Scripture

Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.

Observation

When Adam sinned, sin and death came into the world. We have all sinned, so we shall all die.

Adam is a symbol of Christ. Adam’s sin brought death to many. But God’s grace is greater, so that the gift of forgiveness came through Jesus. Adam’s sin brought condemnation, but God’s free gift in Christ makes us right with God.

Because Adam disobeyed God, we all became sinners. Because Jesus obeyed God, many will become righteous.

Application

We don’t have any choice about whether we are sinners or not. Being human means we will sin, that is do things that are displeasing to God.

That is our heritage from Adam. It is almost written into our DNA.

How tragic that human beings, made for fellowship with God, routinely cut ourselves off from Him by rebelling against Him. For many, this is so entrenched that they do not even think about it.

But another man came into the world to reverse Adam’s curse. Jesus, the Son of God, became a man just like us. His death on the cross paid for our sins.

So death came through Adam, but eternal life came through Jesus.

Condemnation came through Adam, but forgiveness comes through Christ.

Sin entered the world through Adam, but it was defeated by Christ.

All you have to do to trade the heritage of Adam for the life of Christ is to receive the forgiveness that Christ brings.

That Is amazing grace.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for trading my sin for your righteousness. Thank you for the promise of eternal life. Amen.

Scripture

Therefore, since we have been justified with God through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Observation

We have been justified by faith in Jesus Christ, and we have peace with God. We have access to grace and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

Our suffering produces perseverance, character and hope, so we can rejoice even in suffering. The hope that God gives comes through the holy Spirit given to us in Christ.

Application

When we come to Jesus, we are made right, or justified, with God. The record of our sins is deleted because God counts them as being paid for by Jesus’ death on the cross. It is as if seconds before being executed, the call comes through to declare the condemned man is innocent. Instead of walking to certain death, we walk to life and freedom in Christ.

We didn’t do anything to earn the forgiveness of God. We aren’t even smart enough to trust in Christ from our own wisdom. No, this is the free gift of God, and our ability to say “Yes” to Christ is also a gift from God.

So now we have peace with God. Our rebellion against Him, our war for independence is over. Our inner fight is also finished, as the battle for our hearts and minds comes to a close.

We have peace with God because He forgives us, and we are then enabled to live the life we were created for- a life of fellowship with God.

Prayer

What wonderful peace comes from you, Father, when we live in reconciliation with you. Thank you. Amen.

Scripture

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters,you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.

Observation

God’s Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us. Therefore we are no longer captive to the sinful nature. If we live by the flesh we will die, but if we let the Spirit put to death our sinful nature, we will live.

We have received the Spirit of adoption by which we call God, “Abba, Father.” We are children of God and therefore heirs with Christ- both to glory and suffering.

Application

I have no obligation to sin.

All of humanity is bound to sin. We are captivated by it, ruled by self-centredness, pride, lust and greed.

When Jesus came into my life, I was born to a new life, born in the Spirit. The Spirit of God came in and set me free form the sinful nature.

I am now under no obligation to sin.

Before I was born again, all I knew was the fleshly sinful nature. I couldn’t avoid sin and had no desire to do so.

But the Spirit convicted me of sin and then forgave me and gave me the way out of sin. The fleshly sinful nature was replaced by the divine holy nature.

I don’t have to sin. I do sin, but there is no excuse. It is a choice to go back to the old ways, to let the flesh dictate my actions rather than the Holy Spirit.

It is awesome to realise that God really has set me free from sin.

No obligations to the sinful nature.

No necessity to sin.

Prayer

Lord, you really have set me free from sin. Once the flesh was all I had, but then you came and set me free. Now sin is a choice and holiness is my calling. Hallelujah! Please help me to make the right choice, to walk in the path of holiness. Amen.

Scripture

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groans that cannot be expressed in words.

Observation

All creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth. We believers also groan because God has given us a foretaste of the future kingdom. We have a hope for a future and must wait patiently.

The Holy Spirit helps us to pray even when we don’t know what to pray. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us in groaning that cannot be expressed in words.

Application

Sometimes it is hard to know how to pray. God wants all people to be saved so that one is easy. But praying for specific issues relating to family, church, relationships, etc can be so much harder. Is what I want the same as what God wants? What is God’s purpose in this situation?

We must be careful of praying the answers we want.

Sometimes we can wait on the Lord and a direction for prayer will emerge. Then we can pray confidently knowing that this is God’s will.

Sometimes we have to just trust the Lord in our praying. The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness, and the gift of tongues is often the way forward.

When I pray in my prayer language I know that it is the Holy Spirit praying through me. I have nothing to offer but “groans”, but the Holy Spirit intercedes with me to bring about God’s purposes.

Lately I have been praying”I don’t know” a lot. I pray in tongues and trust that somehow God’s purposes will prevail. One day I will see the groaning answered.

Prayer

Thank you, Holy Spirit, for the “groanings” of prayer we don’t understand but which you use. Amen.

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+4.13-25

Scripture

Abraham never doubted or questioned Gods promise. His faith made him strong, and he gave all the credit to God.

Observation

God promised Abraham the world. The promise wasn’t about Abraham obeying a law but because of his faith.

God’s anger burns against law breakers. But if there is no law it can’t be broken. Everything then depends on faith, and His promise comes to us through faith.

Even when God’s promise to Abraham that he would father many nations seemed impossible, Abraham still believed the promise.

The promise of Abraham being made righteous through faith still applies. We are still made acceptable to God through our faith in Jesus’ death.

Application

Abraham never doubted or questioned God’s promise. He clung to that promise even when he was way past the age normally associated with reproduction.

His faith made him strong. He knew that he could trust God because of God’s nature. It is not God’s character to lead us on with false promises. He is faithful and trustworthy.

Abraham had a strong faith. But faith made him strong in character and in resilience. Despite numerous set backs, Abraham knew he had a destiny and a purpose, so he kept moving forwards to that destiny.

Knowing that God has given us a purpose can help keep us going against incredible odds. We might not see the final destination- like Abraham who died long before the promise was fulfilled- but we can know that we have played our part in God’s plan.

Prayer

Lord I thank you that my final destiny is greater than I can imagine right now. Your plans for my life are more fruitful than I can know. Help me to see your purposes in my life and to live up to the high calling you have for me. Amen.

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12.9-21

Scripture

Outdo one another in showing honour.

Observation

This machine-gun list of commands come down to the practicalities of living the christian life each day.

We should hate what is evil and love what is good. We should love other christians and contribute to their needs,

We are to extend that love to those who persecute or curse us. We must bless them and not curse. We must not seek revenge, but leave that to the Lord. If our enemies are hungry we must feed them; if they are thirsty give them something to drink.

Application

We must be people who not only live honourable lives, but also excel in giving honour to one another.

We live in an age where honour is conditional and limited. We honour sports champions as long as they keep winning. We honour political leaders as long as they are on our side.

Many people spend a life-time quietly and humbly serving their community, but are ignored or taken for granted.

Even churches are loathe to honour leaders and servants. Pastors are criticised rather than lifted up. Other churches and denominations easily receive criticism.

This week the city of Houston in the United States is being pummelled by a hurricane and the subsequent flooding. Some people were quick to criticise Joel Osteen for not opening his church building as a refuge. It turns out that they offered their facility to the city as a last resort because it was feared that it could become subject to flooding also. We can be so eager to assume bad motives to other people.

“Outdo one another in showing honour.” This must start with me. How can I express honour to the people around me, especially the one I don’t get along with?

Prayer

Lord may I become a person who builds up not criticises others. Show me how to honour my brothers and sisters, even my enemies. Amen.

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+12.1-8

Scripture

Don’t copy the behaviours and customs of the world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.

Observation

Paul exhorts us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God; the kind that is acceptable to Him. We must allow God to change the way we think, becoming new people in the process.

We should always be humble, honest with ourselves and measuring ourselves by the faith He has given us.

God gives us different gifts (these are often called motivational gifts). Whatever our gifting- prophecy, serving, teaching,encouraging, giving, leadership or kindness- we should do it to honour the Lord.

Application

Many christians fail to grow in the Lord because their ambitions and desires are worldly, rooted in the flesh and in human wisdom. They forsake the most hateful sins easily enough, but they fail to grow in holiness or character.

We can change our outward behaviour without changing our heart, but this does not produce lasting transformation. Often such change becomes legalistic or religious because the focus is on changing behaviour not on changing the thinking.

When we surrender to God everything that we are, He starts to change our thinking. As our thinking changes, we discover that we are no longer conforming to the ways of the world but are being transformed by Him.

The best part is that when God does the changing in us, it is genuine. He changes us from the inside out.

Prayer

Lord I surrender all that I am to you- every thought, desire and ambition. Please bring my will into alignment with yours. Amen.

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+10.5-15

Scripture

If you confess with your lips that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Observation

The word of God is on our lips and in our hearts, and so anyone who confesses that Jesus is Lord and believes that God raised Him from the dead will be saved.

Our confession with the lips and our heart belief will save us. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Who will hear if there is no preaching? Who will call on His name if they do not know there is a name to be believed? This means that we must go out from the church and preach the message of salvation.

Application

The Good News is remarkably simple. To be saved I must speak out with my lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in my heart that He is risen.

We have a Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. He must be the one I follow and obey in everything I do.

Jesus’ lordship is not a religious phrase with no meaning. It rests on a historical fact- Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead. He was dead and now He is alive.

There is salvation in the name of Jesus.

There is forgiveness in the name of Jesus.

There is healing in the name of Jesus.

There is power in the name of Jesus.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, today I declare you are my Lord. I say this not from empty religion but from the deep conviction of my heart. I thank you for dying for my sin and for rising to eternal life. Amen.