Author: Good Life

Scripture:  

“Count it all joy my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds—for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  (And) Let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial—for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life…

But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.  For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.”  (Excerpts from James 1:2-4, v12, and vs. 22-24)

Observation:  

Trials, testing and being steadfast and blessed: What is the connection between these?  And what relationship does this have with being doers of the word? 

Application:  

In my mind James is the blunt Apostle.  If he was a baseball pitcher there would be no wind up, no time between pitches—get the ball and throw—and a lot of chin music simulating trials/testing.

I have been thinking for some time that “testing and trials” has more to do with evaluating myself rather than God evaluating me.  Here’s why:

• Simply: God is eternally omniscient, that is, He already knows if I succeed or fail.  So God testing me to see what I would do doesn’t make logical sense.
• If that is the case why would I need trials/testing?  I think that the trials/testing is for me…so that I can be a “doer of the word” and to not deceive myself.

Soooo, reflecting on this that is why we can “Count it all joy” because God is providing a practice field (testing/trial) so that I can look in the mirror, evaluate myself, confess and repent as appropriate and/or necessary, and rejoice (Count it all joy) in that God cares for my growth in Him—He wants me to be a fruitful disciple STEADFASTLY pursuing Him.

So (I ask myself) what is God’s objective here?  I have been taught/told for many years to “be doers of the Word” like being a “hearer” is somehow wrong, shortsighted, or suboptimal.  What does that get?  I think that it gets enthusiastic but untrained folks trying to do things in the Name of Christ, perhaps when they have barely learned the foundations of the Faith.

Still, the above is a part of the objective but not the objective of this section of scripture.  The objective is being STEADFAST in full effect with the end being perfect and complete in Him.  And how does that happen?  Not by reading being steadfast as a clinched jaw in the face of opposition or some such—but taking what has been experienced to the mirror and intently asking myself: “What just happened here, Lord?  Did I honor You, did I do what the Word of God told me to do?  Did my passion overcome obedience?”

Tough thinking through stuff like this—but it is necessary for every wannabee Disciple to do.

Prayer:  

Father, You know that this rings in my spirit, causes a prick in my heart, for I don’t what to be (and folks around me) a Recruit Soldier but a Trained Soldier for the Kingdom.  Help me work through being an apprentice to one day becomes a journeyman.  I want to be patient through the work You are doing in me, and let steadfastness upon the Rock of my Soul, the solid Foundation of Your Word to be complete.  AMEN

Scripture:

¹⁷ I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. ¹⁸ For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

Observation:

Paul is closing out the letter of Romans and sends his greetings to them generally and personally. Then he ends it with this phrase. Of all the things he could write to end the letter, he writes this.

He is adamant and appealing to them to watch out for those who cause divisions by preaching doctrine that is opposite to true biblical doctrine. These “teachers” preach false doctrine through flattery and smooth talk and they deceive the hearts of the naive.

Application:

This is as true, if not more true, today.

In the age of mega pastor & famous, smooth talking & fancy preachers, this is just as true. Our application: be careful. Be vigilant. Not everyone out there is preaching true doctrine. If that were true, Paul wouldn’t have written this. He wouldn’t have appealed to them. Pleaded with them.

Paul tells them to AVOID them. We must do the same.

Who are these people? These slippery, smooth talking teachers, who are they? They are among us. They are all over. We will know them by their teaching and more importantly we will know them by truly knowing the word.

Learn what true doctrine is so that you can know what false doctrine is.

Prayer:

Lord, give our body eyes to see. That we would be vigilant against slippery, smooth talking lies. That they would not appeal to us, but only true doctrine, your Word, would.

Scripture:

1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself …

4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Observation:

Paul acknowledges we are not all in the same status or positions in our walk and faith. Some are strong and some are weak. The strong have an “obligation” to “bear with the failings” of the weak.

After acknowledging our differences, Paul encourages us all to “live in harmony” and with “one voice”. Why? That we may “glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”.

How can we do this? Because God “fills us with all joy and peace in believing”.

Application:

Paul has the whole Trinity here working together on my/the church’s behalf!
The example of Jesus … “He did not please Himself”.
The grace of God … “may God grant you” and “may God fill you”.
The power of the Holy Spirit … “by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope”.

There is a lot I am called on to do by Paul in this chapter …
“Bear with failings” … “build up my neighbor” … “not please myself” … and “live in harmony”.
This would seem impossible and the opposite of what I may see around me and how I would ordinarily want to live my day.
But Paul doesn’t simply list a bunch of orders for me to follow.

Paul gives encouragement by pointing also to the characteristics of God and the word of God.
“Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction”.
And what we are called to “be” is what God is the “God of”.

We are told to have “endurance” and “encouragement” and “hope” because God is the “God is endurance” and “God of encouragement” and “God of hope”.

And Paul says I can live all of this out “filled with all joy and peace”!
This is an amazing description of a dream life!

But how can life be so amazing if I’m “bearing weaknesses” and “not pleasing myself” and “enduring”?
Because the joy and peace comes from “believing”! Knowing and grasping and understanding the Good News of Jesus and receiving the power of the Holy Spirit enables a life of “joy & peace” and “harmony & hope” that would otherwise be impossible!

Prayer:

God of endurance …
God of encouragement …
God of hope …
Help me live out your words written in the former days for my instruction.

Help me look to the example of Jesus.

Help me Holy Spirit with your power glorify God!
Amen

Scripture:  

“Owe no one anything except to love each other for the one who loves another has fulfilled the Law… 

Besides this you know the time; that the hour has come to wake from sleep—for salvation is nearer to use now that when we first believed…Let us walk properly as in the daytime…

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”  (Excerpts from Rom 13:8-14)

Observation:  

What I see in Romans 13 is Paul clarifying and explaining what godly conduct looks like.  It would do well for me to catalog these and put effort into remembering AND doing them. 

Application:  

Salvation through faith in the Grace of God vs. faith in works: I think I understand intellectually the difference but there are times where I am confused functionally. 

Earlier in the Letter to the Romans Paul is thorough in explaining that salvation does not come by works, either by the Law or by any effort of Man.  Then here in chapter 13 Paul talks about doing stuff; stuff that should be done by those calling in faith upon Christ Jesus.  

I think this is the Human Responsibility side of the principle describing God’s Sovereignty vs. Human Responsibility:  I learn responsibly and then I am responsible to do. 

What is easier to do: Learning or Doing?  Answer: “Doing” for the most part.  But what am I required to do?  Both, of course, except I think this: If I have not learned why to do something then do I trust in my works to please God or have I “renewed my mind to prove what the Will of God is?”  How much do I do that I do in the Name but not really knowing what the Will of God is?  Probably tons.

I think Discipleship can be considered as Biblical Self-maintenance at times.  If I read Paul a lot I can see a lot of instructions in these Categories: “Get your head on straight”, “Get your act together”, or “Come on: Let’s get serious here.”  There is a lot to take from Romans 13 to tell the man in the mirror first and foremost.  My tendency is to want to tell someone else how to respond (lord it over them or “do as I say, not as I do).

My goal is to press into Christ in such a way so I can say “Follow me as I follow Christ” knowing that adamantly, passionately, and fiercely pressing into Christ Jesus with my warts and all may be the only thing I can offer someone to follow. 

Prayer:  

Lord God, thank you for helping my continual learning of this principle.  I fail a lot—that is the lot of a Disciple I think so that I can learn about Grace.  Pushing forward, even if just a half a step, is still pushing forward.  Help me to increase in being fierce in pursuing You.  AMEN.

Scripture:

Romans 12:9 – 12 Let love be genuine.  Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.  Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.  Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.   

Observation:

In Chapter 12, Paul expands on the prior doctrinal explanations of God’s plan to what it looks like to live in response to God’s grace.  Our love is to be real not superficial, loving others like brothers. We are to hate what is evil not straddle it and see how far close we can get.  We are not to be passive, but to give glory to God, serving Him. Celebrate our hope in Christ during times of trial and pray always.

Application:

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is truth that is to be understood by believers.  More importantly, I must remember the response to the gospel that calls to live a changed live.  All of the behaviors that Paul lists as marks of a believer were modeled to us by Jesus. Greatest love ever shown, giving honor to the Father, praying without ceasing is how Jesus acted on our behalf.

Prayer:

Father,

Thank you for you love, grace and mercy in sending Jesus to save me.  May I live my response to the gospel daily, by genuinely loving others, passionately serving and pointing towards you.

Scripture:

Romans 11:36 “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen”

Observation: 

Paul has just finished laying out God’s plan of salvation and His sovereignty over it all. Paul wants to make it very clear, both to the Jew (God’s chosen people) and the Gentile, that there was, is and always will be one way to obtain salvation: Grace alone that is given through Christ alone. Paul finishes this beautiful chapter of hope by declaring God’s glory and giving us 3 truths to ponder:

1. From Him are all things
2. Through Him are all things
3. To Him are all things

From: Our sin did not have God pinned up against a wall. The epic salvation story of God redeeming His people was HIS decision. In other words, it came FROM God. If it wasn’t for God’s graceful decision to redeem His people we would all be without hope.

Through: Not only does God create this epic story of saving His people, it is all done THROUGH Him. Even if we came up with the brilliant idea we would still need Christ to do the work! Through, and only through, Jesus do we obtain salvation.

To: God’s plan From Himself and Through Himself is ultimately For Himself. This epic salvation story that we greatly benefit from is to first and foremost put Jesus on display for God’s glory.

Application: 

Pause and thank the Lord today that He has, in his grace and sovereignty, decided to graft you into his family through the blood of His son. In this present age we are still living in the reality that all things are from God, through God, and to God. So what? As you go about your day, remember that God is working everything out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to his purposes! That He has designed for both the good and bad in your life to not only give Himself glory but for our benefit of knowing Him more.

Prayer:

God I admit that I often praise you on the mountain tops and question you in the valleys. I pray that the valleys of this life produce an intimacy with you that my soul longs for. Forgive me for wondering. Thank you for always pursuing me. Thank you for grafting me in to your salvation story. To you, Father, be the glory forever! Amen.

Scripture:  

“For being ignorant of the righteousness of God and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.”  Rom 10:3

Observation:  

Using Israel as an example, Paul reveals Man’s heart and desire: Establishing our own righteousness and ignoring what God says about righteousness.

Application:  

I find so many jewels in the first statements of a chapter in the New Testament.  Take the above for example.

In the past (like yesterday) I glossed over this because there are “juicier” quotes/statements in the balance of the chapter.  I would imagine I am not alone in skimming through certain or various sections of Scripture.  But, since all Scripture is profitable, looking at this particular reference has value to consider.

But why?  It is the statement “being ignorant of the righteousness of God” and considering the alternative which is clearly stated: “…seeking to establish their own…”

When I don’t apply myself to studying the doctrines of Christianity I tend to make things up as I go.  According to the Scriptures I am not alone and it has been this way since Daddy Adam.

Why are there so many religions?  Well, goodness: It is right here—I try to establish my own righteousness by creating religion.  But here is the upshot: By being ignorant of God’s righteousness I can change what God says about Himself into something that is more palatable, more tasty, and less challenging—kind of like forgetting that God is equal in all of His Character.  He is wholly equal in Love, Justice, and subsequent Mercy, Grace, and Wrath towards Sin.

Additionally, by “establishing my own righteousness” I end up creating my own god-idol to support my “righteousness.”  If I remember correctly isn’t this #1 on the 10 Commandments?  It then is imperative to understand God’s righteousness as much as I can through His written self-revelation—and whatever supplemental trusted publications as I can.  Note: get recommendations of additional reading from the elders.

The Gospel is simple.  It really is.  However, if we want to be good disciples of Christ Jesus then I should take in serious consideration Paul’s advice written to Timmy-boy: 

·         Be a good servant by being trained in the Words of the Faith and of Good Doctrine.

·         Train myself for Godliness. For Godliness is of value in every way…

·         Devote myself.

·         Practice these things; immerse myself in them so that my progress is publically evident.  (all excerpted from 1 Tim 4:6-16)

Prayer:

O Lord, what joy You bring!!  I so appreciate Your Word—it brings Life and stability.  Please make what I wrote above a firm foundation in my life.  AMEN.

Scripture:

[15] I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.

[19] For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. [20] Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

[24] What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? [25] Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Observation:

After recognizing and admitting he is a slave to sin, Paul agonizes over the struggle of his flesh vs. what he knows to be right.  Knowing he can’t fight the temptations on his own, he cries out for help – for the help of Jesus Christ.

Application:

I want to do good but I can’t, I try to do good but I fail, I know how to do good but I don’t consistently do good.  I covet, I lie, I steal, I get driven by pride, greed, or other false gods, I.. fill in the blank for my sin, and while I know it is not right and I try not to do it, I do it anyway.  I, I, I, …

How about this?  None of us are strong enough to overcome sinful desires alone due to our sinful nature.  We live in a fallen broken world and are confronted with all forms of sin on a daily basis.  Satan will use our nature against us any chance he gets and bait us with lies and entice us with all sorts of things that appeal to our nature.

We need help.  We need the help of someone.  We need Jesus’ help.

That’s good news because, as Paul said, God has delivered us through Jesus Christ our Lord and we have His power in us.  He gave us the Holy Spirit!  With Jesus we are no longer slaves to that sinful nature.  Yes, it will always be a bit of a battle and we may slip at times, but we are not slaves to sin – we are children of God.

Prayer:

Lord thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to guide me.  I know I’m constantly tempted by my nature to sin; to chase after things of this world that would replace chasing after You.  But I also know that with You I can overcome these sinful desires.  Help me with that Lord.  Help me stay focused on You and on what glorifies You.  In Jesus mighty name I pray, Amen.

Scripture:  

“Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?  By no means!  How can we who died to sin still live in it?…So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

1. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body to make you obey its passions.
2. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but;
3. Present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

For sin will have no dominion over you since you are not under law but under grace.” (Excerpts from Rom 6: 1b-2; 11b-14)

Observation:  

God’s Sovereignty and Human Responsibility: an essential concept to understand and, more importantly, embrace.  If it is not embraced, then “walking in a manner worthy of the Gospel” is extremely hindered, if not made impossible. 

Application:  

Remember that Paul is a theological lawyer by training—but not an ivory tower academic.  Before Paul, there was Saul—and Saul put his theological training into his conviction and went tearing off after the followers of Jesus, petitioning (pleading) for an opportunity to persecute them.

This training comes through clearly in Romans.  Paul is systematic in laying out the Kingdom as it is now found in Jesus: All the facts, all the clear reasoning, all the declarations, all the commands, all the implications, etc.

Step by step, point by point, Paul lays it out for us.  We are at that point where the Old Man meets the New Man; where Sin meets Grace, and I have choices to make.

Jesus conquered Sin.  Because of that, Sin does not have dominion over me, I am set free.  We sing songs celebrating that freedom because we have been chained to sin for so long—it is nice to know freedom through His Grace.

But (I reason), I can celebrate freedom while reveling in Sin.  Not so: I try to have it both ways: A clean conscience and playing in sinful (let me call it Not Honoring God) behavior.  I may try to explain it away by saying “I am not under law, but under Grace”, that is; don’t evaluate me by any shred of standard that I don’t agree with—I am not under oppressive LAW.  An attitude like that renders the Word of God useless and impotent.

Jesus said it best: “If a tree does not bear fruit, it is worthless.”

Human Responsibility is that portion where I engage with the Holy Spirit to wrangle and subdue that sinful side of me.  I “consider myself dead to sin” now I must “present my (body, thoughts, mind, etc.) to God as instruments of righteousness”.

How am I to do that?  The easy stuff is self-evident: Don’t hang out in sinful situations; avoid temptations or tempting locations; be very aware that if you are in Christ your life focus will need to change.

Another mental picture is the Fruit of the Spirit list in Galatians 5.  Take one point of this list (Patience for example) and bear down on yourself to bring patience as a reflex in your body.

Bearing fruit isn’t what you do on the outside; Jesus is working in our insides first.  Humble yourself under the mighty Hand of God.

Prayer:  

Father, I want to bear fruit—big, fat, juicy fruit.  Fruit that satisfies, fruit that honors You, fruit that is useful to You.  Help me stay on the tree a long time and not pick myself off too soon thinking that I have become ripe—I can never become ripe enough.  AMEN

Scripture:

Romans 5:17 – For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

Observation:

We are all born into sin through Adam and have all fallen short of the glory of God.  Because of the sin, of Adam death reigned. However, much greater is the overflowing grace and free gift to be made right with the Father and reconciled through one man, Jesus Christ.  The gift of righteousness is available by grace in life now, not to all, but those who receive the love of Christ.

Application:

I must remember that I was dead in my own sin.  Trapped, with no way out on my own. My back to God and eternally separated from Him.  Yet while I was still a sinner, through the undeserving grace of God, He sent Jesus to pay for all my sin in full so I could be saved and justified before a holy and righteous God. By stepping out in faith alone and receiving the free gift of grace offered by God through Jesus, I too can be saved and made right with God now and forever.   

Prayer:

Father,

Thank you for rescuing me from my sin and the death I deserved.  Help me to live in your grace every day, knowing there is nothing I can do on my own to be saved or justified. Let the Spirit guide me to love you and others to bring all the glory to you.

Scripture:

Romans 4:3, 6-8, 23-25

3“For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,and whose sins are covered;8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

… 23 “But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Observation:

Paul is using two prominent figures in the history of God’s people to prove to the church in Rome that it never was the law that justified and it never will be the law. David is speaking as an adulterer and murderer, but an adulterer & murderer that can stand in full confidence, knowing that the work of the Lord covers his failures. Paul finishes the chapter by reminding the Roman church that this hope that was “counted to him as righteousness” is the same hope that is available to them by believing in the finished work of the Jesus Christ: “delivered up (cross) for our trespasses (sin) and raised (empty tomb) for our justification (made right with God)

Application:

David words should reverberate into our innermost being, they should be the anthem of our days. “Blessed is the man whom the Lord will not count his sin” God’s most gracious act in David’s life was not his pretty face, his musical talents or his brilliant battle record, no, God’s most gracious act in David’s life was allowing his hard heart to shatter into a million pieces because of the weight of his sin. David’s greatest gift from the Lord was his brokenness.

David’s brokenness was a blessing because it brought him to a place of desperation and thanksgiving. A place where God counts people as righteous apart from their works.

How often do we pray for brokenness? David understood his brokenness. He said to the Lord , “Against you, you only, have I sinned..” (Psalm 51:4) I think often times we forget this simple truth: We can’t be healed unless we first know we’re broken.

Paul is reminding his audience in Rome, and to you and I today, that just as Abraham “believed God and it was counted to him as righteous”, we too are counted righteous when we believe in the finished work of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Prayer:

God just as you graciously gave David brokenness, I plead you would break my heart for what breaks yours. Against you, and you only do I sin and do what is evil in your sight. Don’t let my heart grow hard, replace any hardness at whatever cost. Lord thank you for the death and resurrection of your son, let that be the hope I cling to this week. Amen.

Scripture:  

“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.

For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God and are justified by his Grace as a gift (through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood) to be received by faith.

This was to show:

1. God’s righteousness because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins;
2. His righteousness at the present time so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.  (excerpts from Rom 3:21-26)

Observation:  

Today we celebrate Easter.  The Gospel is interwoven in everything, especially Easter.  Why is this important and what does it mean?

Application:  

There are certain sections of the Scriptures that I have to cut up in order to make what I am reading sensible.  Not the Scriptures fault; I am just used to reading in a certain style.

Easter is celebrated for the resurrection of our Lord—He conquered sin, death, the evil one, etc. and the resurrection is the exclamation point of “He is Lord of All” (dropping the mic here).  That exclamation point is also the exclamation point of the Gospel—otherwise the Gospel is only a philosophy and not the living, eternal, plan of our God from before time.

Why hammer the Gospel at Easter?  And why draw out stuff in Romans to do it?  For this simple but profound reason: I forget.

Paul writes a few things that I must keep in the forefront of my mind:

1. The righteousness of God is found in the Gospel;
2. Jesus is the righteousness of God;
3. All have sinned and fall under the Justice of God;
4. The propitiation found in Jesus is given by Grace and found in faith.

God the Son died for me.  When I say this to myself I don’t really give it the wonder and honor it deserves.  My sin was so great that only the Blood of God could cover my sin and make me presentable before Him.  Without that Blood I could not approach God.

So there are two components to consider: for my behalf Jesus had to appease the Justice of God, and; because I cannot see, conceive, fathom, be aware of that deficiency in myself I have to believe that I need Jesus’ sacrifice in FAITH—I have to be told I am deficient, I have to have some understanding that I am deficient, and in FAITH I must believe, understand, and acknowledge that my deficiency is taken care of by the Lord of Creation, Jesus.

Here is where I have to have my mind changed/renewed: God the Trinity planned the Gospel and Jesus died for me because He loves me—but NOT that I am deserving of His love.  This is hard hard hard to wrap my mind around.

So here is the bottom line for me: Easter is a celebration of all that it took to justify me—not because I deserve it but because I don’t deserve it.  Today will be a somber and wonderful celebration of His Love of undeserving me.

Prayer: 

O majestic Lord God, the older I get the more I think I see.  This week has been one of physical pain, the acknowledgement of being the progeny of Adam.  Thank you for loving me, providing for me, drawing me closer to You every day even as my temptation is to run the other way.  You are so so good to me.  AMEN.

Scripture:

²⁸ For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. ²⁹ But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

Observation:

The book of Romans is to the church at Rome. This church has Jewish Christians & non-Jewish Christians. But this phrase in particular is Paul calling out the Jews of his day who would rely on Jesus as well as their circumcision and their rule following.

His point is clear: to be saved & in right relationship with God, the outward & physical is not of value, instead it is the inward, the Spirit of God in us, the new heart, that is what is important. The inward change is what produces the outward change. Not the other way around.

Application:

Do the inward work & the outward work will happen. Seek Jesus in the Word. Pray often. Be vigilant in knowing Jesus & what he is like and who he is. Fight your thoughts. Fight your wandering thoughts with the promises of Jesus. That is what changes you, that is what we fight against.

Prayer:

Give us eyes to see Lord, I pray that we would not hope in anything but in the work of Jesus on the Cross. That we would value you this and that would produce in us the good fruit. May we not produce our own fruit, but rather may we trust in you to produce that in us.

Scripture:

…who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. V18-19

Observation:

What can be known about God is plain to us. God has revealed himself in such a way through nature and in our very own hearts that he is as plain to us as what is physically in front of us. It doesn’t feel that way, but sin suppresses just how real and revealed and plain God actually is.

Application:

To our unbelieving friends – God is plain. God is present. God is real and alive and they just don’t see it because their sin blinds & suppresses the truth. God must give them a new heart & new eyes to see just how plain he actually is.

For us – with our new hearts through faith, God is more real but our sin, the sin we war against everyday still continues to try and keep God from feeling “plain to us”. Sin suppresses the truth of God. Run from sin. Not out of fear of punishment but because you want to see God clearly.

Prayer:

God give us eyes to see just how plain you truly are. When you feel far away remind us that you are plain to us. Give us the strength to run from sin, to see you, know you and feel you.