Breakthrough

Hello Friend,
I am so grateful for your prayers and knowing that you are checking in with me daily. I still have not gotten to this section of Scripture, but I had such an amazing breakthrough with the Lord this evening. I think I will be able to get to the study tomorrow. I am going to write about my breakthrough sometime tomorrow on my blog, so I will send you a link to that. These passages fit very well into what I'm walking through today, and I'm eager to see it all come together as I meditate on them tomorrow.

I love you so much and am praying for all that you need to come your way in unimaginable, unexpected, and amazing ways!!

Blessings of Peace & Joy,
Angela

Romans 2:21-24

Dear God, Open up your word today and let it be the water I so desperately need in my life. I pray for Angela and her family, Lord they are truly trusting in you for all things. Amen.

21 Well the, if you teach others, why don't you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? 

Paul is warning the church to beware of those teachers who are teaching the law yet they do not have a true relationship with Christ. Without communion with Jesus and relationship there is no "right" way to live. Paul is telling them that they must study, they must know the truth to be able to discern those around them. We must arm our selves with the word of truth and hold it in our hearts, only then will we be able to see the wolves in sheep's clothing. He is also making a statement about righteousness, how can we help others see their sin if we are going around sinning. Our lives are a testimony to the good work Christ is doing in it. Yes we are weak and we are guilty of sin all the time but we are called to confess and repent of it.

22: You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you do it? You condemn idolatry, but do you steal from pagan temples?

Again we see the sins. Haven't we all looked at a handsome man and had thoughts of him in a non pure way? Our culture does this all the time with media figures and stars. Have we not pursued riches or praise instead of humbleness and Godly honor. I see this everywhere, the quest for riches. It is sad that so many believe that their problems will be solved purely by money. I am guilty of these I admit it. I want to put God first yet he comes in second or third all the time.

23-24 You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it. No wonder the Scriptures say, "The world blasphemes the name of God because of you."

This verse stings when I read it. Paul is giving us a talking to here. I hate to think I am dishonoring God when I break the law. I have to remember grace here, I am covered with Christ and I am trying to keep my heart pure and devoted to him. When I read some commentary on these verses it said that the teachers were teaching the Gentiles about law and about making themselves right with God and they were not living for God in private. They were condemning many and leading lives filled with sin, they were stealing and lying, and worshiping other Gods. There are so many examples of verse 24 in our world today, people calling themselves Christians and yet there is no fruit to show for it. If the world sees those who are insincere in faith I fear it cancels out the many they may have seen before who were sincere. We are a walking, breathing, living representation of Christ to everyone who see us. We need to remember that and let our lights shine to everyone around us.

Dear God,
I know Angela is going through some very hard times right now. I pray that you would fill her up with your love, faith and joy. Lord bless her beyond measure, let her life be a testimony to your faithfulness. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen

prayer

Lord, I come to you to today and I ask that you intercede with my friend Angela and her family. Lord they have some mighty big needs but we trust that you are even bigger than the needs and that you can do anything. Lord I ask that you provide what is needed for Angela's rent and in fact I ask that there be an abundance of wealth upon them. Lord this family has blessed so many people with their spirit, faithfulness and generosity and I ask that you fill them with your spirit, a spirit of faith and trust. What ever fear or doubt is within them I ask you to remove in Jesus name. Lord I ask you to heal the relationship between Angela and her earthly Father, help Angela to separate your holiness from the the failures of her earthly Father. I would ask that this time be used for your will. Fill Angela up with love and faith and continue the good work you have already begun in her. Amen

Needing Prayer

I'm so sorry I haven't done the study again. I am really under it right now and could really use your prayers.

Several people have been calling upon me to pray for them, and I have such a heavy heart right now, which is so not like me these days. Usually things don't get to me so deeply with intercession anymore, because I know how good God is. I think it's because I'm really struggling to hold onto faith that God is really going to come through for us to pay our rent. The days are ticking by, and we are down to our last $65.00. I have money that people will owe me the first part of November, but I really want to pay the rent on time (which is the 4th).

Even though I got an amazing (and I mean truly amazing) prophetic word tonight at my home group, in which God said through a complete stranger that everything I've been asking for is coming...it's in the works right now and is right now on its way to me...even though I have that amazing word, I am crying my eyes out because I just don't have enough faith to believe that God is going to bless us like this. UGH!!!

I have been asking God what the issue is...why I can't believe for myself when I have complete and total confidence for others...it seems these days that it always goes back to my dad. God tells me daily that He is not going to drop me, but you know my dad would. He totally would, and he would fling me crap about believing that God would bless me for "not working." I have forgiven and forgiven, and I will forgive him again. In fact, I'll do it right now. Papa God, I forgive my earthly father for teasing me, for ridiculing me for having faith in You. I forgive him for putting His anger at you onto me and for robbing me so deeply of the abiding faith You planted within me as a young child. I forgive him for sowing seeds of doubt, fear, skepticism, and even hatred toward you within my young fragile heart. I forgive him for teaching me the lie that you are not trustworthy, and I ask You to forgive me for judging him for that. I know now how easy it is to believe that you are a hard master...teaching us hard lessons through hard situations. I know how easy it is to believe that You would let us fall on our faces rather than lifting us up on eagles wings and renewing our youth. Papa, I renounce the lie that You are unfaithful. I renounce the lie that You will let me fall through the cracks and not take care of every single one of our needs. Papa, I renounce the lie that I have to work for any of Your blessings. I rest in Your arms and ask You to please increase my faith. Blow Your breath of life upon my faith and increase it. Bring me peace. And wherever Tina needs your peace and this intimate knowledge of Your absolute goodness as a Daddy, please let my broken heart today witness to her and open her up to complete trust just as I'm begging you to take me into that same place of complete abandonment, complete trust in You. There is nothing I want more than that. ~Amen.

Well, perhaps that will shift it right there for me, but in case it doesn't...I'm a wreck right now. So please keep praying for me, and I'll check in with you tomorrow.

Love you,
Angela

Romans 2:17-20

¹⁷ You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God’s law, and you boast about your special relationship with him. You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law.  You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness.  You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God’s law gives you complete knowledge and truth.

 Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal?  You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples?  You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it.  No wonder the Scriptures say, “The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.”

I agree with everything you said today. We can know the law, understand the law but we must be do-er's of the law. And we must not be do-ers without having our hearts set on love while we are doing it. I think in the simplest of terms we need to concentrate on reading the word and praying and fixing our hearts on loving others. That we need to conscious of our where are intentions are when we are "helping" others. Are we doing it for ourselves or are we doing it out of love for others? I think you are right God does not like hypocrite and we know full well that when hypocrites are out in the world it is a bad testimony for Christ. God must hate that, when his words are twisted and misused. When I read some online commentaries it said that Paul was saying this in response to what was going on around him. There were some people who were preaching for money, taking advantage of people who were eager to hear the word, boasting about their faith and status. Reading that online made me think of all the money hungry preachers of the past, the crystal cathedral and TV preachers. Sad that some can spoil it for the rest of us, yet those are the kind of preachers they always have in the media. Rarely do we see a simple, humble, local pastor on national TV speaking the truth. We only see the big mega pastor on his book tour with his barbie wife wearing mega diamonds talking about being a better you, or how he feels about other peoples sin or politics. Sad that so many Americans get a taste of Christianity from what they see on TV. At church we are doing a study on the beatitudes and last week it was God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Can you imagine if what the world saw from us was mercy? If we handed our mercy to those who need it, for those who don't deserve it. I thought about that all week, if we shared that love we would truly be the salt that people need. People would be naturally drawn to us, they would seek us out. 

Dear God, Thank you for this time to spend with you today. Thank you for Angela and her willingness to take time each day to spend with me. Thank you for your word. Help us to live this out each day, to be the salt that people crave for. Show us how to love to others authentically. Amen

Romans 2:17-24--Angela

Oh boy! This passage is a tough one. Father, please help us get every nugget of gold you have planted within these heartfelt cries of Paul's heart. ~Amen.

I'm going to deal with this all at once...

2:17-24 "Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship with God; if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have found in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth--you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: 'God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.'"

God gets so angry when His people act like hypocrites. He'd rather have a bunch of ragged Christians struggling every day with sin than a bunch of religious snobs claiming to be without sin who have no idea what causes grief to His heart. Truly, He would have a bunch of humble, radical, laid-down lovers who know they are completely saved by grace, but also know they are no better or worse than any other person on the planet. Oh that we would be transformed by the power of Grace and Love and Mercy and not cast our eyes upon anyone in judgment, pride, snobbery, or evil hypocrisy. I know so many Christian leaders who fit this description, and I know so many unsaved people who hate Christians because of it. God wants us to be like Jesus, and He was kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, joy, etc., personified! Any area in which we judge another is an area to look within our own heart and ask God where the offense is...where are we living in unforgiveness? Where are we living in denial? Where are we living in judgment against our brothers and sisters? And not in self-condemnation, but in an attitude of "Where have I missed the message of Jesus' radical love and forgiveness for me so that I cannot offer the same radical love and forgiveness to my brothers and sisters?"

Father, melt our hearts with Your love. Help us to fully comprehend and understand the depth and breadth of Your incredible love for us. Let us live to know and understand this one aspect of You, so that we can share this radical love in all its fullness to others and see them saved and set free, carrying Your LOVE DNA. Father, radically wreck us with Your love so that we will never look on another in pride or arrogance again. Father, humble our hearts with Your great affection and love for us. Never let us go. Father, break all the lies in our lives that keep us oppressed with thoughts of self-hatred, thoughts of condemnation and guilt. These are actually the worst culprits for judgment and arrogance. The most arrogant people I know are actually the ones who hate themselves the most. It's always been such a strange paradox to me, but I'm beginning to understand it. Because where there is no love, there is always judgment. We are called to love you with our whole beings...to pour ourselves out and allow you to transform us and fill us with Your new wine of joy, the fullness of Your Son Jesus manifested in the Holy Spirit at work within us. We are called to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. If we do not have a revelation of Your intense and vast love for us, we will not be able to love ourselves. If we do not love ourselves, we cannot love our sisters and brothers. Help us, Father. Help us Love ourselves. Break the lies. Help us love our bodies, our minds, our hearts, our souls, our spirits. Help us grow in love for You and love for ourselves, so we can actually be true teachers, true lights, living vessels carrying Living Hope. Change us. Mold us. Shape us. All in Your Love. Break the lies that we learn through suffering. No one learns anything through pain. They learn through love so the pain has a purpose. Father, change our minds. Bring us to true repentance. Amen.

So sorry

Angela,

Not a problem, I had a busy morning also and went to see the doctor. I am starting back on Cymbalta. I have had such a hard time with my mood and energy level. It is difficult to stay positive all the time. I am so glad you have family visiting, what a nice treat. Were they able to help you out financially at all? I pray they did. Any new news on jobs or income??? Praying for you big time on this. I know exactly what you are feeling right now. We are doing ok, it is really hard with Mark working two jobs and still just inching by, I think I need to make some drastic budget cuts around here, like no TV. The kids will hate that but we do have internet and free Netflix via the Wii and Uncle Matt's login. I think it would really help. Anyway I love you and I will get to the study tomorrow as well.

Time got away from me, but I read your prayer requests and your note about going full time to school. I think that's an awesome idea, and I will pray for all the right doors to open and the financial aid to come through when you need it. I'll do our study first before anything else tomorrow (Tuesday). I have been having such a hard time getting back into a normal routine since we had Eric's family here. I am pushing the reset button on everything tomorrow (Tuesday), including housekeeping and homeschooling. Phew! Pray for me in that!

Love you,
Angela

Romans 2:12-16

Dear God,

Thank you for this time to spend in your word. I ask that you bless the Andrews family right now Lord, they have some mighty big needs but we know that you are a mighty big God and that you will provide for them because they trust and have faith in you. Thank you for everything you are doing in my life, help me to see clearly the future you have laid out for me, help me to follow your plans. Lord I ask that you be with me as I parent these girls, help me to show them your grace and mercy daily. Help me to be patient with them and to understand them. Amen

12-13  God will punish the Gentiles when they sin, even though they never had God's written law. And he will punish the Jews when they sin, for they do have the law. For it is not merely knowing the law that brings God's approval. Those who obey the law will be declared right in God's sight.

The Jews had the written law. So they knew about God’s standards. The Jews had the opportunity to listen to the law in the synagogue. But to hear the law was not enough. They must obey the law. ‘Obey my orders and laws. The man who obeys them will live by them’ (Leviticus 18:5). The Gentiles did not have the written law.But God is still their judge. Nobody can avoid God’s judgment. The Jewish people were very accustomed to hearing God's word and law in their synagogues but what I think is being said is that one my hear, know, understand and study the law but it is the do-ers of the law that will be declared right in God's eyes. I am thinking of many "good" Christians who go to church Sunday and Sunday and hear the word and yet their is no fruit in their lives. They do not grow, give, love or make an impact on the world around them. I am thinking that God will be hard on those who hear and know the truth and yet do nothing.


14-15 Even the Gentiles, who do not have God's written law, instinctively follow what the law says, they show that in their heart they know right from wrong.They demonstrate that God's law is written within them, for their own consciences either accuse them or tell them they are doing what is right.

Even those who are living by conscious alone are expected to follow God's law. I think the conscious is the spirit of God residing in all of us. When we do something bad our conscious is there to make us feel guilty. The feeling of sin or feeling guilty is suppose to draw us to what we need to make us feel better and wash away our sins, Christ. I think though that right now in our time there is so much outside influences that our consciousness is being threatened and clouded. We now can distract ourselves from feeling guilty, cover up our guilt, find others with the same sin and somehow be justified by them. We can watch the news and see others who sins are horrible and feel like our sin isn't as bad as theirs. We fail to see that for our Father God, a sin is a sin. From the biggest sin to the tiny lie all are the same in God's eyes.

16 The day will surely come when God, by Jesus Christ, will judge everyone's secret life. This is my message.

God’s judgment will be fair because he knows every secret in a person’s life. He has a true knowledge about the facts. He also knows the reasons for an action. He can see what is living in our heart. Psalm 139 wrote, ‘Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You see my thoughts . . . you are familiar with all my ways’ (Psalm 139:1-3).

God's judge will be Jesus. Jesus himself said that the Father had given him authority to judge (John 5:27). In the story about the sheep and the goats, Jesus is the judge (Matthew 25:31-33). In Athens, Paul said that the resurrection proved this. Jesus is the judge whom God has appointed (Acts 17:30-31).

It is good news that Jesus is the judge. He knows what it is like to be a man. He will not punish those people who trust him. He has rescued them from sin by means of his death on the cross.

So I have been really conflicted lately, wondering what I am suppose to be doing. Are we staying here, are we waiting for something to happen? Also been wondering about working, I like my job I enjoy working with children but frankly I make no money. I basically help with grocery money, Mark is working two jobs and well we just skim by every month. One sickness, injury or a few weeks off work and we would be homeless. So I prayed and prayed and thought and thought and what I came up with is this. I am going to go to college (full time) to become a teacher. I have to stay at my current job and finish my CDA certificate because that has 6 college credits attached to it and I feel like I am getting a lot out of it. It will be over sometime in February. If I accomplish this I will have a "real" career and potential to really impact my family financially. Mark and I would be able to save for retirement which is something that really frightens me at this point since we have nothing accumulated yet. Still don't know if we are going somewhere else or staying here but I am trying to assist my kids in making it here, trying to get them involved with church, school, and clubs in an effort to get them to make friends. Please keep them in your prayers, they are so lonely and miserable which I know is really hard when you are just a kid. Also please pray that Mark and I make some friends here too because this deserted island thing is wearing thin.  I did have two or three days with no pain but then it came back, I am fighting as hard as I can to keep going. I am considering some anti-depressants (cymbalta) which I have taken in the past and that made a remarkable impact on my pain and fatigue. 

  

 

Romans 2:12-16--Angela

Papa God, I praise you with my sister, who has had breakthrough in her pain cycle. I agree with her for complete healing for Echo's body. Father, reveal to Echo Your undying love for her and Your great affection for her, not because of what she does but because she is Your precious daughter. Father, I thank you for daily teaching me to rest in Your grace and Your peace. Give me courage and complete faith for Your provision for the coming weeks. ~Amen.

Tina, I just found out today that my client wants me to hold off on working for him until he can make some changes to his manuscript. This could take some time, as he has a full-time job. As of today, this was the only source of income besides the $500/month I make from my brother for this month. Rent will be due on November 4th, and I don't yet see how it's going to get paid. Though I am confident that He has led us here and that He won't drop us, I confess that I am not completely resting securely in His arms about this. We have never taken it this far, and I'm nervous that there won't be enough when we need it. Please lift us both up in your prayers. Eric has had great peace and confidence and has received much encouragement and vision for our future, but it won't pay the bills right now. In fact, it will require resources to pull it off. He also said that he feels good about shifting gears starting Monday and looking for a part-time job. I feel good about it, and it seems like the right timing. I am confident that God will bless him and open just the right doors. In fact, I received a prophetic word at church that doors would be opening for him this week. I'm trusting that those doors have actually opened, and he will just be stepping into them on Monday. But again, I am not at perfect peace about all of this, and I desperately long to be. Thank you for your prayers. ~Angela

2:12 "All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law."

I wrote a note in the margin next to this verse in 1994. It says, "Safety for unbelievers and those in other countries?" I think I was onto something. "Perish apart from the law..." I don't really know what it means, and it sounds good to my soul. But the next verse adds to my confusion...

2:13 "For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous."

Father God, what is the message? Ahhh!! It's coming...sin. I think it's just a continuation of the same message in a different way, and it hearkens back to chapter one, where he's talking about how no one has an excuse. It makes me think of the verse in John (16:8-10), where it says "When [the Holy Spirit] comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment; in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned."

Yes, I think this is the key right here for me...Especially since the work has been finished by Jesus' death on the cross, men really are without excuse. The Holy Spirit has truly fallen on all flesh, and all men have His law written upon their hearts (testified to by their consciences). I don't know how it was before, but I know how it is now...God has finished all the work He set out to do...Jesus is the door by which we all access the Love of the Father in all its fullness. His Spirit convicts every person of sin, and Jesus has made it possible for every one of us to experience the righteousness of the Father. There is no excuse left, yet it is still through His kindness that men are led to repentance, not by judgment. According to Jesus' own words, judgment pertains to the enemy. It is the enemy our judgments are supposed to be focused on as believers. When we fix our judgments on men, we fall under the law. But when we fix our judgments on the works of the devil, we come into agreement with heaven and the power of darkness is broken over those we intercede for.

2:14-15 "(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law unto themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.)"

I did read this before I wrote the previous paragraphs, but just at a cursory glance. I think this just sums up more succinctly what I just said about the last verse. Haha!

2:16 "This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares."

God will judge men's secrets. I have actually been thinking about this concept of secrets for several days, really ever since Echo e-mailed me and asked me about women in 1 Corinthians 11. I have been praying and meditating on the passages she asked about, and God keeps leading me back to the woman at the well. I was thinking about how the woman at the well must have perceived Jesus, both at the beginning of their encounter and at the end. The only thing the passage relates that Jesus actually said to her about her was that she was not married and was living with a man who was not her husband. Later, she goes on to tell everyone that she was actually transformed when Jesus told her everything she had ever done. He was telling her secrets, to her. I realized that even though it was always implied by teachings, or even overtly taught that he told her all the bad things she had done, I no longer believe that's what He revealed to her. I believe He revealed all the secrets...the good and the bad, and the reasons behind the good and the bad. Sin is really just a wrong perspective on Father God's feelings toward us, after all. I bet He revealed all the secret motivations (the lies she believed and how the enemy had bound her all these years from receiving and understanding God's full unconditional love for her). Isn't this the real sin? Isn't this the real tragedy of every person who is unable to receive the full measure of God's love for them? And doesn't this really truly end only in judgment against the enemy? Not that I truly understand it all, not that I'm ready to say that evil and wicked people will not be judged if they do not partner with Jesus against the enemy in their lives, but I am not sure any of us really understand the full heart of God on this matter, and I'm not sure we really can. What I am convinced of now is that my job is not to judge, but rather to show and promote the kindness of God. And by so doing, I will be treading on serpents and destroying the works of the devil, just as Jesus did. (1 John 3:8)

~Angela

Romans 2:5-11

Dear God, thank you for this time to spend together today. I thank you so much for answering prayers and listening to our needs. Thank you for a bright new perspective on things, help me to continue to see things your way. Lord I thank you so much for ending my pain cycle, please continue to heal my body. I pray especially for Echo right now, Lord I ask that you heal her pain so that she may enjoy her life. Help the medications begin to work on her inflammation. Lord I pray for Angela, Eric, Orion and Zara; Lord you know their needs and desires and I ask that you would bless them with riches from your heavenly vaults. Amen

But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

This verse has always stung me also. The day is coming when God will reveal his righteous judgment. I have heard so many teachings on this I really don't know what is in store for the stubborn believer. I have heard that God will seriously punish you, I find this hard to understand because God is love and he loves us and I don't think it is in God's nature to punish those he loves. I have heard that we have a store house of riches in heaven, or gifts from God and then we are receiving judgment that some of those riches will be taken away. This too sounds a bit far fetched, why would God take away things he has already given and why would we care. We are in heaven with God does it matter if our crown has jewels in it or not?! lol We will be worshiping and praising God for his wonderfulness! I love what you said about seeking the kingdom of God, I think when we keep that perspective everything else falls into line. If we are seeking the kingdom (love) then we will not be surrounded by sin, we will not be judging others but rather loving them.

He will judge everyone according to what they have done. 

^{He will judge us according to what we have done. I think again he is looking for the good we have done, how much of the kingdom has been expanded by your actions and love of others. What you have judge others by you will be judged also. If you judge by righteousness then that is what God will judge you by. If you judge based on the law then that is the standard you will be judged.}

 He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.  

The ray of hope like you said tucked in. I loved what you said about seeking the kingdom, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality. We are suppose to keep on seeking, it isn't stag net or stationary there is an action involved here.

But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness.

Again action is required, we don't live lives for ourselves we pour out our lives for others LIKE JESUS did! I think God really does not like selfishness, he is stating that right here. I liked your translation better here. 2:8 "But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger." Like verse 7 said we are to seek after the glory, honor, and immortality that God offers and not be Self seeking; seeking glory and honor for ourselves.

There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.  For God does not show favoritism. 

I like this verse because it is the simple truth, no hidden meanings here. Obviously if you continue to do  wrong and evil you will have trouble, here on earth and later on after judgment. God has no favorites, no gentile or Jew is his favorite. He doesn't want us to judge or to be prideful or to see glory for ourselves. For those who do good, who seek after the kingdom who pursue him and his ways and love other there will be peace from God and glory from God. He is not asking for perfection here he is asking for us to look for him everywhere, to be the kingdom here on earth and show love where ever we go, to love others and not judge them and to give God all the glory and honor and credit for ALL things. Simple yes, hard well sometimes......

Romans 2:5-11--Angela

Amen to everything you said, especially those last couple of sentences. That's my goal...focus on being a light by focusing on His light!!! It's the only way to truly live in love. Focus on His love, not on the problem, and His love grows in our life. I hear a line a lot here at Bethel: Whatever you focus on grows!

Father, You know our time to spend together is short each day, and I thank you for every precious moment of it. May the few minutes we spend in Your Presence and Your Word each day grow beyond the borders of our little Bible study and extend into light into our homes. May Your light follow us into each project, the ones we love doing and the ones that seem to take all our time and energy away from the things we love. Give us Your perspective on all that we are doing, and show us how to do everything with peace, hope, joy, and love. Amen.

2:5 "But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed."

The first thing I think of is the verse in Matthew about storing up for yourself treasure in heaven. That verse says the way we do that is by seeking His kingdom. I have really been giving a lot of thought to what it means to seek the kingdom. They teach it very differently here than I've heard it other places, and as I read the Scriptures through this new lens, I see that the kingdom is LOVE. His love for me, and His love for others. Obviously, this verse here is inseparable from all we've already been talking about. That what we focus on will grow, and we want His kingdom to grow: His kingdom of light, love, peace, life, joy. Joy. Joy. That's what I'm focused on. Living in laughter, laughing at my problems instead of thinking they are insurmountable. I have found so much healing just in laughter. One night, I laughed super hard at church. Like really hard, and a whole lot. I went to bed that night with a smile on my face, and I woke up with a smile on my face. AND Bonus: NO PAIN and no sinus congestion either (the first time my sinuses were clear since we moved here). Seriously, I didn't receive prayer for my body that day. Just laughed in His Presence, hearing the truths of God's goodness in the earth. Testimonies of healing and of His perpetual good mood toward mankind. I focused on the kingdom, and I experienced a breakthrough in my physical body. Though the pain returned, I also noticed that I was not laughing and had gotten a little serious that next day. I know I've discovered a key for myself, and I must remember that I don't want to store up wrath for myself by continually focusing on the problems of the world around me and the sins of myself or my husband. I want to focus on His grace...His unmerited favor...His smile pointed directly at me. His delight in me, in my hubby, in my kids. When I get my eyes fixed on that, the laughter and joy bubbles out more quickly!

2:6 "God 'will give to each person according to what he has done.'"

This verse has long inspired a fear in me of sorts. A fear that if I'm not producing, then I'm not accepted. God has been slowly helping me see that "doing" is not always necessarily productive. Sometimes, doing is resting. God has called me to be. I believe I am going to be rewarded for the times I've truly been myself, times when I've allowed myself to shine forth in the way that only I can shine forth. In the context of the previous verse, I think Paul is talking not so much about what is done, but why and how it's done...whether we are doing things out of a religious mindset of judgment, or whether we are doing things out a faith-based mindset of God's favor toward us and others.

2:7 "To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life."

What??? Seriously!!! This is an astounding nugget tucked into a very dark place. In verse after verse, Paul has been talking about the ill effects of living in darkness. And here, tucked in passages about judgment, He's talking about a seriously amazing reward for those who SEEK glory, honor, and immortality. SEEK...Seek ye first the kingdom...the kingdom of glory, honor, and immortality. We are going to be known forever for something, no matter how small or large our contribution has been AND no matter whether our contribution has had a positive or negative impact on the earth and on mankind. He contrasts in the next verse, so I'll finish my thoughts there...


2:8 "But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger."

So, it's all right to seek glory. It's all right to seek honor. It's all right to seek immortality, and maybe even fame on some levels. But it's not all right to be self-seeking, to reject the truth. What truth? That Jesus is alive? Sure, that's gotta be part of it, but that's not the only truth we're not supposed to reject. Paul is talking here about people who are living in judgment of others...people who have forgotten not that Jesus was raised from the dead, but the reason He died in the first place. He died to restore all of mankind and the earth to God...to reconcile God to man and make the kingdoms of earth the kingdoms of our God and King. (Revelation 11:15). So we can seek glory and fame (immortality) for selfish reasons, and we will be judged harshly for that. Or we can seek glory and immortality as well as honor, so that we will see Jesus get his full reward...the nations are His inheritance (Psalm 82:8). So the truth that Paul is saying some have rejected is the truth of the Gospel...the Good News. That God's wrath is turned against us. We are no longer under the law. We are free to shine and be all that we were made to be, and when we shine Jesus receives His reward...because we will reproduce. We will reproduce His government in all spheres of our lives...our families, our workplaces, our nation, and possibly even into the governments of other nations. But for those who believe His wrath is still towards us, that is what they will receive...wrath. Because they remain under the law and not under grace. Judging our brothers and sisters according to the Law subjects us to the same law. You see, we are going to judge. (1 Corinthians 6:2). The question is how are we judging? Are we judging according to the righteousness of faith, or are we judging according to the righteousness established by the law? Whatever measure we use to judge others, that is the measure (standard) that God will use to judge us (Mark 4:24). It's our choice, but the choice Jesus died to give us is to judge according to the standard of Grace, where every person is endowed with the unmerited favor of God towards them to embolden them, strengthen them, and encourage them to shine in ever way!

2:9-11 "There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism."

He's just summing it up again and also highlighting that God sees no difference between the saved and unsaved. He calls them Jew and Gentile, because in other places He has called any Gentile believer a grafted in Jew. I believe when he says Gentile here, he really means the unsaved one!! If they act according to the Law of Grace in their lives, they will be rewarded according to the measure they use, whether they have full knowledge of Jesus' payment for their sin. I know this sounds heretical, but think about it. What I think he's saying here is that God does not see a difference between someone in ignorance acting in accordance with the Spirit of Jesus with someone who is acting in acknowledgement of Jesus' sacrifice. We in our Christian circles show favoritism to brothers and sisters who have checked off all the steps in their lives, but Paul says God does not show favoritism. He's not looking for a list of steps checked off. He's looking for the motivation behind a person's actions. I happen to know a man right now who is after the heart of God, but He doesn't yet have a personal relationship with Jesus. I intend to help him find one, but in the meantime I do not judge him according to his sinfulness. I judge him (call out in him) the things he does in accordance with the Spirit of God...he looks after widows and orphans and has a genuine desire to help the poor and will do so at any cost. He loves God, and God loves him. He just doesn't have the language yet to express it, and He has not yet had a full encounter with the Love of Jesus for him. He has yet to be transformed by the truth of how much Jesus loves him, but when he does he's going to be a powerhouse for Jesus! God does not show favoritism. He looks at us as equal...all of us are sons and daughters. That we are all covered by the blood of Jesus, and He needs His people operating under that revelation so that we will call those out who do not yet know what they have received from God. It makes it so much easier to share my faith when I see it this way. It's not something I have that they don't have. It's something I have recognized that I have, and I see that they have it to, so I'm just trying to help them see it! Truly revolutionary!!!

Thank you, God, for your word. Thank you for the truth of Your kindness toward me and toward others. Show us more about how good You are. Increase our capacity to see Your goodness everywhere and to celebrate it with laughter and joy. Right now, I laugh over our physical bodies. Hahahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahaha! You have made all things new, including our bodies. The schemes of the enemy shall not prevail against us. He will no longer rob of us full life by weighing our bodies down with oppression. Hahahahahaha! You have made us clean in Your site. Everything our hands touch is increased by Your Presence and love for us. You are so good to us. Thank you, Papa God.

Romans 2: 1-4

Angela, Sorry it has taken me awhile to get to this. I am feeling a little overburdened with my job, school, and my family. I am getting my CDA right now and this requires 3 chapters of reading a week, 6 online discussion forums, 1 lesson plan complete with 5 handmade props all done in a powerpoint presentation. For work I am required to do one lesson planning sheet a week plus a lesson plan and these need to be done on specific days in order for the administration to micro manage my lesson plans. Whew it is tough and I find myself working at home for free way to much which makes me feel resentful with my employer. I am trying to simplify this as much as possible but it tends to overwhelm me because I come home and there is the home drama and I want so much to be "present" here but feel like I can't because I have deadlines at school and work or a pile of things I need cut for next week. I realize though that I NEED to do this everyday, without time with God everything feel like an uphill battle. Thank you for keeping me accountable and for constantly lifting me up in prayer. 

Dear God, Please open up my heart and mind to hear your word today. Thank you for allowing me time to sit and spend with you. Let your words be a lamp unto my feet today. Amen

2:1 "You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other ,you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things."

I agree with you that this is a tough verse. We want so much to be perfect like Jesus and in that quest to perfection we see others and their sin and somehow think we are better than them. In our quest for perfection we lack humility! The quest should be for love, for relationship, leave the perfection to Jesus! I loved what you said, "That no one is better than anyone else." God the Father looks down on us and sees his children, he doesn't see one and say, "This is the one I love the most, she is better than all the others." I can't imagine a Father saying that about a child of his own. Doug Glein said something a long time ago and it really stuck with me, when God looks at us he sees Jesus. We are clothed in Jesus, wiped clean from Jesus, covered in Jesus. I love the mental image of that, God the Father looking down at me and seeing Jesus his perfect, holy, sinless, Son. It really frees us to live for God, to pursue God for the sake of his relationship. That we do not have to strive for perfection, or seek out guilt in others because we are all little Jesus trying our best to be like our big brother Jesus.

2:2 "Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth."

Our judgment of others is sometimes based on our own feelings and human-ness. We see others doing things we think are not OK and we want to change their ways because we love them, because we fear judgment.  God judges based on truth, after all "he is the way, the truth, and the life." I tell my own children, Let God do God stuff! You worry about yourself, your heart, your actions. I surround myself with grace and love believing that God is a good God, that yes I make mistakes and sin and own up to them and that what ever judgment that might come way is a righteous and based on love not on fear.

2:3 "So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment?"

We are all capable of sin, we all do and are guilty of lusting, coveting, pride, insincerity and more. Who are we to cast the first stone? I think God wants us to call our brothers and sister out when we see them in a sin but for the purpose of loving them and showing them grace. Jesus gave us those examples over and over in bible, the woman and the well, the women who touched the robe, the tax collector, Mary Magdalene, he welcomes them into his family with love and grace and forgives them. He does not judge them and condemn them, he shows them love that comes straight from the father. I think God with judge the judging person accordingly, you are either living by the law or you are living by grace.

2:4 "Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?"

God who showed you grace, love, kindness, mercy and patience did so to led you to repent of your sin and live in love. If you toss it away and judge others, toss away the mercy and patience, he will judge you accordingly because through your actions you have said that you do not need those gifts. Sad to think of and yet these verses are some of the toughest in the bible. We all strive for righteousness, holiness and somehow through our human-ness it comes off as pride, judgmental and it puts others off. I see this a lot in the way the church is portrayed in the media, we come off as judgmental jerks who just want everyone to listen to us. That is so far from what our main purpose here on earth is and yet that is what is being heard throughout the world and I think it is because the "Christians" on television are feeding into this by casting judgment on others. We are called to be a light, a beacon to others not to point out sin in others, that is a God job done through relationship and growth. The world should see us loving others, taking care of those who need care; the widows, orphans, the home less, the refuge, the hungry. If we want to end abortion then we should make it such a non choice for young women, provide health care, provide waiting families, provide education to all involved. Maybe if as a whole we focused on being the light and less about politics, sexual identity and sin we would be the beacon that God wants us to be.
  

Romans 2:1-4--Angela

Father, thank you for this time with You in Your word and this time with my good friend, Tina. I echo her questions from her previous post about how to be lights in such a very dark place. I know you have the solution, and I know you want to share it with us. Thank you that we are on this quest together and that you are revealing Your heart toward the nations and toward our own families right here in Paul's words. Increase our sensitivity to Your Spirit, increase our ability to hear Your message clearly and loudly in the midst of so many other messages out there, increase our ability to believe the words You speak to us and the message You have for us. Increase our faith, that one person can make a difference in a fallen world. Amen.

2:1 "You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other ,you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things."

Here it is: The paradigm shift. It is in passing judgment that we condemn ourselves. In many other places, Paul tells us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. Yet many of us who are in Christ continue to condemn others, both those inside and outside the church. Ouch! This is the biggest wake-up call I've ever had. That I am no better than anyone else. That God's grace, His unmerited favor, is turned toward the righteous and the wicked, for the wicked are really only those who are still in the dark about His infinite love toward them. The only difference between us and them is that we have seen the light of His love upon us. I was struck by the commentary you posted on the last verses by the relational nature of it. That is a side of things that I didn't hit upon fully...that all these "wicked actions" Paul is describing break down healthy relationships. When relationships aren't healthy, then interactions between people are filled with manipulation, jealousy, codependency, enmeshment, and so much other bondage. In this verse, Paul hits the ball out of the park...when we judge others, we condemn not only them but ourselves, for we are all guilty of loving on a purely human level...of selfishly using other people for our own gain. We have all done it, and we don't stop doing it just because we've given our lives to the Lord. It is only in recognizing this error, confessing it, and asking the Lord to help us recognize when we are loving wickedly that we have any hope of trading human love for Divine Love.

2:2 "Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth."

God's judgment falls on those who have not come under the umbrella of His grace, because they are still under the Law, which is based on truth! The Law is based on truth...the true standard, the true measure of all other thoughts, motives, ideas. And the Law at its very core is completely relational...governing man-to-man relationships and man-to-God relationships. The Law falls short in actually transforming the heart, though. Only the Spirit of Jesus Christ can transform our hearts so that we are internally governed by the heart of God. I can see so clearly that this is a pivotal and very important passage, but it is hard for me to put it into words. At some point, Jesus said that He did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it...in fact, He did fulfill it in total surrender and dependence on Father God, by becoming the Law incarnate...by teaching us how to relate perfectly with God and how to relate perfectly with men. And we have the same opportunity to fulfill the Law by turning our hearts away from judging others and towards God and His infinite love for us. By recognizing that we are by very nature truly beloved and true royalty. When we know who we are, we will automatically act differently. That's why it was so important when Jesus said that He loved us first.

2:3 "So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment?"

This sums it up right here...why do Christians still struggle to have the fulfilled life? Why do Christians remain oppressed and downtrodden? I think it's because we've been taught by the church that our job is to point out sin...to talk about it when we get up, to talk about it when we eat together, to talk about it when we go to bed at night...to talk about how we're going to change ourselves, how we're going to change our children, how we're going to change our husbands. To talk about how we need to change ourselves, how we need to change our children, how we need to change ourselves. Isn't this what you've been taught? That believers are going to heaven because we have waged war against our own sin? That unbelievers are going to hell because they've sinned and fallen short of the glory of God?

Do you see the error in this? Do you see the subtle scheme of the enemy to distract us from the main point? Jesus wasn't focused on sin. He was focused on the Father heart of God. He wasn't focused on God's judgment or His wrath. He was focused on His love and on expressing His love in every way possible. Oh, yes, He talked about sin and righteous living. But actually most of His messages on this topic were couched in relational terms...He was always and forever inviting us into relationship with Father God...to fix our attention and gaze upon the Father and find that within Him is housed every answer to every problem, and the Spirit of God who brings forth the change we all know we so desperately need. It is His Spirit that transforms, not my effort, not my prayers for me or my family, not my complaining or nagging or exercising or dieting. Nothing I do can transform me, EXCEPT if I fix my gaze upon the One who loves me with an undending Love. The moment of true transformation in my life, the moment when all my healing and repentance truly began was when I started meditating on His affection for me. When I started reading my Bible through the lens that I am His beloved daughter, that I am His intended bride, that I am the Love of His Life. His love is the only thing that can transform our fallen hearts, that can transform human love into divine love.

2:4 "Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?"

Again, the knife goes deeper into my heart. I know this verse. In fact, I've been meditating on it for weeks now. It is not my judgment that will change my husband. It is not my nagging that will make him change. It is God's revelation of kindness toward him. It is tolerance for mistakes, for bumbling, for hangups and weaknesses. It is God's kindness toward me that has changed me. I am no longer afraid to make blunders. I am no longer afraid to take risks, like allowing my husband to quit his job and really depend on God to provide for us. I am not afraid, because I know my Daddy loves me. I know He is infinitely patient and kind. That if I am on the wrong path, He will gently correct me and guide me. And He will do the same for my husband. And because I am so engulfed in the revelation of God's kindness for me, I'm actually being kind to my husband. I can offer nothing less to those around me than what He has offered to me. There was a time when I thought He was offering me judgment, so that's what I offered. There was a time when I believed that it was by fear that people stopped doing bad things. I think many Christians believe this and teach this...that we should be evangelizing based on the fear of hell.

That is pure silliness to me now, but it was something I believed with all my heart even a year ago! Now, I realize that avoiding hell is not at all compelling. The only thing more compelling that satisfying earthly pleasures and living for the now is the LOVE of God. When I evangelize now, I just introduce people to the Lover of my soul. I speak of Him as an intimate friend, as a deeply understanding and loving Father, as a blazing fire of passionate love for my soul. I speak of Him as if I know Him, because I do. I speak of Him as if He is the best person on earth I could introduce someone to, because He is. That is effective in breaking strongholds, in leading people into relationship with the Lord, in saving people from the hell that is separation from that Love.

Father, Thank you for revealing Your kindness to me. I pray that You will reveal Your kindness in a profound way to Tina this week. And to Mark and the girls. Lord, renew their minds. Renew their hearts. Renew their lives. Set them on a course to walk all the days of their lives in Your infinite grace, in your unmerited favor, in the peace that passes all understanding (the shalom of heaven that says that all good things are coming your way). I pray right now that You would break off the power of a foreboding spirit, that you would break off the power of a judging spirit, and that You would give them a revelation of the freedom they have in Christ...the freedom to make mistakes, to think wrongly about you and about others, to fall in the mud and to get back up again, knowing that nothing they do, nothing they think, nothing they say, nothing they try is going to change anything about the Love you have for them and the security they have in being children of God. Father, break through the glass ceiling in their lives...give them the keys to their freedom here and now. Father, no more lies, no more fear, no more depression, no more anxiety about provision, no more sickness, no more lack, no more poverty. Instead, replace all these things with the MORE of Heaven...more abundance, more peace, more faith, more joy, more life, more influence, more ministries, more money, more food, more resources. Father, make the great exchange in Tina's life that You've made in mind and blow her mind with Your kindness and Your goodness. ~Amen.

Romans 1:28-32

Dear Father, Thank you for this time to spend in your word together today. Let your words soak into our hearts and into our spirits. Lord I think you so much for allowing me to have such a special friend in Angela, she is truly a blessing in my life. Amen

1:28-32
When they refused to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do thinks that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip/ They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They are forever inventing new ways of sinning and are disobedient to their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, and are heartless and unforgiving. They are fully aware of God's death penalty for those who do these things, yet they go right ahead and do them anyway. And worse yet, they encourage other to them, too.

I am adding a commentary that I found online, cheating a little but I found that you had really hit the nail on the head with your post and I wanted to be able to bring a different interpretation to you and I didn't have any great spiritual revelations while reading today.

http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-commentary/romans-lbw.htm

Verse 28 God ‘allowed’ them to do these *sinful deeds. This does not mean that such behaviour is acceptable. It means that God gave to people the opportunity to make decisions. So people should realise that they will suffer the results of their actions.

Verses 29-32 There were lists of wrong social behavior in other *Jewish and Christian books. Paul himself has lists in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and Galatians 5:19-21. Verse 29 speaks about wrong actions in a general way. Then Paul gives several examples of how people destroy relations with each other. This happens:

·    when people are jealous;

·    when people murder other people;

·    when people fight;

·    when people cheat other people;

·    when people hate other people.

Verses 29-30 It is wrong to gossip or to lie. People use these methods to attack the character of other people. To hate God or to *boast shows that a person is very proud. And anyone who does not respect other people is also very proud. Some people try to get excitement by new ways to *sin. In both *Jewish and *Roman society, it was important to obey parents. The 5th *commandment said that children should give honor to their father and mother. When people do not obey their parents, all kinds of problems develop in society.

Verse 31 ‘Foolish’ means that people do not learn from experience. They do not remain loyal to any agreement. They do not show any natural love, even for their own children. ‘Without pity’ is an accurate description of the way in which many masters dealt with their slaves. Masters thought that slaves were mere possessions rather than people. *Roman law allowed masters to punish and even to kill slaves because of a very small mistake or accident. This was a very wicked law.

Verse 32 People had *sinned themselves. And they encouraged other people to *sin too. They knew that this behavior was wrong. But *sin was controlling their lives.

Our societies today may be as wicked as society was in Paul’s time. Or, they may be less wicked. Or, they may even be more wicked. But Paul’s words are still true. People still refuse to obey God. They prefer to follow their own desires. And then their own evil thoughts begin to control their behavior. And that is the reason why people behave in such a wicked manner.

I am struck reading this because Paul could be speaking to us right now about our society! So sad that the world is full of sin and darkness and strife. Just last night on the news, one boy and three of his friends broke into the boy's house and beat his parents to death in order to steal 35,000. A ten month old girl has been missing for 8 days authorities are beginning to suspect the parents because there is no other evidence to suggest otherwise. An American man is arrested involved in a plot with Iran to kill the Saudi Arabia US diplomat thus starting a war! This was on CNN world news, if I had watched the local news it would have been way worse with husbands killing wives and children, robberies, scams, and even more. I can see that Paul is telling us what we need, that we need God that we need to obey his words and commandments and that without them we are simply pawns for the enemy to use as he sees fit. I am unsure how we are suppose to infuse the world with this knowledge. How do we do it?? 

Dear Father, I see what we need to accomplish but I am unsure how to go about it. I also see that my own children are filled with love and hearts that you have given them, fleshy hearts that break for the pain they see around them. How can we have hearts that are tender yet have the hearts of warriors? I know you have the answers to those questions and more but I ask that you would reveal it to me. Amen

Romans 1:28-32--Angela

Thank you, my friend, for your encouragement to just write as much as I feel led. I was feeling apologetic about how I was going on and on. I guess those feelings of insecurity and worry that others don't want to hear what I have to say are still clinging on in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. I'm raising a toast to the end of all those insecurities. And a strong and hearty amen to your final prayer in your last post. I am in deep intercession for myself and you and Echo and all of who suffer from some kind of imbalance in our immune systems. I know that is the final frontier in my body. I have had such victory in every other area, and I am now standing fast until I see the goodness of His hand upon my immune system. I love your tender cry of desperation to touch His robe. I remember praying the very same thing two years ago before coming down here and receiving the beginning of my healing! Amen and Amen!

28-32 (Might as well take this in one whole swallow.)
"And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them."

Wow! That's a lot to cover. And it's such a huge run-on that I didn't want to break the verses up. I'll just break my thoughts up in paragraphs. I actually have a lot of different thoughts. The first thing I needed to do is go back and remind myself who Paul is talking to and why he would start with such a powerful discourse on unrighteous living.

Paul is definitely talking to faith-filled, Spirit-filled believers in Rome who are walking in rich faith in a very dark place. Very much like we are today, which is why this is such a great time to be studying this book once again.  I really can't get over how we are right back here in this book in this amazing season of transition, trial, and breakthrough. I am celebrating the timing and the beauty of our friendship that seems to endure no matter what, just like Paul's relationship with the Roman Christians. How many times I have longed, as Paul did, to be with you and give you a hug in the flesh. I long to have you and your family come and be here with us, soaking up the encouragement of fellowship and peace here in our home. I miss you so much, especially in your struggle now against the scheme of the enemy.

Back in the verses, the transition seems to be one of contrast...that he is talking of the Romans' faith compared to the darkness around them. We stand at the brink of an amazing point in history, one like the early Christians encountered in Rome. Darkness all around, people completely hardened and/or unfamiliar with the true ways of God, even within in the church. We are poised to provide great light, great power, and great breakthrough for those around us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and His mighty power working through us for transformation. I have more and more hope and more and more visions of people being set free from darkness. People who live in darkness are actually hungry for something different, they just don't know it's possible.

There were a few words and phrases that caught my attention in these verses.

First, "did not like to retain God in their knowledge..." Pretty much anywhere in the Bible that talks about knowledge of God seems to imply more than just head knowledge...rather it implies experiential knowledge, relational knowledge like we have with each other. We don't just know about each other, we know each other. We have experienced each other. This is the kind of knowledge I think Paul is talking about here...I know this has to be true because some of the later words that he uses to describe the "out" group actually fit me just a year ago...things I've since repented of, finally recognizing that these were contrary to God's Spirit and they were keeping me from having intimacy with Him and thereby were also keeping me from experiencing healing and deliverance. We must experience God to know Him fully. We must retain our experiences and know His full nature...His kindness and faithfulness...and really believe that this is His posture toward us in order to be free of all the other things on this list...the things we are given over to if we don't pursue God in all His holiness and in the revelation of Himself that He gave through Jesus.

Next, "He gave them over to debased minds..." I looked up 'debased' in the thesaurus. Here are some other words that mean the same thing: cheapened, corrupted, crippled, debauched, debilitated, demoralized, devalued, disabled, enfeebled, humiliated, reduced, sapped [of energy], undermined, and weakened.

Wow! I have a very different picture of debased in my mind--more like someone I would want absolutely nothing to do with...you know, pure evil or something like that. Instead, these words actually describe the way my mind was before I really truly encountered the Love of God for me, His intentions to heal me, His grace toward me, that His heart was set toward triumph and victory for my life. Weakened, ineffectual, fearful, full of envy, full of stress and strife, defeated, depressed, oppressed...these are a few of the words that would describe my mind...more: powerless, hopelessness, definitely sapped of energy, weakened in faith, crippled...my heart aches to remember those days of really believing that it was all up to me and that I was completely without the power to change myself, control myself, or influence the circumstances or people around me.

The final phrase that caught my attention was "to do those things which are not fitting." I love this phrase. Because we were made for more than that! We were made to be royalty. We were made to host and reflect the very nature of God in all His fullness, just as Jesus did. We were made for glory, for endless joy, for abundant faith, for undending goodness flowing in and out of our lives. We were made to be Jesus' inheritance. It is not fitting that we should act in the ways Paul describes next. It is beneath our rightful position as co-heirs with Christ to be corrupted, feeble, crippled, etc. in our thinking. We were called to higher living. And yes, God has to walk away, because the weight of His presence on those who are feeble in their thinking is too great...He walks away, His Spirit ever interceding, calling out to those who will truly heed His call to repent in their thinking, so that He can bring healing to the land...to the people...to all those who remain in darkness by their own choosing. I am so glad that I have heard His call and have repented of this debased mind. I know my mind is being renewed day by day, and I grow stronger in my conviction that I am royalty and that everything He has for me is available to me, and it is all good. In fact, to this end, I prayed for a man on Sunday who was having trouble with his eyes. His eyes wandered around  as though he were actually blind, though he was not really blind. He could not focus on things. He said it was hormonal. I prayed for him and literally watched clarity and focus return to his vision. It was like there was a veil over his eyes, and as I laughed over him and prayed for him, the veil lifted. It was stunning! I know this is just the beginning, too. I am going to see more people healed, because this is God's will for all men! To know the Love of God, to be healed of their stuff, then to turn around and heal others. But first, we must repent of our debased mindsets.

This brings me to the long list of the fruit of the debased mind that Paul describes. This list makes my heart ache, not just because so many live with this kind of fruit, but because I was living like this less than a year ago. Man, if I didn't know how much He loves me, how He has truly forgiven my sins and cast them as far away from me as the east is from the west, I would still blush (which I did many times after I started repenting last September) at some of these.

Here are a few of the words in this list that fit me just a year ago: Unrighteousness (the opposite of faith, which is the righteousness of Abraham and all the saints), covetousness (I didn't believe there was enough for me, so I thought I would have to take from someone in order to have enough for me; this manifested in a longing in my heart for things I believed I could not have that others had, giftings, anointings, calls, and even material things), maliciousness (yes, really; I know I seem sweet, but I wasn't always sweet), full of envy, full of strife, full of deceit (I dumbed down the message of the Bible to suit my experience, instead of allowing Him to call me up and out to realize that I was living beneath the fullness of all He has for me), whisperers & backbiters (I complained about other people and what they were or weren't doing, including my husband, instead; when I finally repented of this, I actually saw that I was guilty of the very things I was judging them for...this is one that made me blush a lot when I would think of my sin), untrustworthy (when we do not have the mind of God, He cannot trust us with His secrets; as an intercessor, this really crippled my ability to experience fullness in my gifting. God now shares His secrets with me about others because He knows He can trust me not to judge, not to try to orchestrate my solutions for people. He knows I will pray what is on His heart for people. It is such a pleasure and privilege to intercede out of joy and hope rather than worry and fear!), unforgiving (my path through repentance and toward wholeness has included a ton of forgiveness...a lot for my parents and my husband, some for friends and other relatives, a lot toward myself and even of God. It has been a lot of work to go back and really uncover all these areas that were "closed" to God from unforgiveness; even areas where I thought I had forgiven, only to realize that it was partial forgiveness and not complete forgiveness).

Paul says people with these mindsets are deserving of death. That is strong language, but I understand...because what we believe is what we propagate in our lives, what we sow seed for in the lives of others. I know that Paul was not advocating stoning or death for these people. He was filled with the compassion of Jesus' Spirit, and Jesus' Spirit longs for all men to come into their destinies, into full knowledge and experience of all that God has for them in relationship with Him. What I pray now is that my life will draw others into this transparent, honest life of repentance of mindsets that do not line up with the mindsets God has ordained for His children. I am seeing breakthrough in my husband's mindsets as I have forgiven him and also as I've begun to speak differently, think differently, and act differently because of the revelation I've had of these truths. I am seeing fruit of a very different nature come forth now, a year later, and it is exciting. Exciting is really an understatement. Words really do fail me here, so I will just turn to prayer now.

Father God, thank you for Your Word which brings life to all who ingest it. Thank you that Your truth is sinking deeply into the soil of our desperate and hungry hearts. Thank you for my sister, who so desperately wants all that You have for her. Shower her with Your kindness that leads to repentance in any of these areas that she is living beneath the fullness of all that You've called her to. Show her Your gentleness in revealing the areas of wounding that need her forgiveness, in revealing the areas of crippled mindsets that need your gentle and tender correction. Show her the lavishness of Your love, which is what truly led to my turnaround. Drive out all fear with Your perfect love. Continue driving out all fear in my life. Thank you for showing me more pockets of fear in my life, as You did through Tina's words about my insecurity in sharing my thoughts. Thank you for such a dear friend who is as hungry as I am for everything that You have.

Father, I thank you for Your healing touch upon Tina's body, and I thank You for Your healing touch upon Echo's body. And I thank You for Your healing touch upon Mark's mind and his soul. Father, thank you that You are bringing increased revelation to Tina and Echo. Increase the revelation to Mark, as well. Draw them near to You and give them all they need for this season. Father, especially for Echo, I thank you for the breakthrough You have waiting around the corner for her. Thank you, Father, for bringing us back together again through this season. Amen.

Romans 1:24-27

Angela, Keep on preaching girl! I feel like sometimes you don't feel comfortable and I just want you to know that you can keep going if you feel led to. I love the words you sent and your views on the verses especially on verse 26-27, I do have felt that way about homosexuality and our lack of God in this country. I bet even if we went to little tribes who don't worship our God they probably do not have this rampant sexual immorality. - Tina

Dear Father God,

Thank you for our time together with you today, I ask you to reveal yourself to us and help us uncover your truths. Speak to our hearts and our spirits, heal us with your presence. Amen

24: So God let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, the did vile and degrading things with each others bodies.

You mentioned this too that this verse does belong grouped with 23. They traded in the living holy perfect God and instead worshiped dead idols and humanity. WE worship the creator of all living things, the maker of heaven and earth. We love his creation and all the people in it, we would never take a life or abuse something of God's creation because it is an extension of God. Those who do not worship God have this portion of their humanity cut off, it suddenly becomes ok to do things to hurt others or yourself. I am thinking of all the sins being committed against children, being kidnapped, raped and then mutilated. Years ago like when our grandparents were young you never heard of such things happening in the world. It was just completely unthinkable, now in our world it happens all the time, there are books about it, movies, and thousands of missing and lost children. 

25 Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made but not the creator himself, who is to be praised forever, Amen.

The veil is covering the eyes of the people in Rome and our brothers and sisters now. So distracted are we, so little time do we have to hear the word of God. People today are so lost and is it any wonder they have their eyes covered with a lie.  Lord Jesus help me to see the truth around me, to live in your truth everyday, keep my eyes clear and present and watching out for your return. Amen

26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relationships with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men and , as a result, suffered within themselves the penalty they so richly deserved.

The words God abandoned them to their shameful desires hits a chord with me. The people had made their choice, they chose to be Godless, to worship creation, idols and self gratification what else could God do but to walk away and leave them to their sins. I don't believe he abandoned them, I think he would welcome them back if they truly wanted to return but while they are in the middle of this gluttony fest of sex and lust and vile behavior he chooses not to watch and who can blame him!  This portion of Romans is so parallel to our world today, it is so sad to see that our society is so lost to the truth, they have their eyes covered as well as their ears. When the truth is spoken in a public way it is blasted by the media and seen as hateful or judgmental. Makes me feel sad and it does make it harder to keep living a life of faith, sometimes it feels like the world would love to suck it right out of me!

Lord thank you for your word and for your voice in our lives. Lord I ask that you help me live a life a faith everyday, that the world would have no negative impact on my faith in you. Help me to guard my eyes and ears to the real lies being promoted in society, help me to see your truths everywhere I look. Lord I ask for complete healing for Angela, Echo, and myself. That what ever is bound up inside of us, disease, depression, dis pare, arthritis, immune systems that you would heal all of those. I trust that you will do what you say you will do. I know you created these bodies and immune systems and I believe that you could take these aliments away in one quick moment. Lord Jesus I ask to just touch your robe and feel my afflictions leave. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Romans 1:24-24-27--Angela

Father God, thank you that we have the great joy and privilege of calling you Father. Thank you for embracing us as your children, as heirs with Christ in the glory that You gave to Him. Thank you that we are Your daughters. That we are made in Your image and that as we grow in intimacy and experience of You in our daily lives, we have greater and greater opportunity to be like You and to share Your true nature with the world around us. As we continue in our study of this section of Romans, where Paul is lamenting the sad truth that so many people trade Your revelation of Yourself as Father and Lover for the cold-hearted nature of human beings with limited sight, limited understanding, and a limited view of love. Expand our capacity to receive Your Presence in our lives. Expand our capacity to understand and experience all that You are and all that You have given us as your children. Expand our capacity to reflect, to rise and shine Your goodness, Your beauty, Your holiness, Your joyful Presence to all those around us.

Father, I pray specifically today that You will lift the burden of stress, worry, fear, and pain off of Tina's heart. That You will infuse her with a revelation and experience of Your goodness that is so powerful that it chases every fear of the future away in one breath. Father, give Tina the most expansive revelation of the Love You have lavished upon her as a child of God (1 John 3:1). That she might celebrate and not feel compelled to do, but rather to rest in being...to rest in her calling as a child of God. Yes, we will do things because we are called Your children, but true joy really comes from knowing that You do not love us because of what we do, but because of who You call us to be...Your sons and daughters. She is greatly treasured and a great delight to You, especially when she is completely free from worry, fear, stress, and pain...when she is laughing freely and openly without a care in the world...that is how You want her to live every day of her life. May it be so, Father. Release her from the grip of fear, and draw her into Your glorious light where there is no fear and no pain. Thank you, Jesus.

1:24-25 "Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen."

This therefore is attached to verse 23, that they exchanged the glory they were intended to shine in for the glory of creation, which was meant to serve. They exchanged the truth of God's goodness for the false belief that He wanted to rule over them, to control them, to govern them without relationship. This makes me sad, for so many Christians live every day of their lives, having heard that Jesus loves them, but not really understanding that His love calls us to a higher plane. The result is sad, that we just act and behave like animals instead of reigning queens and kings on the earth. Instead of having dominion over the earth, the earth has dominion over us. We are tossed about by every wind and wave of nature, as well as by every wind and wave of doctrine...not sure who we are, not sure of our purpose, not sure of the hope we were called to. This breaks my heart, and it surely broke Paul's heart. It was sorrow over this fallen state of man that moved him to so resolutely and purposefully focus his entire attention on getting the word out about God's goodness, about His kindness toward man. There is nothing worse in this world than seeing someone live below their full potential. It saddens God's heart, and it saddened Paul's heart, and it breaks my heart, too. I am a champion for helping people begin dreaming again, living life fully, experiencing true joy and true pleasure as they gain victory over the strongholds in their minds so they can have the true picture of what they were called to...not a list of things to do, but a lifestyle of being loved and loving fully, a lifestyle of living out of joy and rest rather than out of obligation and servitude. Ahhhh! I could go on and on about this.

1:26 "Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion."

This seems to be one of the main verses used to condemn homosexuals, but what I just realized this minute is that it's a result of a whole group of people exchanging the truth about God for a lie. He didn't say just one person. He said "they". They exchanged...God gave them over. I'm having trouble putting into words what I'm really thinking about this. I can start here...when a culture has groups of people who practice homosexuality, it is a sign...it is a sign that the truth has been exchanged for a lie, not just in the individual's life but in the life of the entire culture. This seems to be the final sign of the full exchange of the lie. Our culture is steeped in lies about God. We see it all over the place. People believe He is angry at everyone, that He is unhappy and is seeking vengeance against mankind. These lies about God have been promulgated since the dark ages, and just now they are coming to full fruit in our country in the devastating acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle as normal. And the church is missing the sign...they are railing against the homosexuals instead of actually repenting for their own folly in believing and promoting lies about God...instead of laying down sin, the Church has chosen to further commit error by taking to task those who are displaying the fruit of the lie all of us believe. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, it says the solution to this is not telling people they are going to hell. Rather, the solution is in humbling ourselves, going to Him and repenting of our wrong thinking about Him. We are not supposed to be repenting for overeating, for engaging in sexual immorality, for smoking or doing drugs. No!!! That is small-minded repentance. We are supposed to be repenting for believing the worst about God, for believing that He is mad at us and that the fear of the Lord is supposed to be a cowering, frightened, shaking, and trembling fear that makes Him completely unapproachable and foreign to us. We are supposed to be repenting for not believing that we are co-heirs with Christ, saved completely, healed completely, delivered completely of all that stops us from spreading the Love of Christ everywhere we go. We are supposed to be repenting for not believing that God is faithful to do all that He has promised on behalf of mankind and the earth...it is time to dust off the promises of Scripture (I recently heard there are 7,000 of them in there!), and begin actually living by faith that He is who He has revealed Himself as in Christ Jesus, who had compassion on all who came to Him with faith and humility. He healed EVERY disease, He delivered the people of EVERY spiritual oppression, He embraced and accepted as Holy every person who came to Him, wealthy or poor, sick or well. We need to embrace the true revelation Jesus came to give...that Father God is raising up a family...children who will be like Him, who will love like Him, who will embrace the world as He did...

Okay, I'll stop preaching now. I am so passionate about this, having had an awakening of my own in this area. I no longer doubt His goodness. I no longer doubt His power to change, to heal, to transform, to deliver...even the hard things like fibromyalgia, chronic pain, arthritis, and other maladies that seem to have their roots so deep in peoples' lives that it's as though they might never leave. I am positive that He has breakthrough in mind for every person's life. I am believing this for you. I have believed it for me for a couple of years now and am finally seeing the fullness of His healing in my physical body. I still have a few things I'm praying for in my body, but I have had tremendous breakthrough in my body. And it's not because I'm somehow in a class above anyone else. I am definitely in a class alone...there is no one else like me, and I'm amazing. But that is true of each one of us. There is not one person who is exempt from the blessings of His generosity and His good pleasure to give us all things. Not one of us...we are all unique. We all are meant to shine from within, filled with His Spirit who brings peace, joy, faithfulness, self-control, and all those other amazing fruits that we can seem to produce without Him. We are all meant to be special, unique, the only representation of Him that has ever lived on the planet. It is a glorious call.

I admit it. I'm still preaching. Haha! I really will stop now.

Father God, thank You for sending Jesus to die so that we can approach Your throne boldly. Thank you that we can cry out to You, Abba, Daddy. Papa. Papa, we need You. Tear the veil away from our eyes that keeps us from seeing You in Your full goodness. Papa, help us identify the lies we're believing about You that keep us trapped in isolation, fear, and oppression. We want to exchange these lies now for the truth, and we want to see healing come upon our land as we repent and begin to come into agreement with the truth about Yourself that You revealed in the man Jesus Christ, who laid down His life to reconcile every man to God and to save the whole earth from the judgment and wrath of God. Thank you for this good news. May it soak deeply into the core of our beings and begin to change us from the inside out. Amen.

~Angela