Greetings, YAHWEH’s People!

Taking a deeper dive into Romans 2, Apostle Paul teaches about looking at our own lives, not judging others, but paying attention to what we do (our own actions/reactions) versus what we say that we believe (we say we believe GOD but aren’t willing to do what He says). He poses many thoughts about self-evaluation and even self-improvement.

Apostle Paul focuses on teaching the Romans about restraining from looking at others’ faults, thus, judging others’ mistakes, sins. It’s interesting that he speaks about how God doesn’t show favorites (Romans 2:11). This world chooses “favorites,” we even go as far as to create cliques within our circles and talk about each other, backstabbing, and creating chaos with our mouths.

It’s important to keep our mouths off of each other. Instead, James 5:16, teaches us that when one sins, we should uplift them in prayer. The issue is that we cannot “confess” our sins to one another without someone going outside our bond and sharing our sins with others instead of helping us, through prayer and application of GOD’s WORD. 

Instead, we’re too focused on their sin, not our own sin.  We should be focused on helping them abstain from it, helping them with a solution, not judgement and ridicule! We’re so quick to point out others’ flaws, without notice of our own. Yet, we want God to forgive our sin(s) or do we? Do we even want to get closer to GOD (John 15:4)? They only way we can become closer, creating a more intimate relationship with Christ, is to obey His commands and follow His instructions, His directions; this pleases GOD when we obey Him (John 15:15). He wants to see our efforts to come closer to Him. He doesn’t want us to continue in sin; He wants us to learn from our mistakes and take measures to remove sin from our lives.

Will we ever be sin-free? No. We will always sin as long as we’re in these physical, Earthly bodies. But, can we do better? Can we be better? Yes, through obeying God’s Laws.

How do we get to know what God requires? We must read His Holy Word, study it, mediate on it, day and night. Our minds are constantly roaming. We’re always hit with dilemmas on do we do what God wants OR do we do what we want? The devil is always scheming, trying to find a way to trip us up. He’s steadily seeking whom he may devour, that is, whom he can steal from, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).

The Good News is that God destroyed the yoke of bondage to sin by allowing Jesus Christ to die for our sins. He’s resurrected! The sting of death by sin is gone! Therefore, we now have hope. We now can be forgiven of our sins, cleansed, constantly, and made whole (complete), in GOD, if we ask for forgiveness from a sincere place.

What’s the takeaway? Pay attention to your character flaws. When you’re honest with GOD, He reveals to you your flaws and shows us means to correct our behaviors. When we’re honest with GOD, He’s THE ONLY ONE that will truly forgive us and cause us to see an escape from the enemy’s traps. The Holy Spirit leads and guides us and shows us things to come (John 16:13). When you’re saved, you’re equipped with The Holy Spirit; it’s your conscience. When we obey GOD, we’re more alert & aware of the conniving ways of the enemy and we can avoid taking the enemy’s bait.

It’s all about how much we want to become more like Christ. It’s about how much we’re willing to sacrifice unto GOD to be better, to get better, and to live better. Don’t get caught up in stupidity because we’re not ignorant of the enemy’s devices when we’re saved by GOD (2 Corinthians 2:11). His saving power does just that, it rescues us and keeps us from the enemy! We’re safe when we’re close to GOD. We’re protected. We’re covered. Be careful as to stay in His Arms. Don’t be fooled by earthly pleasures, earthly (fleshly) desires that are opposite of GOD’s Will for our lives.

Stay focused and keep your mind stayed on Christ. For if we keep our minds on Him, we’ll keep ourselves from sins that easily beset us (Hebrews 12:1). Finally, Romans 12:1-2, urges us to present our bodies as a “living sacrifice” that’s Holy & acceptable unto GOD (our reasonable service). The reason we live, move, and have our being is because of GOD’s grace and unmerited favor (mercy) on our lives.

When we understand that our lives are dependent upon GOD’s desire to allow us to “live,” we’d understand that our purpose is to please Him. Our purpose is to give GOD glory, to praise & worship Him, in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:24). Who’s truth? GOD’s Truth, not man’s truth, not the enemy’s truth.

“Circumcision is spiritual,” Romans 2:29. What’s circumcision? Are you circumcised? It’s the cutting away of the sin that is covering our hearts and minds. It’s about crucifying our flesh, dying to sins that used to hinder us but instead following Christ’s Divine providence for our lives. When we understand that we are Spirits having a human experience, we grow to further understand the depths in which we’re ingrained and rooted in God, good and not evil.

Those that are saved are NOT evil! Question your own behavior and work to clear your own house of deadly debris. If you cannot help a person, don’t say anything about them. Keep your mouth to yourself (Proverbs 13:3) and realize that we, as Christians, should help each other, building each other in the things of GOD (“loving our neighbors as ourselves” Galatians 5:14b. Helping each other and when others’ fall, be there to help pick them up and guide them back to Christ. Your own mouth will condemn you! Your own behavior will keep you from GOD. Your own actions will create turmoil for your life. Live a life that’s pleasing unto GOD.

Stop trying to meet others’ expectations of you. Instead, focus on bringing glory unto GOD through obedience. To have faith in GOD is to obey His commands and become “righteous” before Him (Galatians 5:5). Change your perception of GOD. We cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). We must choose (Joshua 24:15).

Today’s Scriptures:

Psalm 124:1(a), 6-8 KJV | King James Version

If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

Romans 2:7-11 GW | GOD’s WORD Translation

7 He will give everlasting life to those who search for glory, honor, and immortality by persisting in doing what is good. But he will bring 8 anger and fury on those who, in selfish pride, refuse to believe the truth and who follow what is wrong. 9 There will be suffering and distress for every person who does evil, for Jews first and Greeks as well. 10 But there will be glory, honor, and peace for every person who does what is good, for Jews first and Greeks as well. 11 God does not play favorites.

Romans 2:13, 16, 29 NLT | New Living Translation

For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight. And this is the message I proclaim – that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life. No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.

Galatians 5:1, 16-18, 24-26 KJV | King James Version

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: are these are contrary the one to the other: so they ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Matthew 26:41 GW | GOD’S WORD Translation

Stay awake, and pray that you won’t be tempted. You want to do what’s right, but you’re weak.