We are continuing our study through the book of Romans at our church, and yesterday we began walking through the 14th chapter. It is a great look at and a challenging word on how we deal with people that we have differences with.
What I walked about with, not the entire sermon but an important piece, was that we need to make sure we major on what is important and not on things that really don’t matter in the grand scheme of things.
It is a big deal to keep God has central in our faith and in all we do. Remember the problem others had.
Romans 1:25 NLT
They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.
Don’t spin your wheels on this one, but do examine how you worship, what you worship and even what makes you passionate about life. It is things created by God or is it God?
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NLT
Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Paul reminds us so often through his letters, like he does in Romans, that our struggles will lead us to look to and trust in God. He really is our strength in every thing and all the time.
John 4:19-24 NLT
“Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. 20 So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?” 21 Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. 23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
I close with the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. She was struck by all Jesus knew about her, but she kept on deflecting and trying to change the conversation.
Make sure to talk about and hold on to and think about what matters most. Let’s keep God at the center of our lives. That does make a difference in how we deal with ourselves and with other people.
Comments