In Psalm 1, we saw the picture of an alive and life-giving Christian in the image of a fruit-bearing tree planted by streams of water. In Psalm 78, we see that healthy Christians grow in the context of a healthy congregation. Healthy congregations gather in...
God has put before our eyes the vision of what he intends to make of us by his grace. In Psalm 1, the image of a healthy and flourishing tree is designed to stir our imagination for the kind of Christian we are becoming. By...
This psalmist is looking at the sad state of Israel’s relationship with God and praying that he would restore them to himself. Today we consider our own need for spiritual renewal and we take up this psalm as a guide for our prayers to be...
Paul began his letter to the Romans declaring the gospel as the power of God for salvation. He now ends his letter telling these Christians that God is able to strengthen them by the gospel and the preaching of Christ. Today we reflect back on...
The voice of God in his word speaks warnings, instructions, and promises. God’s voice is clearly heard in this passage. The church of Jesus Christ is warned of the divisions and doctrinal error that Satan promotes through false teachers. We are instructed to be wise,...
The personal greetings of Paul to the Christians in Rome reveal the beauty of friendships forged in Christ. These Christians shared life in Christ and gave service to Christ. They expressed their friendship with affection for one another. This is another picture for us of...
When we have a vision for God’s global agenda of gospel proclamation and the expansion of his church, we want to be used by Christ to accomplish this good work. We find in this passage practical ways our congregation can do ministry beyond ourselves. Grace Community...
With the Spirit of Christ filling us with the fruit of goodness, and the Word of Christ filling us with spiritual knowledge, we have what we need to help each other grow in faith, hope, and love. We find in this passage another vision of...
As the Christians in Rome were reasoning about issues of discipleship, Paul shows them how to reason well and gives them reasons for welcoming one another. Imagine the beauty and health of a congregation committed to the essential truths and practices of the Christian faith,...
If we are struggling to welcome one another in the congregation because we hold different opinions, it is likely that we have not fully comprehended how God has welcomed us to himself in Christ. If, however, we come to see how God has accepted us...
