Romans 2

"...for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself, for you who judge practice the same things.". v. 1


That verse, in a nut-shell, is what the whole chapter is about. The church, starting as early as Paul's first churches and continues to this day, seem to practice judgement of each other. Maybe it came from having to follow the law for hundreds of years, or just our human nature to feel ourselves better than someone else; whatever the reason, it is always our downfall. It has been my experience that the very thing someone boasts that he is so much better at, will be the very thing that will eventually bring him down, ie: morality/adultery. How many pastors have fallen to this because they didn't recognize in themselves the possibility of their own desires. I was trying to think of other examples of this. Can you come up with a couple that you have seen along your path in life?


"...God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus." v. 16


Ultimately, it is the deep secrets of our heart, that if we don't acknowledge and hand over to God, has a greater chance of finding fluidity. There is a song or a story about how you let Jesus into the rooms of your heart but there is one closet you don't want Him to go into, you don't want Him to see. The content of that closet needs to be cleaned out. Do you know how good you feel when you go into conquer the disaster area of a closet that, though painful in the beginning to start sorting through and throwing things away, leaves you with a feeling of peace and relaxation and cleanliness?

One note on a particular word "stubbornness". v. 5 "But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation...".
The English word, "sclerosis" - as in arteriosclerosis, a hardening of the arteries) comes from the Greek word. Stubbornness, rigidity, callous is a result of the hardening of the heart.

Romans 1

Just reading the first few verses, I am totally excited! This book is filled with so many truths and Paul's love for the gentiles and his unwavering devotion to God. Paul never could get to the Roman church he so loved. This epistle - this letter - is the closest he got. Paul was a roman himself, a second generation pharisee before his conversion on the road. He most likely was martyred under Nero's reign.


Also, an interesting note, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible." 2 Cor. 12:10 Paul was not a good looking man...I guess you can't have it all. LOL


Romans is not, by any means, politically correct. Paul states in no uncertain terms what is considered depravity in the sight of God. Paul mentions a few times in this chapter that God "gave them over" to their sins. This means: the wrath of abandonment, which is removing restraint and letting people go to pursue their sin and its consequences. I have known such wrath. Better this wrath and be able to repent and return to and enjoy once again a loving relationship with God.

One of those, "God gave them over": "God gave them over to degrading passions, for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward on another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error." v. 26-27

I quote this verse for two reasons. 1. The obvious, I think. This the number one topic of debate in this state or maybe not even debate but giving total and complete acceptance to this sin. The pros for this keep bringing up this countries prior bans on "inter-racial" marriages. The difference is that the Bible never mentions a sin between a man and a woman of different races - but quite the opposite; where it very much mentions the sin amongst same sex.

And 2. "Paul mentions women first to show the extent of debauchery under the wrath of abandonment, because in most cultures women are the last to be affected by moral collapse." J. MacArthur. Wow! What does that say about the day that we are living.

But let's end on a good note, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes..."v. 16

Have a Blessed Day!

Mark 16

His burial and His resurrection.

Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and other women were on the way to the tomb. The discussion, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?" v. 3 This interaction between the two women is only recorded in Mark.

I love this part. "Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe, and they were amazed. And he said to them, 'Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here." v.5-6

This video was written by Don Francisco...fantastic story song. Sung by Dolly Parton - listen to the words - I love the pictures in the end during the chorus, "I'm Alive." Very powerful.

Mark 15

Man alive, my blogging has slowed to a snail's pace. Shoot. I'm going to have to rename my blog: A Lifetime By His Side...which it should be, anyway! LOL

Mark 15 is the crucifixion. None of the gospel accounts give a detailed analysis of the actual crucifixion process. - The below passage does a pretty good job...it was the most heinous form of capital punishment. However, it was prophesied in Psalm 22:11-20

" Be not far from me, for trouble is near; For there is none to help. Many bulls have surrounded me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me. They open wide their mouth at me, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax. It is melted within me.
My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws; and You lay me in the dust of death. For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; The divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
But You, O Lord, be not far off; O You my help, hasten to my assistance, Deliver my soul from the sword..."

At the end, Jesus cries out, "Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthan?; My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" v.34

That is right from Ps. 22 as well, v. 1: "My God, My God, why have Your forsaken me?" Wow!

Mark 14 con't

"Judas immediately went to Him, saying, 'Rabbi!' and kissed Him." v. 45

I never thought about this before, but the fact that Judas kissed Him is huge. The kiss on the cheek in that culture represented respect but moreover it showed the closest love and affection. Then, "They laid hands on Him and seized Him." v.46 What perversion and hypocrisy on Judas' part. The more I learn about Judas the more I realize that his heart was hard and despicable and he more than deserved whatever was coming to him.

This is an interesting side note: A young man was following Him, wearing nothing but a linen sheet over his naked body; and they seized him. But he pulled free of the linen sheet and escaped naked." v.51-52 I don't know about you, but I don't remember this. John MacArthur, "This perhaps was Mark himself. If the mob under Judas' guidance had first gone to Mark's mother's house in search of Jesus - possibly where the last Passover was observed by Jesus and the 12 - Mark could have heard the noise, suspected what was happening, and hurried to follow the multitude." The first "streaker"...LOL

The chapter ends with Peter's three denials. I'm sure Peter was so disappointed in himself but to me it was understandable. In America when someone follows a criminal off to jail or carries signs showing allegiance for someone in custody, nothing will happen to that person. But back in Peter's time, allegiance could get you arrested and end up suffering the same as the accused. And unfortunately Peter, and well as the other 10, did suffer and die for Christ's sake.

Mark 14 con't

Jesus prays in the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus "began to be very distressed and troubled." v.33 This word, trouble, in the Greek refers to terrified amazement. I don't think I've ever heard a better description of what Jesus must have been feeling at the time of these prayers. Knowing the agony (not a deep enough word) He was about to face while also knowing that these actions were going to save the world as prophesied. What glory was going to be accomplished at such a cost!

When was the last time you felt terrified amazement?

"Abba Father! All things are possible for You, remove this cup from Me, yet not what I will but what You will." v. 36

Verse 36 is really so far out of our grasp to understand. I can't get past complete terror He was feeling and knowing there was no way out. As a physical being, I would imagine, He was begging God. However, only through prayer could He receive the unimaginable peace that He would need to face the next few days. That same peace is ours when time is spent in prayer. If we are anxious, guess why? We don't need mediation we need "prayeration". LOL

Mark 14

This is another incredibly long chapter. It takes us from the Lord's supper, Jesus' arrest, all the way to Peter's three denials. I am going to take it one thing at a time.

Judas Iscariot: the name "Iscariot" means "man of Kerioth", Kerioth being a small town south of Jerusalem. "Thus, Judas was not a Galilean like the other disciples. It is clear that Judas never had any spiritual interest in Jesus - he was attracted to Him because he expected Jesus to become a powerful religious and political leader. He saw great potential for power, wealth, and prestige though his association with Him." John MacArthur. I don't know where Mr. MacArthur gets that Judas had "no" spiritual interest in Jesus or the potential for power, etc., but it would make sense. Interesting to also note that whenever the 12 disciples are named, Judas is always named last.

The Last Supper, though beautiful imagery of what was to be, these verses here really are kind of freaky, scary, in that the bad guy, Judas, was reclining with them at the table, "'Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me - one who is eating with Me.' They began to be grieved and to say to Him one by one, 'surely not I?' And He said to them, ' It is one of the twelve, one who dips with Me in the bowl. For the Son of Man is to go just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.'" v.18-21

What do you suppose Judas was thinking while Christ was talking? Did he want to change his mind at that time knowing that Jesus already knew his plan and basically said that he was condemned? I would have been terrified! Maybe he was but felt compelled to go through with it anyway since now it was out in the open.