Romans 1:26-2:4
26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy.32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
2You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
Joe Hernandez
Gateway Church – Concord
Observation: It is popular for people to live unrepentant lives in American Christianity. I see The Father saying He wants His sons and daughters to obey Him whole heartedly. He wants all of our heart. I see the Father saying that He wants His sons and daughters to live a life of total obedience. This obedient life is way better than sacrifice. I see God saying He wants His sons and daughters to see that obedience is more important than pleasing our culture, co-workers, friends, family, even our own mother.
Action: Pray, Father, I sense you are asking me to participate. I believe you are asking me to partner in helping my congregations unite for prayer gathering that we may lead lives of obedience. As we pray I am asking you for wholeness for healings, families, finances, and salvations. I want to obey You. What would You have me do?
Dear Lord,
Cultivate greater longing in me for You. Let me draw from You, my mainline. Pulse through this heart. Lord, I pass judgment on the very thing I do. I do the very thing You ask me not to. You are rich in kindness, quick to mercy, patient with my antics, always forgiving. Transform my inner being – become First nature – not second or third. You Alone see clearly. You Alone are good. Have retention be mine, so I breathe obedience. Lessen self, so I draw more of You. Lessen self, so I see brighter. Lessen self, so You may rise. Thank You Oh Lord, please hear my cry. Amen.
Lessen self. What a prayer! Thanks!
Observation: We ae pretty quick to condemn the downward spiral of moral values in our culture, but are we at the same time guilty of some “lesser” sins?
Action: I must keep in mind that God is not judging me by comparison to others, but by His righteous standard, which is perfection. Woe is me! Thank You, God, for your grace and mercy.
Observation: What caught my attention were the summary words to the ones intended to hear Paul’s words, “do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?” You want me to see and demonstrate the kind of kindness You have toward me! You want me to think more like You do- to think differently – to repent.
Action: I have one place that tests me greatly in mind. I will think differently and demonstrate kindness with the goal of seeing repentance.
Observation: Too many times we forget that God is love and desires nothing but the best for us. He has gone out of His way to reveal Himself to us and show us his kindness which leads us to repentance. But then, we hit a bump in the road or things don’t go the way we “know” they should be going. All of a sudden God becomes ” dumb”. We know better than the God of all creation.
Action: I will affirm over and over again today that God’s plan from the beginning of time has been, still is and will always be perfect.