Romans 1

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%201&version=31

Romans 1:2-4 – He is Jesus Christ our Lord because

• The gospel promised beforehand through prophets and scriptures
• Human nature as a descendant of David
• Declared the Son of God through the Holy Spirit
• His resurrection from the dead

Romans 1:11-17 – You must teach because

• To impart spiritual gift to make you strong
• Obligation
• Not ashamed
• Because the Power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes
• “The righteous will live by faith”

Romans 1:18-31 – Why the truth is suppressed

• To promote wickedness
• Exchange glory of God to glory of what is man-created
• Not worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God

V32 – Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these things but also approve of those who practice them. (emphasis added).

Ladies you are worth it!

Why does it appear to be difficult to minister to women? What exactly is a women’s ministry? I have seen it be as simple as meeting somewhere and eating cookies and talking about the color of your hair to formal settings with women speakers who on a personal level are unapproachable. I have heard excuses that women ministries are too complex because women gossip, have poor attitudes, and self-centered. And yes, this is all from the Christian community.

There is no question that men, who are husbands, are called to a higher leadership than wives as being ‘head of the household’ and the 12 disciples were all men. However, Christ said to go and make disciples of ‘all nations’. He did not say only men. The Holy Spirit gives gifts as He chooses and again, it doesn’t say to only men. So why does it appear that women are still treated as second-class people instead of disciples and leaders of the Body of the Christ. Trust me some of us don’t cook and we aren’t gifted in hospitality, but we can preach, exhort, give prophecy, evangelize, and hold the same Holy Spirit gifts as men. Yet we are still not considered disciples.

Throughout the bible women were used mightily by God. Esther and Deborah influenced kingdoms. The woman at the well evangelized to an entire village. And let’s not forget those that were right there with Jesus as we anointed Him with oil, watched Him die, buried Him, and then were the first at His empty tomb. COME ON and you think we aren’t worth the hassle of drama we sometimes bring.

I know. We are complex and interesting individuals. Yet at the same time we complain about these characteristics this is the way our God beautifully and wonderfully made us. I have experienced my share of drama queens and extra grace required, but nonetheless I recognize you are a child of God. So for all of those who say you aren’t worth the headaches, multiple phone calls, interesting comments, and the overall soap opera drama….YOU ARE!!! Our Lord and Savior, Jesus, died at the cross for you too. And that alone makes you worth it.

I’m giving up Christianity

So lately God has really been messing me up. I have begun to question a lot of things I have heard and learned. For some reason this Americanize Christianity is just not getting it for me. Something is missing.

Okay, so if I believe every word of the Bible why do I still have this ache that I am missing it; perhaps because I haven’t acted on the words of God? You know….

James 2:14-26

14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

18But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless^[ 21Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (Emphasis added)

If I start to talk and act a little crazy to you, pick up the Word and you will know why.

I’m giving up Christianity in order to follow Jesus.

Fertile Soil

I have a challenge for everyone within the body of Christ.

This last presidential election created record breaking voting, crowds, and debates. People are so hungry for ‘a’ change that they came out in record numbers to let it be known to the entire world. They are desperate for hope, direction, and even a destiny.

As I looked out on the crowds of people supporting the President-Elect I did not see people but souls. I saw fertile soil. Why is it fertile because they are searching and looking for ‘a’ change?

My challenge to Christians is that instead of staying locked up in your prayer closet get out and put your faith to action. Work the soil. Now is the time to start planting seeds. Instead of viewing the crowd as just people see them as the potential HARVEST. Now is the time for LABORORS. Now is the time to let your voice be heard in that we do not have ‘a’ change, but ‘the’ change. We have exactly what they need.

The Lord says that those that are His will recognize His voice. So let His voice be heard in yours. Let His love be seen through your faith AND action.

The field is fertile. It is ready to be planted. We need laborers. We need to plant THE SEED.

Together

Last week I attended a 2-day Christian Leadership conference called Catalyst and the theme of the conference was TOGETHER. It was truly amazing how each speaker’s message was about becoming THE church and a challenge to your walk. I was able to hear Andy Stanley, Jim Collins, Matt Chandler, William Paul Young, Steven Furtick, Brenda Salter McNeil, Seth Godin, Tim Sanders, Dave Ramsey, Franklin Graham, and my personal favorite Craig Groeschel.

Lately I have been struggling with church as usual and completely unsatisfied, but after this conference I personally believe a shift is coming within the body of Christ. I personally believe there will be those who will stay within a 4-wall church/bubble and then there will be those that will begin to see THE church…the entire body and will GO where God tells them to go. They will cross over denominations so that the churches will become one and we will actually begin to do what God has called us to do.

Last year this time I prayed for God to do whatever it took to bring me closer to Him. This year I prayed for Him to stretch me, heal me, and ruin me. As Franklin Graham stated there is ‘HOLY GHOST POWER in the gospel. Be a soul winner. Go down fighting. And let your life be “spent” on the Gospel of Christ.’

Craig Groeschel stated that some of us had IT and then we went into ministry and the ministry quenched IT. He asked if that was you to stand. I DID. And then we prayed for God to stretch me. Heal me. Ruin me. And finally he ended with St. Francis prayer

Lord, make me a channel of thy peace;

that where there is hatred, I may bring love;

that where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness;

that where there is discord, I may bring harmony;

that where there is error, I may bring truth;

that where there is doubt, I may bring faith;

that where there is despair, I may bring hope;

that where there are shadows, I may bring light;

that where there is sadness, I may bring joy.

Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort than to be comforted;

to understand, than to be understood;

to love, than to be loved.

For it is by self-forgetting that one finds.

It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.

It is by dying that one awakens to eternal life.

Amen.

Joel 2:12 “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

“To reach people no one else is reaching, we must do things no one else is doing.” – Craig Groeschel

I’m Bored with Christianity ‘as is’.

I don’t know what is going on with me lately, but I’m bored with the Christianity status quo. I go to church every Sunday and lead two bible studies groups and occasionally participate in an outreach by delivering goods or donating money. This can’t be it. I know I am not a street evangelist or at least I haven’t felt that calling yet, but something is stirring my spirit.

Why do we have to do everything as we have done it before? There is a new generation of lost people out there. They don’t want to hear the normal messages, they don’t read tracts, and they don’t listen to your traditional Christian music. YET still they are hungry. They are seeking daily for someone higher than which they are. They don’t know it yet but it is Jesus.

Another friend of mine wrote about it on her blog too www.trekya.wordpress.com (Unsatisfied). Why don’t we see the same Spirit movement in biblical time right here in America? I mean He doesn’t change according to His Word. He is the creator of the universe, so why isn’t His creativity flowing in and through us.

With the turn of the century America literally felt what most of the world lives daily. In recent months, what we have sown has finally come home. This week’s headlines had 2 incidents of families killing themselves because they lost everything. They have NO HOPE. This is a perfect opportunity for us so called Christians, but we can’t go after them with a 20^th century ministry. We must go after them with the Holy Spirit giving us POWER (read Acts 1:8)

I’m bored. I’m unsatisfied. I am tired of putting God in a box or limiting Him to a city revival. I’m tired of limited vision. Lord, don’t fill me up for my own needs, but to go after the lost…for your glory….for those that will recognize your voice and are just waiting to hear it and see it.

Who is your protector and provider?

Interesting times America is in right now. Anxiety and fear are rampant.

Deuteronomy 33:12 KJV

The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long.

About Last Night…

I organize a women’s bible study and for awhile I was beginning to wonder what are we really doing. Well last night, it happen. We took ACTION. We received word that one of the ladies was at the emergency room and they were about to start running a bunch of tests. None of which sounded good if the results came back positive. We immediately prayed and then continued with the study. Another call came in, we prayed again and then attempted to study again. And then it hit me

James 5:13-16

13Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

We were her church. We were being called. With that we left and went to the hospital. 11 women walked into the emergency room together and took over. 2 went back to the room while the other 9 prayed.  Each time we got an update, we prayed, and then the symptom disappeared.

Lions attack what is alone. They will not attack what is bigger than himself. I like to imagine that as we marched in we grew bigger and bigger and he began to shake. Our image was probably a little blurry to the enemy, he just knew something was coming. As we approached and he gained his focus and looked up from the pit he is in… He saw Jesus.  And then he tucked his tail and ran out like the coward he is.

Last night was awesome. Our study this week was on healing. Coincidence. I think NOT.

Do laws change hearts?

I have been a bit confused the last few months as to why laws will change a person’s heart.  Somehow laws change everything.  Funny, most people I know do at least 5 miles over the speed limit at any given time. Why? Is it because we think we have control of the vehicle, are expert defensive drivers, or we simply want to do what we want to do. I know laws set boundaries and they must exist so I am by no means promoting a lawless society.

When/if the laws are passed for Pro-life and marriage is defined as between ‘man and woman’, then what? Will we just stand back and say ‘now there’. Okay, I did my part they are officially breaking the law now or will I do what I should have always been doing….reaching their hearts?  I recently learned that although we may share similar past, traumas, and hurts they are still unique.  I can not judge someone’s past or present actions simply based on a law. I have to listen to their heart and offer the only true answer to all problems – Jesus.

I mean most American Christians rarely step out of their bubble so what are we going to do when/if the laws are passed. A written law doesn’t stop you from speeding so why is going to stop you from making a life changing decision. The body of Christ has a far larger responsibility than governments. We must go into the world, we must show compassion, and we must share the Gospel. That is the only way a person’s actions will change. That is the only way to break generational curses. That is the only way someone knows they are unconditional loved and that ALL sins are forgiven by the Blood of Christ.

God is not a Democrat or Republican

How dare you take claim to the Creator and label Him to your political party? God does not have an agenda. He cannot be bumper stickered. Your laws and self-righteousness are mere filthy rags and your works are worthless. He does not serve only the United States of America. He is the God of All who inhabits the earth.

He is the Creator, the Alpha and Omega, the lover of our hearts, the Savior of your soul, the protector of your shelter, and the only one worthy of ALL worship. How dare you limit His Power? How dare you compare your mere humanly understanding to that of THE understanding and the very essence and definition of Truth.

Lord forgive us for placing you in a box and thinking that you have an agenda to push when you are the loving dictator of our humanly lives and everlasting life.

Isaiah 46:9 – I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.

Isaiah 45:18-25

18 For this is what the LORD says—
he who created the heavens,
he is God;
he who fashioned and made the earth,
he founded it;
he did not create it to be empty,
but formed it to be inhabited—
he says:
“I am the LORD,
and there is no other.

19 I have not spoken in secret,
from somewhere in a land of darkness;
I have not said to Jacob’s descendants,
‘Seek me in vain.’
I, the LORD, speak the truth;
I declare what is right.

20 “Gather together and come;
assemble, you fugitives from the nations.
Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood,
who pray to gods that cannot save.

21 Declare what is to be, present it—
let them take counsel together.
Who foretold this long ago,
who declared it from the distant past?
Was it not I, the LORD ?
And there is no God apart from me,
a righteous God and a Savior;
there is none but me.

22 “Turn to me and be saved,
all you ends of the earth;
for I am God, and there is no other.

23 By myself I have sworn,
my mouth has uttered in all integrity
a word that will not be revoked:
Before me every knee will bow;
by me every tongue will swear.

24 They will say of me, ‘In the LORD alone
are righteousness and strength.’ “
All who have raged against him
will come to him and be put to shame.

25 But in the LORD all the descendants of Israel
will be found righteous and will exult.