Romans 7:18,20-21,25b, 8:1-2

What: I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out... Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: when I want to do good, evil is right there with me... so then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful natuer a slave to the law of sin. Therefire, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of Life set me free from the law of sin and death.

Apply: This is just fascinating, to grasp these words and understand them: the mind of Christ lives and operates in this body of sin! We are proof that this is true: our desire is to do good, to live righteously, and to please God, yet our actions so often conflict with our desires. I do the things that I do not want to do, yet I have seen the power of Christ become more abundant in my life, causing an attrition of sins. The result is that , though I am still imperfect and do sin, God causes me to submit to His commands more and more, and when I am finally rescued from this body of death, I will serve God with all my being, perfectly made, refined by test and trial. (This is my hope!)

Romans 10:17

What: Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ.

Context: Paul is in the midst of explaining why God allowed the Israeliets to transgress so that He could show mercy and grace to the Gentiles.

Apply: Faith comes from hearing the Word of Christ. Why? Becasue power accompanies the Word of God. When God speaks, His Spirit moves, and when we hear (and His Spirit enables us to understand (1 Cor 2:12 & Mark 4:12)) then faith (Heb11:1) wells up from within us like a fountain. God's Spirit and His Word always work in tandem. Does your faith lack? Are you weak willed and easily led astray by temptation? Hear the Word of God, listen to all He says so that your faith will not lack and you obedience may become complete.

Related Verses: Genesis 1:2-3, Luke 9:20 & Matthew 16:15-19, Matthew 8:26-27

Numbers 16:3,16-17,35

What: They came a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord's assembly" ... Moses said to Korah, "You and all your followers are to appear before the Lord tommorrow - you and they and Aaron. Each man is to take his censer and put incense in it - 250 censers in all - and present it before the Lord. You and Aaron are to present your censers also." ...and fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.

Context: Korah, a levite, and 250 others rebelled against God and Moses' God-given authority andpresumed that every Israelite was holy and could be a priest. So God proved their wickedness by swallowing up their families and belongings in the earth and burning up the 250 men that offered incense, rejecting them and their offering. After this, the Israelites were angry at Aaron & Moses, so God slew 14,750 with a plague that was stopped only when Aaron, the actual priest, atoned for their sin and stood between the living and the dead offering incense.

Apply: This is common occurence in the modern churches where people make the same claims as Korah and his rebels did, that all men are holy before God, that "God loves everyone, regardless". It just doesn't add up. If this is true, then why does God detest the wicked? (Proverbs 21:16; Genesis 38:7-10; Deuteronomy 31:15-18; 1 Samuel 2:9-10; 2 Kings 17:11; Job 20:28-29, 27:13-14, 34:18-19, 35:12, 38:12-13; Ps 1:1-6; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 2 Thes 2:11-12; Heb 1:8-9; Rev 2:2-3) Deuteronomy 9:6 says "Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people." Clearly, God did not view "the Lord's assembly" to be holy, as Korah had claimed. Jehu, a prophet, had this to say to Jehoshaphat (in 2 Chronicles 9:2) : "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD ? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you." The wicked do not love God but hate Him. And Psalm 5:4-5 says: "You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong." So who is right? Does God approve of everyone? Does He call everyone holy?

30 Jul 06 - 1 Cor 10:31-33, 11:1

What: So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks, or the Church of God - even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

Context: Paul was talking about how to interact with non-believers regarding eating meat sacrificed to idols.

Apply: Vers 32 says "don't cause anyone to stumble..." Practically, by participating in or giving approval to activities that draw men away from God, even though they do not believe, we are causing them to literally stumble. We're giving mixed messages by not demonstrating the example of Christ. We make an obstacle in their way that hinders their heart from responding to God, we numb conviction by our approval or active participation.

Related Verses: 1 Peter 1:13-16, 2 Corinthians 5:17, 2 Corinthians 2:15-16

First Post?

This is my first post, my first blog... let's see what we can do here!