try to get you down, when people criticize and walk away, when it looks as if your world will shatter, remember God has spoken good into your life. If you’ve accepted His gift of salvation, you’re His child and He has many gifts and blessings lined up for you, He won’t go back on His word.

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Worth Bragging About

All of us who are parents like to do special things for our kids. We want life to be the best for them. I take time to make their favorite cookies, prepare that special meal, and find little treasures that I know will show them just how special they are. Dave is always in his shop making things out of wood or leather for them. It’s what we do to show our love.

In that way, we are like our Father. He is the most loving, caring, compassionate being in the universe. No one can compare to Him. From eternity past to eternity future He has planned to lavish us with the gifts of His love.

“You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God’s gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. 9 It isn’t something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about.” Ephesians 2:8-9 CEV

“God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.” John 3:16 CEV

I remember one year when I was little my parents gave me a rocking horse for Christmas. Everyone that came to our home got to see the rocking horse, it was special. As I got older I realized that buying that present was a real sacrifice. I didn’t brag on what a good kid I was and how much I deserved it, instead on bragged on how great my folks were for giving me such a great present.

For all eternity, Jesus and the Father have been talking about us in heaven. Talking about how much they love us and how much they desire a relationship with us. They want to talk with us daily, to share their thoughts and their love with us the way a Father does with His children. So they came up with a plan…

“But Christ died for us while we were still sinners, and by this God showed how much he loves us. 9 We have been made right with God by the blood sacrifice of Christ. So through Christ we will surely be saved from God’s anger. 10 I mean that while we were God’s enemies, he made friends with us through his Son’s death. And the fact that we are now God’s friends makes it even more certain that he will save us through his Son’s life. 11 And not only will we be saved, but we also rejoice right now in what God has done for us through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is because of Jesus that we are now God’s friends.” Romans 5:8-11 CEV

We are God’s friends and we have been adopted by the Father. He calls us His children. He gave us a wonderful gift, an incomparable gift. A gift worth bragging on – the gift of Jesus and eternal life. Tell someone about it!

Merry Christmas Father!! Merry Christmas Jesus!! Merry Christmas Holy Spirit!! Thank you for this wonderful gift.

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A Father’s Heart

A couple of days ago I asked you to imagine what it might have been like for Jesus when they discussed the plan of restoring relationship with those of us on earth. He had to lay aside everything glorious and heavenly and become common. Now consider this.

Those of us parents who have had children join the military or enter other dangerous occupations know the heart ache, the apprehension and even the fear of having our children go off into the unknown, into hostile and harmful circumstances.

What if we were Father God? Our Son has been with us every moment from eternity past. We have created universes together, have intervened in the lives of our creation in a powerful way. Never a cross word spoken, never a rebellious thought or action – our Son is our dearest friend, He’s a part of all we do and have ever done.

He’s leaving now – headed to earth. “unto us a Son is given” Isaiah 9:6

He will be loved by some, treated with ambivalence by most and hated by others and they will plot to kill Him. Although we know all this, we still choose to let Him go and even more than that, we choose to let Him die so that He can provide restoration for all those who are incapable of providing it for themselves.

“When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new! 18 All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between himself and us. And God gave us the work of bringing people into peace with him. 19 I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold people guilty for their sins. And he gave us this message of peace to tell people.” II Corinthians 5:17

And all of this was not because of our great value or importance but because of His great love.

“Christ died for us when we were unable to help ourselves. We were living against God, but at just the right time Christ died for us. 7 Very few people will die to save the life of someone else, even if it is for a good person. Someone might be willing to die for an especially good person.But Christ died for us while we were still sinners, and by this God showed how much he loves us.9 We have been made right with God by the blood sacrifice of Christ. So through Christ we will surely be saved from God’s anger.” Romans 5:6-9

“Unto to us a Son is given”! Would you be willing to give your son? Aren’t you glad He did!!

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Yeast – A Wonderful Gift

The first part of the month I encouraged you to look for little gifts that God gives us each day. Yesterday one of my gifts came from a bowl of bread dough.

I was making my first batches of cinnamon rolls for the Christmas season. It’s a tradition. I had just gotten the dough mixed when Dave asked me to go with him to get propane. It was a short trip to town. Sure.

Off we went. I knew the dough would rise and be at the perfect height to punch down when I returned. We got delayed by a few minutes and when we got back one batch of dough was running over the edge of the bowl. A real “dough-saster”. I quickly scooped it up, punched it down and let it rise again. Disaster averted. Soon the house smelled of delicious cinnamon rolls baking in the oven.

Now let me show you what I learned. Yeast causes the bread to rise. It is a chemical reaction. It gets big and fluffy and can even run over. Our lives are like that too. We can get all puffed up and get a big head when we allow pride to control us and we can spill over when we don’t keep our tempers in control.

Leaven or yeast was symbolic of something the Jewish people considered unclean. The night of the first Passover they were told to bake their bread without leaven. It was a sign that they could go on a moment’s notice to do what God directed. Their bread didn’t need time to rise, they could go now. Jesus warned the disciples that the teachings of the religious elite would pollute their purpose.

“Why can’t you understand that I’m not talking about bread? So again I say, ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’” 12 Then at last they understood that he wasn’t speaking about the yeast in bread, but about the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Matthew 16:11-12 NLT

I was reminded to keep a sense of humility. What a wonderful gift! A sense or awareness that God wanted me to be ready, on a moments notice, to do for others. He wants me to help them as I can.

“God has given me His loving-favor. This helps me write these things to you. I ask each one of you not to think more of himself than he should think. Instead, think in the right way toward yourself by the faith God has given you. 4 Our bodies are made up of many parts. None of these parts have the same use. 5 There are many people who belong to Christ. And yet, we are one body which is Christ’s. We are all different but we depend on each other. ” Romans 12:3-5 NLV

As we help others we season their lives with the wonderful gift of God’s love.

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