Trading in the Truth

Whew! This next truth on our journey through Romans is breath-taking. We must first stop and see that "ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God". (Romans 1:18-32)

Mmm .... But then we realize that a terrible thing has happened! "They (the people) traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise!"

Paul's letter goes on to say that they (we?) wouldn't worship the real God or even give Him thanks but thought up foolish ideas of what He was like. So our minds became "dark and confused". We began to worship idols and focused on other things besides God.

As a result God "abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done". And the list is awful - full of every kind of wickedness including murder and doing "vile and degrading things with each other's bodies".

Wow! This is a lot to take in. How gracious of our God to give us this warning right off the bat. 

Lord, help us to stop trading in the truth about You and worship and praise the real You.

Get a Life!

It's all over the commercials and the foundation of most marketing. Wanna know how to get a life? Just.......

That is Paul's subject as he continues this powerful letter to his friends on Rome. (Romans 1:13-17)

 "A person in right standing before God by trusting Him really lives." (The Message) What good news!

As our missionary companion says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power (dynamite) of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (and everyone else)".

Let's hear it again: "It's news I'm most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God's powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! God's way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: 'The person in right standing before God by trusting him really lives'." (The Message)

Let's ask God for His grace (the Holy Spirit) to share the same truth with our friends. Trusting God in every detail does get us a life!

A Really Good Friend

But it just hadn't worked out yet. (Romans 1:1-12)

Our companion on this trip through Romans was longing to visit his friends. He is so proud of them because their "faith in (Jesus) is being talked about all over the world". (Whew! That's a lot of faith.)

And how Paul does love these friends at Rome. The letter says, "For God ... is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers ...." (I'd call that commitment!)

But Paul's big motive in hoping for the visit is so that he can bring them "some spiritual gift that will help (them) grow strong in the Lord".

It sure sounds like Paul is the kind of friend to have - a friend who knows what is really important and will sacrifice for you. Paul's gift to his friends will even bring eternal benefit.

Lord, help us to be a friend more like Paul.

The New Road

Today we begin a journey through the "Himalayas" of Scripture. With the help of God's Spirit, I expect us to become familiar with the heights and depths of a new Roman landscape. This masterpiece is written by our missionary, Paul (from Acts), around A.D. 56 or 57.

Paul surprisingly begins his letter to the Romans introducing himself as "a bondservant of Christ Jesus". We're talking a slave!  And this is the guy who was "breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord" a while back. (Acts 9:1) 

But on the Damascus road our Lord had dramatically knocked Paul over with His "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting". And the stunned blinded zealot had turned his life around as he began to believe in the love and forgiveness of Jesus. 

So Paul writes the first 101 words of this letter praising the One he had formerly hated. (Romans 1:1-6)  

May we all be so surprised by God's intervention in our lives that we join in the praise He is due.

Serious Business

Paul was so encouraged as he met some of the brethren when he got to Rome. But when he called the leading Jews to his house. It was another story.

Our missionary began his appeal to these leaders by "solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening". (Acts 28:11-31)

Some were persuaded but others would not believe. Such a big argument ensued. As these guys were leaving Paul quoted Isaiah 6:10 - "And they have closed their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and return, and I would heal them." 

It sure is serious business to miss out on God's healing.

Let us pray to have open eyes and ears and a heart desiring to understand God's truth. We need You healing, Lord.

                    

A Barbarian Reception

I wonder what Paul and his traveling friends thought as they set foot on the island Malta. After all it had been a death-defying sea voyage, and this Malta meant barbarian. (Acts 28:1-10)

But the account records God's continued aid as "the natives showed us extraordinary kindness; for because of the rain that had set in and because of the cold, they kindled a fire and received us all".

And even when disaster struck again as Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake, "he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm".

Paul also had the grace to lay hands on the leading man of the island's father and heal him of recurrent fever and dysentery. So "the rest of the people on the island who had diseases were coming to him and getting cured".

These "barbarians" were so grateful that "they also honored us with many marks of respect; and when we were setting sail, they supplied us with all we needed".

God shows up and blesses us in the worst circumstances and strangest places. Let's keep an eye out for Him today!

The Rest of the Story

All 276 of the passengers with Paul were now feeling a bit easier after their two week tempest ordeal. It was dawn, they saw land, and Paul had affirmed that "not a hair from the head of any of you will perish". (Acts 27:33-44) So they were strengthened by eating  and threw the rest of the wheat overboard to lighten the ship.

However, the boat still stuck on a reef as they tried to land. And as the vessel was breaking apart, the soldiers started to kill all the prisoners (including Paul) so none would escape. 

But God and the centurion "wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land". The rest followed floating on planks etc. "And so it happened that they all were brought safely to land."

Such an amazing story of preservation! God had decreed through an angel that Paul "must stand before Caesar". God had also granted Paul all those sailing with him.

God's word was accomplished. It always is. Praise His mighty name!