Stop for a moment- In His
Word – 1-30-17
While reading in Romans,
chapters 10 and 11 this week I had to stop and think for a moment about the
points to follow. Before I get going on that I want to ask you to always stop
and think about it when you are reading. I like to call those “Selah Moments”.
If you notice through out the book of Psalms you see the word ‘Selah’. I looked
it up once and it means to stop and think about it. So as we dig into the Word
today lets take some time to stop and think about it… just for a moment.
On to Romans! I was reading
about the message Paul was writing and was amazed at how well it is laid out
for us what to do. To share the message that God has given us to share.
And that
message is the very message about faith that we preach: If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart
that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that
you are saved. As the
Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Jew and Gentile[f] are the same
in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call
on him. For “Everyone
who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how can they call on him to save
them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have
never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells
them? And how will anyone go and tell them
without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet
of messengers who bring good news!”
Romans 10:7-15
We are given the task of spreading the Gospel story with the world. If
we know the story then we need to tell it. I can recall when I first chose to
believe in Jesus as the Son of God, and to make Him part of my life; I had to
tell someone! So I picked someone I knew
would be excited about it, only she was not as excited as I was. I began being hungry for the Word of God; I
could not get enough of it and read it for an hour a day at least and two hours
on Sundays. I did not know what church to go to so God provided me with a
guide.
Then a year later when I was baptized, in Mirror Lake
There was more to learn than I knew, and just as Paul tells us not
everyone follows the same path and accepts the same thing. I tried telling
people about what God had done for me but they didn’t always listen.
The chapter goes on to
discuss the fact that they have often been told but do not get it. In the same
way that we can hear something but do not always process it right away, people
have been hearing the truth for centuries and really they still do not all
accept that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God sent to save us from our sins,
our selves and whatever else the Word of God tells us!
Just as the Hebrews from
generation to generation the stories are lost; stories of salvation by the hand
of God; healing by the hand of God; and encouragement to press on with the help
of God. The stories from generation to
generation may even get told but they are not accepted as reality by the
younger generations but as ‘old men’s tales’ or ‘old wives tales’. Wisdom is
lost on non-listening ears.
Oh, how great
are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to
understand his decisions and his ways! For who can
know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice?
And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen. Romans 11:33-38
And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen. Romans 11:33-38
We need to stop and think
about what we are reading each time we read because if you look a little closer
and ponder it a bit longer you will see what God’s plan is for you in that
daily read. You may think its to
complete a goal, but God has something better for you!
This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans,
and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. Remember, dear brothers and sisters,
that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy[a]when God called you. Instead, God
chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they
are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are
powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as
nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers
important. As a result,
no one can ever boast in the presence of God. God has united
you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ
made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. Therefore, as
the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” 1 Corinthians
1:25-31
Dear Heavenly Father, You
are the reason we read our Bibles, your Word. We ask that You open our hearts
and minds to hear and to understand the scriptures that you have given us to
read today. In Jesus name, amen.
Read a bit more: Romans 10:
1-21 , Romans 11: 1-36 , 1 Corinthians 1:1-31, and John 4: 1-54.