August 25, Reading 3 – Romans 14:1-18

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Romans 14:1 is a most challenging admonition. It is so hard to do because we look at people like this as fools, misguided, ignorant. Can you find some good advice on how to behave towards those we disagree with, on peripheral points? How do you tell the difference between peripheral and major points of difference?

SJA Notes

* Dearest Lord God, Your Name is beautiful – Please help us bear it well today, as You show us how to behave from Your word.

“Who are you to pass judgement on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”

Often we can look on those who are weak in faith as lesser.

Even making that determination is fraught with the pitfalls of pride and arrogance.

God is our Master, noone else.

The government is not our master.

Our beloved spouse is not our master.

The church leadership is not our master.

God is our Master.

And so why are we not more careful when passing judgement on God’s people?

They answer to God.

And so do we.

Let us ask Him for wisdom when dealing with differences of opinion through to differences in core doctrine amongst God’s people.

Knowing that it is God who builds His church, we are to be but humble vessels for His will, submitting under it and going about it.

“Who are you to pass judgement on the servant of another?”

* God Above,

You are our Lord and Saviour, the Gracious Master.

Thank You for Your grace to us, that we have an inheritance in the _not yet_ like no other, eternal life with You!

Please help us with passing judgement on believers, to be wise and discerning, to be gracious and merciful as You are to us.

Thank You Lord!

Amen.

August 24, Reading 3 – Romans 13

Reading

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SAA Notes

Give everyone what you owe him. This is a command that we all fall far short in, yet believe against the evidence that we hit it. Think about those four terms – taxes, revenue, respect, honour. Think about them in regard to people with whom you disagree in positions of authority in the family, church, and society.

SJA Notes

* Lord God, You are the God who saves – Please open our eyes and ears to who You are today as we read Your word.

“So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

Throw off, cast off, remove the clothes that are “works of darkness”, and instead clothe ourselves in the God’s armory.

“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”

To put on the armor of light is to put on the Lord Jesus.

The armor of God is summarised for us in Ephesians ch 6 (Belt of Truth, Breastplate of Righteousness, Shoes shod with readiness of the Gospel, Shield of Faith, Helmet of Salvation, Sword of the Spirit), but it is built up and layered over and over throughout all of God’s word.

When we put on these things, we put on the Lord Jesus.

We put Him on when we are at home, whether on our own or with the families He has given us.

We put Him on when we are away from home, at work or school or church or the shops, visiting friends and family.

We put Him on, and the world sees who we are wearing – It is armor for a reason.

Let us be encouraged to make sure we are putting on our Lord, the armor of light, at all points in our lives.

* Father God,

Please help us to remember that we represent You on this earth.

Please help us to bear Your Name well, with honor.

Please help us to promote You and Your word, to uphold Your law of love, to teach people of You and Your grace and mercy to us.

We love You Lord God – Thank You for saving us!

Amen.

August 23, Reading 3 – Romans 12

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Living sacrifices, different, gifts one body, sincere love, overcome evil with good. There are many wonderful thoughts, instructions, warnings, understandings – look for one that speaks to your present circumstances.

SJA Notes

* Dear God, thank You for today, and for Your word to us. Please teach us what it means to live for You.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

This passage is chock full of wisdom bites. Mostly short applications, a few words to each.

Let’s look at the last one in today’s passage.

How can we resist being overcome with evil?

How can we overcome evil with good, how does that work?

Paul is speaking to us, God’s people (saved), about behaviour. How we act. Toward God, and toward those around us.

And the simple answer to those questions is – If we are a living sacrifice to our God, evil will not overcome us. If we are going about His work, being transformed by His Spirit, that good will overcome evil.

The apostle John layers over this in his third letter, verse 11,

“Beloved, do not imitate evil by imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.”

The agency we have is to work to present ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God (this is what it means to worship God!).

The work of God in us though, this is what transforms us SO THAT we might be able to discern what is good and acceptable and perfect (God’s will).

Jesus is the key.

In Jesus, we see God’s goodness writ plain and powerful.

In Jesus, we are shown what it means to resist evil and do good.

In Jesus, we see what it means to offer up ourselves, and to discern God’s will.

Let us imitate Him!

* God Above,

Thank You for transforming us toward the likeness of Christ.

Please help us to discern Your will for us today.

May we be a people who are not overcome by evil, but instead overcome evil with (Your) good.

Amen.