Category: Romans

May 8: Write it Out

(Begin with 1-2 minutes of silence)

READING & JOURNALING:

How regularly do you think about the fact that you are a child of God? How do you think your relationship with God would change if you more fully understood what it means to be His child and His heir? Be specific. 

(End with 1-2 minutes of silence)

 

F260 READING: (A Scripture Reading Plan for Busy Believers)

The F260 is a Scripture Reading Plan designed to read through the foundational passages of the Bible through a year (September 2019 – August 2020). It is a separate reading from the daily devotional but is included for those who would like to engage with the Scriptures on a deeper level throughout the year.

Read: Luke 14

 

 

Note: Are you looking for a Study Bible to help you engage with the Scriptures at a deeper level? If so, click here for some recommendations.

 

 

May 7: Strangers and Aliens

(Begin with 1-2 minutes of silence)

Romans 8:12-17 provides us with several important reminders, one of which is to focus on the truth that we are children of God, and because we are His children, we are His heirs. This truth is something that ought to provide tremendous hope, knowing that whatever we may experience in this life is temporary. 

We see this truth communicated elsewhere in the New Testament as well. For example, 1 Peter 2:11 says that we are “strangers and aliens” in this world. It’s a reminder that our real home is with God in heaven, not here. Similarly, Colossians 3:3 notes that our “real life” is hidden with Christ in God. 

Difficulties will come our way, there’s no getting around that. But when difficulties do come our way, they provide us with an opportunity to remember that life’s challenges do not define us, they refine us. And the more we are refined, the better we’re able to see that our real life is not here but is in the arms of a loving Father. 

READING & JOURNALING:

     ROMANS 8:12-17

In what ways is God inviting you to more fully discover your “real life” or your true self? 

 

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, today I’m grateful for the reminder that the challenges I experience in this life do not define me, but they do refine me. Continue to refine all of the impurities out of me so that I continue to grow into the person You have made me to be. And help me to remember that this life is temporary, and that my real life is with You. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

(End with 1-2 minutes of silence)

 

F260 READING: (A Scripture Reading Plan for Busy Believers)

The F260 is a Scripture Reading Plan designed to read through the foundational passages of the Bible through a year (September 2019 – August 2020). It is a separate reading from the daily devotional but is included for those who would like to engage with the Scriptures on a deeper level throughout the year.

Read: John 3 & 4

 

 

Note: Are you looking for a Study Bible to help you engage with the Scriptures at a deeper level? If so, click here for some recommendations.

 

 

May 6: The Privilege of Following God

(Begin with 1-2 minutes of silence)

If you were to write down every thought you have throughout a day, you would likely discover that you have a lot of things on your mind. The challenge is to discern which of those thoughts are healthy and lead to a fruitful life, and which of those thoughts are unhealthy and lead to stress, anxiety, or incorrect thoughts about God, yourself, or others. 

One false narrative you may struggle with is this: It is a struggle (or a burden) to be led by the Spirit of God. At the root of this way of thinking is the belief that every hardship you experience in life is the result of being a Christian. So what do you do? You may choose to go your own way, or cling to the ‘rights’ or ‘privileges’ of being human. Or you may choose to follow God when you think it suits you, but forge your own path at other times. 

But in Romans 8:15, Paul reminds us that we have been fully adopted as God’s own children. This means we have given up the rights and privileges of being human, and instead receive the full rights and privileges of being in God’s family. Paul tells us it is not a burden, but a privilege to be led by the Spirit.  

READING & JOURNALING:

     ROMANS 8:12-17

In ancient Rome, an adopted child had all rights and privileges of their former family cancelled, and instead received the full rights and privileges of their new family. What full rights and privileges do you think come from being adopted into God’s family? 

In what ways is it a privilege to be led by the Spirit? 

 

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that it ought not be a struggle, but is instead a tremendous privilege to have the opportunity to be led by Your Spirit. May Your Spirit lead me today into better understanding what it means that I am your child. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

(End with 1-2 minutes of silence)

 

F260 READING: (A Scripture Reading Plan for Busy Believers)

The F260 is a Scripture Reading Plan designed to read through the foundational passages of the Bible through a year (September 2019 – August 2020). It is a separate reading from the daily devotional but is included for those who would like to engage with the Scriptures on a deeper level throughout the year.

Read: Luke 12

 

 

Note: Are you looking for a Study Bible to help you engage with the Scriptures at a deeper level? If so, click here for some recommendations.

 

 

May 5: You are Uniquely Created

(Begin with 1-2 minutes of silence)

The more you take opportunity to study out the Scriptures in detail, the more you’ll begin to identify some interesting dualities. For example, yesterday we read that the Scriptures invite us not to be self-sufficient, but Christ sufficient. Not to be self-motivated, but Spirit-motivated. These biblical principles are absolutely essential to our spiritual growth. But there’s another principle which is equally important. 

For those who have made a decision to trust in Christ, God has given you a wonderful personality, specific gifts, and talents to creatively fulfill the purpose He has for you. Laying aside your self-sufficiency doesn’t mean you lay aside your entire self. Instead, by trusting Christ and following the leading of the Holy Spirit, you’ll  continually discover how to use your personality, gifts, and talents in unique ways that build up the Kingdom of God. 

After today’s Scripture reading, take a full 3-5 minutes (or longer) to reflect on this question: In this current season in your life, how has God uniquely suited you to be a light to yourself, your family, your neighbors, and others?

READING & JOURNALING:

     PHILIPPIANS 1:20-30

In this current season in your life, how has God uniquely suited you to be a light to yourself, your family, your neighbors, and others? 

 

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, today I’m thankful for the reminder that following You doesn’t mean I give up my whole self, but instead helps me to identify my true self, the very person You have made me to be. May I continue to grow into the person You have made me to be. Amen.  

(End with 1-2 minutes of silence)

 

F260 READING: (A Scripture Reading Plan for Busy Believers)

The F260 is a Scripture Reading Plan designed to read through the foundational passages of the Bible through a year (September 2019 – August 2020). It is a separate reading from the daily devotional but is included for those who would like to engage with the Scriptures on a deeper level throughout the year.

Read: Mark 9 & 10

 

 

Note: Are you looking for a Study Bible to help you engage with the Scriptures at a deeper level? If so, click here for some recommendations.

 

 

May 4: Give Up to Grow Up

(Begin with 1-2 minutes of silence)

When is the last time you took the opportunity to sit back and observe a child? Maybe you watched as she jumped into a large puddle of water, splashing it all over herself and giggling in delight. Or perhaps you observed the 100 percent contented look on his face as he fell asleep knowing he was safe and secure in your arms. 

For many, childhood is a season of personal growth that is unrivaled in adulthood. We grow into a high level of self-sufficiency and personal motivation, but we do so in the safety and security of those who love and want the best for us.

But then something strange happens. The further we get into adulthood the more difficult it becomes to experience the the same level of growth that came more naturally in childhood. We may even think to ourselves, Why is this so difficult? 

The Biblical answer, while true, grates against our very nature. The Scriptures invite us not to be self-sufficient, but to rest in Christ’s sufficiency. We’re invited to give up our own interests, and instead rest in the safety and security of the One who wants the very best for us. 

READING & JOURNALING:

     ROMANS 8:12-17, LUKE 10:38-42

Personal growth happens when we rest in the safety and security of the One who loves and wants what’s best for us. Today, what is one thing that is most getting in the way of you experiencing personal growth? 

 

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that my spiritual and emotional growth hinges on me resting in You. Today, I choose to not only acknowledge Your presence, but to rest in it. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

(End with 1-2 minutes of silence)

 

F260 READING: (A Scripture Reading Plan for Busy Believers)

The F260 is a Scripture Reading Plan designed to read through the foundational passages of the Bible through a year (September 2019 – August 2020). It is a separate reading from the daily devotional but is included for those who would like to engage with the Scriptures on a deeper level throughout the year.

Read: Luke 9:10-62

 

 

Note: Are you looking for a Study Bible to help you engage with the Scriptures at a deeper level? If so, click here for some recommendations.

 

 

May 1: Write it Out

(Begin with 1-2 minutes of silence)

READING & JOURNALING:

How regularly do you think about the fact that you now live in another culture, the Kingdom of God? How do you think your relationship with God would change if you more fully understood God’s culture? Be specific. 

(End with 1-2 minutes of silence)

 

F260 READING: (A Scripture Reading Plan for Busy Believers)

The F260 is a Scripture Reading Plan designed to read through the foundational passages of the Bible through a year (September 2019 – August 2020). It is a separate reading from the daily devotional but is included for those who would like to engage with the Scriptures on a deeper level throughout the year.

Read: Matthew 8

 

 

Note: Are you looking for a Study Bible to help you engage with the Scriptures at a deeper level? If so, click here for some recommendations.

 

 

APRIL 30: It’s Not About ‘Right’ and ‘Wrong’

(Begin with 1-2 minutes of silence)

We are conditioned to think in terms of right and wrong, correct or incorrect. Changing our culture means noticing the way we think – and changing it. Instead of right and wrong, let’s talk about life and death. What are you doing and believing that’s bringing life to you, to your relationship with the Holy Spirit and to your friends and family? What are you doing and believing that is harming you, your relationship with Holy Spirit and your friends and family?

In the culture of the Kingdom of God, it’s not only about using biblical terminology but truly understanding the meaning of these words. One word in particular is, righteousness. In the Bible, the first example of righteousness is Abraham. When the Bible says that Abraham was considered righteous because of his faith, we need to remember that he was not following the law. There was no law to follow. He was following, and trying to follow, the Spirit. He did some life-giving things and he did some things that did not bring life. Nonetheless, he was considered righteous not because of what he did but because of the One he believed in, and the One he chose to follow.

READING & JOURNALING:

     ROMANS 8:10, GENESIS 15:6

What actions have you been doing that you’ve considered arbitrarily “wrong”? How do your feelings and thoughts change if you label those actions as “not life-giving” instead?

What did Abraham believe that made him righteous? Be specific. 

PRAYER:

Today, write out your own prayer to God. Share with Him any thoughts, feelings, or opinions you may have. 

(End with 1-2 minutes of silence)

 

F260 READING: (A Scripture Reading Plan for Busy Believers)

The F260 is a Scripture Reading Plan designed to read through the foundational passages of the Bible through a year (September 2019 – August 2020). It is a separate reading from the daily devotional but is included for those who would like to engage with the Scriptures on a deeper level throughout the year.

Read: Matthew 7

 

 

Note: Are you looking for a Study Bible to help you engage with the Scriptures at a deeper level? If so, click here for some recommendations.

 

 

APRIL 29: Change the Way You Think

(Begin with 1-2 minutes of silence)

Romans 8:7-8 reads, For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

Let’s make this a little more understandable. ‘A mind that is set on Nigerian culture is hostile to other cultures/countries for it does not submit to their laws; indeed, it cannot. Those who are part of another culture cannot please his or her countrymen. We, however, do not belong to the culture we once lived in. We belong to a life-giving culture.’

Culture is all-encompassing, inescapable and part of every thought, emotion and decision. God wants His children to be encompassed by His culture so much so that it would automatically and reflexively affect every thought, emotion and decision. Becoming accustomed to a culture is trial-and-error, understanding your old perspective, and realizing a new perspective – it’s generally not easy. But for those people who live and learn that culture, pleasing God becomes easy, automatic and thoughtless – because that’s what culture is.

READING & JOURNALING:

     ROMANS 8:7-9, ROMANS 12:2

Are you resistant to the idea that pleasing God could be easy? Do you see God as difficult to please?

What aspects of your culture – way of thinking, feeling and behaving – would you want to change for a better way of thinking, feeling and behaving?

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, thank You for coming to earth to usher us into a new Kingdom and a new culture. Please help me to better understand what You think, and how and why it’s life-giving. I want to desire Your culture to be mine. As I pursue it, I ask that You would bless the pursuit and that this pursuit would be pleasing to God, with all the ups and downs it will undoubtedly bring. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

(End with 1-2 minutes of silence)

 

F260 READING: (A Scripture Reading Plan for Busy Believers)

The F260 is a Scripture Reading Plan designed to read through the foundational passages of the Bible through a year (September 2019 – August 2020). It is a separate reading from the daily devotional but is included for those who would like to engage with the Scriptures on a deeper level throughout the year.

Read: Matthew 6

 

 

Note: Are you looking for a Study Bible to help you engage with the Scriptures at a deeper level? If so, click here for some recommendations.

 

 

APRIL 28: Living in God’s Country

(Begin with 1-2 minutes of silence)

We, as Americans, don’t want to eat fish for breakfast. We, as Americans, don’t have to try to get frustrated over spilled milk. While these kinds of decisions seem natural, culture is taught. 

Other peoples, like the Japanese, don’t have to try to like fish for breakfast. And the Inuit don’t have to try not to get frustrated over spilled milk. For them these decisions seem natural. But like ours, their culture is taught.

The first way to assume a new culture is to realize how it’s different from our own even in subtle ways. Culture, as evidenced by the world, is both teachable and learnable. We can choose to learn a new culture, one that is life-giving.

People in other cultures think differently, feel differently and act differently – even when confronted with similar circumstances. Walking into the Kingdom of Heaven could be compared to going to France, Ecuador or Holland. Live in it and you’ll learn the differences. Start talking to the natives and you’ll understand their way of thinking. Compare their ways to your own, and decide what are more life-giving ways you can think, feel and act.

READING & JOURNALING:

     ROMANS 8:5-6, MATTHEW 9:17

What are some of the big (and subtle) ways the culture of the Spirit is different than our own?

How would you start to integrate into another culture, such as French or Dutch? How will these strategies help you to pursue a Spirit culture?

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, Thank you for a new country and a new culture. Show me what my culture is currently in my day-to-day life. Help me to notice my reactions, thoughts and feelings to the mundane things  and to the serious things. I’m asking You to teach me your culture and give me the peace to let mine go. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(End with 1-2 minutes of silence)

 

F260 READING: (A Scripture Reading Plan for Busy Believers)

The F260 is a Scripture Reading Plan designed to read through the foundational passages of the Bible through a year (September 2019 – August 2020). It is a separate reading from the daily devotional but is included for those who would like to engage with the Scriptures on a deeper level throughout the year.

Read: Matthew 5

 

 

Note: Are you looking for a Study Bible to help you engage with the Scriptures at a deeper level? If so, click here for some recommendations.

 

 

APRIL 27: Do Not Feel Condemned

(Begin with 1-2 minutes of silence)

There’s a lot to learn when going to another country, such as traffic laws and dress code. A person could travel from a very strict culture to one much more relaxed, or vice-versa.

Becoming a Christian is like traveling to a new country. We’re just conditioned to follow the rules of the old country. What happens when we break those rules? The rules that no longer apply to us?

If there is no condemnation in Christ, why is it that we sometimes feel condemned or shamed?

Habits, or culture, are hard to break. Romans 8:1 mentions two different ways of existing. Most people spent years living under the law of sin and death (and condemnation) before they were saved. Many Christians have spent much of their post-saved lives also under the law of sin and death (and condemnation). So where does condemnation come from? Simply put, the enemy. We have been set free from that law to live under the law of the Spirit of life. And those are two different ways of thinking, feeling, believing and existing: dead or alive.

READING & JOURNALING:

     ROMANS 8:1-2

What do you consider to be the law of sin and death? What do you consider to be the law of the Spirit of life?

When you became a Christian, do you feel that you moved from a strict country to a free country or vice versa? Why do you think that is? 

PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, thank You for who You are, and thank You for who You are not. Remind me whenever I feel condemned that it is not You, that it is never You. Condemnation will only take me away from You, and I ask that You would show me how to be freed from any thoughts that are more life-draining than life-giving. Continue to help me see myself in the same way You see me. Amen.

(End with 1-2 minutes of silence)

 

F260 READING: (A Scripture Reading Plan for Busy Believers)

The F260 is a Scripture Reading Plan designed to read through the foundational passages of the Bible through a year (September 2019 – August 2020). It is a separate reading from the daily devotional but is included for those who would like to engage with the Scriptures on a deeper level throughout the year.

Read: Matthew 3 & 4

 

 

Note: Are you looking for a Study Bible to help you engage with the Scriptures at a deeper level? If so, click here for some recommendations.