Day 207 Bible Readings – Romans 10: 1-4 (ESV)

1 Chronicles 1, 1 Chronicles 2: 1-17, Romans 9: 22-33, Romans 10: 1-4, Psalm 110

Romans 10: 1-4 (ESV)

“Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

Verses 1 through 4 from Romans 10 shows that Paul wants his fellow Hebrews to be saved. He knows that they love God, but they do not want to submit to Christ or believe that Christ was a part of God’s plan and righteousness. The Sanhedrin said that the Hebrews’ relationship to God was based on their obedience to the laws. Christ said that our relationship to God is now based on our relationship with Christ if you have faith in him, since he is the son of God and therefore a part of him. The law still reflects God’s standards, but our relationship with him is now based on our faith in his son Christ, and not on obedience to the laws.

I think belief and faith in Christ makes it easier to obey God’s laws because we have Jesus and the Holy Spirit helping us to overcome our sinful nature. We no longer must rely just on ourselves to keep God’s laws, we have help from God.

Day 206 Bible Readings – Romans 9: 1-3 (ESV)

Hosea 13 – 14, Romans 9: 1-21, Psalm 109: 21-31

Romans 9: 1-3 (ESV)

“I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.”

Verses 1 through 3 from Romans 9 show that even though Paul primarily preached to the Gentiles, he was still concerned about his fellow Jews. Paul felt such anguish that his people were not saved by faith in Christ, that he was willing to cut himself off from Christ if his fellow Jews could be saved by Christ. Paul’s words remind us how much like Jesus he was. Paul wanted the Jews saved, even though they often caused trouble for him in his mission work. Paul’s love towards those who hated is an example to anyone who wants to be more like Jesus. Can we love as Paul did, the people who cause us the most problems in our life? Can we pray for their salvation and be willing to be cut off from Christ, so our enemies might be saved? Paul’s words reminds us that he not only preached the words of Christ, but he was willing to “walk the talk” and behave like Christ towards his enemies.

Day 205 Bible Readings – Romans 8: 26-27 (ESV)

Hosea 10 & 11, Romans 8: 18-39, Psalm 109: 1-20

Romans 8: 26-27 (ESV)

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

Verses 26 and 27 from Romans 8 shows Paul describing how the Holy Spirit helps us. Christ said he will send the Holy Spirit to help us with prayers to God. Paul tells us the Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we don’t know what to or how to pray for what we want. I have been learning this year to rely on the Holy Spirit for prayers and to ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. I used pray only to God and Jesus Christ only and thinking of them as interchangeable, until my pastor preached on reaching out to the Holy Spirit earlier this year. It feels like I now have extra help when talking to God. Now that I couldn’t talk to God on my own, but it’s nice having the Holy Spirit there as well to convey everything that I cannot say or forget to say. Jesus Christ said there is a trinity of God, himself, and the Holy Spirit, and I now know exactly what he meant.

Day 204 Bible Readings – Romans 8: 5-8 (ESV)

Hosea 8 & 9, Romans 8: 1-17, Psalm 108: 6-13

Romans 8: 5-8 (ESV)

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Verses 5 through 8 from Romans 8 is Paul’s advice to find out if we walk with God or with sin or flesh. If you walk with God, your mind will be set on the things of the spirit. If you walk with God, you will have life and peace. If we do not walk with God, our mind is set on things of the flesh which leads to death and no peace. The person whose mind is set on flesh is hostile to God and does not submit to God’s laws because they cannot. Paul argues that a person who does not walk with God, cannot please God because their mind is set on things of the flesh.

I think these verses are important for those who have faith in Christ. You will know if you are walking with God, if your mind is set on things of the spirit. Since your mind is set on things of the spirit you are not hostile to God, since you will try to please God by submitting to God’s law. In your submission to God’s laws, you will please God, have life, and most importantly of all peace of mind.