Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. —Romans 13:10 And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires. —Romans 13:14 Prisons are filled with people who have unlovingly wronged others. They not only thought about ways to indulge their evil desires toward others but they carried those evil desires out. Murderers, thieves, and those who have committed sexual crimes fill our jails and prisons. But before we get self-righteous about not being in prison for those crimes, let us just remember that Jesus equates hatred with murder (Matthew 5:21-22; I John 3:15) and lusting after a woman (or man) in…

Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! “For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back?” For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen. —Romans 11:33-36 How will we honor God today? In what way will we shine forth His brilliance? Will we live in such a way today to magnify His Name? What can we be or do today that…

And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved. —Romans 11:6 Kind people make such a better day, a better world. I recently heard about people here in our little town, a two country store (one with gas pumps) town, they paid for meals for soldiers eating the only diner and buying food at the other store for soldiers as well. Kindness to others brings joy to them and also encourages others who hear about it. Kindness… when we get somewhat of a grasp on God’s kindness it is…

For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” —Romans 10:13-15 Go because you are sent— are you going? You have been sent by Jesus (John 17:18). Tell them so they can hear— are you telling? Faith comes…

And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. —Romans 8:10-11 Death is common to all people. It matters not the social, economic, racial, ethnic, nationality or intelligence of a person. All will die— 1.78 people die per second, 107 per minute, 6,390 per hour, 153,000 per day, 56 million per year, 3.9…

So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. —Romans 7:4 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh,…

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. —Romans 6:23 A person labors as a construction worker, a doctor, a baker, a nurse, a policeman, fireman, clerk, but each of them has at least one thing in common—they get paid for what they do. The time, energy and expertise that each one invests are rewarded with a wage. In much of the world this wage is paid with money, but in many parts of the world this wage is paid with produce or livestock or some other commodity. But, the worker is paid wages for his work.…

When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. —Romans 5:12 The whole bushel of apples was rotten. How did that happen? It started with one apple that rotted and that one apple affected all the rest. The bushel of apples was completely ruined and had to be thrown out. Where did life come from? How did it originate? Those are familiar questions people ask. Instead, let us ask this one— Where did death come from? Why do we die? Yes, we can describe physically why we die with the aging of the body and by disease, but where did…

When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it: “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin” (Romans 4:4-8). Think of having a debt so great that you could never work it off. You could never earn enough money to pay offer the…

But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made…