Holly Michael's Writing Straight

~ Connecting and Inspiring Along Life's Crooked Lines by Author Holly Michael

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Tag Archives: Paul

Christmas Challenge: Romans, Day 15

23 Sunday Dec 2012

Posted by Holly Michael in 16 Chapters to Christmas, Christianity

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Accept one another then just as Christ accepted you in order to bring praise to God., Anglican Church, Anglicanism, Anglo-Catholic, Anglo-Catholicism, Bishop Leo Michael, Blog, Christmas, Christmas Challenge, HCCAR, Holly Michael, Holy Catholic Church Anglican Rite, Kansas City, Merry Christmas, Paul, Paul visits Rome, Pauls letters to the Romans, Romans 15, St. James Anglican Church, Stained glass

Almost finished with Romans. Thanks for coming along on this Christmas Challenge, journeying into Paul’s letters to the Romans. Christmas eve is tomorrow and I can’t wait until the Christmas Midnight Mass! And Lessons and Carols in our Anglican tradition.

Here’s one of our beautiful stained glass windows at our cathedral, St. James Anglican Church (Holy Catholic Church, Anglican Rite) in Kansas City, where my husband serves as Bishop and rector (consider this my Christmas card to all of you wonderful blog followers.) Merry Christmas and God Bless you!

stainedglasswindow

 

Romans 15

 

New International Version (NIV)

15 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” 4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

friendupliftthesoul

5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

romans 15.5.6

7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Romans 15.78 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed 9 and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written:

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles;
I will sing the praises of your name.”

10 Again, it says, 

“Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”

 

11 And again, 

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; 

let all the peoples extol him.”

 

12 And again, Isaiah says, 

“The Root of Jesse will spring up, 

one who will arise to rule over the nations;

in him the Gentiles will hope.”

 

13 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.

romansmc

Paul the Minister to the Gentiles

14 I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another. 15 Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Romans15_16

17 Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God.

18 I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— 19 by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. 20 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. 21 Rather, as it is written:

“Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand.”

22 This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.

Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome

23 But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, 24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain.

illyricum-01I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25 Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord’s people there. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem. 27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. 28 So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this contribution, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.

30 I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. 31 Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord’s people there, 32 so that I may come to you with joy, by God’s will, and in your company be refreshed. 33 The God of peace be with you all. Amen.

 

romans 32What a beautiful chapter. Paul encourages Christians to uphold and love one another, so that we may all glorify God the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Then he speaks of his confidence in the gentiles, and of his upcoming journeys, asking for prayers. You can really feel the voice of Paul in this, and the love he has for followers of Christ.

Merry Christmas to all! May we uphold one another in love and prayers as we journey on this earth until we reach our permanent home in Heaven. Glory to God in the Highest! And Peace to His People on Earth!

 

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Christmas Challenge: Romans, Day 14 – Every Knee Shall Bow

22 Saturday Dec 2012

Posted by Holly Michael in 16 Chapters to Christmas, Christianity

≈ 6 Comments

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Blog, do not judge, every knee will bow, God, Holly Michael, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, judge, Judge not, Paul, Paul's letter to the Romans, Romans, Romans 14, Romans 14:1, Romans 14:10, Romans 14:11, Romans 14:13, Romans 14:14, Romans 14:15, Romans 14:16, Romans 14:17, Romans 14:18, Romans 14:2, Romans 14:20, Romans 14:21, Romans 14:22, Romans 14:23, Romans 14:4, Romans 14:5, Romans 14:6, ROmans 14:7, Romans 14:8, Romans 14:9, Romans 14;3, Romans: 14:12, www.writingstraight.com

Still continuing with Deacon Alfred’s Christmas Challenge to read a chapter of Romans each day until Christmas. Christmas is almost here and we are almost finished. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading these chapters as much as I have. Here’s the next chapter of Romans: Romans 14.

Romans 14

New International Version (NIV)

The Weak and the Strong

14 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. 2 One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

pt

5 One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. 6 Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

romans 14v8b

10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written:

“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’”

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12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.

13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 

1413

14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

romans-14-17

19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.

22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

****

Lots of good meat to chew on in this one, except for days of fasting, then you should do like I do and not eat meat, because I do everything right, according to what the church says and I see that some of you don’t….oops. How many times do we do this? Judge each other. Paul says we should not argue with one another about these issues. What is important is that all believers do what they do to honor the Lord. We mustn’t condemn other people. After all we will stand before God’s judgement seat in same way that they will. Paul’s concern is that we do what we do out of love for the God, and not in the belief that religious practices will bring salvation.

Prayer: Father forgive me for judging brothers and sisters in Christ. Help me to love those with whom I disagree with. In the end, I pray that we will all kneel before you as one faithful body of Christ, and every tongue will confess you are God. Amen.

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Christmas Challenge: Romans, Day 13 – Wake Up! The Hour Has Come!

21 Friday Dec 2012

Posted by Holly Michael in 16 Chapters to Christmas, Christianity

≈ 3 Comments

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Blog, blogging, Christ, Christian, end of the world, end times, Holly Michael, Love, love fulfills the law, Paul, Pauls letters to the Romans, Romans, Romans 13, salvation, submission to the government, The hour has come, Wake up, www.writingstraight.com

I look forward to Paul’s next letters to the Romans, each day. Here’s Romans 13 with a short reflection.

Romans 13

New International Version (NIV)

Submission to Governing Authorities

romans13al

13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Love Fulfills the Law

romans8.138 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

The Day Is Near

tumblr_mam01pDFra1qhmhdfo1_50011 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.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.

I’m not going to dwell on the first section, where Paul talks about obeying the government. Caesar had Paul killed and that wouldn’t have happened if Paul’s message was all about obedience to civil authorities. I believe Paul’s words were not for the secular, but for the followers of Christ. He was beheaded for promoting a rival government known as the Kingdom of God. On the other hand, while Christians are citizens of Heaven and must first obey God, at the same time, we should obey earthly governments. We are responsible to submit to the laws of the country in which we live.  

Now, onto the fun stuff! Scroll up and read the last part again. Romans 13: 11-14 is so appropriate for a day that’s been feared to be the “last day on earth.” To this, I say: Whatever (with an eye-roll). I mean, really, what’s all this hoopla? Are we so silly that we tremble at these predictions? We should, every day, be trembling while working out our salvation with God. (Philippians 2:12). Instead of worrying about the last day of earth, we should be thinking: “…It is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.” (Romans 13:11, NKJV).

timeSo, wake up! Have you looked around? Do you not see that death can happen at any time, to anyone. A small child reading a book in her elementary school classroom. A teenager speeding on the highway. People die of cancer every day, regardless of their age. Accidents happen. There’s no guarantee how many days we will be given.  We are not immortal beings, here on Earth forever. So, I say, “Wake up!” And realize that our earthly life can and will end any time. And we don’t always get a warning.

So, though we still have some hours left to the “end of the world day,” day, if the world doesn’t end today, our lives could end tomorrow. So a more important question than, “when?” is, “Are we ready?”

Looking forward to Christmas and Romans 14, and if it tomorrow doesn’t happen for me or the world, then looking forward to seeing you all on the other side!

 

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Christmas Challenge: Romans, Day 11

19 Wednesday Dec 2012

Posted by Holly Michael in 16 Chapters to Christmas, Christianity

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Chapter 11, Christianity, Christmas, Christmas Challenge, Faith, grafted branches, Jesus Christ, Paul, Paul's letter to the Romans, Romans 11

A little late today, but here it is, Romans, Chapter 11 followed by a short reflection.

Romans 11

New International Version (NIV)

The Remnant of Israel

11 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel:3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? 4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

7 What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, 8 as it is written:

“God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day.”

9 And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. 10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.”

Ingrafted Branches

11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12 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!

13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them.15 For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.

17 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, 18 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. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

Romans11

22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

All Israel Will Be Saved

25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written:

“The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. 27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

Doxology

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?”[j] 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_12x5_62

My reflection: It’s sad that some Jews rejected Christ, but at the same time, I’m glad that God’s mercy has allowed me, a non-Jew, a wild olive shoot, to receive God’s gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Paul mentions that perhaps these grafted in branches would stir envy among the Jews, but we, who are grafted in, should never consider ourselves to be superior, but to know that the we do not support the root-Our Lord, but He supports us. My hope is that we all will be grafted onto the tree; Jews and non-Jews and all of humanity. Who can know that depth of His Grace, Mercy, Knowledge, and Wisdom! To Him be Glory forever!

 

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Christmas Challenge: Romans, Day 7

15 Saturday Dec 2012

Posted by Holly Michael in 16 Chapters to Christmas, Books, Christianity, Inspiration

≈ 3 Comments

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Blog, Chapter 7, Christianity, commandment, commentary, death, God, Gospel, help, Holly Michael, Hope, Jesus Christ, Law, law and sin, lessons along the journey, Paul, Paul's letter to the Romans, Peace, reflection, rescue, rescuer, Rich Maffeo, Savior, Sin, Sin and Law, St. Paul, www.writingstraight.com

Deacon Alfred Sturges’ Christmas Challenge: Romans 7

Released From the Law, Bound to Christ

Thanks for stopping by. Hope this challenge is drawing your nearer to Our Lord, Jesus Christ. And if you’re just coming by today, that’s fine, too. Here’s Romans 7 and a special guest post reflection below, from an author whom I deeply admire.

Romans 7: Do you not know, brothers and sisters—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? 2 For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. 3 So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.

4 So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

The Law and Sin

7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. 9 Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.

13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

***

It’s pretty clear what Paul is writing about in Romans 7. We all have sins that make us a prisoner of the law of sin. Just as I was wondering what to write, I opened my email and found a reflection from a friend. It really fits well with what Paul is saying about Sin and the Law and the Gospel being the power of God to rescue us. Below is Author Rich Maffeo’s reflection from one of his books and a link to the book as well. I’ve been a friend and a fan of Rich Maffeo for many years. Enjoy the read and feel free to offer your thoughts on Romans 7.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

lessonsFrom Rich Maffeo’s Book, Lessons Along the Journey.

When I was four, my family lived near the Atlantic Ocean. “Close enough to enjoy the water,” my mother used to say, “but far enough that we don’t have sand in the house.”

One afternoon my father brought me to the beach to escape the blistering summer heat of our apartment. I still remember splashing in the water, squealing as the gentle waves surged and ebbed around me.

I suppose he was only a short distance away when he turned his back for a moment. But during that moment, a wave knocked me off balance and plunged my face beneath the water. Frantic, I fought to regain my footing as each successive swell threw me under again and again. Panic grew into terror as the current swept me deeper beneath the waves.

Then, from nowhere, strong arms suddenly pulled me free. Within moments, I found myself safely on the warm sand. The lifeguard had come to my rescue.

“Hey! What are you doing?” My father ran toward us, shouting angrily at the man who saved me. “I was watching him. He was okay.” Then he looked at me. “You were okay, weren’t you?”

I remember it was more a command than a question. Embarrassed and confused, what could I say? I stared at my feet and whispered, “Uh‑huh.”

Vindicated, my father led me back to our beach blanket. I didn’t feel like going into the water any more that day.

Years passed, and I discovered different waters in which to revel. Swept along by swells of ideas and temptations, I drifted from one immoral or rebellious pleasure to another. Life ebbed and flowed gently around me.

Then a wave knocked me off balance.

I fought to regain my footing, but each attempt met powerful and successive waves that pulled me deeper toward sin, desperation, and finally, despondency. I knew intuitively that my future promised little more than ever-increasing bondage to those very things I once thought gave me freedom. I knew I could no more stop doing what I knew to be wrong than I could prevent the ocean’s currents. But oh, how I longed for forgiveness, cleansing — and rescue. In despair, I cried out to the One I had for so long ignored, and begged Him to deliver me from myself.

I still remember His rescue. The Holy Spirit led me to friends who told me of God’s promise of salvation and the power to change direction. All I needed to do was ask God for mercy.

Suddenly, from nowhere, strong arms pulled me free from sin’s grip. Overwhelming guilt and fear gave way to assurance and peace. I’d been rescued. Lifted onto the Rock. Oh, how glorious was the sense of freedom, to be redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

But within days, friends and family rushed to my side. “You were okay, weren’t you? You weren’t really in trouble . . . .”

What could I say? What would I say?

It’s not surprising when pressure from friends or parents prevent a child from choosing right over wrong. But how should an adult react in the face of truth? Despite my self-assured façade, I desperately needed help, and the Lord Jesus so graciously reached down to rescue me.

What could I say? The choice could not have been clearer. It was time to put away childish things. It was time to shoulder my responsibility and admit that the gospel is the power of God to rescue from sin’s bondage everyone who turns to Christ (Romans 1:16).

Could I — could anyone — say less?

rich maffeoThanks Rich! And what do you think? What sins do you need to be delivered from? There is a rescuer.

If you’d like to purchase Rich Maffeo’s book, Lessons along the Journey, click here. Or if you’d like further info about Rich Maffeo’s inspirational books, click here. I have read all of his books and have thoroughly enjoyed each one.

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Christmas Challenge: Romans, Day 5

13 Thursday Dec 2012

Posted by Holly Michael in 16 Chapters to Christmas, Christianity

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Bible, Blog, Christ, Christianity, commentary, glory, God, Holly Michael, Holy BIble, Hope, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Paul, Paul's letter to the Romans, Peace, Romans, Suffering, www.writingstraight.com

The Christmas Challenge Continues: Romans 5

Peace and Hope

Thanks for continuing with me on Deacon Alfred’s challenge to read a chapter a day of Romans until Christmas. If you’re just here for this one chapter, that’s cool, too. Here we go:

5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ

12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man,and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—

13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.

15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

My thoughts on Chapter 5 (while traveling across the state of Kansas, making our way back home after an Our Lady of Guadalupe Mass and Celebration in Greeley, Colorado):

Paul begins by writing about peace and hope through our faith in Christ, our Savior. Because of Jesus, we have peace with God and hope in the glory of God. In this troubled world, in times of stress and busyness, I want to linger over the words: peace and hope. I want to say them out loud, roll them over my tongue, feel them deep in my soul. But then, right after those lovely words, Paul hits us with the word, “sufferings” and couples it with the word “glory.” How can we “glory” in sufferings?” Even if I get a hangnail, I fuss and complain. Who wants to suffer? What glory can there be in sufferings?

But, then Paul gives us this formula: because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

I could stop there and ponder on just this much of Romans. I can think on and digest all the above, and recall it through struggles, sickness, and other stresses of life. But, sometimes sufferings run deeper than a hangnail, a sickness, or even a season of sadness. A mother loses her child to Leukemia. A drunk driver kills a man’s wife and child. A son falls to a life of crime because of drug addictions. A football hero takes a gun and shoots his fiance. A gunman opens fire in a public place. A tornado tears through a town and destroys lives and homes. For those who are touched personally by such horrible tragedies, glorying in them would seem impossible.

I’ll return to this thought after a few short words about the remainder of this chapter. Paul discusses the fall of Adam bringing all of mankind into sin and death, but the grace of God, through the righteousness of Christ, has much more power to bring salvation to a multitude of believers.

We are offered the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. We should never forget this greatest gift, especially now, during Christmas season. From one year to the next, gifts will be forgotten, used up, broken, or traded in for a better ones later. Salvation is forever. We carry it with us into eternal life, whether our earthly life ends today, tomorrow, on December 21st or at a ripe old age. Death is inevitable.

So, returning to horrific sufferings. Look at this last line of chapter five:

But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

There is hope. Even through the most difficult situations, God’s grace is there…it can be increased. God will help us through our sufferings. He will give us the grace to continue on. And because of Jesus Christ, we have the hope of eternal life. Even for those who suffer devastating loses, even of loved ones, remember this: One day, in Heaven, we will live in perfect peace with Him and reunite with our loved ones. This is truth. This is hope. This is peace. Thank you Father, for the gift of your son, Jesus Christ. He offers us salvation and helps us through every suffering.

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