Romans 1:14-17--Tina

14 For I have a great sense of to the people in our culture and to people in other cultures, to the educated and uneducated alike.

Paul feels called to tell everyone know matter who they are about Jesus. Everyone despite where they have come from can come to Christ, he is for everyone.

15 So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach God's Good News.

I find it interesting that Paul wants to go to Rome and is eager to go into enemy territory, he is eager to put his life on the line and go against the culture. I don't think I could have gone into Rome to preach the gospel.

16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes-Jews first and also Gentiles.

It is not shame that would keep me away from Rome but fear. Paul is fearless instead remembering that through God's power all things are possible. Even waking in the morning is done by God's power, he wills it to be. I think remembering that God's power is in control of everything from the tiny ladybug to my heart beating in my chest is important, he is bigger and more powerful than any force of nature. It is so easy to forget this and therefore lose faith in God.

17 This good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."

I love that it is only through faith that we are made right in God's eyes. Simple child like faith, no works, no pain we endure, no tests we pass, it is through simple faith. Through living by faith, with faith, in faith we are made clean and holy in God's eyes. It sounds too simple doesn't it? Like we should be doing more and more yet God is always going against what we think of as logic, his heart is bigger and more loving then our heart we can not even imagine how much he loves his creation, how much he loves us. Truly amazing!

Dear God, Thank you so much for this time to spend in your word today. Lord let these words sit on my heart, sink into my heart and become part of me. Lord I pray for Angela and Eric, Lord you know the needs there and I ask you to bless them beyond measure with your provision. Amen