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

 

[Wholeheart]

Day 4

Avoiding Oblivion

The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
1 John 2:17

Every great nation in history has become decadent and has finally been conquered by another nation. Some nineteen world civilizations have slipped into oblivion. There is no reason why we should think that our present civilization will endure forever.

“Change and decay in all around I see,” wrote Henry F. Lyte (1793–1847), and if our civilization is not eroded by change and decay, it will certainly be swept away and replaced by a new order of things at the coming of Christ.

Slowly but inevitably, and perhaps sooner than even we Christians think, the world is passing away, but those who do God’s will abide forever.

Long after this world system—with its vaunted culture, its proud philosophies, its egocentric intellectualism, and its godless materialism—has been forgotten, and long after this planet has been replaced by the new heavens and the new earth (Rev. 21:1), God’s faithful servants will remain, sharing the glory of God for all eternity.

And this prospect is not limited to Moody, Spurgeon, Luther, or Wesley and their likes—it is open to each and every humble believer. If you are trusting Christ, it is for you.

Something to Ponder
If you are expecting to share the glory of God for all eternity, what things are you doing now to prepare for such an encounter?

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

 

[Wholeheart]

Day 5

Sovereignty and Responsibility

Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
Romans 9:14–15

Moses was a Jew; Pharaoh was a Gentile, yet both were sinners. In fact, both were murderers! Both saw God’s wonders. Yet Moses was saved and Pharaoh was lost. Pharaoh was a ruler, and Moses was a slave, yet it was Moses who experienced the mercy and compassion of God—because God willed it that way. Nobody can condemn God for the way He extends His mercy, because God is righteous in His judgments (Psalm19:9).

Paul wrote of divine sovereignty and then human responsibility. Here is a paradox: The Jews sought for righteousness but did not find it, while the Gentiles, who were not searching for it, found it! The reason? Israel tried to be saved by works and not by faith.

They rejected “grace righteousness” and tried to please God with “law righteousness.” The Jews thought that the Gentiles had to come up to Israel’s level to be saved, when actually the Jews had to go down to the level of the Gentiles to be saved.

Something to Ponder
When you can’t fully understand God’s working, what do you do to maintain your faith?

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

 

[Wholeheart]

Day 6

Sins of the Saints

This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.
Hebrews 2:3

We have the idea that believers today “under grace” can escape the chastening hand of God that was so evident “under law.” But to whom much is given, much shall be required (Luke 12:48).

Not only have we received the Word from the Son of God, but that Word has been confirmed by “signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will” (Heb. 2:4). The phrase “signs and wonders” here refers to the miracles that witnessed to the Word and gave confirmation that it was true.

Today we have the completed Word of God, so there is no need for these apostolic miracles. God now bears witness through His Spirit using the Word. The Spirit also gives spiritual gifts to God’s people so that they may minister in the church (1 Cor. 12:1–11).

I have often told the story about the pastor who preached a series of sermons on “the sins of the saints.” He was severely reprimanded by a church member. “After all,” said the member, “sin in the lives of Christians is different from sin in the lives of other people.”
“Yes,” replied the pastor, “it’s worse!”

Something to Ponder
Do you agree that sin in the lives of Christians is worse than sin in the lives of other people? Why?


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

 

[Wholeheart]

Day 7

Heart Gifts


Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it.
2 Corinthians 8:11

During my years of ministry, I have endured many offering appeals. I have listened to pathetic tales about unbelievable needs. I have forced myself to laugh at old jokes that were supposed to make it easier for me to part with my money. I have been scolded, shamed, and almost threatened, and I must confess that none of these approaches has ever stirred me to give more than I planned to give.

We must be careful here not to confuse willing with doing, because the two must go together. If the willing is sincere and in the will of God, then there must be a “completion of it” (2 Cor. 8:11; see Phil. 2:12–13). Paul did not say that willing was a substitute for doing, because it is not. But if our giving is motivated by grace, we will give more willingly.

God sees the “heart gift” and not the “hand gift.” If the heart wants to give more, but is unable to do so, God sees it and records it accordingly. But if the hand gives more than the heart wants to give, God records what is in the heart, no matter how big the offering in the hand may be.

Something to Ponder
Think about a time you gave willingly and a time you gave grudgingly. What made the difference?

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

 

[Wholeheart]

Day 8

Measuring Sticks

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
Philippians 3:7

Every Jew could boast of his own blood heritage. Some Jews could boast of their faithfulness. But Paul could boast of those things plus his zeal in persecuting the church (see Phil. 3:5–6). We might ask, “How could a sincere man like Saul of Tarsus be so wrong?” The answer is simple: He was using the wrong measuring stick!

Like the rich young ruler (Mark 10:17–22 KJV) and the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable (Luke 18:10–14), Saul of Tarsus was comparing himself with standards set by people, not by God. As far as obeying outwardly the demands of the law, Paul was a success, but he did not stop to consider the inward sins he was committing.

When he looked at himself in comparison with others, Saul of Tarsus considered himself to be righteous. But one day he saw himself as compared with Jesus Christ! It was then that he changed his evaluations and values and abandoned “works righteousness” for the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:20–24).

Something to Ponder
What is something you may be clinging to that would be better to “consider loss” in order to continue to grow spiritually?


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

 

[Wholeheart]

Day 9

Paul’s Witness

For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle.
1 Corinthians 15:9

One of the greatest witnesses of the resurrection was Paul himself, for as an unbeliever he was soundly convinced that Jesus was dead. The radical change in his life—a change that brought him persecution and suffering—is certainly evidence that the Lord had indeed been raised from the dead. Paul made it clear that his salvation was purely an act of God’s grace.

Paul’s readers would say, “Yes, we agree that Jesus was raised from the dead.” Then Paul would reply, “If you believe that, then you must believe in the resurrection of all the dead!” If there is no resurrection, then Christ was not raised. If He was not raised, there is no gospel to preach. If there is no gospel, then we have believed in vain, and we are still in our sins! If there is no resurrection, then believers who have died have no hope. We will never see them again (1 Cor. 15:12–19)!
The conclusion is obvious: Why be a Christian if we have only suffering in this life and no future glory to anticipate? The resurrection is not just important; it is “of first importance” (1 Cor. 15:3–4), because all we believe hinges upon it.

Something to Ponder
What difference does your hope of resurrection from the dead make to the way you will live today?

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

 

[Wholeheart]

Day 10

It Just Isn’t Fair

Although a wicked man commits a hundred crimes and still lives a long time, I know that it will go better with God-fearing men, who are reverent before God.
Ecclesiastes 8:12

If there is no God, then we have nobody to blame but ourselves for what happens in the world. But if we believe in a good and loving God, we must face the difficult question of why there is so much suffering.

Some people ponder this question and end up becoming either agnostics or atheists, but in so doing, they create a whole new problem: Where does all the good come from in the world?
Other people solve the problem by saying that evil is only an illusion and that we shouldn’t worry about it or that God is in the process of evolving and can’t do much about the tragedies of life. They assure us that things will improve as the process of evolution goes on. Solomon didn’t deny the existence of God or the reality of evil, nor did he limit God’s power. Solomon solved the problem of evil by affirming these factors and seeing them in their proper perspective.
uring the darkest days of World War II, somebody asked a friend, “Why doesn’t God stop the war?” My friend wisely replied, “Because He didn’t start it in the first place.” Solomon would have agreed with that answer.

Something to Ponder
How do you deal with the existence of suffering?

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

 

[Wholeheart]

Day 11

Get Out of Babylon!

Read Isaiah 45—48

See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
Isaiah 48:10

The Jews had become comfortable and complacent in their Babylonian captivity. They had followed the counsel of Jeremiah (Jer. 29:4–7) and had built houses, planted gardens, and raised families; and it would not be easy for them to pack up and go back to the Holy Land. But that was where they belonged.

Had they obeyed the Lord in the first place, they would have experienced peace and not war (Isa. 48:18–19), but it was not too late. He had put them into the furnace to refine them and prepare them for their future work. “Leave Babylon” was God’s command (v. 20). God promised that He would go before them and prepare the way, and they had nothing to fear.

One would think that the Jews would have been eager to return to their land to see God do new and great things for them. But they had grown accustomed to the security of bondage and had forgotten the challenges of freedom. The church today can easily grow complacent with its comfort and affluence. God may have to put us into the furnace to remind us that we are here to be servants and not consumers or spectators.

Something to Ponder
When were some times you could have avoided a lot of trouble if you had obeyed God in the first place?

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