Bartimaeus Baptist Temple

This week's study takes us through Roman 12:14-21. Paul continues teaching us what a living sacrifice looks like. Now we've come to some of the harder parts, especially that stuff about blessing people who mistreat us and doing good to our enemies. But if we look to Jesus as our example, we see that these are the things He did. He called out sin, especially hypocrisy, but he also uttered these famous words at His crucifixion, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Verse 21 reads, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.". What does it mean to be overcome by evil. Sometimes it surely seems to prevail. Were the martyrs overcome by evil? Was Jesus overcome by evil when He died on that cross? Quite the opposite. In that sacrificial act He overcame evil with good forever. It isn't going quietly, but it must go. Until that day comes, we must contend with it. To be overcome by evil is to be drawn into it. Instead of standing against it and choosing good, we become participants in it. This passage seems to be telling us how to approach relationships with all people, not just those in the church. It humanizes our enemies and reminds us that we all start from the same place. Jesus Himself warned us that our message would not be widely accepted, but it becomes real when accompanied by behavior like this, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” What's with that last part? The imagery doesn't seem to match the spirit of the message. Paul is quoting from Proverbs 25:21-22. It is likely a reference to an Egyptian custom of carrying hot coals on one's head as a sign of contrition. The hope is that in doing good to our enemies, we draw them to a place of repentance. We invite them to become part of God's family.

In Romans 12:9-13, Paul is continuing his teaching about what a living sacrifice looks like. Verse 9 begins, “Let love be without hypocrisy—by…” I only found one version, the Legacy Standard Bible, that reads this way. I admit to not knowing Greek, but a bit of research suggests that this is how it should read. Now a series of loosely connected exhortations becomes connected to a purpose. Let your love be true. Doing these things will draw your heart to His, and you will “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (12:2)

What does it mean to be a living sacrifice? How can we renew our minds and thus be transformed? These are the first two instructions we find as Paul moves from theology lesson to application (Romans 12:1-2.) In the last message we explored what they mean and how we might begin to follow them, but we really don't have to guess. Paul is going to tell us. The short version might be put this way. Get busy using your God-given gifts to the max, but remember where they came from and stay humble. Our text is from Romans 12:3-8.

Priscilla urges us to trust the Lord regardless of circumstance

As we continue our study of the book of Romans, we have come to a point of transition. Paul has finished his theology lesson and now moves into application. It begins with the famous "therefore." IN light of everything we now know, this is how we should live. If you have followed us over the past few years, you will recognize the teaching. It is something we come back to often because it is so important for us to understand. Therefore I exhort you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice—living, holy, and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may approve what the will of God is, that which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2) A sacrifice that remains alive must constantly choose to stay on the altar. This requires a mindset totally opposite of the world, and of our own natural inclination. It requires a transformation, and that requires that our minds be made over. Over the next few lessons we will see what that looks like.

When we speak of a mystery, we refer to something that is unknown. A mystery is a puzzle we hope to solve. Once solved, it's no longer a mystery. WE know who did it. We found that illusive answer. So when Paul writes of a mystery, translated from a very similar Greek word, we might come to the wrong conclusion about what he is saying. The word doesn't have quite the same meaning in his context. It refers to something that has been hidden, but is now revealed. And that is what he has spelled out for us in his letter to the Roman believers. The revelation that he documents here is God's plan to save both Jew and Gentile by means of His people, Israel. And they will return to Him, just as Isaiah prophesied. Our study continues with Romans 11:25-36. Paul caps off his epic theology lesson and offers a fitting tribute to our infinite and merciful creator. The next few chapters will focus on practical advice for living in the light of what we have learned.

Our study continues with Romans 11:16-24. In the last 3 chapters, Paul has been explaining the significance of Israel in god's plan of redemption. They rejected their messiah, and that rejection led to salvation for all who will believe, Jew and Gentile. Beginning in verse 13, Paul turns his attention specifically to the Gentiles. He Warns us not to think too highly of ourselves, reminding us that we draw life from Israel's root. The wording of this warning raises questions for some. Is Paul really saying that it is possible for a believer to be "cut off"? Introducing the fight of the centuries! In the blue corner, Jacobus Arminius 1560–1609.) As he enters the ring, you can hear his supporters shouting, "FREE WILL!" He would say that it is possible for someone to lose, or more properly throw away, his salvation. God gives everyone enough grace to decide, and they are predestined only in the sense that God knows the choice before they make it. In the red corner, John Calvin (1509–1564.) The champion of the modern reformed movement, he is most widely known for the view that we are all predestined and that there is not really any such thing as free will. God chose who would believe from the moment of creation and those who are offered His grace cannot refuse. As you can see from the dates, these men did not live at the same time and could not have opposed one another directly, but their fans are still duking it out. I wish we wouldn't. In fact these teachers are not so far apart as we might think. Arminius was a 2nd generation student of Calvin. The purpose of this message is not to explore their theology in depth, but to expose believers to the roots of the argument and briefly summarize the scripture that each side will reference. I've expressed an opinion, but I've provided references from both sides, freely admitting that I am not so confident as to insist that mine is the right one. To anyone truly seeking the Lord even as you struggle to make the right choices, fear not. He died and rose to save you. He will not let you fall. To those who cling to a life of sin, turn around before it is too late. Maybe you walked the isle or said a prayer one day and somebody told you that got you in. If they didn't tell you the rest, they lied! Give your heart to Jesus before it is too late. Believe that He died for your sin and was raised. Accept Him as Lord.

The pastor left his notes in an Uber and found these old notes in the pulpit, so some might say that God changed the message, but one thing is certain, He knew it would happen that way, so here you go. Probably not as good as the first time, but there's something in here that God may want you to hear. We drop in on the last supper as Jesus washes the feet of His disciples. We've always known this moment is special. Some churches even take his statement that the disciples ought to wash one-another's feet quite literally, incorporating it into their ordinances and worship. Jesus' instruction has more to do with the attitude than the act. Here, Jesus illustrates what true greatness is, even as his disciples are still squabbling over who among them will be the greatest. We may suppose that no one of them offered to do the job, not even for the master Himself. That would be lowering themselves to the level of a slave. But Jesus had no problem doing that. He knew who He was, and so could do what needed doing with no concern for the opinion of others. In Luke's gospel, apparently after he has done this though Luke doesn't mention it, he says, “…the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant.” (Lk 22:26 LSB) In so doing, he also illustrates in a small way the sacrifice he is about to make. Before the next day is over, he will willingly submit to the worst torture and humiliation that humanity can imagine, all for the sake of the ones whom He loves. By this act we are saved. When peter objects to the Lord washing his feet, Jesus makes a profound statement, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” (Jn 13:8) We must be cleansed by the blood of His sacrifice, and we must also return to him each day that the dirt we accumulate by walking through this world may be washed off. We are called to serve each other in this way, as all of us who call Him Lord have been sent to do as He did, that the world may know and receive Him.

Our study of Romans continues as Paul further refines his explanation of God's purposes for His people. (Romans 11:7-16)

God has not rejected His people. He has kept them through the ages, and He will fulfill every promise He made to them. It was true when Paul wrote this letter, and it is true today. Join us as we continue our study with Romans 11:1-6.

Our Study in the Book of Romans continues with Ch. 10, verses 14-21. The preceding verses are some of the most well-known among Christians. Many of us were guided to faith by someone who quoted at least verses 9-10. But this passage has a broader context. Paul has been explaining the roll of Israel, the Jews, in God's grand design. Here's a spoiler for you. He's not done yet. Over the next few lessons, we'll explain in greater detail what that means.

Now we come to the heart of the matter. In the midst of Paul's explanation of the Jews' role in and rejection of the good news of Jesus the messiah comes the text which is probably most familiar to the Christian except for John 3:16. Many if not most of us had it read or quoted as we made our own journey to faith. But did we get the whole message? Though it is simple enough for a child to understand and receive, too often important parts get left out. Listen in as we continue our study with Romans 10:5-13.

Our study continues with Romans 10:1-4. Paul says of his people who have not believed, "they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge." And, "not knowing about the righteousness of God and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God." vs 2-3. They didn't understand that they could never work their way into being right with God. Only Jesus makes that possible. Today, we think we know better, but we can still fall into the trap of thinking that it's all about how well we can follow the rules. We judge others who we don't think are doing it as well as we are, or interpret the rules differently than we do. The truth is that none of us can do it without Jesus.

Righteousness is a word we don't hear much outside of the church. What is it? How does one attain to it? You may have heard it defined as right-standing with God. Since God Himself is called righteous, this definition seems incomplete. However, it serves us well in regard to man's relationship to Him. Jesus, while being no less God for having done so, took on flesh and lived among us as a man. Being without sin, walking in perfect obedience to the Father, He can certainly be called righteous by this definition. Thus, even if we limit ourselves to this meaning, we may say that God is righteous. Our study of Romans continues this week with Chapter 9, verses 30-33. Here, Paul contrasts the Gentiles with the people of Israel. How is it that Israel, having the law of God and keeping it so meticulously, has missed the goal, yet heathens who weren't even trying have attained it? Paul gives us the answer with the question. It is because of faith. More specifically, faith in the all-sufficient work of Jesus. The road to righteousness is walked by faith, and the destination is reached only because the righteous One walks with us.

"It's not fair!" I doubt you can find a child anywhere who hasn't made that accusation. They might even be right once in a while, because sometimes we're not, and we make mistakes. Many a grownup has replied, "Life's not fair." It becomes a very different conversation when one of the participants is God. Dare we accuse Him of injustice? We all know the right answer to that question, but I think it is safe to say that most of us have wrestled with it. He is the creator. We are the created. From where did we get this offended sense of fairness? As we have progressed through Paul's letter to the believers in Rome, we have been shown the grace and love of god for us, though we do not deserve it. He has now turned his attention to the people of Israel, who have largely rejected their promised messiah. He has shown how from the beginning God chose whom he would favor, and whom he would harden for His purposes. He takes the obvious question head-on. How can God judge if He has made us what we are and we can do only as He wills? The stark answer, "Who are you to ask?" This does not take away from the other things we know about God. He defines good. He defines truth. He defines love. His promises remain, and if we choose Him, we need not fear whether we are among those not chosen. But here we are reminded that He is God, and we are not. This week we cover Romans 9:19-29.

Priscilla speaks of some things that are happening around us and urges us to share the Gospel.

We continue our progress through the book of Romans in Chapter 9, verses 14-18. Paul continues his explanation of how God worked in history to bring about His purpose through the Jewish people. He takes head on the questions we might be asking. God seems to be playing favorites in a completely arbitrary manner. How is this right? The answer is simply that He is God and He does as He pleases. As we study passages like this one, it is helpful to remember the other things we know about God. As the creator of everything that is, he defines what is good and what is just. He cannot lie, so we know that He will keep His word. Theologians will argue over free will until He returns and sets us all straight, but all we need to know is that "if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)

We continue our study with Romans 9:6-13. Here Paul begins to address questions or misconceptions that might arise when considering the rejection of the Messiah by His people. Are God's promises void? Is he unable to keep them? Can fault be found n His actions? Absolutely not! (v 14) Paul begins his explanation by pointing out that God's promise was never to everyone born of Abraham. Neither is it to everyone born of Israel (v 6.)

Antisemitism seems to be on the rise around the world, and even here in the U.S. It is particularly disturbing coming from people who claim to be Christians. We should recognize that one can be critical of actions taken by the nation of Israel without hating its people, but when racist conspiracy theories begin to inform these opinions, something has gone terribly wrong. As we continue our progress through the book of Romans, we have come to Chapter 9, where Paul seems to change subjects. Having made His case for the good news of Jesus the Messiah and concluded with a profound statement of His love, he turns his attention to the position of the Jews. They are his people, and they are also Jesus' people. They are the people who were given the honor of revealing Him to the rest of us. To be anti-Jew is to be anti-Christ.

Priscilla presents a potpourri of practical precepts

As we progress through Paul's letter to the believers in Rome, we come to one of the most well-known and thoroughly abused passages in the Bible, though I would say Matthew 7:1 still tops the chart for misuse. This one usually gets quoted when something bad happens to someone else, and we tend only to quote part of it. We say, "All things work together for good." The verse is Romans 8:28, and it reads, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." (Legacy Standard Bible) Note the qualifiers. This verse is meant to be a comfort, and it follows a recognition of the suffering that has been inflicted upon all of creation because of sin. Paul also calls to mind the hope that we have as part of God's family in the redemption to come, sustained by the Holy Spirit that lives within us. But the key phrase in this verse is , "for those who love God." Those who love God are called according to His purpose. He knew them from the beginning of time, and literally everything has been planned around them. So, let us be among those who love god. He loved us first, and sent Jesus to pay the price so that we can be with Him for all of eternity, participating in whatever amazing thing He does next. We can be assured of His love for us, and nothing in all of creation can separate us from His love. This week we will cover Romans 8:28-39. We could spend several weeks here, but we can always come back later. Join us in His family. Be blessed. Be comforted. Be encouraged.

If you haven't been there, you will. The time comes for all of us when the pain is too deep for words. Or it seems like all the words have been said, and there is nothing left. We feel sadness, anger, even hopelessness, but as children of God we know that we are not without hope. We do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit within us knows all. Even in the best of times, we really don't know. Only God knows everything that should move us to prayer. We pick up our study this week with Romans 8:26-27. I have shared in the past a message that begins with verse 28 and had planned to work these verses into that message so that we would not skip anything, but as I read them, God spoke to me through them and I decided to treat them separately. I pray that the message will bless you as well.

We continue our study with Romans 8:8-25.  Our God will finish what he started.  Until then, we endure with patience and eagerly await His coming.  We can rejoice in the midst of trials because we have this hope, not in the temporal things that will all pass away, but in the eternal relationship with our Heavenly Father.

Priscilla launches from the 91st psalm and takes us on a tour of her favorite truths.

We continue our study of Paul's letter to the believers in Rome with Verses 9-17 of Chapter 8. Paul has described what it is like to live according to the flesh. That is, to be driven by our own feelings and desires instead of being led by the Holy Spirit. That path leads to death. But this does not describe God's adopted children. They are so identified because they are led by His spirit and choose to deny themselves and Follow Him. What a relationship this is! If you belong to Him, your father is the creator of all that exists! The essence of all that is holy and good lives within you in the person of His Holy Spirit! He loves you so much that He sacrificed His only son to bring you into His family. He is awesome, glorious, all-powerful and holy. He is due every act of reverence, and yet you may still call him Daddy. He has made you an heir with Jesus. I think we will require eternity to learn what that means.

Delivered with love, grace, and humility, you can always find something good in what Priscilla has to say.

In the last installment of this study, we examined the second half of Romans Ch. 7. I stressed the importance of context in understanding the text. It describes the life lived according to the flesh, attempting to keep the law under our own power. This is not the life that we are meant to live as children of God. As we move into Ch. 8, we see the distinction drawn more clearly as we learn that it is impossible to please God that way. But do not be discourage. Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. (Romans 8:1-2 LSB)

Priscilla speaks of the need for contentment and trust during hard times.

We all know the struggle. It is common to the human condition. We just do not have it within ourselves to meet even our own standards, much less God's. So when we read what Paul writes in Romans 7, we strongly identify with it. Maybe we feel a little better about ourselves. If someone like Paul can't overcome sin, what chance do we have? Context is always important. We recognize this in our daily lives. The same words spoken in different circumstances can have entirely different meanings. Sometimes tone of voice can convey the very opposite meaning to what is being said. If you receive a long letter, (or more likely email these days) it is unlikely that you will be able to understand it's intent by reading a few lines at random from the middle of the message. The plot of a novel isn't likely to be revealed by a single chapter. So it is with our Bible. Translators added chapter and verse for our benefit, but the original language didn't have these features. We usually break books into chapters, but we do not do the same with letters. They are meant to be read as a whole. If we are to properly understand what the author meant to communicate, we need to read the whole thing and follow the author's thought process. With writing as complex as that which we find in Paul's letter to the believers in Rome, this is admittedly not an easy task. We also have the added layer of translation, since none of us speaks ancient Greek. Scholars have been arguing about what he wrote for centuries, but as people who love the Lord and desire to understand what He wants us to know, we will pursue the truth that is found in His word. Now, what was that all about? Hopefully, it has prompted you to ask the question, "Is there something here that I've been missing?" I suspect for many of us the answer would be yes. It certainly was for me until someone caused me to question the common view. We pick up our study in Romans 7:14-25, but to understand it properly, I suggest reading chapters 6-8.

On Wednesday, September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk, a highly effective voice for faith and conservative values among young people, was shot to death as he was engaging with students at Utah Valley University. He was murdered by someone who hated him for his views. People around the world took notice. Reactions have rained from sadness and sympathy to anger that someone would do this to deplorable expressions of joy. It hits close to home for many of us. This is certainly not the first incidence of a Christian in America being killed for his faith, but unlike many other places around the world, these events are uncommon here. Speak out in certain contexts and you may find your career at risk, but usually not your life. Is that changing? We can't help but wonder. And so we take a detour from our ongoing study of Romans to consider how we as Christians should process what happened. I think it is safe to say that most of us don't feel like we have enemies, but we do. There are those living among us who hate us for what we believe, or sometimes what they've been told we believe. Should that change how we conduct ourselves? What did Jesus say we should do to our enemies? (Matthew 5:44) You might be surprised to learn that I don't spend a lot of time on social media, but I understand it's pretty disturbing right now. The level of hate being spewed by the very people who accused Charlie of such hate is breathtaking. We need to remember where it comes from. This is a spiritual battle. In Ephesians 6:10-13, Paul shows us where the real enemy lies. That one you are not commanded to love. We must prepare ourselves for battle, and stand firm. Do not be afraid. Keep speaking the truth. Keep on sharing His love. They can kill a messenger, but they can't kill the message.

When we hear the expression, "the long arm of the law", we may think of law enforcement's power to find the criminal wherever he may hide. If only it were always so. Sometimes human laws and law enforcement can be unjust, but just as hard to escape. But there is a law which is always good, just, and perfect. Its reach goes beyond that of any man-made system. It reaches into our very hearts, and it uncovers the things we would rather keep hidden. That is its purpose. It exposes our sin, and teaches us that we need a savior. Join us as we continue our Bible study in Romans 7:7-13.

Law is generally a good thing. We would not want to live in a society without it. But law is generally made by humans, and thus will be imperfect and in some cases actually bad. There is a law that that is entirely good. It comes from our creator, who is the definition of good by nature. If God's law is good, why do we speak of being free from it? Paul has told us that we are not under law but under grace. In our passage this week, Romans 7:1-6, he uses the example of a woman bound to her husband by marriage. Under the law of Moses, only the man could initiate divorce. Jesus made it clear in Mark10 that even this was a concession to hard-hearted humanity that God never favored, but it serves here to illustrate Paul's point. We were bound to the law, with it's ultimate consequence. We could not avoid breaking it and suffering the judgment that must result. Jesus provided us with a solution. We are no longer under the law and no longer slaves to sin. In the next couple of episodes, we'll explore more fully the role that the law plays. Paul contrasts life in the flesh with life in the Spirit. We have not been set free to sin, but we have been set free from sin. A life lived in communion with the Holy Spirit changes our perspective. We no longer look to the rules for salvation. That never worked and never will. We now rest in our relationship with Him, and choose righteousness because we love Him.

"Slave" is a charged word these days. We feel a little uncomfortable using it. But in Paul's day, slavery was a fact of life, and made for a readily understandable metaphor that explains the human condition. We don't like to think of ourselves as slaves to anyone or anything, but if we do not choose the right master, we will never be free. Our study continues with Romans 6:15-23.

There isn't one of us that hasn't encountered some suffering in life. Drawing from the experiences of the apostle Paul, Linda teaches us to keep on fighting.

When you give your life to Jesus, a radical change takes place. It will probably take some time to work its way outward, but you have become something different than you were before. Jesus called it being born again. We symbolize that change through the ritual of baptism in water, the old gone and buried, the new raised to new life. We often make reference to the language Paul used in Roman 6:3-4 as we perform the baptism. But this illustration is given in the service of a broader point that Paul is making. Verse 2 says in part, "How shall we who died to sin still live in it?" Having now been set free from the rule of sin, we must intentionally throw off its chains. We must now choose to serve life instead of death. Join us as we continue our study with verses 8-14.

Priscilla speaks on having the joy of the Lord and spreading it around.

Our study continues with Romans 6:1-7. Paul has just written that the increase of sin revealed by the law resulted in an even greater revelation of grace. He now poses a rhetorical question, "should we keep on sinning so that we can receive more grace?" (paraphrased) Absolutely not! He explains why not in the following verses. As redeemed believers in Jesus, we are dead to sin! He uses the symbolism of baptism to illustrate his point. If you have been in Baptist churches for very long, you will have heard the pastor use portions of this passage in the ceremony as the new believer is submerged and brought up out of the water. But is this paragraph actually about water baptism? The practice is certainly taught in the Bible. Jesus Himself was baptized. His disciples baptized others. He commanded them to do so before He ascended. In almost every case of someone coming to faith in the New Testament, they are immediately baptized. The word we translate as baptize means to immerse, and it appears in other context that do not have to do with a believer's baptism. In these cases, translators will usually use a different word. If it isn't a reference to water baptism, what is it? It is the reality that the water baptism symbolizes. Our old self is crucified and buried with Jesus the Christ, and we are raised to walk in a new life as a new creation. Our life is immersed in His life. We are baptized in His Holy Spirit. Don't go back and dig up the dead man. That's disgusting!

We pick up our study of Paul's letter to the believers in Rome with Romans 5:12-21. If you've ever heard someone refer to Jesus as the second Adam, this is the reference they are making. This is a great lesson in Christian theology, but what I hope you see most clearly is the depth of God's grace that it explains. For context, consider this from verse 8, "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Priscilla delivers a lively Positive lesson.

Sometimes we talk about anger like it's a sin. It can be depending on the reasons for it, but anger is one of our God-given emotions. Even God gets angry, so anger itself must not be the problem. Sometimes we should get angry. The question for us, whatever the provocation, is, “what will we do about it?” Our primary text is from Ephesians 4:26-27

Over the past week we watched as heroic rescuers braved the flood and its aftermath to find and recover survivors. Life is precious, and we thank God for the people who are willing and eager to preserve it. But life on this earth is fleeting. Everyone who escaped the deluge will eventually face mortality. Will they be prepared? Will there be heroes of the faith, willing against any opposition to proclaim the Good News of God's grace? Will you be one of them? Run for the reward that is eternal, imperishable.

With our tenancy toward hyperbolic speech, the phrase, “to die for,” gets used a lot now.  It makes me sad when I hear it, because it is usually used in reference to something that is absolutely not worth dying for, like a really good dish or a pleasurable experience. But there are things in this life worth dying for.  If asked most of us might list one or two things for which we would willingly risk or even give up our lives, but we usually do so from the comfortable assumption that we will probably not be required to make good on our word.  If the time should come, how many of us would fold like Peter on the night of Jesus' trial?  I hope we'll never have to find out, but we may take comfort in the knowledge that Peter was restored and went on to have a key roll in God's young church and eventually would die for Him. Jesus thought something important enough to die for.  I should say, “someone.”  That someone was you!  That someone was me!  We continue our study of Romans with Chapter 5, verses 1-11.

We continue our study with Romans 4:16-25. Paul holds up Abraham as the model for our faith, explaining in greater detail how he believed what God said despite the apparent reality of his situation. But if we know the story of Abraham, we may remember some missteps. Abraham was not flawless, but he was faithful, and that is why he stands as an example even today. Abraham's first reaction when God told him that he and his ninety year old wife would have a son was to literally ROTFL, but he quickly recovered, and proceeded to do what God told him to do. This is a lesson for us. Believe God. His grace, made available to you by the blood of Jesus, is waiting for you.

On this Fathers Day, we trace our spiritual heritage back to Abraham, considered righteous because of his faith, and thus the spiritual father of us all. Our study continues with romans 4:9-15

Let's look at what Jesus had to say in His very first sermon, which we refer to as the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5:3-12.  In this age of “influencers,” His list of Beatitudes (from the Latin word “beatus,” meaning blessed or happy) may sound a bit strange to us today: Blessed are:  the poor in spirit, they who mourn, the meek, they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the clean in heart, the peacemakers, Those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness. Wait, what?!! Who signed up for that?  Well if you profess to be a Christian, YOU did! But here's the deal Good Peeps:  Joy Bombs abound when we anchor our faith not in this world but in our Awesome Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Source: https://missionaccess.org/blessed-are-the-joy-bombs/

Our study continues with Romans 4:1-8. Having explained that faith is the one and only means of reconciliation with God, Paul now illustrates this truth through the example of Abraham. It was not by his works that Abraham was considered righteous by God, but by his faith. “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” (rm 4:3, Ge 15:6)

Priscilla teaches us to trust in the Lord and not to be afraid.

Priscila speaks on the topics of the importance of family and the power of God for redemption based on the story of Nick Cruz.

It has always been faith. It was faith before God gave the law to Moses. It was faith after the law was given. It is faith now, faith in the one true God and God the Son, Jesus, who sacrificed His own life to save us, and lives again. His blood is sufficient for all people in all time. He purchased for us that which we could never obtain for ourselves, righteousness, right-standing before a holy God. He is the fulfilment of the law and the answer to the necessity of justice. His only requirement is that we believe. To believe Him is to trust Him. To trust Him is to know that His words are true, and act on them. Put your faith in Jesus today! Our study of Paul's letter to the believers in Rome continues with Chapter 3, verses 27-31.

Paul has laid out the problem for us in detail. We are all deserving of God's judgment. Now we come to the solution. His name is Jesus.

As we continue our study, we now come to a passage that may be familiar to us, either because we were trained to use it as we share the good news, or because we ourselves were ushered into the faith by someone who read from it. You might call it the head of the "Romans road." Paul wraps up his indictment of humanity by quoting from the Psalms and the prophet Isaiah. He draws from passages concerning those who never knew God as well as those who forgot Him. The verdict, "There is none righteous, not even one." (Roman 3:9-18)