Tag: rom8

Brick Walls and a Bigger Plan!

In reading about Paul’s second missionary journey this morning, Acts 16:6-10 stood out. Paul and Silas have been going from town to town, instructing and encouraging the believers in their faith. As they move into new territory to preach the Word of God, they find an interesting response by the Spirit of God. And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. (Acts 16:6–8, ESV)

Paul and Silas were forbidden to preach the Word in two different regions. Doesn’t this seem strange? How frustrating this can feel from our human perspective. We want to do something good, but our efforts seem to hit a brick wall. So, we tweaked the plan and adjusted it, but we found the same results. Have you ever had periods like this in your life? Times when you want to do the will of God, and maybe you even thought you knew what that was, only to have it seemingly “not work out?” 

Sometimes, in a life of faith, things that seem not to work out are part of a bigger picture that is working out. It may seem as though Paul and Silas were striking out, but these “divine hindrances” were not strikes but guidance and direction. Sure, we may not like this kind of guidance and direction because it can seem like a waste of time and resources and, ultimately, humbling. But faith’s eye sees God’s promise. 

Are you frustrated? Does it seem like you are spinning your wheels? Has it been brick walls and no doorways? Let’s remember God’s promise…And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28, ESV)

Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Acts 15-16.

Yes, He Can!

Today, the case of a little boy possessed by a demon stood out to me. He was brought to Jesus because His disciples failed to cast out the demon (Mark 9:14–18). As the father of the little boy explains the situation, he says to Jesus, The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” (Mark 9:22, NLT) Notice the question Jesus asks. “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” (Mark 9:23, NLT) The father of the boy then cries out… “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”(Mark 9:24, NLT)

What a relatable situation—belief and unbelief battling for the win. Have you ever had enough faith to bring a situation to God, only to find that unbelief rises from within and weakens your belief? Have you ever been frustrated that leaving a situation in God’s hands is so hard because unbelief wants to take it back? Even if Jesus stood before us, as He did with the man in our text, we would still be prone to this struggle.

With this struggle raging back and forth in this father’s heart, what did Jesus do? And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” (Mark 9:25, ESV) In other words, he answered both of this man’s pleas: the plea to help his son and the plea to help his unbelief. What a God!

Sometimes, overcoming unbelief is a miracle in itself. Believers, though we may struggle, who helps us with this weakness? Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (Romans 8:26, ESV) Let us rejoice, let us believe, and let God help us with our unbelief!

Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Matthew 17; Mark 9; Luke 9:28-62.

Overcoming Opposition!

Today’s reading in Ezekiel reveals a coming worldwide opposition to God’s people. We also see their ultimate victory by divine and supernatural intervention. This opposition will grow so strong that God will intervene and destroy Israel’s enemies. “In this way, I will demonstrate my glory to the nations. Everyone will see the punishment I have inflicted on them and the power of my fist when I strike. (Ezekiel 39:21, NLT)

While much of today’s reading is yet for a future time, there is a similar spirit of opposition, or anti-Christ, that is alive and well even now against Christians. Why are Christians persecuted across the globe? Why is the name of Jesus Christ so offensive? Why do the wicked attack the church, the body of Christ? Why do the ungodly rage against righteousness, God, and His people? Because the god of this world, the Devil, is in a losing battle against God. Because sin and iniquity abound in the hearts of men. Because the Gospel is foolish and offensive to the unbelieving. 

Yet, despite this opposition, we have assured victory! …despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. (Romans 8:37, NLT) Additionally, there is coming a day when all shall confess that Jesus is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10–11). In light of these things, I am reminded of what Paul said: being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, (Colossians 1:11–13, ESV)

Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Ezekiel 38-39.

God’s Sovereignty & Man’s Responsibility!

Yesterday’s reading and today’s reading highlight God’s sovereignty over the nations. Reading these chapters exposes us to deep theological truth. For example, Scripture makes it clear that God is ruling in men’s affairs. Is man, therefore, responsible for his actions? If God raised Babylon to chasten Judah and exile her—and they do that—but then God holds them accountable and punishes Babylon for doing it, how do we reconcile this? 

A Mysterious Relationship

Great is the mysterious relationship between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. So often, to reconcile this mystery from our massively limited point of view and fit it neatly in our small box of understanding, we deny the one to support the other. Yet the Scriptures unite God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. Did not God harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he refused to let Israel go, yet hold Pharaoh responsible for his actions and judge him accordingly? Did not God bring Babylon against Judah and then hold Babylon responsible? 

The Stumbling Block

This does not have to be a stumbling block, though it often is. Notice what God says about Himself. 

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8–9, KJV) O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? (Romans 11:33–34, KJV)

Notice what Job said of God: For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment. (Job 9:32, KJV)

The sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man united are only stumbling blocks when we have a shallow view of God that fits inside our tiny box of reason. 

God Is Good

What was the testimony of those who saw Jesus on this earth? In Mark 7:37, they say that he did all things well. Acts 10:38 says that Jesus went about doing good. In Romans 8:28, we know that all things work together for the good of those who love God. The Bible says in James 1:17, Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Many more verses reveal God to us—that God is good. So, can God be trusted?

The Power of Faith

What is it that pleases God? But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6, KJV) Can we trust God? Yes! Is He good? Yes! Is this trust bigger than our small perspective? Yes! Is God’s sovereignty and our responsibility a stumbling block? Not any longer! Humbling and yet comforting, isn’t it? What we can see by faith is amazing! By faith, let’s trust God and see past these stumbling blocks!

Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Jeremiah 49-50.

Warning the Hard-Hearted!

When people reject God, they also reject those who love God. They reject their message, care, concern, and loving effort to draw them back to God. Such was the case with Jeremiah. 

Then the people said, “Come on, let’s plot a way to stop Jeremiah. We have plenty of priests and wise men and prophets. We don’t need him to teach the word and give us advice and prophecies. Let’s spread rumors about him and ignore what he says.” (Jeremiah 18:18, NLT)

The Plot to Kill The Prophet

At this point, Jeremiah is beginning to experience what God has dealt with for centuries—hardened hearts, stiff necks, and rebellion.  God’s patience and longsuffering certainly outlasted Jeremiah’s, for Jeremiah changed his tune considerably. 

Yet you, O Lord, know all their plotting to kill me. Forgive not their iniquity, nor blot out their sin from your sight. Let them be overthrown before you; deal with them in the time of your anger. (Jeremiah 18:23, ESV) 

In fact, Jeremiah decided he would stop prophesying to such hard-hearted people, but he found he couldn’t. On the one hand, he asks God to destroy them—he’s done with them; on the other hand, he finds that he cannot keep quiet.

Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay. (Jeremiah 20:9, KJV)

The Servant Is Not Above His Master

As believers, let us not grow weary in warning the hard-hearted. Let us not be discouraged by their treatment of us who love them enough to warn them. Though this world plots evil against the righteous, let us not forget our Lord suffered the same, and as His servants, we will experience what our master suffered. Have we not a promise which gives us great hope and strength? 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35–39, KJV)

Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Jeremiah 18-22.