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.