Romans (A Bible Study)

I want to mention something before I get to the main part of this post. I think it's pretty relatable. 

The global situation and stresses have been wearing on me lately. On top of everything, I went and hurt my back (or that could just be my old age!). At any rate, the other day, my best friend was feeling as stressed and disheartened. We felt better after reading Psalm 139 to each other aloud over the phone. It was like the fastest-acting medicine for the blues. Chuck Missler suggested once in a video Bible study to try reading your Bible passages out loud because you could get a deeper meaning of what it says. It works for me. Now, whenever I am reading for comfort, I will be reading out loud. Now, on to the main event.

My current Bible study is on the Book of Romans. I am using the Bible (of course) and a video series with Chuck Missler leading the study group. 

I wanted to share a couple of things from the Bible study and my thoughts on the comforts of the Bible in general. Here are some of the highlights from the first part of the study:

• Christ didn't come to make bad men good; he came to make dead men live. (Missler ties this into the Prodigal Son parable so I have made a note to go back and study that again). He makes the point that the gospel is not to make dumb men smart of for progress or development, etc, but that it is simply for those of us who are lost.
• The theme of Romans (which is a letter not to the church but to the believers - aka you and me) is "the grace of God revealed". 
• The gospel is not as complicated as we sometimes make it. The definition is given in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4:
• That Jesus died for us
• That he was buried
• That he rose on the 3rd day
• That when we think of Paul's letters to believers and to the churches, he is "preaching". Notice that he doesn't rely on theatrics or great oration. Church architecture and size is not important. Paul doesn't rely on awesome choirs or fancy robes and throne-like seating. He simply shares encouragement and teaching.

As I was going through the first couple of videos, I had to pause often to think of how complicated we make everything. Christ loves us and offers forgiveness and salvation but we have to parse and dissect what that means. We get so far past the simple love and forgiveness that we get confused with rules and methods. Romans is a guide to what we are offered and to remind us that we cannot earn our forgiveness because, one, it's not for sale and, two, we couldn't afford it. It's freely offered. That's it.

In my daily life, I will forget the redemption Christ has blessed me with and start worrying. I worry that I'm not "doing Christianity" the right way or that I am failing at being a believer. I worry about my weaknesses and trespasses and forget to be thankful and know that I am forgiven. I am not willfully or gleefully sinning. I am not telling the Lord to take back his love and forgiveness; I am just being human.

So, this study is good for me in a "daily walk" kind of way. I was thinking of the Lord's Prayer and how the mention of the "daily bread" part ties into God feeding the Israelites manna. I am reminded to live the moment I breathe in because the next moment, the next breath is not promised.

Keeping it simple is a reminder I needed and this study helps. It dawned on me that most people who reject Christianity do so based on very complicated ideas or reasons. Every non-believer I know gets me into these conversations of "If" and "Then why" and "But" and want complicated answers. The answer isn't complicated. Jesus died, he was buried, and he rose on the third day - for us. He died so that we may live. Simple.

I just wanted to share this sort of stream of consciousness moment with you. Maybe this will encourage you in your own Bible study. 

Peace

--Free

Blacks Don't Lives Matter

That title was meant to get your attention and I am sure it did.

I'm not here to focus on the BLM movement - or any of the other current social chaos - but to explain why I don't want to focus solely on any current event. That's my point. None of this is special or new.

Not plagues, not the unrest and turmoil between citizens, genders, races, or sexual orientation. What all this is is just another episode in the story of the war Lucifer is waging on mankind and against God. This started with Lucifer's rebellion. And don't forget the four lies Satan told in the Garden. Those lies are the foundation he has built his agenda upon.

Look at this helpful outline of Satan's rebellious agenda from Reasons For Hope Jesus:

The Five “I Wills” of Satan

In Isaiah 14:13-14 are five phrases expressing the sinful desires of Lucifer.  Each begins with “I will” and reveals Satan’s self-sufficiency and his self-worship. 

Isaiah 14:13-14  For you [Lucifer] have said in your heart:

1. I will ascend into heaven, 
2. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; 
3. I will also sit on the mount of the congregation In the sides of the north;
4. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, 
5. I will be like the Most High.

This passage is often referred to as The Five ˜I wills” of Satan. The statements reveal Satan’s sinful nature, his rebellion, his disobedience, his self-sufficiency, his pride, his self-exaltation, and his all-encompassing pride and arrogance.

For Satan, it’s all about him, and nothing about God.

This will end with the battle that is already won, praise Jesus.

I have to remind myself of this because I tend to get caught up in this moment in time. I get caught up in the time I live in and forget that this rebellion of Satan and those who follow his agenda has been going on way before me and, depending on God's timeline, will continue long after me.

If Satan wants to distract me by keeping my focus on him and his society, all he needs do is make me think of something or someone that isn't going to matter in the end of the already-won battle. If I hear someone praising Trump, I start to get distracted by my dislike of the man. If someone calls me "nigger", I get distracted by my own anger and the history behind that word. If I sin, I get distracted by remorse and shame. If I notice someone else's sin, I get distracted by self-righteousness, pride, or jealousy.

Go watch the video at this church site
(caveat: I have not yet watched)

No matter how many times I remind myself not to, I get caught up in current hatred and ignorance and racism, etcetera, and let it get to me. Then I will shake myself and remember the God that I serve and that he is not a God of confusion or ignorance or fear. Because of the Lord, I don't have to get too worked up by the moment I live in. I need to remain calm and steady and keep spreading the message of the Gospel.

So, do black lives matter? Of course. What we ought to be most mindful of - now and as long as we live - is that this moment in time is just another moment in this war. Don't get so distracted by the current struggles that we take out eyes off of eternity and off of our Lord.

So, my brothers and sisters, anger is okay and natural. BUT when you find yourself getting angry or stressed about all this current turmoil, stop and think first about what it means in the finished and already-won battle we are in.

Peace
--Free

My Jewish Savior & My Jewish Family

I was watching some Bible study videos recently because I am fascinated with the Hebrew language. Chuck Missler does a great job of breaking down the original Hebrew in some of his studies. Go over and check out this series of his. (Really. Seriously. Go NOW and check it out. Thank me later.)

This guy here caught my eye and I really like his word studies and his teaching style.  Of course, as usual, the YouTube algorithm sent me down a rabbit hole by putting anything with "Hebrew" and "Bible" into my recommendations list. One of them was this from the Tree of Life Ministries Israel:

What? Why did I not know this? I assumed that the Jews had the same Bible I did (minus the New Testament) and never considered that anything was withheld. (I subscribed to the channel, of course!)

Again, thanks to YouTube and its rabbit hole of recommendations, I saw another interesting video:

Okay. By this point, I am in full praise mode and weeping with joy. I subscribed to this channel as well and have been watching more of their videos, including this one which I've watched over and over.

So, as I often do, I was reminded that we have the Jewish people to thank for Jesus. It is out of them that he came. It is their language that he spoke and their culture that he lived in. Our Savior came out of the Jewish people and yet we sometimes forget to include them in our prayers and outreach.

Silly, arrogant me, I had zero ideas about what the Jewish people of today believe or have been taught about our Lord. These videos were stunning to watch.

Please, join me in reaching out to those of the Jewish nation or donating to those who do so. As mentioned by the speaker in the "3 Reasons" video, giving money is not as important as giving it to the best outreach. I will be praying more for my Jewish family and hope that you will too.

This is the donation link at One For Israel.
This is the link to get Eitan's book.
This is the link to Eitan's 2020 video on anti-Semitism.

And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:3)

Peace
--Free