The Normal Christian Life: A Journey Through Romans
Saturday, February 4, 2006
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, as we draw to the close of a week of studying Romans 1:18-20, I thank You that You have revealed Your salvation to me, and have saved me from Your wrath. I pray that as I continue to study Paul’s letter to the Romans throughout the year that You will open my heart and mind to understand its truths and to live them out in my daily life. I pray that You will fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I may have the wisdom I need not only to grow in my own faith and relationship with You, but also that I may share the truth and Good News found in Romans with others. I pray Your blessing on Pastor Tim as he prepares to lead us through the next segment of Romans in worship tomorrow. I pray that You will draw us to Yourself and to worship You tomorrow, and that as we live this day, that our thoughts, words and actions will honor You and advance the cause of Your coming kingdom. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
God’s Word Today—Romans 1:18-20
Romans 1:18-20 NLT
18But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves. 19For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. 20From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.
Romans 1:18-20 NIV*
18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For 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 men are without excuse.
*Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. The "NIV" and "New International Version" trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society. Use of either trademark requires the permission of International Bible Society.
Reflecting on God’s Word
Take one final look at Romans 1:18-20 in both the NLT and the NIV. Compare and contrast the translations one last time. Is there anything that the Lord draws to your attention? If so, reflect on it and ask for the Holy Spirit to use that truth in Your life today. If not, then take some time right now to reflect on the amazing truth that God’s word has been preserved down through the ages against incredible odds, so that we can know the truth and be set free by it!
A Deeper Exploration of God’s Word
Take five to ten minutes and write the similarities and differences in the wording of the two translations of Romans 1:18-20 below:
Understanding God’s Purpose for Us
List one overarching purpose God has for us as you find it in Romans 1:18-20:
Applying God’s Word to Our Purpose
As this is a Saturday, it’s likely that you aren’t doing your “typical” activities, whether you are off school or work for the weekend, or just working in a different way since others are off work or school. Think about Romans 1:18-20 from the perspective of God’s work in You—which never stops. What is one thing that you want God to do in your life right now, that will make you a more effective follower of Jesus? Ask Him to empower You to do it by the power of the Holy Spirit in you!
Thoughts - Hiding God's Word in Our Hearts...
Every day throughout each week, Pat includes the memory verse for the week’s Roman’s study somewhere in the trifold. I have a question for you: Are you taking the time to memorize the verses each week? Memorizing Scripture is one way that we can “hide God’s word in our hearts,” as King David tells us to do in Psalm 119. The purpose of hiding God’s word in our hearts is so that we won’t sin against Him. To use a New Testament metaphor from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, we memorize Scripture so that the “sword of the Spirit” is more effective. In talking about the “whole armor of God,” which we are to put on so that we can prevail against the devil, the only offensive weapon is the “Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God!”
I have committed to memorizing the book of Romans this year—or as close to this year as possible. It isn’t easy, but so far I have found that as I memorize the verses opportunities come up to use them. They become part of my prayers. They become part of my responses to people’s questions. They become part of my thought processes, and since they are becoming a larger and larger chunk of verses, taking the time to rehearse them in my mind or aloud, gives me something positive to do in moments of “waiting,” that might otherwise be wasted or used on less valuable activities.
I’m not suggesting that everyone ought to memorize the Book of Romans—although Martin Luther, the founder of the Protestant Reformation DID suggest that—I’m suggesting that if you memorize the verse each week that is highlighted in the daily readings that you will have sixteen verses by the end of the year that will benefit you as you seek to hide God’s word in your heart that you may not sin against Him AND your “sword” will be sharper in attacking our common enemy—the devil. One of my tasks as pastor is to exhort you to “love and good works,” according to the author of the Hebrews, so consider yourselves exhorted!!! God’s blessings as you make learning and living His word a priority in putting Him first in your lives.
This Week’s Memory Verse:
They know the truth about God because He has made it obvious to them. Romans 1:19