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Gleanings From The Word

Category: Romans

  • In Charge: Finding Faith in Chaos

    In Charge: Finding Faith in Chaos

    Dark storm clouds over a vally with the text "Is anyone in charge?"

    The world is in chaos. Political divisions, economic messes, pollution, crime, hatred and more. It can feel as if God is slowly slipping out of sight. It makes you wonder, “Is anyone in charge?”

    The church is in chaos. It feels like we’re losing ground to competing worldviews, and people seem to be walking away from the faith. Churches struggle financially, and there are plenty of false teachers out there. It makes you wonder, “Is anyone in charge?”

    Sin is running rampant. It feels like the inmates are running the asylum. Relationships are breaking down, and people are more connected than ever before through technology, yet lonelier than at any time in history. It makes you wonder, “Is anyone in charge?”

    The answer is yes, someone is in charge, and none of this is a surprise to Him.

    In his letter to the church at Colossae, the Apostle Paul writes about Jesus.

    Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, And in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, And through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross—through Him—whether things on earth or things in heaven. Colossians 1:15-20

    Jesus is in control of all things. In Him, through Him and for Him. Nothing can thwart His plans. His victory was never in doubt and has already been accomplished.

    That’s why Paul could also write…

    For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

    The Lord is all-powerful (omnipotent), all-knowing) omniscient, and all present (omnipresent). He is ruler (sovereign), unchanging (immutable), non-created (self-existent) and outside of time and space (transcendent).

    Nothing in all of creation can thwart His plans for us or His creation. The church will always be, and believers will always belong to him. The answer to “is anyone in charge?” is clearly yes and amen.y

    No matter what you face today, because the Lord knows, He cares, and He is in control.

    Praise Him and give thanks no matter your circumstances.

    Hallelu Yah (Praise God) 

    Be blessed 

    Kevin 

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    SUMMARY

    In a world that feels out of control, the Apostle Paul reminds us that Jesus is sovereign over all creation — nothing in heaven or earth can thwart His plans. Because He is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, believers can rest in the certainty that they are held securely in His love.

    KEY POINTS

    The chaos we see in the world, the church, and in sin is not a surprise to God

    Jesus created all things, holds all things together, and will have first place in everything

    Nothing in all creation can separate believers from the love of God in Christ Jesus

  • Profound Change: The Journey to New Creation

    Profound Change: The Journey to New Creation

    Profound change along the journey

    A caterpillar entering its cocoon stage undergoes a profound change. It has no idea that it will emerge as a butterfly or a moth. Something similar happens to us at two points in our lives. 

    When we are born again, we are a new creation, and we have been justified – that is, all our sin is paid for. Through this life, we are increasingly made more like Jesus. That’s the process of being sanctified – set apart and being made holy.

    When we die or Jesus takes us home, we are freed to be everything He created us to be, that is, glorified. Made ready to dwell forevermore in a fully perfect and holy realm with a perfectly holy and loving God. That’s a period of profound change.

    Because of the stain of original sin, every human born (except Jesus) is a sinner by both our very nature and our actions. We are unable to change nature or to do enough good works to cleanse our own record.

    That’s why we need a savior. Believers understand that truth.

    We often struggle in our faith walk because we fail to understand that process. Being born again with a clean slate doesn’t mean we are sinless, perfect people. We struggle against our flesh and the enemy.

    That’s why Paul could cry out 

    I find then the principle that in me evil is present, in me who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in my members, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a captive to the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body of this death?  Romans 7:21-14

    He understood our struggles well. We fail to do what we ought and default to what we shouldn’t. We grow frustrated. Fortunately, the Lord knows and has given us the Spirit and His Word to work with and in us. 

    He has given us the Body of the church to practice our skills of being Christlike and to grow in spiritual fruit.

    The Lord has not abandoned us in the battle.

    Paul understood where the victory lay. It sounds almost cliché, but the victory truly is in Jesus, and the battle does belong to the Lord.

    Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:15

    There is uncertainty in the ending of life as we know it, and perhaps unpleasantry in the time leading up to it. But, never forget that for the believer it is followed by something much better than we can even imagine, for longer than we can comprehend.

    It will be a profound change for the better.

    Don’t despair that you’ve not reached the state of perfect Christ likeness yet. Don’t give up because you have stumbled.  Remember that He is in control and He will guide you and make you everything you were ever designed to be.

    That’s a change to look forward to.

    Hallelu Yah (Praise God) 

    Be blessed 

    Kevin 

    Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone) 

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    SUMMARY

    Even in our struggles, God is transforming believers into what He designed us to become. The process may feel uncertain now, but for those in Christ, it ends in glory.

    TAKEAWAY

    • Justification makes us forgiven in Christ.
    • Sanctification shapes us through the struggles of this life.
    • Glorification will finally free believers from sin forever.

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