July 8

Romans 12

"And be not fashioned according to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

I think this verse represents one of the greatest challenges of the life of faith. Our lives are constantly being shaped or fashioned according to the world. It happens so quickly that we don't even realize what is happening.

I experience this when I go to Kenya. There I see the struggle of poverty and am confronted by the materialistic manner in which I live. I vow I will change. But when I return to America, within a few hours I am already slipping back into old ways. It happens so easily and quickly.

The challenge for me is to stay so connected to God that I am aware of what is shaping my life.

July 7

Romans 11

"Everything comes from him; Everything happens through him; Everything ends up in him. Always glory! Always praise! Yes. Yes. Yes." (The Message)

This chapter is a complicated discussion of the place of Jews and Gentiles. Paul is arguing that there is a place for all people. The Jews turning from God opened a way for Gentiles. But God has not rejected the Jews, there is still a place for them. He ends with the chapter with this verse that everything comes, happens and ends up with God. It is all about God.

A basic thought to keep in mind is that our relationship with God begins with God. We live our lives in response to God. God always acts first and we live in response to what God has done. If we keep that in mind, it helps us keep a better perspective on life.

July 6

Romans 10

"After all these years of refusing to really deal with God on his terms, insisting instead on making their own deals, they have nothing to show for it." (The Message)

In this chapter Paul is talking about the Jews and their relationship with God. His concern expressed in the verse is that they have tried to deal with God on their own terms. I think this is a temptation that we fall into also. We try to have our relationship with God be with what we want. We want God to act in a manner that works well with our wishes. In essence, we want God to submit to us. Yet, the basis of Christianity is our willingness to submit to God. To accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. I don't know about you, but I find this to be a daily struggle.

July 5

Romans 9

"It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy"

Our relationship with God is about God. The relationship is not about me being good enough or working hard enough. The relationship is not about my earning God's love. The relationship is a gift that God gives to me. My role in this relationship is to merely receive the gift of mercy. As I open my life to God, the gift changes everything.

July 3

Romans 8

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

I can recall memorizing this verse in Sunday school early on. It is one thing to know the words and to be able to repeat them for a prize, it is another to know the words and understand the truth behind them. When I think of this verse, I automatically think of hard times-maybe because this is when I tend to hear it. If I am going through a bad time, or a friend has hit a rough patch, why is it this verse that is offered? I think this verse is a reminder that when we give our life to God, He is going to protect us and look over us as His own. What we often forget is that by accepting God's gift, it doesn't mean that everything in life is going to go smoothly and perfectly-that is not what God promised us. Paul tells us, that despite the things we may go through, we are not alone, we are never separated from God's love. That despite the troubles and turmoils we may have here on earth, there is a kingdom waiting for us in Heaven. That is the 'good' in all of this; the promise of a place in Heaven, the promise that our souls will be raised and will live forever, that they will not have to know death.

-Jenni

July 2

Romans 7

So is the Law of God good or bad? Does it cause us to be righteous or to be evil? Paul clearly tells us that the Law is not a bad thing, a sinful thing. The Law, however, causes us to recognize what sin really is-it tells us what is right and what is wrong. Paul is saying that sin uses the Law and tricks us into wanting what we are told not to do. The Law tells us to not be envious-well our friend gets a new thing and suddenly we want it. It is not the Law of God that is causing us to want what we are not supposed to want, but rather the sin in the world. Every day is a constant battle against committing sin. It is everywhere, lurking in every corner, waiting for us. We must be in tune with what God wants of us, of the path He has laid for us-I think it is then that we will be able to recognize sin and try to avoid it.

-Jenni

July 1

Romans 6

Although all our sins of the past, present, and future have been forgiven by God, it does not mean that we can continually sin. What Paul is saying here is that we become slaves to our actions. If our actions are sinful, we become a slave to sin. He is calling us to be slaves to righteousness, or slaves to God. The truth of the matter is that we will sin, and for that we must die. With the death of our physical bodies, though, comes the gift of eternal life of our souls. This was what God promised us when He sent His son, Jesus, to bear our sins and hang on the cross.

-Jenni