Today’s Podcast
Today’s Scriptures
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – Romans 14:1-12
Set – Romans 13-14
Go! – Romans 13-16
Romans 14:1-12
1 It’s high time that you welcome all people weak in the faith without debating and disputing their opinions.
2 Here’s the issue: One person believes that nothing’s off the menu; he’ll eat any food put before him. But there’s another believer—we’ll call him the weaker—who eats only vegetables because the meat is tainted through contact with an idol. 3 If you are an eater of all things, do not be condescending to your vegetarian brother or sister. In turn, those who abstain from certain foods on religious principles should not judge your brothers and sisters who eat meat—if God has accepted them, you have no reason to reject them. 4 How could you think for a moment that you have the right to judge another person’s servant? Each servant answers to his own Master, and he will either stand or fall in His presence. The good news is that he will stand because the Master is able to make it so.
5 There may be a believer who regards one day as more sacred than any other, while another views every day as sacred as the next. In these matters, all must reach their own conclusions and satisfy their own minds. 6 If someone observes a day as holy, he observes it in honor of the Lord. If another eats a particular diet, he eats in honor of the Lord since he begins by giving thanks! If yet another abstains from that same food, he abstains out of respect for the Lord and begins his meal by thanking God too. 7 The truth is that none of us live for ourselves, and none die for ourselves. 8 For if we live, we live for the Lord. If we die, we die for the Lord. So in both life and death, we belong to the Lord. 9 The Anointed One, the Liberating King, died and returned to life to make this a reality: through His death and resurrection, He became Lord of the living and the dead.
10 So how is it that you continue to judge your brother? How is it possible for you to look down on a sister? We will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written,
“As I live, so I promise,” says the Lord, “every knee will bow down to Me.
Every tongue will confess to God.”
12 So every one of us, regardless of our eating habits, should expect to give an account for our own lives to God.
Today’s Devotional
From today’s background scripture God might say:
You know that My word tells you some things are flat wrong – stealing, murder, sexual immorality, lying, and so forth. There are many things that you’ll come across day by day, though, that My word doesn’t say anything about. Some churches hold firm views on certain activities and others will tell you those activities are okay. So what’s the truth? What is the real story? What do I say?
I say, listen to My spirit within you.The concepts within My word do not change. So first listen to them and judge your actions according to the concepts and precepts within My word. But often I will give you personal convictions and commands to follow that I do not give to others. I do it for a reason. I know your weaknesses just like Satan knows your weaknesses. But when you give your life to Me, I protect you from the evil one, just as you ask Me to do.
So, I give you personal convictions around your area of weakness to keep you from falling to the temptations that Satan might put in your path. For instance, I might know that because of your genetic makeup you have a predisposition to addictive behaviors. My spirit might tell you I don’t want you to drink alcoholic beverages because I know you would become an alcoholic. I give you that conviction to protect you. Or suppose you have difficulty with handling money. I won’t give you a lot to handle to tempt you. I won’t necessarily make you poverty stricken, but I probably will keep you from being wealthy to keep you from falling into Satan’s money traps.
I will ask you to do things to keep you out of trouble and avoid your weak areas if you’ll listen to Me. I’ll give you personal instructions and guide you through this life in ways that will keep your heart pure and away from the snares the tempter lays out for you. I’ll put you on a path of righteousness fit just for you. Your convictions will not fit anyone else, so don’t try to impose them on anyone. They will be yours. And other’s convictions may not fit you. So live by My spirit and let Me guide your path. My word will tell you many things to do and not do, but My spirit will guide you if you listen. Trust Him to lead you well.
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