December 14

Acts 24-26
As the apostle Paul is moved from one place to the next, speaking to one authority after another, being in chains, he views each circumstance as another opportunity to promote the gospel. On this journey, he appeals to Caesar so as to reach the highest echelons with the good news. Roman law would have freed him from the false charges brought against him by those wishing to hinder the spread of the gospel message. Yet, he is willing to subject himself to prison for the sake of that message. His dedication and focus should be an inspiration to all who love the Lord and are grateful for His gift of grace.

December 13

Acts 20-23
As Paul makes his way toward Jerusalem, he is warned numerous times of the danger awaiting his arrival.  However, he was intent on going.  At one point, he is convinced to perform certain rites to appease the Jews.  Yet, even this was not enough.  They simply refused to believe his message, and they wanted to silence him.  Of course, we know that this was all part of God’s plan to get Paul to Rome, so that he would be able to proclaim the good news even more.  But, I believe there is a message here for those of us who are seeking to promote the truth.  In his desire for peace, Paul compromised with his detractors to no avail.  While peace should always be a goal, compromise is not always a good vehicle to get there.  Truth is powerful, and it doesn’t really need our help.  Truth can stand on its own.  There will always be those who will reject the truth, but that doesn’t negate our obligation to stand firm in the truth.  Don’t misunderstand me.  I’m not saying that Paul was compromising the truth.  What I am saying is that there will always be those who are intent on discord, and no amount of compromise will ever stop them.  Thus, whether we suffer persecution or not, we must continue to stand, as Paul did, for the truth.

December 12

Romans 14-16
During my Christian journey, I have focused on two primary objectives: reaching the lost, and promoting unity.  Justification for this concept can be found throughout scripture, but nowhere more succinct than in these chapters.  In defining his own objectives, Paul writes, “It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.”  He understood that his time on earth was limited, and he would not be able to reach all the lost in his lifetime.  He also rebukes the church for their divisions: “You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat your brother or sister with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.”  Instead of standing in judgment on Christians who don’t practice their faith in the same manner as we, Paul’s injunction is to “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”  Think about this statement.  We were steeped in sin when the Lord accepted us.  Yet, our divisions exist because some will not accept others over matters of opinion, or interpretation of scripture.  If the Lord waited for us to share His opinions or interpretation of scriptures, salvation would be very elusive.  Throughout my entire Christian walk, I have been attempting to share the Lord’s opinions and interpretations.  Even though I am closer to that goal than at the beginning, I know that this task will not be completed until I see Him face to face.

December 11

Romans 11-13
Paul calls us to be transformed, and then he goes on to tell us how.  Each of us are given spiritual gifts that are to be used to the glory of God, and the building up of the church.  We should all seek out wise counsel on helping us to identify our strengths and weaknesses.  Once our talents are discovered, we should take whatever steps are beneficial in developing the gift to its maximum potential.  It’s sad to witness someone attempting to do something in which they are not gifted.  That same person could be using that for which they are gifted, and be so much more of a blessing to themselves and the church.  When I was a young Christian, I thought that I must sing bass at church, because that it what men sing.  Fortunately, a wise brother pulled me aside and suggested I sing tenor.  The end result was an improvement for all.  This is a weak example, but the concept is the same for any gift or talent.

December 10

Romans 8-10
This reading is so rich with valuable instruction that builds our faith!  I could write a book on what is said in chapter eight alone.  So, I chose one passage to comment on: “We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”  Have you ever prayed not knowing what to say or how to say it?  There have been many times that I have approached God’s throne, only to find myself speechless.  And, even when I do know what I want to pray about, I often don’t know how to put it into words.  It is such a comfort to know that God’s Spirit is able to relay my intent through “wordless groans.”

December 9

Romans 4-7
In this reading we see every Christian’s struggle.  When we accept the gift of grace given by our loving Savior, we are filled with gratitude and long to please our Heavenly Father.  Even though my intellectual being knows that I cannot be perfect, my heart desires perfection, so I strive to be as righteous as I am able.  Unfortunately, failure meets me on a constant basis.  I am weak and often succumb to temptation.  Of course, repentance quickly follows the transgression, but it still bothers me that I am not able to completely overcome.  Thus, I find myself echoing Paul’s words, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”  Driven to my knees, I pray to the Lord for mercy.  Reminded of His faithfulness, I am lifted up with praises to the One who willingly gave Himself for me, so that I might be found in His righteousness, and not my own.  Thank you, Jesus!

December 8

Romans 1-3
Romans 3:23 is that famous verse that is often quoted: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”  However, in chapter one, verse twenty, Paul gives us this sobering thought: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”  Very often people will use God’s grace as a vehicle to justify their sinful way of life.  They do this to their own destruction, because God does not justify willful wrongdoing.  While it is true that none are righteous, save Jesus, we are expected to repent of our sins and to live righteous lives to the best of our ability.  If we choose to ignore His injunctions, we will be without excuse in the day of judgment.