Totidem Verbis (Romans 1.16-32)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “totidem verbis.”  The apostle Paul didn’t really ever pull many punches.  He talked about how good the gospel of Jesus Christ was, as well as the wrath that can come from God to those who do not live by faith but rather in sin.  He simplifies what it means to have a relationship with Christ on more than one occasion.  Today’s passage shows that Paul was pretty clear-cut in his beliefs about God’s power.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” ~Rom 1:16-20

My question is: how do you express your commitment to Christ?  I think there are a lot of ways that we can be faithful to spreading God’s word.  My prayer is that you take your own life into account and see where it is that you need to get better in terms of the way that you spread the gospel.  Just as Paul talked about his commitment to Christ totidem verbis, so must we learn it to act out our faith instead of just talking about it.

Praying for you,

MO

Frenetic (Job 9:1-13)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “frenetic.”  I really enjoyed reading the book of Job. In it we see that this man followed got pretty intensely, and dealt with temptation and anguish.  A lot of the stuff that was happening was not under his control.  So, during this whole ordeal he talks to different people and is trying to figure out why bad things are happening.  At one point, Job senses his inadequacy after being told that he should be feeling a certain way about what he was going through.  In the following verses show how much Job did trust God, and understood His power.

He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.” ~Job 9:8-9

My question is: what kind of power do you give God in your life we see that Job struggled in his relationship with his Lord, just as each of us do.  We do know, however, that Job did understand that God was not a God of confusion, one who was frenetic, but instead realized that there was a plan even when he did not understand it in part, or as a whole.  My prayer is that you understand that God does perform miracles daily, most of which are unseen.  Just the fact that you and I have the ability to have a relationship with God is reason enough to believe that although sometimes we cannot see or even perceive Him in our midst, he is at work.  Take some time today to thank God for working in your life and being the powerful God that he is.

Praying for you,

MO

Jocose [Romans 15:13]

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “jocose.”  The Bible speaks a ton about joy and the way we need to be when it comes to living and acting according to God’s will.  Paul wrote this letter to the Romans with the intent of reminding the church that they were part of God’s great plan and design.  He knew that these people had potential to serve with the power of the Holy Spirit. They only needed to be intentional.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

~Rom. 15:13

My question is: how is God filling you with hope daily? Each of us has hopes and dreams for where we would like to see our lives.  Sometimes it is difficult to see God’s plan in the midst of current circumstances.  My prayer is that each of you finds peace in the knowledge that God wants you to live a life of blessing.  Remember to always rejoice, whether times are good or bad. it is not easy, of course; but we must continue to know JC more each day and abound in hope!

Praying for you,

mo

Ineluctable (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “ineluctable.” I love reading about the apostle Paul because his journey with God never ceases to amaze me. When he was addressing the church at Corinth in this particular letter, she had been through a lot in his life. From one who persecuted Christians to a huge and significant ad begin for Christ, his life was never dole. Paul realize at this point that his strength was found in weakness, because that is where Jesus would for certain be given all credit in his life.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

~2 Cor. 12:9

My question is: in what ways is God showing that the power of Christ rests on you? As we move into this new season of life it is important to never forget that Jesus has specific plans in mind for each of you. My prayer is that the ineluctable power of Jesus is made perfect in your weaknesses, so that everything you do this year is a credit to your relationship with him.

Praying for you,

mo

Sapient (Proverbs 12:15)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “sapient.” I love reading the book of Proverbs because when I do not know exactly what to read I open it up and get good stuff, every time!  To think of the wisdom that King Solomon had is incredible.  I feel like those proverbs speak into my life and give me great insight.  One of my most favrit verses in that book is this one on advice and wisdom.

“The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.”

~Pr. 12:15

My question is: who is it that you have given the ability to speak into your life? One of my favorite parts of college was the ability to make choices that would eventually affect the rest of my life. One of the best things that I ever did in those years was to seek counsel from other men and women who were much older and wiser than me. I know that I would not be where I am today, nor be the person I am without the advice of many people who have walked the road before me.  I give a lot of weight to certain peeps in my life to help me make decisions and move in positive directions. I still seek out certain sapient mentors, who have great judgment, often when making decisions in my life. My prayer is that you find men and women that are seeking God daily, and give them permission to help you grow closer to God. 

Praying for you,

mo

Agita (Hebrews 6:11-12)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “agita.”  Have you ever been in a situation where you were pretty upset with someone?  Well, JC knew that our human nature also caused peeps back then, as it does now, to worry every now and again about salvation. With so many naysayers in our lives that do not believe in the hope that we do, it is pertinent that each of us as believers look towards JC and the hope that he promises.

“And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

~Heb. 6:11-12

My question is: how sure are you of your belief in JC and his promises?  When you get frustrated because others do not believe what you do, I pray that you lift them up in your quiet times with the Lord in hopes that they will see what we do.  I know that sometimes our fervor for God can cause anxiety, or gait, concerning those who may not choose eternal life with the Maker.  Take some time to reflect on your witness to those who need God’s love.

Praying for you,

mo

Ubiquitous (Jeremiah 23:24)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “ubiquitous.”  One of my favorite parts of being a Christian is to know that God is omnipresent.  In the OT God often spoke to people to help get his message across for the sake of prospering his people.  Jeremiah believed in the Lord’s power, even though he needed a reminder from time to time.

“Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him,” declares the Lord. “Do I not fill heaven and earth,” declares the Lord.

~Jer. 23:24

My question is: do you live your life with the understanding of God’s omnipresence? We should take heart that God is everywhere and able to save us from those powers that seek to destroy.  I pray this morning that the Lord reaffirm his ubiquitous nature and assuage your fears and stress.  He has you in his arms and will bring to fulfillment his plans for your life.

Praying for you,

mo

Renew (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “renew.”  One of the things I like best about God’s word is the promise of newness each day.  Although things don’t always go the way we plan, God has always told us that understanding our place in his kingdom is key, and we always look ahead to the goodness he will bring.  The New Testament writers understood that communicating with people their uniqueness in Christ was of the utmost importance.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

2 Cor. 5:17

My question is: when is the last time you sat down and gave God time to speak to you about things in your life, both old and new?  We can be certain that when we put our faith in Christ that the old is gone and that a new is here.  My prayer is that each of you understands that God has made you his creation and wants to do wonderful things, both in your life and through you to serve others.

Praying for you,

mo

Empower (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “empower.” The apostle Paul knew what it meant to be both a person of power and a person of weakness. Can you imagine the life that this guy led? He starts out as a prominent figure of power in Jewish life, one which hates Christians. Then JC takes a hold of his heart and he makes a complete 180° turnaround. You can envision how he felt in this specific situation. He had some kind of thorn in his side, whether figuratively or literally. And the crazy thing is, even though Paul was way close to God, he still understood how weak he was.

“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

~2 Cor. 12:9

My question is: when you think about weakness in your own life, what comes to mind? I know that for a lot of you right now you are experiencing physical weakness because of all of the training that you are putting in. This is a great reminder of our relationship with Christ. When you feel like you are so weak that you just want to lay down and escape from the world through a simple nap or a full on 36-hour sleep fest, I pray that you are reminded of your spiritual weakness. This is nothing to be ashamed of. The apostle Paul tells us here that when we are weak, Christ is amplified even more in our lives - he will empower you. So, take heart… This is going to be a great weekend.

Praying for you,

mo