ROME
Today’s Reading: Romans 1-2
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
The Roman Colosseum is the embodiment of both the grandeur and cruelty of the great Roman Empire. Capable of seating 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum hosted spectacular games that included gladiator exhibitions, fights between animals, prisoner executions and, strangely enough, naval battles. Untold thousands of humans and animals met their deaths within this popular attraction of ancient Rome.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Romans 1:7
To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints…
Today’s reading is a huge jump from Moses to Paul, Deuteronomy to Romans! The statistics prove that this two-year journey through the Bible, back and forth between the Old Testament and the New, is the most successful in actually completing a thorough reading…an excellent goal for this New Year!!! Please enlist your friends!!! Set a time to call a friend daily and compare notes…or post comments on the blogs. This can be the greatest Christian growth period ever!!!
Note the word “ALL” in the key verse…could it be that this would even include the Emperor? It would be almost 300 years yet before Emperor Constantine claimed himself to be a believer in Jesus. There was a great deal of work to do in the meantime. The Apostle Paul, writer of the book of Romans, begins here with the Jewish people who lived in Rome. It is believed that Paul wrote to the Romans in 56 A.D. from Corinth during his third missionary journey. It is not his first letter to the churches, but it is placed first because of its length and its vital importance to the understanding of salvation. Millions of people have followed “The Roman Road” to a personal faith in Jesus. The mileposts on the road are: (1) Romans 3:23 – “All have sinned.” Confess that we are sinners in need of the Saviour. (2) Romans 6:23 – “The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Receive God’s gift by confessing that we have received Jesus into our lives. (3) Romans 10:9-10 – Believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, and tell someone that we have received Him, believed in Him, and that we now believe we have eternal life in Him.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, I am walking “The Roman Road” again today. I confess before You my faith in You, and I commit to You that I’ll seek an opportunity to confess You with my mouth. Keep me daily, I pray, in the centre of Your will and purpose for me as a believer. Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
It is believed that for a person in a coma, hearing is the last sense to go. The person cannot confess with their mouth, and I’ve told several in a comatose state to think their confession. I’ve seen eye movement that I think may indicate they’ve done it. As well, I’ve sought to minister to stroke victims who can’t speak, and they’ve confessed by nodding their heads in answer to a direct yes or no question. Some totally deaf people may not be able to speak a clear confession with their mouths, but have no doubt about it, their expressions of joy and their body language tell the story of their faith. For me, the moment I confessed Jesus with my mouth, I knew I was right with God. Just to confirm that faith, the next day after I went forward at an evangelist’s call, this 16-year-old went to the creek behind the house where I was living, and over and over as I walked along, I repeated John 6:37 and prayed, “You said, Lord Jesus, that if I come to You, You would receive me. You cannot lie! I’ve come to You. I believe in You. I know that You have received me.” By repeating that several times, it finally got through to my mind, my spirit, my heart and my soul. I’ve never doubted my eternal salvation since that time 64 years ago. Hallelujah!
Yours for all who are in Rome (our key verse) and for all who are in Canada, (where I am right now), and for all who are in the places where this blog is being read (where you are),
David
P.S. This is a blog for busy people, but Romans is such a powerful teaching book that if time permits, I suggest reading each chapter twice rather slowly so as to let the message saturate our entire beings!!!
At best all our accomplishments come from God Who gives us the abilities we should use to help others,thus serving Him.
Idols
Woe to they who can’t foresee
Their path without the Almighty
When they choose to fall mightily,
Forsaking the gift of eternity,
For if only they could see
What their idols truly be,
Then repentance would be their decree;
But blind are the eyes ne’er free
Until they have called out to Thee.
GW(Bill) Marshall (2015)
” 28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God. ” Romans 2
(“…circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code…..
but from God.”)
It is spelled out to both the Jew and we who are grafted in and ‘not to boast’ over those who were set aside for if (the likes of) we can be grafted in then so can the ones who were set aside because of unbelief.
Inspired by Psalm 73:24-25
With wise counsel Thou will guide me
‘Til in glory Thou make me free,
For Who in heaven have I but Thee
And with no mortal I choose but with Thee to be,
For earthly strength may up and flee;
But Thou be my portion for eternity.
(G.W.)Bill Marshall/Oct 09, 2015
May God bless
“… true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.” (Romans 2:29b)
Father, we come to You, sinners in need of pardon and cleansing, people whose hearts are not right. Please change our hearts into healthy, loving hearts, hearts that care about You and those around us. Help us live to bring glory to You, the One who is worthy of all praise, in Jesus’s great name, amen
Great to see you back William! Your poem is right on. I can’t understand why/how people made and worshiped things they made as their gods. I think it must have been the influence of satan & lack of knowledge & understanding of God. Glorify Yourself in all the world, Father, that many will see TRUTH, in Jesus Name. Amen. Blessings all this first week of 2023.
Amen to all the prayers above.
I prayed David’s prayer for today, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
May God bless everyone through this year 2023.
Reflecting lately on how worldly Canada has become, even to the point of deliberately trying to lead the world in worldliness. But then I see other countries dealing with similar issues.
Father God, have mercy on us – help us put You in first place in our lives, in Jesus’s name, amen
Some questions worth thinking about, from Victor Davis Hanson’s
“The Coup We Never Knew”:
https://link.theepochtimes.com/mkt_app/the-coup-we-never-knew_4964793.html?utm_source=andshare