In verse 12, Paul builds on the concept of living in this moment and making the most of the time we have. I love to watch sunrises and sunsets, and no matter how many times I’ve sat outside and watched the sun descend or the sun slide above the rim…
Paul wrote a great deal in chapters 1-13 of Romans about what it means to live as a Christian as we walk this earth. If you look back at the past several weeks, we see quite a few commands. Some seem pretty hard to follow! But he wanted us to…
This verse focuses on loving others in general, but when we consider its placement in the text, we have to acknowledge the principle applies to how we relate to governmental authorities, their policies, and national issues (which is all, in essence, politics). Our love for Christ is to permeate every…
For Jews in Paul’s time, taxes were levied by the Roman government. The Jews weren’t Roman citizens, therefore they questioned whether or not they were obligated to pay taxes. Do you recall what Jesus said in response to this question? He told them to render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s,…
HYMN DAY! “Living for Jesus” by Thomas Obadiah Chisholm could be read as a pledge to love and serve our Savior. It’s one that always speaks to my heart. 1. Living for Jesus a life that is true, Striving to please Him in all that I do; Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted…
How interesting that Paul referred to government as God’s servant. Whether our leaders are Christians or not, they are only governing with whatever authority God has given them. The laws that are established are meant to be for the wellbeing and protection of the citizenry. People who breaks laws (and…
I knew when I started going through the book of Romans, I’d encounter some tough issues to address. But if God included it in His Book, He wanted us to know it. So here we are. The words in the middle of this verse—“there is no authority except from God”—kind…
If you read Matthew 25:31-40, you’ll find a passage that matches this Scripture very well. The passage ends, “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me (NIV).’” It’s not easy to be…
Peace really seems to be in short supply these days. Every day, someone with a cell phone records confrontations, whether between two people or two groups of people. Responding to anger with anger stokes the fire of conflict. The New Living Translation puts Proverbs 15:1 in very straightforward words: “A…
HYMN DAY! “Our God Has Made Us One,” by Niles Borop, is a new one to me even though it’s been around for awhile. It’s built around Ephesians 4:3, “Keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (NIV).” These words are convicting. Verse 1 Our God has…