Scripture: Romans 10 Vs. 1 Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. Vs. 13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Vs. 15 ... "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" Vs. 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. Vs. 21 But of Israel He (God) says, "All day long I have held out ...
Keep ReadingScripture: Romans 11 v6 But if is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. v18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Observation: Paul is discussing a number of things in this Chapter but primarily how God hardened the hearts of ...
Keep ReadingScripture: Romans 9:3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. Observation: Paul communicates a love for his brothers that is so deep that he would trade his own salvation for theirs. Application: I want to see people saved, but at what expense to myself. I want to see people f...
Keep ReadingScripture: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bo...
Keep ReadingScripture: Romans 7:4 So my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. Observation: Paul is explaining to the Roman believers, who were both Jew and Gentile, that they are no longer...
Keep ReadingScripture: Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Observation: Paul is making very clear that just because God extends grace does not give the person the freedom to sin and go crazy. Where grace exists does not mean that sin is overlooked. This is monumental to und...
Keep ReadingScripture: Romans 4:3-5 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness." Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. Observation: Paul continues his discussion around ...
Keep ReadingScripture: Romans 3 Vs. 19 "Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God." Vs. 25 "(Christ Jesus) whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith." Vs. 26 "It was to show God's righteousness at the present time" Vs. 27...
Keep ReadingScripture: Romans 2:3 Do you suppose, O manyou who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourselfthat you will escape the judgment of God? Observation: Paul calls out people that judge others for certain acts yet, in honesty, they do the exact same thing behind closed doors. In Romans 1, Paul calls out everything from sexual immorality to disobeying and d...
Keep ReadingScripture: "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures..." Romans 1:1-2 Observation: There are a number of things to glean from Paul's greetings in any letter. I used to just gloss over the intros (let's get to the meats!!) but if I think real hard ab...
Keep ReadingScripture: Psalm 69:16 Answer my prayers, O Lord, for your unfailing love is wonderful. Take care of me, for your mercy is so plentiful. Observation: The psalmist's only response to the treatment by his enemies is to keep praying to God for his rescue. God's love is unfailing and wonderful. The psalmist also seeks shelter and protection from God whose mercy abounds. A...
Keep ReadingScripture: Psalm 34:1 I will bless the Lord at all times;his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Observation: The Psalmist makes the declaration that all times are appropriate for him to bless the Lord. He clarifies that his way of blessing the Lord is to praise him with his lips. Application: If I were to write this psalm it would sound something like this, I wi...
Keep ReadingScripture: Psalm 22:22 29 I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you. v. 29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. Observation: The Psalm is considered a Messianic Psalm due to its prophetic tones and thoughts that...
Keep ReadingScripture: Vs. 2 "I say to the Lord, 'You are my Lord;I have no good apart from you'." Vs. 4 "The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply." Vs. 8 "I have set the Lord always before me" Vs. 9 "Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;my flesh also dwells secure." Vs. 11 "You make known to me the path of life;in your presence there is fu...
Keep ReadingScripture: Psalm 8:3-4 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Observation: The psalmist looks around at all of creation and wonders why God cares about mankind. All creation is majestic, yet mankind is full of deceit, da...
Keep ReadingScripture: John 20:21 Again he said, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you." Observation: As the resurrected Jesus appeared to the disciples, who in fear were meeting behind closed doors, Jesus greeted them with "Peace be with you." While this was a customary Jewish greeting, Jesus meant for the peace of the risen messiah to be with his fol...
Keep ReadingScripture: "Now there are also many other things that Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that that world itself could not contain the books that would be written..." John 21:25 Observation: By this scripture reference there was more that happened when Jesus walked the earth than what was written. Inspires the imagination but should I engage in im...
Keep ReadingScripture: John 19:11 11 Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin Observation: Jesus is in the last days of his life. He knows his outcome and he knows the people that are fulfilling his fate. Even at the end of his life he is doing ministry. He ...
Keep ReadingScripture: John 17:14-16 "14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.[a]16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.." Observation: Believers are not of this world. We are not of...
Keep ReadingScripture: John18:8 Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go." Observation: As Jesus is arrested he protects his disciples. Even in the most pressure filled and painful moment of Jesus' life he constantly put other before himself. Application: I once heard it said that when your life is "squeezed" or under pressure, the character ...
Keep ReadingScripture: John 16:2-3 "the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me." Observation: Jesus is telling his apostles some difficult truths.He will not always be with them, but He wants them to stand strong in faith in Him.Jesus gives his apostles stern warning...
Keep ReadingScripture: John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. Observation: Jesus shares with the disciples on the way to Gethsemane about their total depravity, and dependency upon Him. Though he was going away, they were going to be able to continuing bear fruit as long...
Keep ReadingScripture: John13:14 15 "And since I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet. I have given you an example to follow" Observation: Jesus is our Lord, but he is also a servant. Jesus takes off his robe and performs the dirty task of washing feet as an example of personal sacrifice. Jesus tells the disciples this is an example o...
Keep ReadingScripture: John14:13 "Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." Observation: It is beneficial to pull out the various goals and objectives that God declares. Here is one that I want to take a deeper look at so that it can be planted in my heart and mind correctly: "...that the Father may be glorified IN the Son." Can I e...
Keep ReadingScripture: John 10:1-5 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his ow...
Keep ReadingScripture: John 9 Vs. 3 Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him."Vs. 24 So for the second time they (the Pharisees) called the man who had been blind and said to him, "Give glory to God. ..."Vs. 25 (the healed man said) "One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see".Vs. 31 (the healed...
Keep Reading