Day 3 - Week 8 - Romans 10:9 "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

Isn't God amazing?  Sometimes I just step back and stand in awe of how He does things, how He loves us, and the effort He has gone to on our behalf.  And all He asks of us in return is to acknowledge what He has done --- sent His Son for us to conquer our enemy, and then in a display of His supernatural and unlimited power, raised Him from the dead so we could have visible proof of the life that we, too, have been promised.  If you were God and needed to design a plan to convince humanity of your total love for them and of your plan for their future, could you make it any clearer?

And yet, as we talked about yesterday, there are those who want to argue with God's plan.  They would have done it differently, I guess.

But I'm going with God's plan, and I'm very willing to comply with what He has asked of me to fulfill my part of this plan...I am confessing with my mouth "JESUS IS LORD!"  I have no hesitancy in stating this and no embarrassment in doing so.  I love The Message's  paraphrasing of Romans 1:16, "It's news I'm most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God's powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him."  We have a powerful, extraordinary message...let's not be hesitant in proclaiming it!

I know, and I believe I know this because of the Holy Spirit's conviction, that one day, "When the name of Jesus is spoken, everyone's knee will bow to worship him. Every knee in heaven and on earth and under the earth will bow to worship him. Everyone's mouth will say that Jesus Christ is Lord."  Philippians 2:8-11

And yes, I do so believe that Christ was raised from the dead.  There are those who struggle with the physical resurrection of Jesus.  I'm not sure why.  Is anything beyond the ability of God?  Why wouldn't He want to visually show us that He is fully capable of the resurrection of His Son so that we could easier believe Him when He tells us that we too will rise to a new life.  Jesus talked to His disciples about their new lives prior to His death, but they didn't understand very well----don't you think it was a whole lot clearer when He talked to them about it when they were seeing Him after His death and resurrection, when they were touching His wounds?  And He didn't appear to just a few people, read what Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15, "What I received I passed on to you. And it is the most important of all. Here is what it is. Christ died for our sins, just as Scripture said he would. He was buried. He was raised from the dead on the third day, just as Scripture said he would be. He appeared to Peter. Then he appeared to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than 500 believers at the same time. Most of them are still living. But some have died. He appeared to James. Then he appeared to all the apostles."

Jesus Christ is Lord - Jesus Christ was raised from the dead by the power of God!   Accept that, profess that, and you will be saved! 

It's not a tough plan...it's a plan of love.

(I will be away until Sunday night attending a women's retreat at the beautiful Glen Eyrie Christian Conference Center outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado.  Please keep our group of women in prayer as we enjoy this special time of spiritual retreat and enjoying God's beautiful creation.  Keep His words in your heart as we are apart!)

Day 2 - Week 8 - Romans 10:9-10 "If you confess with you mouth 'Jesus is Lord', and you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

This is another one of those verses that has so much packed in it.  You can explore so many different aspects of truth in this one....which way do we head first?

Tonight let's talk about something not all that popular..."ifs" that have to do with our salvation.  Because according to this verse, there are some conditional "ifs" that have to be met.

"IF" we confess that Jesus is Lord, and "IF" we believe that God raised Him from the dead, then we will be saved.

Why is God so narrow-minded?  Why is He so restrictive?  Why does it have to be Jesus, and no other way?  What is the big deal about the resurrection?  Hmmmmm...let's think about these things a bit.

Is it restrictive to announce to your audience the methodology that you have enabled them with to find their way from one location to another?  Is that restrictive?  Restrictive would be creating the method and then only telling a select audience...not the case.  God loves mankind and prepared a way for us to find our way from this world into His eternal world.  The way He prepared is through Jesus, His Son.  He wants all to be aware of His plan...that's why He commissions all believers to tell others.  Matthew 28:18-19, "Then Jesus came near and said to them, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."   I believe that God knew that we were confused and that He did everything He could to clear up the confusion. 

The big deal about the resurrection?  Well if we don't believe that God raised Christ from the dead, what basis do we have to believe that He will be able to empower us to new life after death?  Paul explains this very well in 1 Corinthians 15:12-19, " Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say, "There is no resurrection of the dead"?  But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is without foundation, and so is your faith. In addition, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified about God that He raised up Christ-whom He did not raise up if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Therefore those who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished. If we have placed our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone."

But don't stop there!....Paul continues, "But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead!"

Interesting that we're examining the importance of the resurrection ten days before we celebrate my favorite Christian celebration of the year...Easter!  Yes - I like Easter better than Christmas, for while we celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas, and what a sweet time of celebration it is, at Easter we celebrate His resurrection!  If Jesus had just come as a baby, lived a good life, taught us some good truths regarding our lives and about God, and then died...well, we could say He was a great man; we could say He was a good teacher. 

But the resurrection changes it all!  The resurrection tells us that our faith is valid, that Jesus Christ was and IS God's Son, and that all of our hopes for eternal life have been proven because He lives!  He lives because He was resurrected on that glorious day!

And if He wasn't....show me the bones!   Now really, in the 2,000 years since Christ left this earth, do you not think that with as many people who would love to prove that He wasn't resurrected, something of His remains would have been found?  It would be the biggest story of time...and yet...no, no bones.

And if He wasn't....do you think that all twelve of the apostles who witnessed His ministry, His death and His resurrection would have gone to their deaths (eleven of them by martyrdom) without recanting their testimonies?  They received nothing of earthly gain due to their faithfulness to Jesus Christ, just the opposite.  And yet none of them wavered in their conviction of what they had seen.

And if He wasn't...then it is as Paul says, "we should be pitied more than anyone" because we have had a false hope.

But I join Paul in saying, "But Christ indeed has been raised from the dead!" 

One of my favorite things on Easter Sunday is to sing all of the hymns that we have loved...but this is the one that I like to sing the loudest!

"He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives?
    He lives within my heart."

Day 1 - Week 8 -- And our FOURTH stop on the Romans Road!

Can you believe we're entering our EIGHTH week of Scripture memorization?  I just think that's amazing!  And believe it or not, I've actually got all seven so far memorized and embedded in my heart...do you?

Four Corners of God's Word are:
1.  Genesis 1:1 - "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

2.  John 1:1 - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

3.  John 1:14 - "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.  We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and only, who came from God in grace and truth."

4.  John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life."

The first three stops on the Romans Road:

1.  Romans 3;23 - "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

2.  Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."

3.  Romans 5:8 -   "But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Do you feel strengthened by having these seven verses readily at your grasp?  I do.  I now know that if God places me in a situation where I have the opportunity to start sharing some of the foundational truths of God's plan, His plan from the beginning of time, for our salvation, I won't have to say, "I think....", "I feel.....", no, I will be able to say with conviction, "God's Word says in...." --- that carries a lot more weight than anything that I think or feel.  When God says that His Word will not return void, I believe it.  His Words planted in some one's mind, will have some kind of impact on that person.  We cannot know what kind of impact, but there will be impact.

And so we continue!  On down the Romans Road...what will we find at our fourth stop on this encouraging road?  We will find reason for some hallelujahs!!

Romans 10:9 - "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and you believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."

Two essential elements to our conversion:  public profession and heartfelt belief.  God wants our hearts, but He also knows that without publicly avowing ourselves to Him, we have not turned our back to the world.  There has to be a separation from our past, and by publicly proclaiming that we no longer acknowledge the world as our lord, but that Jesus is now our Lord, we have truly changed our allegiance.

Changing allegiance by statement is one thing, living that allegiance out in our day-to-day lives is another.  But that is what God asks of us.  Words without actions behind them are empty...our confession that "Jesus is Lord" is not only to be heard by others, but even more importantly, is to be seen. 

Lord, help me to be a living testimony to you...to not just say that you are my Lord, but to live my life in such a way that your dominion over my life will be evident, and the resulting fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control will be what others see in my actions.  Then, when asked what makes a difference in my life, enable me through your Spirit to have your words at ready recall so that you will be pleased when another of your children begin to understand your amazing love for us.  I love you Lord because You first loved me and have redeemed me through Jesus Christ, my Lord.  Amen.
 

Day 7 - Week 7 - Romans 5:8 - "But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us."

Here it is at the end of another week, and our last night at the third stop of the Romans Road.  Do you have it in your heart, along with the first two stops?  Let's have a quick review...

Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 5:8 - "But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us."

Our sin -> Our death

God's gift given because of His love for us -> Given through Christ's death -> While we were still sinners -> Our eternal life!

Pretty amazing, isn't it?  Perfect plan by the Perfect Planner.  Again, I'm impressed (in not a good way!) with our reluctance to trust our lives to this One who knows all, who sees all, and, most important of all, loves above all.  

Doesn't it seem rather silly to you that we proclaim to trust God with our eternal lives, and yet we won't trust Him enough to submit our day-to-day earthly lives to Him?  Is it because we feel we have control over the known, but the unknown is beyond us, out of our hands, so we are forced to relinquish control in that arena?

If there's one thing I've learned in my 55 years on this earth, it is that, in all reality, I have very little control.  I cannot control the length of my life, although I can control the quality of my life through good diet, exercise, and good lifestyle habits.  (I write these exhortations as I sit here needing to lose 15 lbs, and staring at a newly bought treadmill that has had very little action since coming to live at the Hodges' household shortly before Christmas).  I cannot control the weather that can have catastrophic effects on anyone's life in any given moment.   I cannot control world events, the decisions of world leaders, nor can I limit the acts of wicked people who are intent on creating havoc in this world of ours.  I cannot control the complete and absolute safety of all of my loved ones, although I would most like to be able to control this aspect of life. 

So, I have to ask myself, just what is it that I am so in control of in the here and now that I refuse to place in submission to God's good and perfect and pleasing will?  Could it be that this is another lie of the Deceiver?  That by our supposed retaining of "control" and refusing to submit, in actuality I have refused to allow God to act on my behalf in this crazy world of randomness? 

I am certainly not saying that as a believer I am protected from any and all calamity in this world, ("In this world you will have trouble", John 16:33), but I also am convinced that when I am trusting God with my life, then I can be assured that, "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose", Romans 8:28.  When I am living of life of trust in God and His goodness toward me, and loving Him in response to His love for me, and bending to His purpose in my life, then I can have the assurance that this world's troubles, when they do occur in my life, will also find purpose and that God will use them for good in my life, and hopefully, in other lives as well, "He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." 2 Corinthians 1:4.

I'm seeing another perfect plan from the Perfect Planner!  God loves His children and He wants us to be able to testify of His love to others.  It is easy to testify of God's goodness in good times, but how powerful is it when you hear someone testify of God's goodness in bringing them comfort through troubled times?  That is when you can have a testimony of  a "peace that is far beyond human understanding."

God has proven His love for us...let's not be deceived into holding onto something we've never had. Pray for Him to show you the areas of your life that you need to relinquish to His will and allow Him to lead you in His way.  Decisions to be made, both big and small, need to be placed in His hands, submitted to His will, allowing Him to affirm or deny the courses we are about to take...decisions made with His blessing bring no future regrets.

Day 6 - Week 7 - Romans 5:8 - "But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us."

Aren't Sundays glorious days?  We are so blessed to be able to go to one of many Christian churches in our community, to share in worship with other Christians, to hear God's Word proclaimed, and to sing songs of worshipful praise to Him.  I feel especially blessed when I get to stand beside one of my children as I did  this morning, worshipping with my son, and then going with him to get his little girls from the children's area...actually all three of his girls, as his wife was also helping with children's worship.  Robert and I are so fortunate to be able to share much of our lives with our children and grandchildren, but seeing them in church is a very special kind of blessing.

As I listened to the words of this morning's sermon, this week's verse kept playing over and over in my head.  The sermon was on our sinfulness, how we are stained within, and how the only thing that can remove our stain is the forgiveness that comes from God through Jesus Christ.  When we ended the service singing,

"He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.
And oh, how He loves us oh,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all
He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves."*

I was just about overwhelmed by the affirmation of God's love for me.  I guess by dwelling on it throughout this week and then singing praise to Him because of His love, I felt a more complete understanding of  the depth of His love than I ever have before.  I'm coming to a clearer understanding that everything is driven by God's love for us, you can't separate any of the Bible story from start to finish from His love. 

From the pages of Moses....

Deuteronomy 7:9, "Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands."

To the Old Testament Prophets....

Joel 2:13, "Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love..."

Zephaniah 3:17, "The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."  (don't you just love the picture that verse paints?)

To Jesus' prayer for all believers...

John 17:23, "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

To the encouragement given to Christians from Paul... 

Romans 8:38-39, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Ephesians 2:4, "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved."

and from John...

1 John 4:16, "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love."

....the unifying theme is God's love for us.  When we finally get it through our thick heads that we are loved children, and that we have a Father God who loves us more dearly than the most loving earthly father has ever loved a child, then we can begin to abide in the peace that He provides for us and that He longs for us to experience.  Any father does not want to see his child in a state of anxiousness, but our Heavenly Father really wants us to give our cares to Him, "for He cares for us." 

Let's get over our false feelings of self-sufficiency that just lead to stress and misery...admit that we need the One who is able to carry all of our worries, cares and problems, and, as John reminds us, rely on the love He has for us.  A love that truly is beyond measure.

Just can't get that song out of my head...but then again, don't think I want to.

And oh, how He loves us oh,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all
He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves."*

*How He Loves by David Crowder Band [Christian Single Release 2009]