The God who opens the eyes of our heart

Romans 15:20-21

20 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.

21 Rather, as it is written:

“Those who were not told about him will see,

and those who have not heard will understand.”

In today’s scripture we read how Paul quotes Isaiah 52:15 when he speaks about his urgency to take the gospel to those who do not know the Messiah. He had such a heart for those who did not know about the Messiah! Paul in this chapter points to a fulfilled prophecy. It was prophesied in Isaiah that even those who were not told about Him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.

Point to ponder

Let us ask the Lord to open the eyes of our hearts to see Him.  Let us celebrate God this week for His mercy to bring understanding, even to those who did not hear, and opening the eyes to see – even of those who were not told!

Open the eyes of my heart Lord

God our Hope

Romans 15:8-13 (NKJ)

8 Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, 9 and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written:  

“For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles,

And sing to Your name.”

10 And again he says:

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!”

11 And again:

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles!

Laud Him, all you peoples!”

12 And again, Isaiah says:

“There shall be a root of Jesse;

And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles,

In Him the Gentiles shall hope.”

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.


Once again keeping in mind the background of the congregation in Romans, it is such a hopeful encouragement offered by Paul to all the people in this congregation. Paul makes it clear once again at the end of this letter that both the Jew and Gentile has access to God.  That He is the hope of all nations!  In a time when we may look at the world around us and feel hopeless by all the increasing evil and destruction we see - may He remain our Hope because He is faithful to His covenant and faithful to His character as a merciful God.  

Thought to ponder:  

May the God of Hope fill us with joy and peace in our believing so that we will have an abundance of Hope by the power of the Holy Spirit!

Living Hope - Phil Wickam

Praise to His Glory in Unity of heart and with one voice

Good morning everyone

Firstly I would like to apologize for what ended up being the absence of Monday Devotions last week.  Sometimes life catches up with me... 

Resuming our journey through Romans this week, we are focusing on Romans 15: 5-7

5 Now may the God Who gives the power of patient endurance (steadfastness) and Who supplies encouragement, grant you to live in such mutual harmony and such full sympathy with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,  6 That together you may [unanimously] with united hearts and one voice, praise and glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).  7 Welcome and receive [to your hearts] one another, then, even as Christ has welcomed and received you, for the glory of God.

When reading this scripture we need to just remind ourselves of the background of the congregation in Romans that Paul is writing this letter to.  There were both Jewish and Gentile believers that all became part of the community of believers in Jesus as the Messiah.  When Paul then admonishes and encourages the congregation with these verses to have patient endurance with each other, and to welcome and receive each other to their hearts with a united heart and one voice, he is doing so against the background of these religious and cultural differences.  

The message of this is as true and relevant for us today as it was for the congregation in Rome.  2000 years later we still need to pay attention and receive each other into the body of Christ's believers with patient endurance, mutual harmony, full sympathy in spite of all our cultural and other differences.  And for but only one reason:  "so that we will be able to praise and glorify God the Father and Jesus Christ the Messiah with united hearts and one voice"

Furthermore, there is only one reason why we can welcome and receive each other in this manner, and that is because "Christ has welcomed and received us, for the glory of God "

Point to ponder:

I think this is profound truth - If Christ can receive all of us - why can we not receive each other?  How are you and I faring in terms of receiving those around us, in spite of our differences, into the body of Christ?  What is the price to pay if we do not?  As a body we cannot with united heart and one voice bring praise to the glory of God.  What an indictment against the current affairs and state of the community of believers...

Every Tribe:  Joshua Aaron and Chief Riverwind

Non-Nobis

Romans 15:2-3a

Let each one of us make it a practice to please (make happy) his neighbor for his good and for his true welfare, to edify him [to strengthen him and build him up spiritually].  3 For Christ did not please Himself [gave no thought to His own interests]... AMPC

Non-Nobis is the motto for the council for social service professions in South- Africa, where all social workers and social auxiliary workers have to register in order to be able to work as a social worker or social auxiliary worker. It means "Not for ourselves".  In today's scripture Paul reminds us to do exactly that.  To live and serve others for their benefit and to build others up, just as Christ did not serve Himself but came to serve us, to build us up selflessly, not giving thought to His own interests, but serving us for our benefit and interest to the point of giving His life so that we can live.

Point to ponder

Maybe we need to review our motives for whatever we are doing in life.  Are we serving our own interests, or are we serving to benefit and build up others spiritually in the way God planned for us to do when He created us?  

Love God, Love your neigbour

Unity in Diversity

Romans 14:6-13

6 He who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. He also who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; while he who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.  7 None of us lives to himself [but to the Lord], and none of us dies to himself [but to the Lord, for] 8 If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or we die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For Christ died and lived again for this very purpose, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.  10 Why do you criticize and pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you look down upon or despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God.  11 For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God [acknowledge Him to His honor and to His praise]. 12 And so each of us shall give an account of himself [give an answer in reference to judgment] to God. 13 Then let us no more criticize and blame and pass judgment on one another, but rather decide and endeavor never to put a stumbling block or an obstacle or a hindrance in the way of a brother.

In Romans 12, Paul in no uncertain terms reminds us of the fact that the body of Christ is a diverse community with different ways and different convictions regarding, for example, feast days and food, etc.  And Paul's point is that there are certain things and times where each believer has to act according to their own convictions, because it is that believer that will stand before God and give an account of their own convictions.  Paul is quite adamant that we are not to judge our brother within the community of believers on these things, but leave it to that believer and God to sort out between themselves.  

Paul was giving direction here to the congregation in Rome, that was a diverse congregation of Jews and Gentiles, yet they were all believers.  His advice to them was to not judge or criticize each other but to respect each other, be humble and allow for differences in opinions and ways of doing.  I think we can learn much from this in our time, because 2000 years later it is as relevant as it was in the times of Romans.

Point to ponder:

Let's ask the Lord to give us wisdom to have more mercy with each other. James 2:13 says "Mercy triumphs over judgement"

Christ Tomlin - Goodness love and mercy follow me wherever I go

Wake up! Get dressed!

Romans 13:11,12 and 14

11 Besides this you know what [a critical] hour this is, how it is high time now for you to wake up out of your sleep (rouse to reality). For salvation (final deliverance) is nearer to us now than when we first believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Christ, the Messiah).

12 The night is far gone and the day is almost here. Let us then drop (fling away) the works and deeds of darkness and put on the [full] armor of light.

14 But clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and make no provision for [indulging] the flesh [put a stop to thinking about the evil cravings of your physical nature] to [gratify its] desires (lusts).

Ephesians 5:14

14 Therefore He says, Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine (make day dawn) upon you and give you light.

Revelation 3:1-2

I know your record and what you are doing; you are supposed to be alive, but [in reality] you are dead.  
2 Rouse yourselves and keep awake, and strengthen and invigorate what remains and is on the point of dying; for I have not found a thing that you have done [any work of yours] meeting the requirements of My God or perfect in His sight.

Many years ago my parents had a very unique experience at our home.  My father used to host a Bible study group once a week and a neighbour started attending the Bible study.  One morning early her husband just about hammered down our front door, looking for my father.  He wanted to know what kind of  'power' my father was worshipping in this house, because he used astral travelling to visit our house while his wife was attending the Bible study, and according to him there was a light around our house and no matter what he did, he could not find a place to come in!  This verse in Romans has become one of those life-verses for me.  There was an armour of light around our house that night - and the word says we can be dressed in that armour of Light.  Who is the Light?  It is Christ Himself, thus just a few verses later Paul reminds us that we need to get dressed in Christ and not be spiritually asleep.    

In scripture there is a spiritual state described as being 'asleep' and the Holy Spirit calls us to wake up in no uncertain terms.  He calls us awake and encourages us to get rid of the works and deeds of darkness and corruption - not giving any place to it - not even in our thoughts.  He admonishes us to not make any provision for indulging in the flesh or gratify its desires in any way.  In our culture today, that very much lives by the notion that we have the right to do whatever pleases us, yes whatever pleases the flesh - it is an increasingly fierce battle to not feed the flesh but to be intentional about feeding the spirit with God-ordained thoughts and actions.  Paul admonishes us to get into the opposite spirit by dressing ourselves in the Armour of Light, and since Christ is The Light it also means that we clothe ourselves with Christ.  This is the clothes of the Bride of Christ - Christ the Messiah, our Armour of Light!

Point to ponder:

Let us ask the Holy Spirit this week to reveal to us the state of our spirit.  Are we in a spiritual sleep?  In which areas do we feed the flesh instead of the spirit?

Let us ask him to raise us from the dead and from this spiritual sleep we are in.  Ask him to give us His Light and dress us in Christ and His Armour of Light.  

Armour of Light - Park Church Music - Album 'The autumn chapter"

Responsible Citizens

Romans 13:1-7

1 Let every person be loyally subject to the governing (civil) authorities. For there is no authority except from God [by His permission, His sanction], and those that exist do so by God’s appointment.2 Therefore he who resists and sets himself up against the authorities resists what God has appointed and arranged [in divine order]. And those who resist will bring down judgment upon themselves [receiving the penalty due them]....... 6 For this same reason you pay taxes, for [the civil authorities] are official servants under God, devoting themselves to attending to this very service. 7 Render to all men their dues. [Pay] taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, and honor to whom honor is due.

In Romans 13, Paul addresses an issue that is as relevant to us 2000 years later as it was during his lifetime - our conduct towards government and authorities appointed over us. I think firstly it will serve us well when we read this chapter, to remember that Paul wrote this during a time when his own people were oppressed by the Roman government, which was a foreign, corrupt government that made laws with the purpose to subject people to their own rule of law that served their own agenda. Thus it will not help us to look at our government today and excuse our lack of respect for our government with the attitude that Paul could not have foreseen the circumstances and problems we face in our time. He wrote against the background of very similar situations, all very familiar to us today. Yet, even in facing this, he admonished the Roman congregation to subject themselves to the rules and regulations and law of the day.

Paul in actual fact goes as far as saying that there is no authority unless God gives it to man. That is quite a sobering thought. Of course this does not mean that God institutes and condones corrupt governments - my understanding is that God appoints people into positions of authority and expects them to do the job according to His Kingdom rules. If they do not, then He will hold them accountable for their use or misuse or abuse of the authority and they will suffer the consequences thereof.  However, just as God holds them responsible, he will also hold responsible the citizens for their conduct.  God holds us responsible for our lack of respect and our downright rebellion against authority.  Both these principles - responsible authority and respect for authority - are important in His Kingdom.

What happens when authority is ungodly and expects you to do things that are ungodly? I believe the Bible also gives us direction in these cases. In Acts 5:29-42 we read the following:

7 So they brought them and set them before the council (Sanhedrin). And the high priest examined them by questioning,  28 Saying, We definitely commanded and strictly charged you not to teach in or about this Name; yet here you have flooded Jerusalem with your doctrine and you intend to bring this Man’s blood upon us. 29 Then Peter and the apostles replied, We must obey God rather than men....

The disciples' response infuriated the Sanhedrin to the point that they wanted to kill them.  The main reason for them being so angry with the disciples was because the members of the Sanhedrin were regarded as the voice of God on earth, and therefore the disciples' response implied that their instruction to them were not of God.    

In verse 34-42 Gamaliel responded by saying there were others in history that regarded themselves important and had a following, but when their leader died, the rest of the following dissipated.  Gamaliel expected this to happen to the disciples as well - unless their mission was of God.  In which case he understood that no man would be able to stop the mission of the disciples.    

We read again from verse 39-42

39 But if it is of God, you will not be able to stop or overthrow or destroy them; you might even be found fighting against God!  40 So, convinced by him, they took his advice; and summoning the apostles, they flogged them and sternly forbade them to speak in or about the name of Jesus, and allowed them to go.  41 So they went out from the presence of the council (Sanhedrin), rejoicing that they were being counted worthy [dignified by the indignity] to suffer shame and be exposed to disgrace for [the sake of] His name.  42 Yet [in spite of the threats] they never ceased for a single day, both in the temple area and at home, to teach and to proclaim the good news (Gospel) of Jesus [as] the Christ (the Messiah

I think it is fairly clear that the disciples did not adhere to the request of these authorities to stop preaching, but interestingly enough they still submitted themselves to the consequences these authorities decided on - in this case being flogged.  What is also remarkable is that nowhere do we read that they were disrespectful nor did they slander or incite people to violence and rebellion against these authorities.  They did not lead their followers into a revolution nor a disregard of the governmental laws that allowed the Sanhedrin the powers to mete out consequences like flogging at their own will and discernment.  In fact we just read that they left the presence of the Sanhedrin rejoicing that they we counted worthy of suffering for the sake of the Name of Jesus.   

Likewise did Paul.  He adhered to the law and even admonished his followers to make sure that they pay their taxes to government - this same government eventually jailed and killed Paul.  

Point to ponder:

God holds kings and governments responsible for their conduct and they will suffer the consequences of their bad governance, or they will receive the benefit of their good governance.  However, likewise God holds us responsible for being good or bad citizens, and we will suffer the consequences of being bad citizens or receive the rewards for being good citizens.  So the question is - are you and I the best citizens we can be?  Are we living according to godly principles in our conduct to the authorities God appointed over us?  

For King and Country - Ceasefire

Recreate us

Directly after encouraging us with the discussion on the different gifts and functions we are called to in the body of Christ, Paul gives us an ethical conduct statement.  Paul knew very well that we are imperfect and that in spite of being endowed with these wonderful gifts, we still need to be admonished to be aware of our own selfish and fleshly ways of doing.  He wanted us to be intentional about overcoming our 'weak points' or battlefields.  In a 12-point statement, Paul underpinned our conduct with each other with godly principles of what I would like to call a Statement of Ethical Conduct in the body of Christ.  In our day and time where corruption is rife in the world and even in the church, it would serve us well to revisit these guidelines from Paul.  If we conduct ourselves in this manner it will greatly assist us in living above reproach in a world of decaying ethics, morals and righteousness.  

Romans 12:9-21

9 [Let your] love be sincere (a real thing); hate what is evil [loathe all ungodliness, turn in horror from wickedness], but hold fast to that which is good.

10 Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family], giving precedence and showing honor to one another. 

11 Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord.

12 Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer.

13 Contribute to the needs of God’s people [sharing in the necessities of the saints]; pursue the practice of hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you [who are cruel in their attitude toward you]; bless and do not curse them.

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others’ joy], and weep with those who weep [sharing others’ grief].

16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty (snobbish, high-minded, exclusive), but readily adjust yourself to [people, things] and give yourselves to humble tasks. Never overestimate yourself or be wise in your own conceits.

17 Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is honest and proper and noble [aiming to be above reproach] in the sight of everyone.

18 If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave the way open for [God’s] wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay (requite), says the Lord.

20 But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.

21 Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but overcome (master) evil with good.

Point to ponder

Let us ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us when we are not conducting our lives in accordance to these biblical principles, and ask His Wisdom to be able to change our attitudes and way of living around so that we can honour and glorify our God with the way we live, and move, and have our being. Let us ask Him to recreate us into His image.  

Recreate - Urban Rescue

Mutually dependent on one another

Romans 12:4-8

4 For as in one physical body we have many parts (organs, members) and all of these parts do not have the same function or use,  5 So we, numerous as we are, are one body in Christ (the Messiah) and individually we are parts one of another [mutually dependent on one another].  6 Having gifts (faculties, talents, qualities) that differ according to the grace given us, let us use them: [He whose gift is] prophecy, [let him prophesy] according to the proportion of his faith;  7 [He whose gift is] practical service, let him give himself to serving; he who teaches, to his teaching; 8 He who exhorts (encourages), to his exhortation; he who contributes, let him do it in simplicity and liberality; he who gives aid and superintends, with zeal and singleness of mind; he who does acts of mercy, with genuine cheerfulness and joyful eagerness.

In these verses of Romans 12, Paul teaches us that as individuals, we do not have everything we need to complete the body of Christ.  He says that we each have a different function in the body.  When he speaks about this he uses the image of a physical body to draw attention to the fact that we are in actual fact in a certain sense, created incomplete.  Of course the nose is created complete as a nose, and an ear is created complete as an ear, but the ear is not the whole body and neither is the nose.  Therefore a body has many parts that are created complete in their own sense, but they cannot function on their own.  The nose is dependent on the ear to hear and fulfill that function and so is the ear dependent on the nose to smell and breathe.  The ear cannot fulfill the function of the nose and vice versa.  

God therefore created each of us to fulfill a specific function for the body of Christ, but He also created us to lack in certain functions so that we will need the other parts for the body to be alive and doing all it was created to do.  If He created each member of your body with all the functions of the whole body, then your nose would have had feet and then it probably would have been on AWOL a long time ago.  It would have given a runny nose a whole different meaning!😉 The nose would not have needed the body and the body would not have needed the nose.  If this was true then there would never have been a possibility for the body to live and move and have its being in Christ and in unity.  

When Paul continues to mention the different gifts that God gives us according to His grace, then we can understand that we all have a different gift given to us according to God's grace.  He has created the body with all these different functions so that we do not have a choice but to work together in unity - if we would like the body of Christ to be whole and healthy and functioning the way God created it.

What sadness that we as human beings just simply cannot manage to envision a world where everyone has a part to play, even though it is a different part.  We compete as if the knee will be able to become the toe, we feel inadequate as if the thumb can take over the function of the kidney.  We are jealous because we fear that the left eye will see better than the right eye - as if both are not needed.  If we can just understand that everyone has their own unique part to play and nobody on earth can do it as well as you can.  We are all unique, yet connected to a body full of other unique parts, and we are meant to make the most beautiful music together, being mutually depended on each other.

Point to ponder

Ask Holy Spirit to show you if you secretly feel threatened or jealous by someone else in the body with a different gifting than yours.  Ask Holy Spirit if you secretly do not feel adequate when you look at some of the other members of the body of Christ.  Both these viewpoints are ungodly.  Ask Him to restore unto you the uniqueness of the identity, gift and function He has created you with before the foundation of the earth. Ask him to reveal to you which one of these gifts He has created you with, then walk in authority with it without domination, in godly confidence without pride and in joyful eagerness without disdain or feelings of incompetence.  Bless the design God placed inside of you when He dreamed up your design.  

City on a Hill - Casting Crowns  

The estimation of value

 Romans 12:3

3 For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him. AMPC

In Romans 3, Paul admonishes us to not become prideful and think more of ourselves than we ought to, or have an exaggerated opinion of our own importance.  He admonishes us to remain humble and rightly estimate our own value.  Getting that right is sometimes a challenge for us.  All too often we tend to either undervalue ourselves or overvalue ourselves.  When we understand though, that we are part of a body (as he will explain to us in the rest of this chapter), we start to understand that we are all valuable.  Which part of your body has no value to you?  Well, just wait until that part is hurting or does not function the way it should anymore and then we are quick to understand the importance or value of it.  It's like that with us as human beings too.  We are all valuable - but not more valuable than your neighbour.  Status and accolades - or the lack thereof - does not give us more, or less, value in the eyes of God.  

One application of this in the context of this chapter would be to recognize that others have gifts I do not have and vice versa.  I therefore need to give them the opportunity to share their gifts with me, and I need to share my gifts with them.  In this way the body of Christ will be whole and healthy, giving and receiving from each other.    

Point to ponder

Let us ask the Lord this week to show us where there is distortion in how much, or how little, we think of ourselves.  Let us ask Him to give us a right estimation of the value we - and others - have for Him in His Kingdom.  

Lauren Daigle "You say"