TITLE: Better Than Powerball
SCRIPTURE: Romans 1:16-17, I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
OBSERVATIONS: In Paul’s letter to the Roman Christians he starts by illuminating the importance and power of the gospel. He proclaims the gospel “…is the power of God…” that results in salvation to all who believe in it. So what is so important in this gospel that could result in our own salvation? Well Paul goes on to state that the gospel helps us to know ‘how’ to be right with God. Paul further explains that this rightful living is based on our faith in Christ, and should not be based on our own works.
APPLICATION: How often do we take the bible so lightly, as a collection of stories about past historical events, only occasionally thinking about their content in terms of principles that expose how we should live our lives? Reading God’s Word is hard work, for it requires us to understand His timeless principles hidden in these stories, and then to find their application in our own lives. But that is what Paul is encouraging us to do. Finally once we have figured out a way to apply them in our daily lives, we need to exercise the discipline to live it out. Only by practicing what Paul is urging us to do will we experience the power of God in our lives!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, forgive the many times that I have skimmed over your Word to simply complete another day of devotional reading. Help me to prepare when I read your Word with a prayer to seek your Holy Spirit’s help to open my eyes and heart to what I am reading. Help your Word to speak to me directly and cause change to occur in my thinking, speech, and behavior. Help me to become transformed by your Word.
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