Whenever I read the Bible, I get something out of it. I will confess, however, that there are times when I feel like I’m straining to grab hold of something to put into words that will bless you. Today, I started reading the book of Romans, which is full of so much good stuff that I have to be mindful to watch the length of what I’m writing. I will endeavor to share with you what I’ve picked up today, and hopefully, you’ll be as blessed by it as I have been.

that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

Romans 1:12 (NIV)

Every Sunday at my church, we have a testimony service. The Sunday testimony service was one of many new things to me when I started attending this church. In other churches I had been familiar with, there were testimonies sometimes. Usually, when someone had gone through something big, the pastors would encourage them to share their testimony. However, often, testimonies were shared more privately in small groups or individually as people saw fit.

Whatever the case, it’s important to share our testimonies. However, it could possibly be more important to share our testimonies while they are happening. This is one reason why I like getting together with another person, or even a group of people, regularly outside of Sunday service. When we go through anything in our lives, we don’t have to do it alone. We may acknowledge that Christ is there. He’s always with us. However, when we are silent in our suffering, or in our joy, we’re doing a disservice to the body of Christ.

Let’s face it. It’s near to impossible to build a relationship with people you only see once or twice a week in a corporate setting. However, that’s the way many churches, including my own, function. It’s probably the thing I struggle with the most within my current church since I came from a background that believed in the power of small groups. God always makes a way, though. By sharing my faith daily with you, I’m being encouraged. I hope you are too. This is one way we make each other stronger in the Lord. By sharing our faith.

Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

Romans 2:4 (NIV)

The number of ways that God draws people to Him is as numerous as the number of people who have ever lived. Something that bothers me sometimes is the people I know who aren’t saved who talk about the blessings of God in their lives. They talk about how God did this or did that, and they think they’re in good standing with God because they are blessed. That’s something I thought about today when I read this verse from Romans. Later on, in Romans 2, Paul writes:

Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.

Romans 2:14-15 (NIV)

This captures what I see in those people I know who aren’t saved. Indeed, I see it in all nice people who endeavor to live good, peaceable lives, who don’t know Christ. They try and live as they see it, decent lives, and when things go well, they think they’re being blessed by God. They don’t see His kindness and patience as a reprieve from all of the stuff that could be happening to them right now. They don’t see the eternal hellfire that waits for them because they knew of God but didn’t go to Him.

The unsaved aren’t the only ones, however, who can mistake God’s kindness and patience, as the mercy it is, and not a blessing on the things they do. Sometimes we do things that we ought not to do, and when nothing bad appears to happen, we go on doing them, believing the deception that we are doing the right thing. This leads me to this next thing that stood out to me in Romans 2.

As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Romans 2:24 (NIV)

Have you ever seen someone with an “I love Jesus!” bumper sticker speed recklessly past you when you were driving, cut you off, or otherwise behave in a manner not befitting Christ? Jesus says, “Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:26 NIV). One of the ways to show people that you’re not ashamed of Christ is by your actions. While I’m not a big wearer of crucifixion jewelry and the like, I do like my t-shirts that profess my love for God. Most of them have Scripture on them that talks about the love of God.

While it’s totally cool and Biblical to wear rings, t-shirts, and the like that tell of our dedication to Christ, it’s not something we should do if we’re going to behave as the world does.

Do you know God? God knows you, and He loves you. He sees you as significant because you are. No one is insignificant to Him. He’s with you today, right now, and He wants you to know Him. Jesus died for your sins and mine so we could be free of guilt, be freed from death, and live eternally with Him. Eternal salvation is just a prayer away.

Pray this prayer with me to accept the gift of salvation today:

Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, then congratulations! You are on the first step of a brand new life. Allow me to be the first to welcome you to my family, the family of God. There are abundant resources available online for new Christians. You can visit here for more information on what to do next. You can also leave me a comment, and I’ll do my best to help you on the next step of this incredible journey.

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