Pause for Power-Journey through the Scriptures

[Wholeheart]

Consistent Actions / Read Romans 2:1—3:20

To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.
Romans 2:7–8

God had given Israel great material and spiritual riches: a wonderful land, a righteous law, a temple and priesthood, God’s providential care, and many more blessings. God had patiently endured Israel’s many sins and rebellions, and had even sent them His Son to be their Messiah. Even after Israel crucified Christ, God gave the nation nearly forty more years of grace and withheld His judgment. It is not the judgment of God that leads people to repentance, but the goodness of God; but Israel did not repent.

In Romans 2:6–11, Paul was explaining a basic principle of God’s judgment: God judges according to deeds, just as He judges according to truth. Paul was dealing here with the consistent actions of people’s lives, the total impact of their character and conduct.

True saving faith results in obedience and godly living, even though there may be occasional falls. When God measured the deeds of the Jews, He found them to be as wicked as those of the Gentiles.

Something to Ponder
Is it possible for people to grow to have consistently good (not perfect) character and conduct? If so, how? How does this fit with Paul’s claim that no one is righteous apart from Christ’s sacrifice (Rom. 3:9–10)?


Pause for Power: A 365-Day Journey through the Scriptures

 

[DavidTree]

Consistent Actions / Read Romans 2:1—3:20

To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.
Romans 2:7–8

God had given Israel great material and spiritual riches: a wonderful land, a righteous law, a temple and priesthood, God’s providential care, and many more blessings. God had patiently endured Israel’s many sins and rebellions, and had even sent them His Son to be their Messiah. Even after Israel crucified Christ, God gave the nation nearly forty more years of grace and withheld His judgment. It is not the judgment of God that leads people to repentance, but the goodness of God; but Israel did not repent.

In Romans 2:6–11, Paul was explaining a basic principle of God’s judgment: God judges according to deeds, just as He judges according to truth. Paul was dealing here with the consistent actions of people’s lives, the total impact of their character and conduct.

True saving faith results in obedience and godly living, even though there may be occasional falls. When God measured the deeds of the Jews, He found them to be as wicked as those of the Gentiles.

Something to Ponder
Is it possible for people to grow to have consistently good (not perfect) character and conduct? If so, how? How does this fit with Paul’s claim that no one is righteous apart from Christ’s sacrifice (Rom. 3:9–10)?


Pause for Power: A 365-Day Journey through the Scriptures

Something quite interesting jumped out from the scriptures you posted.

Someone may seem to be one who does not know God but by his/her actions shows that they have the love of god in their heart and conscience.
Someone may seem to know God but their words deny the Truth and even though they have an outward appearance of good, but they may not have God's Good in their hearts/minds.

Evil people know how to love and do good.
Good people know how to do evil.

This explains why JESUS Says: "Why do you call ME good?, there is none good no not one, but God"

 

[Wholeheart]

Something quite interesting jumped out from the scriptures you posted.

Someone may seem to be one who does not know God but by his/her actions shows that they have the love of god in their heart and conscience.
Someone may seem to know God but their words deny the Truth and even though they have an outward appearance of good, but they may not have God's Good in their hearts/minds.

Evil people know how to love and do good.
Good people know how to do evil.

This explains why JESUS Says: "Why do you call ME good?, there is none good no not one, but God"

I think that maybe where the renewing of your mind comes in. As we reads God’s Word, pray, and meditate on what it says to us we learn how it applies to us in our daily lives and we have the experience of watching it work as Jesus said it would.

31 So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples.
32 And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.
John 8:31–32

 

[Wholeheart]

Day 2

Devoted to Devotions

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Colossians 4:2

It has well been said that the purpose of prayer is not to get our will done in heaven, but to get God’s will done on earth. Prayer is not telling God what to do or what to give. Prayer is asking God for that which He wants to do and give, according to His will (1 John 5:14–15).

As we read the Word and fellowship with our Father, we discover His will and then boldly ask Him to do what He has planned. Richard Trench (1807–1886), archbishop of Dublin, said it perfectly: “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance; it is laying hold of His willingness.”

Of course, it is possible to pray in our hearts and never use the gift of speech (1 Sam. 1:13), but we are using words even if we don’t say them audibly. True prayer must first come from the heart, whether the words are spoken or not.

Something to Ponder
As you pray, in what ways are you “watchful”? In what ways are you “thankful”?


Pause for Power: A 365-Day Journey through the Scriptures

 

[Wholeheart]

Day 3

The Mark of Maturity


This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.
Philippians 1:9–10

Paul found joy in his memories of the friends at Philippi and in his growing love for them. He also found joy in remembering them before the throne of grace in prayer.

This is a prayer for maturity, and Paul began it with love. He prayed that they might experience abounding love and discerning love. Christian love is not blind! The heart and mind work together so that we have discerning love and loving discernment.
The ability to distinguish is a mark of maturity.

When a baby learns to speak, he or she may call every four-legged animal a “bowwow.” But then the child discovers that there are cats, mice, cows, and other four-legged creatures.
One of the sure marks of maturity is discerning love and loving discernment.

Something to Ponder
With daily decisions, do you tend to seek what is good, or do you try to discern what is truly best?


Pause for Power: A 365-Day Journey through the Scriptures