Bliss and Blisters

You're still just a human!

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (New International Version)

⁸Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. ¹⁰That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

 

I’m on this new thing now.  I have spent the past 2 ½ years harboring or should I say meditating on my failures, fears, difficulties and so forth, sharing my hardships with no one.  Burdened by my religious oppressions.  I see now that this was a pride issue and has made my ‘be-Christ-like’ journey much harder than it had to be.  When I heard these verses yesterday (The Bible Experience DVD’s), it was like I heard it for the first time; must be that Matthew 13:22 thing!!

 

So, for you women I consider prayer warriors (even though I probably never mentioned it to you) expect to get a few more emails from me.  For when I am weak, then I am strong!

 

Walking in His mercy and Living in His grace,

 

Kisha

Do you really trust, do you really believe?

Our thought for today comes from Exodus 12:10-13 and it reads:

¹⁰ As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the Lord, ¹¹ and they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? ¹² Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’”

 ¹³ But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. ¹⁴ The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”

Does the comments of the Egyptians remind you of anyone?  It reminds me a lot of today’s Christian.  When we see just an inkling of trouble we want to retreat, run back to the familiar, even though we’ve seen God perform supernatural interventions in our lives, even though we got the word on something; we get scared and want to turn back.  We treat God as if He is of the human element.  It is like we believe He does not love us and desires the best for us.

 

In Exodus 13:17-18 we read this: ¹⁷ When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, even though that was the shortest route to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” ¹⁸ So God led them in a roundabout way through the wilderness toward the Red Sea.

 

Often times God leads us in a ‘roundabout’ way to our victory, to our calling, to our freedom, to our goals, and our prosperity.  He knows that the short path may have too much adversity or we may still require more character building.  In an effort to fully prepare us, he directs us on a path that leads to his blessings but prunes and strengthens us in the process.

 

So, when things feel slow, the journey seems long, and the enemy throws darts at your mind; remember this lessons from the Israelites leaving Egypt, then begin to dig deeper in your Word, pray harder, fast longer and know that God is on your side.

 

Indebted To Christ,

 

 

Nakisha 'Kisha' Guzman

Pray for...

Katelyn, she was in a fight with her husband and now they are talking divorce.  Girl, I would never put up with the mess.  I guess she isn’t as Holy as she claims to be, said Jeslyn as she chatted on the phone with her friend Jenny.

 

Now isn’t this the way most conversations on the phone begin that always lead to gossip.  Instead of truly taking our prayers, concerns, worries and petitions to the Lord, we take them across the phone lines first or we take some to God but hold onto the baggage to drop on others.  It usually happens before you know it and most often unintentionally.  A simple request for prayer can easily spill into a tongue lashing.  Heed the words of Proverbs 19:10 Too much talk leads to sin.  Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.

 

Now, I’m not suggesting that you don’t get prayer warriors to believe with you but learn to be more discreet in your conversations or emails when simply sharing with friends and even family.

As Psalm 19:14 tells us so plainly; let the words of mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you, O’ Lord my rock and redeemer.  This is a verse that has to be proactively and consciously focused on to become part of one’s life.  Like training our bodies we must exercise control through the spirit over our flesh.  The benefits of this are so much greater!

 

Indebted To Christ,

 

 

 

Nakisha 'Kisha' Guzman

Recognizing your flaws

Proverbs 10:16- The earnings of the godly enhance their lives, but evil people squander their money on sin.

 

Do your earnings enhance your life?  Usually ours does but often times I go over my bi-weekly budget and find myself frustrated for failing in this area.  I believe I have been enlightened on why this is happening.  You see, I set aside money each pay cycle that I am to use for purchasing little simple pleasures for my family.  However, more often than I care to admit, this money is used on my ‘sin’.  Lately, my sin is laziness and gluttony.  If I am too lazy to cook, I order out.  If I enjoy the food,  I may eat the same thing 3 days in a row.  This pattern takes me over our money designated for food.  In order to maintain I end up using the money God gave us to “enhance our lives” on my silly sin.  All this time, I thought I should eat out if I wanted to.  This is an arrogant and undisciplined way of thinking.

 

So, are there areas of your life that need a little more discipline?  Sin is sin, not big or little to God.  Just sin.

 

I hope this will help me to be a better steward of my blessings, turn up my spiritual sensitivity to place me in a  lifestyle of discipline and help me turn my back on laziness, gluttony & undisciplined living.

 

 

Indebted to Christ,

 

Kisha Guzman

Self-worth, do you have it?

Sexual purity is so taboo that many ministers won’t teach on it anymore.  The church is filled with individuals who praise God, request His intervention yet live in a state of habitual sin.  Illicit, un-marital sex known biblically as Fornication is a sin; your prayers will go unanswered (Psalm 66:18, 1 John 3:21-22, Isaiah 59:1-2).  Habitual sin that is recognized and not corrected brings condemnation to your soul, because your heart lives to please the flesh, not the Father. 

 

So many of the Christian women of these past decades are far from God, the relationship is very superficial, and the miracles are few.  They lay down with anyone who will make them feel desired or fills their fleshy desires.  Their bodies are tainted.  They are not strong enough to believe that they are King’s daughters and that they don’t have to give it up to secure long term love, happiness and fulfillment. 

 

I speak from experience.  A young life tainted with fornication and a young adulthood scarred by adultery.  I allowed filth into my body.  I sinned against my own flesh as it states in 1 Corinthians 6:18.  We pay deeply for these acts.  Its spirits that linger from past lovers, emotional wounds, terrible memories, disease, generational curses that must be broken and the list goes on.  It’s just not worth it.  We’ve all read 1 Corinthians 7:9, “ if you can’t exercise self-control, it is better to marry than burn”.  I would pray that we could control the urge than marry only for sex.  However, I know that relationships are work whether you are married or not.  So if you are pretending or playing the role as wifey or hubby then why not solidify the deal, at least God can bless the unity?

 

What we really need to figure out is what’s missing?  Why can’t we as women of God live by the Word?  We fill the pews to praise Him on Sunday.  We do good works in His name but on Friday and Saturday, we drink like sailors, club like hookers, and sleep around just because.  What’s missing?  Our hearts don’t yearn to please Him in all we do.  We don’t believe that He wants the best for us and will give it to us based on our faithfulness.  We haven’t been taught how to fill our voids with Him.  We barely read our Word so how can he speak to us?  We crowd Him out with our music, cell phones and the like.  We only want Him to perform when we ask…otherwise we got it!

 

The wonderful nature of God is like this, no matter how dirty you are, He will wash you clean again.  He puts our sins in the sea of forgetfulness.  If our hearts are truly changed we will sin no more, we will fight temptation like our life depended on it…as it does.  When your heart and mind is truly renewed those sins will disgust you and you will flee them like a lover who has AIDS.  If you have mild success in this life, think of how much more God has in store for you.  Peasants don’t wear crowns though.  His arms are always open and waiting to restore His daughters to their rightful places.

 

 

Indebted to Christ,

Nakisha 'Kisha' Guzman

Heaven on the mind!

The critical question for our generation-and for every generation-is this:  If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all your friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disaster, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?  From John Piper’s God is the Gospel.

How many of you will read those words and say, “ You know, I just might be okay with that”?  If you are deeply in love with God, you could never be satisfied in heaven without Christ.  From Francis Chan’s Crazy Love.

Share with others!

Don't assume you are good soil.

Has your relationship with Goad actually changed the way you live?  Do you see evidence of God’s kingdom in your life?  Or are you choking it out slowly by spending too much time, energy, money and thought on the things of this world? 

Are you satisfied being “godly enough” to get yourself to heaven, or to look good in comparison to others?  Or can you say with Paul that you “want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Phil. 3:10)?  Is that too much Jesus for you?

The American church is a difficult place to fit in if you want to live out New Testament Christianity.  The goals of the American Christianity are often a nice marriage, children who don’t swear, and good church attendance.  Taking the words of Christ literally & seriously are rarely considered.  That’s for those “radicals” who are “unbalanced” and go “overboard”.  Most of us want a balanced life that we can control, that is safe, and that does not involve suffering.

Would you describe yourself as totally in love with Jesus Christ or his stuff?  Do the words halfhearted, lukewarm, and partially committed fit better?

The Bible says to test ourselves.  The next few statements will help you do this.  Be honest, assess who you are today, not who you want to be one of those days…that day may never come.  If need be-repent & move forward with a new mind!

Lukewarm people do this:

1.       Attend church fairly regularly.  It is what is expected of them, what they believe “good Christians” do, so they go.  Check yourself: Isa. 29:13

2.       Give money to charity and to the church…as long as it doesn’t impinge on their standard of living.  If they have a little extra and it is easy & safe to give, they do so.  After all, God loves a cheerful giver, right?  Check yourself: I Chron. 21:24, Like 21:1-4.

3.       Choose what is popular over what is right when they are conflict.  They desire to fit in both at church and outside the church; they care more about what people think of their actions (like church attendance & giving than what God thinks of their hearts & lives.  Check yourself: Luke 6:26, Rev. 3:1.

4.       They don’t really want to be saved from their sin; they want to be saved from the penalty of their sin.  They don’t genuinely hate sin and aren’t sorry for it; they’re merely sorry because God is going to punish them.  Lukewarm people don’t really believe that this new life Jesus offers is better than the old sinful life.  Check yourself: John 10:10, Rom. 6:1-2.

5.       Are moved by stories of people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do no act.  They assume such action is for “extreme” Christians, not average ones.  Luke warm people call “radical” what Jesus expected of ALL his followers.  Check yourself: Kames 1:22, James 4:17.

6.       Rarely share their faith with neighbors, coworkers or friends.  They do not want to be rejected, nor do they want to make people uncomfortable by talking about private issues like religion.  Check yourself: Matt. 10:32-33.

7.       Gauge their morality or “goodness” by comparing themselves to the secular world.  They feel satisfied that while they aren’t as hard-core for Jesus as so-and-so, they are nowhere as horrible as the guy down the street.  Check yourself: Luke 18:11-12.

8.       Say they love Jesus, and He is, indeed, a part of their lives.  But only a part.  They give Him a section of their time, their money, and their thoughts, but He isn’t allowed to control their lives.  Check yourself: Luke 9:57-62.

9.       Love God, but they do not love Him with all their heart, soul, and strength.  They would be quick to assure you that they try to love God that much, but that sort of total devotion isn’t really possible for the average person; its’ only for pastors and missionaries and radicals.  Check yourself: Matt. 22:37-38.

10.   Will serve God and others, but there are limits to how far they will go or how much time, money and energy they will give.  Check yourself: Luke 18:21-25.

11.   Think about life on earth much more often than eternity in heaven. Daily life is mostly focused on today’s to-do list, this week’s schedule, and next month’s vacation.  Rarely, if ever, do the intently consider the life to come.  Regarding this, C.S. Lewis writes, “ If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next.  It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.”  Check yourself: Phil. 3:18-20, Col. 3:2.

12.   Are thankful for their luxuries and comforts and rarely consider trying to give as much as possible to the poor.  They are quick to point out, “ Jesus never said money is the root of all evil, only the love of money is.”  Untold numbers of lukewarm people feel “called” to minister to the rich; very few feel “called” to minister to the poor.  Check yourself: Matt. 25:34,40, Isa. 58:6-7.

13.   Do whatever is necessary to keep themselves from feeling too guilty.  They want to do the bare minimum, to be “good enough” without it requiring too much of them.  They ask, “ How far can I go before it’s a sin instead of How can I keep myself pure as the temple of the Holy Spirit, They ask, “ How much do I have to give?” instead of “ how much can I give?”, They ask, “how much time should I spend praying and reading my Bible?” instead of “ I wish I didn’t have to work, so I could sit here and read longer!”  Check yourself: I Chron. 29:14, Matt. 13:44-46.

14.   They are continually concerned with playing it safe; they are salves to the god of control.  This focus on safe living keeps them from sacrificing and risking for God.  Check yourself: I Tim. 6:17-18, Matt. 10:28.

15.   Feel secure because they attend church, made a profession of faith at age 12, were baptized, come from a Christian family, vote Republican, or live in America.  You are not safe because you wear the  label Christian or because some people persist in calling us a Christian nation.  Check yourself: Matt. 7:21, Amos 6:1.

16.   Do not live by faith; their lives are structured so they never have to.  They don’t have to trust God if something unexpected happens-they have their savings account.  They don’t need God to help them-they have their retirement plan in place.  They don’t genuinely seek out what life God would have them live live-they have life figured out and mapped out.  They don’t depend on God on a daily basis-their refrigerators are full and, for the most part, they are in good health.  The truth is, their lives wouldn’t look much different if they suddenly stopped believing in God.  Check yourself: Luke 12:16-21 also Hebrews 11.

17.   They probably drink and swear less than average, but besides that, they really aren’t very different from your typical unbeliever.  They equate their partially sanitized lives with holiness, but they couldn’t be more wrong.  Check yourself: Matt. 23:25-28.

This list is no all inclusive of what it means to be a Christian not is it intended to be used as ammunition to judge your fellow believers’ salvation. Instead it should be used as 2 Corinthians 13:5 says, to examine yourself to see whether you are in the faith. 

Jesus ask for everything.  But we try to give Him less.  Jesus said, Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.  This isn’t a cute little analogy Jesus was using.  He is addressing those who aren’t willing to give everything, who won’t follow him all the ay.  He is saying that lukewarm, halfhearted following is useless, that it sickens out souls.  He is saying that this kind of salt is not even fit :for the manure pile.”

Wow,  How would you like to hear the Son of God say, “ You would ruin manure”?

This excerpt comes from the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan.  My eyes are opened further and I am only getting to Chapter 5 of 10 chapter.  Lord help us all!

Becoming grateful before it’s too late

Becoming grateful before it’s too late

In this world of give me more and give it to me now, it’s hard to remain in a state of gratefulness.  At least this has been my experience thus far.  I often leave spirit-filled women’s retreats with so much insight, refreshment, and amazement.  Only to return home and find myself slipping ever so quickly back into the mind-set of ungratefulness.  Is there a remedy?

Often times it takes tragedy like the death of family member or an email thread of a child who has just succumbed to cancer to give a person a dose of their true reality but soon after like any good medicine it wears off and we display the sickening symptoms once again.  Is there a remedy?

I suppose the best remedy lies in prayer for revelation.  The follow-up of course is action.  What actions must we take to ward off the corrupt thinking that battles our spirit by the hour?  The answer is simple; simply said that is.  Be conscious and deliberate in our praise & the acknowledgement of our blessings. 

If we spend more time thanking God for the blessings that we have, we would have less time to gossip, murmur or go into a thinking frenzy about the things we don’t.  If we settled into the fact that God’s outcomes may not look like what we envisioned our outcomes to be then maybe, just maybe we could find more peace & joy in this daily Christian walk.

I don’t write as someone who has mastered the plan but as someone who strives to live a life that God would be very pleased with; in my attempt to do so I must subject myself to lots of examination.   I am just sharing my journey with you.  If you find my sharing annoying, delete them.  If you are tired of deleting them ask me to remove you from my mailing list.  Otherwise, I will assume that you are someone who cares about what’s going on my head!

Agape---

Romans 11

Ray's take on it:

Romans 11

It’s easy to feel as though we run this race alone.  It seems like so few are going to endure until the end.  We are encouraged by Paul that we are not alone even though it feels that way some time.  Even Elijah felt this way and God had to tell him that there were 7000 others who had not yet bowed to baal (sorry, I can’t bring myself to capitalize that name).  Even one of the greatest prophets of all time felt like he was fighting a battle by himself.  It’s just proof (and confirmation of other Scripture) that when you do the work of the Lord, when you adhere to His word, when you walk with Him daily, the enemy will isolate you or at least try and make you feel isolated.  It’s great to know that even when we seem to be alone we are not.  The feeling of isolation is difficult.  We are designed to desire community and to fellowship with one another. Isolation can create additional pressure to give in.  To not endure.  To question God.  Think about it….even God isn’t alone.  Before the existence of man, the Trinity existed as evidenced in multiple places in the Bible.

We are also encouraged to know that Gentiles are grafted into the Kingdom.  God’s beautiful plan was to provide all with an opportunity to be redeemed.  In providing salvation to Gentiles He hopes to arouse the Jews into accepting Jesus as well.  If God’s chosen people were to accept him imagine the blessing!  He is waiting and desiring for them to turn and accept Christ. 

God is both severe and fair.  He is fair in more ways than one could write about.  Even when He is being severe He is doing so because He is just and a just God cannot allow for our transgressions to go unpunished.  It’s amazing how much it parallels a parent/child relationship.  Even in the midst of our parents ‘severely’ punishing us we never doubted their love or their intentions for us.   Verse 32 highlights that “God has imprisoned all people in their disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone!”  Wow, what a powerful statement and revelation!  Even in our imprisonment God is leading us to desire a relationship with Him. To accept Him and to worship Him as only He deserves to be glorified. As this chapter make so abundantly clear, everything that exists does so by His power and is intended for His glory!  Amen!

Kisha's take on it:

Apparently, somewhere along the way the Jews got side-tracked or confused causing God to send a Jewish Messiah that would not only save the Jews but all people.

We can ask God for wisdom but we must remember that He is all-knowing & all-powerful.  We cannot get into the cycle of thinking that our ideas, plans, or wants are things that God will provide for us or deem necessary for us.  All we can do is ask and wait to see if we receive it.  We live in the world with free-choice to do things that are pleasing to God.  We have talents, desires, gifts and skills within us that He expects us to utilize.  However, He makes the ultimate decision on what will be successful, fruitful, or just mediocre and His choices should never be rejected or complained about for He knows what is best for us.  We can have faith in knowing that He wants the best for us and that He loves to bless us.

Romans 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10

Ray's take:

Romans 6 -

As usual, Paul 'brings the heat' in this chapter.   Paul addresses the idea of continuing in sin so that God's grace would abound more.  He says NO.  Grace isn't a hall pas to keep sinning.  The wages of sin is Death!  What he teaches us is that we are dead to sin but we are alive in Christ.  When Christ died, was buried, and resurrected believers were also resurrected.  He took our place.  He was the only substitute capable of doing so.  His blood was shed in our place.  He redeemed those in the past (before Christ) and all of those who believed in Him that would follow.  Hallelujah!

Verses 10 and 14 are key anchors in this chapter.  As believers we are now called to live our lives for Christ.  We are no longer slaves to sin but we free in Christ (and wiling slaves to Him too).

It's funny because once you come to the knowledge of Christ and accept Him into your life you become ashamed of your past sin (v21).  It's like the wool is removed from your eyes and you realize just how naked you really were without Christ (much like Adam and Eve discovered).  Paul asks the question "What good was your sin"?  Of course there is no answer to that question.

Romans 7-

Without the law we would not know we have a need for Christ and that we have fallen short.  We are aroused by the law into this awareness.  The weight of the law is a constant reminder that we need to be redeemed by a redeemer.  Actually we need THE Redeemer!  The law is essentially a measuring stick.  Who is capable of looking at the law and saying they are not guilty?  We are all guilty.  Despite our transgressions, God through Christ looks at us and says 'NOT GUILTY'.  We need Christ to avoid sin.  We have the ability and authority through Christ to resist the devil and to not sin.  It's when we try to do this in our own strength that we fail.  It's really an interesting dichotomy.  We are first Spirit, then Soul, then Flesh.  The dichotomy is that our sprit wants to resist sin yet our flesh longs for it.  In other words, this side of heaven we will be in a constant battle.  It's Christ who gives us the strength and ability to resist sin.

Romans 8 -

Jesus came and filled in the gaps of our shortcomings under the law.  He made us whole!  There is no condemnation for followers of Christ.  If Christ is in you then your body is DEAD.  Again, the emphasis on the ability to live a life without sin through Christ.

We are also not to be slaves to fear.  These are truly words to keep in the forefront of our mind and our thoughts.  How many of Christ's followers were defeated before they ever started?  How many of them did not accomplish their purpose because of fear?  Fear cripples God's people and it contradicts what God has told us about ourselves.  We believe the lie from the devil that puts us into a state of fear.  If we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us then what is there to fear?  We shouldn't even fear the sufferings we are going to face due to our belief in Christ.  If the world wouldn't accept Christ then why would they accept us?  We can expect to be persecuted by the world and we should do so gladly.  We should consider that the suffering we face in this world is not even worth comparing to the ultimate glory that will be revealed in us later!

Instead we should eagerly anticipate the second coming of Christ.  We should desire Him so greatly that we are disappointed that he hasn't come already.  Not disappointed in Christ because it is in his timing that He will return for His people; but disappointed because our longing to be with Him is so deep and strong that we are disappointed that we have to wait another MINUTE to be with Him.  Maranatha!!!!!  Despite our desire to be with him immediately, we must be patient and wait for His plan to unfold.

So often we hear Christians reference verse 28 which states: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. Who have been called according to his purpose".  I think we often lose sight of what that really means.  It doesn't mean we won't face evil and harm as believers.  It means that God will use them for his glory too!  What the enemy intended for evil and harm will ultimately be used for God to get His glory....the glory he so rightfully deserves.  Don't let those trials and tribulations shake your faith.  Once you do that the enemy will begin attacking you in a way that causes you to question your salvation.  If he can do that then you are not able to walk in the authority Christ has given us.  That's exactly what the enemy wants you to lose.....your authority!  Don't give it up. It is stated really clearly in Chapter 8 that nothing can separate us from Christ!  Praise God!

Romans 9 -

I am particularly moved by how much Paul longed to 'save' his people.  Not actually save them because only Christ can do that but he longed for them to accept and receive the message, love, and truth of Christ.  He was even willing to take their place in suffering that they may come to know Christ.  It made me look inward and ask if I long for sinners to be saved in the same way.  To some degree I suppose I do but I'm not convinced I'm as committed to it as Paul.  It's an area I need to pray about. I should be almost moved tears every time I  learn of someone who has not come to know Christ or who has rejected the Gospel.

We have nothing to boast about except for boasting in Christ.  How can we take pride in anything as if we do anything on our own?  It is only through Christ that we are capable of accomplishing anything.  This is something we all need to look out for and defend against.  This world likes to build people up and never acknowledges that we are not the source of whatever accomplishments it is they want to recognize.  It is the gifting of God that enables us to do anything of significance.  I'm convinced that pride is the cause of all sin.  We should be especially mindful of pride creeping into our thinking and our attitude.  It's that pride that causes us to think of ourselves as more than we really are.  It's pride that leads us to believe we don't need God and once that happens the rest is history.  The antidote to pride is being humbled.  Why do you think the Word so often references being humble or humbling ourselves?

We should even be careful about being prideful that we came to know Christ.  We were not chosen because there was anything special about us but because God chose us.  Who are we to even think we had a hand in Gods favor?  Who war ewe to think we fully understand God?  Who are we to question Him?  The most important thing one can ever know is that we cannot save ourselves and our good works won't save us either.  It is only through the Son that we can be saved.

Chapter 10 -

Again we find Paul longing for his people to know Christ.  It is interesting to note that the intentions (zeal) of his people were good but they misguided.  They failed to realize they too needed Christ.  They essentially tried to create their own path to salvation which was largely based on good works and obeying the law (which we know you can't do without Christ).   The didn't understand that salvation is a gift.  No one earns it or deserves it in the eyes of a Holy and perfect God.  Ironic that Gods chosen people who were looking for the Messiah would reject him and the Gentiles who knew nothing about the coming Messiah were the ones who accepted Him.

The evidence of God is all around us if we just take time to notice.  Even someone who has never heard the Word has an opportunity to know Christ.  He reveals himself through all of His marvelous creation and His existence cannot be disputed. Therefore, we have all had an opportunity to know God and to experience a relationship with Him. As a result, we are all accountable for our actions and our acceptance of Him.  No one is excused from this accountability.  That doesn't excuse one to not preach the gospel.  The great commission clearly instructs us to preach the word to all and to the ends of the earth!  Faith comes by hearing the Word and how can someone hear the Word if it is not preached?

In summary, I would stress the importance of allowing God to live in your heart.  By doing that your mouth will confess Him and His wonderful plan to save us.  By sharing that word with others they will too have an opportunity to have faith and through that faith they will be saved!  Hold up your end of the deal and share Him with those in your life!

Kisha's take:

Chapters 6 & 7, These bring affirmation that our flesh will desire to do what is wrong.  Sure, for the most part our conscious can assist us in making right choices but those old sin struggles (or any sin) will always want to control us.  We can be thankful that as Christians, we have the Holy Spirit living within us and can overcome theses struggles.  We should choose daily to walk a life that makes Him smile.  Become a slave to Christ.

Chapter 8, Again it speaks to our freedom in Christ.  We are no longer bound by sins hold.  We can literally call on the Holy Spirit in times of weakness and He will rescue us.  He will cause the devil to flee.  This chapter also makes it very clear that we are still under earthly rules.  We will not be free from suffering, errors or the like but we can rest assured that God will always have our back as long as we keep our faith in Him and are striving to live a right life because we love Him and want to please Him in all we do.

Chapter 9, I found verse 17 very interesting as I had never noticed it.  God chooses those who will be blessed & he chooses those who will suffer.  I also found in this chapter a very good teaching on how our faith (belief & acknowledgment0 in Jesus Christ is what makes us children of God.  We can't do enough for God to love us.  Sure we should practice Bible principles of love, mercy, kindness, giving, compassion and so forth but these things should come from a pure heart; not the desire to look good so God can be happy with you.  God love us because we can believe in His awesomeness & His son, Jesus.  This type of love will cause a person to want to do good on GP not based on lawful orders & religious babble.

Chapter 10, I found verse 18 interesting.  I have this notion in my mind that the Lord will return once everyone has had a chance to hear the Word.  However, after reading verse 18, apparently my notion is in accurate.  I felt the remainder of this chapter speaks to folks who are so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good.  I heard this little quote one day and I guess it was meant for me since it stuck in my brain.  I'm learning to mix messages of conviction with messages that are milder but hopefully still effective to produce change.