Good morning. We are back
in Romans. In context Paul is talking about certain things, but we are going to
apply some of these verses to everybody's life. For not one of us lives for
himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or
if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the
Lord's. We are so "us" minded. Too often we don't think about the
Lord when we make our decisions. Sometimes what we do affects our testimony
about the Lord. Our end goal should not be us, but Him. For to this end Christ
died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
He was not thinking of Himself when He lived His life and when He died His
death; and neither should we. Why do you judge your brother and regard him with
contempt? Again in context this is talking about a specific issue; but it
applies to us today. We are not the judge of our brothers – God is. Each of us
shall give an account of himself to God. Instead of judging, determine this –
not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way. Even though it
may be all right for us to do something, we need to make sure it does not make
our brother stumble. Paul said "I'll never eat meat again, if it causes my
brother to stumble". Do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of
as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness
and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. This reminds us of Matthew where it says
seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added
to you. The word translated "and" can also sometimes be translated
even or namely. So I believe that Matthew should be translated seek first His
kingdom, even His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. His
kingdom is His righteousness. Back to Romans: so then let us pursue the things
which make for peace and the building up of one another. We should not be
tearing down one another like you see so much of in the body of Christ. He died
for them too; just like He did for us. Father continue to bless the reader;
continue to heal him/her. Help him/her to seek Your kingdom, even Your
righteousness every day.
Unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God
Good morning. While Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. Jesus was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men. Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. It doesn’t say, but I assume it is still during this time of the Passover. This man came to Jesus by night. Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do the signs that You do unless God is with him. It just said that the people believed in His name because of the signs He was doing; yet it does not say what those signs were. Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. That is why unbelievers cannot tell what is of the kingdom of God and what is not – they’re not born again. Nicodemus doesn’t have a clue. How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he? Unless one is born of water and the Spirit ...
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