The Normal Christian Life: A Journey Through Romans
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, Many times in my life I am tempted to worship created things, whether money, or career, family, sports, pleasure or any of a hundred other things. I ask Your forgiveness when anything or anyone but you is first in my life. I praise You that You ARE the Creator of the universe and that You alone deserve to be praised. I pray that as I go about this day You will constantly fill me with Your Holy Spirit that my thoughts will be filled with You, that my words will draw people to You and my actions will glorify You. I pray that as You are at work in me today that people will see You and hear You at work in me, and that You will gain all the glory and praise. Fulfill Your purposes in and through me, and by my life, let it be evident that no idol is at work in me, but only You and You alone. I thank You in advance for working out Your salvation in my life today and always. This I pray in the powerful and precious name of Jesus Christ, my risen Savior and Lord. Amen.
God’s Word Today—Romans 1:24-27
24So God let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen.
26That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27And the men, instead of having normal sexual relationships with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men and, as a result, suffered within themselves the penalty they so richly deserved.
Reflecting on God’s Word
Why do you suppose that idols have always been a temptation to people, even though we know that there is a God who is alive and at work all around us?
Notice how Paul couldn’t help but offer praise of the Creator, in the midst of this discourse on human sin. Why do you suppose Paul took this moment to of our Creator praise?
A Deeper Exploration of God’s Word
Look at Romans 1:25b According to this Scripture, what is the consequence of not believing the truth about God?
As you examine this verse what new insights do you find?
Understanding God’s Purpose for Us
According to today’s Scripture what is one of the primary purposes for which we are created? Why do you suppose Paul couldn’t help but offer this purpose even in the midst of a section about sin?
Applying God’s Word to Our Purpose
Almost as a secondary point, the Apostle Paul mentions that the Creator is to be praised forever. List a few ways that you can praise God, the Creator, as you go about your day today. Then as you go about your day take the time to praise the Creator, who deserves that praise NOW—as well as forever.
Thoughts - Worshiping Created Things...
Last week Pastor Tim provided our studies regarding how to avoid the worship of idols in our lives. In today’s Scripture, the Apostle Paul returns to the world of idols, because one of the results of believing lies rather than the truth about God is that we worship things rather than the Creator of all things—God! As Pastor Tim pointed out idolatry was not just something that happened in ancient times. We worship idols today, and we make idols out of just about anything. As we study God’s word from start to finish one of the things we find out about God is that He won’t tolerate idolatry. God tells us that He is a “jealous” God. In other words, He is not willing to share us with anyone, nor is He willing to be one god among many. He is the one, true God, and as such He will receive worship for Himself alone. As you go about this day, look around and watch people and their relationship to their “things.” Whether it’s a car or a cell phone, or an item of clothing, does the person seem to be engrossed in it, or is it just a “tool” to be used to enhance life. Whether the created thing we’re talking about is money, or some piece of technology, or even a part of nature, the challenge for us as humans is to see that God is the only one worthy of worship, that all THINGS, belong to Him, and that He has entrusted them to us as stewards or managers. The way we treat things tells others whether we believe in the one, true God, or whether we worship idols. Some folks spend all their life accumulating “stuff,” because they think it will bring them fame, or success, or happiness. The reality is that while fame, success or happiness may come for a moment, or months, or even years, the time will come when they will no longer satisfy. That’s because we weren’t made to worship and dote on things—we were made to worship the living God of the universe! When we do, things will fall into their proper place as means to an end—the end that we and others will know and worship the living God. We want to make certain as we go about this day that we keep God FIRST, that we have no other gods before Him. As we do that we reverse the curse of idolatry, and live in the joy and power of the new life only Jesus can give!
This Week’s Memory Verse:
They traded the truth about God for a lie. Romans 1:25a