Paul is pleased that many Gen...

Paul is pleased that many Gentiles have responded to God‘s offer of sal-vation and are obtaining righteousness by their faith, but he laments thatmany Jews have pursued the Law as a way of righteousness. This contrastdemonstrates the importance of faith and humility before God.  - P126

When wethink that we can earn righteousness, we show that we do not understandour relationship to God. Because grace runs counter to the ways of thisworld, some stumble when they encounter Jesus: He is a stumbling stone tothose who try to achieve righteousness on their own. However, those whohumbly recognize Him as the true Lord gratefully receive His forgivenessand mercy and are declared righteous by their faith. - P126

1Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.

2For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.

3Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

4Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

- P128

8But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim:

- P129

9If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

- P129

10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

11As Scripture says, "Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame."

12For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,

- P129

13for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

- P129

Paul desires salvation for the Israelites because they are zealous withoutknowledge and seek to establish their own righteousness instead of submitting to God‘s.  - P129

Righteousness by faith acknowledges the Word is near us. Ifpeople declare Jesus is Lord and believe in His resurrection, they will be saved.
- P129

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. - P129

Paul’s desire and prayer is that the Israelites would be saved. He knows how zealous they are for God and how they diligently try to follow the Law, but their zeal is not grounded in their knowledge about the righteousness of God. They try to achieve righteousness by themselves, apart from Him. In failing to submit to His righteousness, they do not see that Christ is the culmination of the Law they study and that righteousness is available to all who believe in Him. - P130

We learn something through Paul’s prayer: that God values the prayers of His people and we can earnestly pray for those who have not yet been saved. We do not pray to move God’s heart; we pray because His heart moves ours.
- P130

Paul references the Old Testament truth of how God‘s Law has been nearto the Israelites in parallel with the New Testament truth that the gospel ofgrace is near to those who believe. When people hear the gospel message,
believe it with their hearts, and confess that belief with their mouths, theywill be saved. This may seem like a simple equation, but Christians knowthat this is an amazing work of God.  - P130

It is not because of superior intellectthat we understand the gospel and believe; it is because God enables us tohear His word, inspires our hearts to believe, and gives us breath to declareit with our mouths. All glory belongs to God. - P130

Dear God, I pray that more would hear the gospel message, believe it in their hearts, and declare it with their mouths. - P131

May I be Your instrument to bring the good news to those who still need to hear it. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen. - P131

30What then shall we say? Tha...

30What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;


- P125

31but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal.

32Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.

- P125

33As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame."
- P125

Paul quotes Hosea and Isaiah to show that God includes people who were notoriginally His and preserves a remnant for Israel. Gentiles gained righteousnessby faith, but Israel, pursuing the Law, did not. They stumbled over the "stone"
God placed in Zion. But the one who believes in this stone, Jesus Christ, willnever be put to shame. - P125

Paul uses the reference to Hosea to remind the people of God’s faithfulness. The prophet Hosea was unwaveringly committed to his adulterous wife, representing God’s continual faithfulness to His idolatrous people. The Lord repeatedly demonstrated His loving kindness to Israel, culminating in the atoning death of His Son. - P126

Because of Jesus, we are now included as the children of the living God. The reference to the book of Isaiah is also profound. Although Israel was unfaithful to God, a remnant was saved. - P126

When we recognize the depths of our sin, we realize that we should have received judgment like Sodom and Gomorrah. Instead, we experience the depths of God’s incredible grace.
- P126

Dear Lord, I confess that I am in desperate need of Your mercy. I cast away my own crowns once again and look to You, the rock of my salvation. I rejoice that, because of You, I am a child of the living God. In Your name I pray, amen. - P127

15For he says to Moses, ˝I wi...

15For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."

16It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

- P120

22What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? - P121

Paul addresses the question of whether God is unjust, God has mercy onwhom He chooses and hardens whom He chooses. Paul compares God to apotter who has the right to shape clay as he pleases. God bears with patiencethe objects of His wrath and shows His riches to objects of mercy preparedin advance for glory. - P121

As he often does in Romans, Paul anticipates a question and addresses it. Is God unjust because He does not extend His mercy and compassion to all? No, Paul explains. The reality is that none of us deserve His compassion; the wonder is that we experience His mercy at all. Yet, God has initiated and instituted His plans and purposes, inviting us to take part in them. - P122

The example of Pharaoh serves to remind us that God is fully sovereign: The most powerful man in the world who does not even worship Him can be an instrument for the Lord to display His glory. If we keep this example in mind, we will not fret regarding all that is taking place in the world. - P122

Paul addresses those who might question God and His will. He explainsthat a human being talking back to God is like any creation questioning itscreator. A potter has the right to shape a lump of clay as he pleases-he canmake some pottery for special purposes and some for common use. TheLord is far more glorious and knowledgeable than we could ever be, and Hecould pour out His wrath according to His righteous judgments.  - P122

However,
His creation may not realize how patient He is being. We are objects ofGod‘s mercy, and we should be grateful for it. May we always recognize thegreatness of our Creator and rejoice in the mercy we have received. - P122

Heavenly Father, I know I deserved Your wrath, and I rejoice in being an object of mercy. Remind me that You are not only in perfect control of my life but also of all that takes place in the universe. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P123

Hallelujah! Because ourGod is covenantal, we can rest assured that all His promises are true, andwe can live with deep confidence that His commitment to us will neverspoil, perish, or fade. - P119

 We can endeavor for God‘s glory each day, fully confident that weare contributing to a battle that cannot be lost. May we live as those whoknow the victory that took place before and the fullness of victory that willtake place in due time. - P123

Paul is filled with great sor...

Paul is filled with great sorrow and anguish about the many Jews who do not believe in Jesus as the promised Messiah. He wishes for their salvation so much that he would be willing to be cut off from Christ just so that they would believe. - P118

Like Paul, let us also grieve and intercede on behalf of those who have not yet put their trust in the only One who saves—the Lord Jesus Christ. - P118

Let us pray that they, too, would embrace the rich heritage that has been offered to us through the new covenant, enabling all of God’s people to rejoice as they share in the blessings of the Old Testament, while enjoying the promises and protections of the New Testament. - P118

Dear God, when I reflect on Your manifold blessings available to me through the Old and New Testament, I am filled with great joy and find great rest. I pray for those around me to also put their faith in You so that they can experience this joy as well. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P119

32He who did not spare his ow...

32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.

34Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? - P112

37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,

39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. - P113

If God is for us, who can be against us? God did not spare His own Son butgave Him up for all. No one can bring a charge against God‘s chosen. Nothingcan separate believers from God‘s love-not trouble, powers, or persecution.
Neither death nor life can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. - P113

God has clearly shown that He is for us by willingly giving up His Son to take away our condemnation. Jesus is the gift that brings all gifts. Along with Him, the Father also give us, His chosen ones, all things. Now that we are forgiven and cleansed of our sin, there is nothing standing between us and God but Christ Jesus who intercedes for us. - P114

Because God is for us and we no longer stand condemned before Him, we have the freedom to live without nagging doubts or fears as we follow Jesus. There will be struggles. - P114

At times, we will fail. But rather than staying down, we get back up because God’s great love and forgiveness are now an ever-present reality in our lives. - P114

There is no person, no power, no circumstance that can come betweenus and Christ Jesus, our Lord. Trouble, hardship, persecution, scarcity, ormortal danger may come, but we will still be held fast by Christ‘s love. Life‘sinherent uncertainties cause many to live in fear or even hopelessness.  - P114

Butfor those of us who are anchored by faith in God through Jesus, we knowthat whatever awaits us in the days to come, our God will be with us. As wegrow in our awareness of this reality, a peace beyond anything this worldhas to offer settles over every part of our being: Fear is banished, and a livinghope is born. This is what makes the Christian life the unbeatable life. - P114

God‘s Word tells us a very different story and it is one ofgrace, redemption, and hope. Because God is for us, nothing in this worldcan stand against us: not fear, not failure, and certainly not shame.
- P115

Romans 8:31-39 is a powerful reminder that God‘s love is eternal, unshak-able, and unconditional. We do not have to earn God‘s love, and it is notsomething we can lose; it is a free gift through faith in Jesus Christ.  - P115

We canwalk in boldness knowing that God has already won every victory. So thenext time shame comes knocking at your door, hold your head high andspeak truth over the lies that say you are not enough.  - P115

God is for you. Godhas a good plan for your life. And nothing will ever separate you from Hislove. - P115

Lord God, I praise You from the depths of my being. My spirit rejoices knowing that whatever challenges, pain, or heartache life may bring, - P115

You will be with me through it all. I will never be separated from Your immeasurable love in Your Son. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P115