Romans 1:1 to Romans 3:21 Overview

The gospel of Jesus Christ brings men to live in the gift of righteousness. The gift of righteousness is found exclusively in Jesus alone!
Romans 1:1 to Romans 3:21

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Romans 1:1 Paul , a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God

How many Christians today would start a letter declaring themselves to be bondservants of Jesus Christ. Can we see ourselves as separated to the gospel of God. We are separated to the gospel and we understanding we have also been separated from something. Does God call His children to live with singleness of mind?

Romans 1:2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures,

The Holy Scriptures referred to is the Old Testament. The Holy Scriptures point to the coming Messiah who would save His people from sin.

Romans 1:3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

Paul waste no time to identify Jesus as the Son of Man and the Son of God! Jesus is the exclusive one who fulfilled all the prophecy written about the coming Messiah. The empty grave has proved Jesus to be the Everlasting Father. Without Him there would be no everlasting life. What you believe about Jesus Christ determines your destiny.

Romans 1:5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;

We have received grace (His divine influence) and every gift we have for a specific purpose. God has given us all that we have for obedience to the faith. We are called to fulfill the purpose of God! He has given us the gift to do the good works He prepared for us to do from the foundation of the world.

Romans 1:7 To all who are in Rome , beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

To all who may have called upon the name of the Lord, may you know that you are beloved of God! Jesus called your name to be a saint. More religious talk, ones who belong to God lock stock and barrel, are the ones who have the seal of ownership upon them. You are a saint if the you have been birthed with the imperishable seed.

Romans 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, 10 making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established; 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

Paul was a praying man sold out to imparting spiritual gifts to the body of Christ. His goal was to see the faith of the believers to abound. What is this truth that spiritual gifts establish the believer. The supernatural working in the believers life establish them in the purpose of God.

Romans 1:13 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. 14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. 15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."

Paul called himself a debtor to preach the gospel. The gospel by definition is the good news of Jesus Christ. A righteousness is revealed from faith to faith. The prophet Habakkuk declared the just shall live by faith. The time is here and now! The impartation Paul desires to share with the church is the righteousness of God. The entire book of Romans is dedicated to sharing how man is made right with God. Romans is a building block book. Each truth is carefully laid line upon line and precept on precept. To preach Romans chapter one and not preach any other part of Romans would be to miss the point of the truth of righteousness. To preach the truth found in Romans 8 about no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus without the believer having an understanding where righteousness comes from would be to misapply the truth.

Here is a practical example. Romans 1:18-32 speaks of the wicked, Romans 2:1-25 speaks of those with the knowledge of the law, Romans 2:26-29 speak of those who are the morally upstanding not under the law. If we look only to these verses and do not go past the building blocks Paul is laying we will miss the truth of righteousness.

Romans 3:9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. 10 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; 11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. 12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one."

Paul was going somewhere with his teaching. If you are wicked, if you are under the law, or if you are a morally upstanding you are all under sin. In humans there is none righteous no not one. Righteousness apart from our human doings had to be found. That is the righteousness of faith. Righteousness is being made right with God. It is being reconciled back to God. No man can possess it or achieve it from his own accord.

Paul carefully laid a foundation no matter what people group you belong to you are held under the law and are found guilty as a sinner. Jesus came preaching the gospel of repentance for the kingdom of God is here.

Romans 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

The law is important because with the knowledge of the law sin was known. Doing the deeds of the law can not make a man just as if he has never sinned. The law can not impart life but it is necessary to hold every one guilty. Without the foundational truth that all were born in sin and shaped in iniquity, one can not make room to find the true righteousness found by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We must be careful to handle the Word of God properly and never point men to the law to find life. We point men to the law so they might gain the knowledge of their sinfulness. Life is found exclusively in Jesus Christ; He came to give us life and life more abundantly. There is a knowing by experience that when the Son sets you free from sin you are free indeed. I am jumping way ahead of myself.

Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

Thank God for the witness of the Law and Prophets; Thank God for the righteousness found apart from the law. More to come…

(I may be back to edit but not tonight)

The Gospel = The Cross

The power of the cross! What a wonderous work Jesus accomplished at Calvary. The gospel equals the cross! The cross bought us reconcilation to God! Do you see the sin debt paid in full? Continue in the faith!

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“The Gospel = The Cross”

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. :17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."

The gospel of Christ is the power of God to salvation for everyone! The true gospel reveals righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ. Righteousness by definition is being reconciled back to God. Many have heard the story of Adam and Eve and how their sin separated them from the holy God. The perfect union between God and man was broken. The gospel declares that reconciliation is possible exclusively through Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 53:11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. 53:12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

Jesus going to the cross was the labor that God was satisfied with. As God’s wrath was poured out on His Son, His holiness was appeased. There was now a sacrifice that was so great it could pay the penalty for sin. So great was the sacrifice it could make the unclean holy. We call it imputed righteousness.

1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

The message of the cross is so great; Do you understand the last line of verse 18? To us who are being saved the message of the cross is the power of God. The cross is not the wooden beam put up for the décor of the church. The cross is the message of power over sin! The message of the cross is an exclusive trust and confidence in the finished work of the cross. When Jesus spoke those words “it is finished” it was a declaration that Jesus paid the full price for the sin of the world. Indeed the lamb of God had taken away the sin of the world.

1 Corinthians 1:23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Without the crucified Christ there is no reconciliation; however Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God is now manifested.

2 Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted; you may well put up with it!

Faith in Jesus Christ has been spurned by some as just to easy; I share in the Apostle Paul concern that so many have been turned away from the simplicity that is found in Christ alone.

1 John 4:14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

1 John 5:1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.

Galatians 1:3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. 6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

Divine influence teaches us the will of God was fulfilled at the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus gave Himself for our sins that so we can be deliver from this present evil age! Anyone who preaches that Jesus can’t deliver from sin is a liar.

1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you; unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,

Paul in a few words preaches to us the gospel Jesus died for our sins according to the Scripture, He was buried, and rose again. All for our reconciliation! Jesus said it simply!

Matthew 10:32 "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 "But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

1 Peter 2:21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth"; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

The cross is the power of God to salvation! He bore our sins in His own body on the tree! True faith in Jesus is a true dying to self and a complete surrender to Jesus. Jesus said if you do not surrender all you can not be His disciple. It is simply faith in Jesus; however Jesus set the standard high at what true faith is!

Galatians 3:8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed." 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. 10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them." 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith." 12 Yet the law is not of faith, but "the man who does them shall live by them." 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Those who would be justified by faith would have to accept that Jesus work at the cross could save them from their sin. The thief on the cross declaration demonstrated his faith in Jesus as the Messiah “remember me when you come into Your kingdom”. The work at the cross redeemed us from the curse of the law! We can only receive from God through faith in Jesus Christ and there is no other way to receive from God. Jesus truly ended the hostility between God and man at the cross!

Ephesians 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

Enmity has been put to death by the cross! Oh that the church would come back to preach the fullness of the cross!

Colossians 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

Peace with God was made exclusively through the blood of Jesus cross!

2 Corinthians 5:19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Be reconciled to God! God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them. If we are going to walk in the command to be ambassadors for Christ we must preach the power of the cross to salvation! The Father made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ!

Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.

It time for us to boast in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; there is no other way to become a new creation in Christ Jesus! The true gospel message equals us preach the cross. Shall we determine to know nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified? Make your boast in the cross!

(I might get back to this to edit it.) :-)

Is Your 1st Expectation God?

What is your 1st expectation? Your life style is your answer! If you have a headache do you call out to God first or do you run to the medicine cabinet? If you lack do you call family member or friend, or do you go to God in prayer? So many in this society run to the government to cure the woes; however God has told us to call out to Him and He will deliver us!

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Is Your 1^st Expectation God?

Isaiah 40:28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

This is a favorite passage of many saints of God, I am not the exception. Down through the years the church has sung “They That Wait Upon the Lord”. However lets back up a few verses from the song and listen to the questions of God.

Have you not Known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. Oh saint of God, God is provoking us into remembering who He is! Meditate on His greatness and remember He gives power the weak and strength to those without might. In consideration of His greatness now sing the song! “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like a eagle. They shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint. Teach me Lord to Wait.”

This waiting on the Lord is not an inactive twiddle your thumbs until He comes. It more like a waiter or waitress serving. In that very serving walking running you will find extraordinary strength. Remember the greatness of God, He does not grow weary of faint, so put your expectation in Him.

Isaiah 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other;

God will gird you to show others His greatness. I find it so interesting He keeps reminding His people of His greatness. He longs for us to exclusively trust in Him because He is God.

Ephesians 3:10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

The manifold wisdom of God has made a way for us. We have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Christ. The door has been opened wide for our expectation to be God 1^st.

Isaiah 45:22 "Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. 23 I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath.

How shall we respond to God calling out to us? “Look to Me and be saved, all you ends of the earth. God keeps reminding His people “I am God”. Why would God need to keep provoking us to remember He is God and there is not another. Us men are fast to look away finding another answer, when all the while Jesus is the only answer. What is it we look to 1^st in our adversity? Those who will call out to God have a promise of salvation and the sureness of His Word which can not return it must be fulfilled. Is it any wonder Jesus declare men shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Isaiah 43:10 "You are My witnesses," says the LORD, "And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD, And besides Me there is no savior. 12 I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, And there was no foreign god among you; Therefore you are My witnesses," Says the LORD, "that I am God. 13 Indeed before the day was, I am He; And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?"

God has a strong desire that you would know and believe in Him! He is the only true God and there is no other. What do we look to for saving. Only God can save and there is no other. When God works there is no reversing it. He spoke the world into existence; He can speak life into circumstance no matter how bleak it looks to you! So often we are calling our mom or dad, brother, sister, and friend. God wants you to call to Him first and He will save you! When we look to other people or perhaps even the government to save us out of our trouble, how is it we are surprised? Would a mother and father wonder why their child is calling out to a stranger for help? Yet where is our first call?

Jeremiah 33:2 "Thus says the LORD who made it, the LORD who formed it to establish it (the LORD is His name): 3 'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.'

God has invited you and is looking for you to call on Him. When we do call to Him are we asking for His help or are we asking Him to have this or that one to bless you? Where are your expectations?

Luke 12:22 Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. 23 "Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. 24 "Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? 25 "And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 26 "If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? 27 "Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 "If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? 29 "And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30 "For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 31 "But seek the kingdom of God , and all these things shall be added to you. 32 "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

You have much more value than the birds and God takes care of them; will He not also take care of you? His care for you is not based upon how much you have sown so that you may reap! Jesus said it “Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn”; God will take care of you! The victory is in what you are seeking. If you are seeking the stuff there is no victory. However, if you are seeking the Father, His kingdom, and righteousness all the things you need will be added unto you.

Where is your seeking? Another way to put it is where is the object of your faith? If God is your God and the object of your faith is Jesus Christ you will win! Keep seeking the kingdom and God will take care of the stuff. “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”! What is your 1^st expectation? Turn your eyes upon Jesus and look full in His wonderful face…

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. 4 Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.

Seeking the Father 1^st is a trusting issue. Will you keep your mind on your problems and fears or will you turn your eyes upon the One who can deliver and save. You can walk in perfect peace if you will but set your mind upon Him. Trusting in the greatness of God will change your expectation? Trust God 1^st!

Psalm 91:14 "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. 15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation."

Where are your affection set? If you will set your love upon God there are some strong and mighty promises. If your love is upon Him you can call and He will answer. He will be with you in trouble; can you receive it? God Himself has promised “I will deliver him and honor him.

Colossians 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

What is the object of your love and desire? If your 1^st expectation is God you will know the fullness of the abundant life Jesus promised. Many believers are not interested in having their life hidden in Christ. They want their life and God to bless; this is not the kingdom of God way. If any man comes to God he must deny himself and pick up his cross and follow Jesus diligently.

Psalm 62:1 Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. 2 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved. 3 How long will you attack a man? You shall be slain, all of you, Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence. 4 They only consult to cast him down from his high position; They delight in lies; They bless with their mouth, But they curse inwardly. Selah 5 My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. 6 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. 7 In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God. 8 Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah

This passage is one of my favorites! My expectation is from God. I will not put my confidence in man! God only is my rock, my defense and I shall not be moved! God is the only safe refuge; God is the only true hiding place! Men will fail you; Jesus never fails! Where is your expectation? So many times we have trouble in our relationships because of misplaced expectations. Well she did not do this or he did not do that… Husband put your expectation in God; wife put your expectation in God. Our 1^stexpectation should always and ever be in our faithful God!

Isaiah 25:9 And it will be said in that day: "Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation."

It will be said in THAT DAY: has that day arrived? Is it time to come to that day? Behold this is our God; we have waited for Him! We have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation. Is this your day to make God your 1^st expectation?

1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

May our expectation ever be in Jesus the precious Son of God; my redeemer lives!

(I might get back to edit this... might not) :-)

Taking the Limits Off God

Revive your people oh God is our cry; and it is rightfully so. However, before God can revive we must have hearts that will take the limits off God!

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“Taking the Limits Off God”

Psalm 78:41 Yes, again and again they tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel . 42 They did not remember His power: The day when He redeemed them from the enemy,

God’s children time and again have put the limits on God; however, God is calling for us to take the limits off Him. We as God’s children can limit, slow down, and or stop up the Spirit of God from freely working in our lives. Like one of those kiddy cars with a governor on it, we can put the pedal to the metal we don’t go no faster; it is being restricted because of the limits placed on it.

It is my prayer that God will expose our mindsets that limit His power working in us. That His people will have the courage to exalt His truth above our thoughts and imaginations that hinder His truth.

Song 2:15 Catch us the foxes, The little foxes that spoil the vines, For our vines have tender grapes.

We cry out revive us oh Lord and we forget little foxes can spoil the vine. Those small foxes are not purposefully ruining the vineyard they just want some of those grapes. In so doing they bite the vine and damage it. The vine can no longer be supported by the roots because the fox bit the vine and damaged, slowed down, or completely stopped the flow.

Numbers 12:1 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2 So they said, "Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?" And the LORD heard it. 3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.) 4 Suddenly the LORD said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, "Come out, you three, to the tabernacle of meeting!" So the three came out.

Here in Numbers God rebuked Miriam and Aaron for speaking against Moses His servant. In the end Aaron and Miriam repented. However, what is it we can learn from them? Is one of the foxes spoiling the vine our lips that speak against the leaders God has ordained for us? To murmured and complain against God’s man is a great way to limit what God is doing. Aaron and Miriam complaint stopped the children of Israel from moving forward for a season.

If the enemy can get us to speak against God’s man he has effectively brought in the small fox to spoil the vine. Can we cry out for revival in one breathe and find fault and complaint against God, His leaders, and His church in the next. The Apostle Paul himself was quick to repent for speaking against God’s ordained leadership; in Paul ’s case the leadership was in the wrong.

Acts 23:5 Then Paul said, "I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'"

Philippians 2:14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

Complaining and murmuring is poison to the work of God in our life. It is indeed a small fox spoiling the vines. Where there is envy and strife there is every evil works. The spirit of strife begins with a spirit of murmuring and complaining.

“I did not get picked” or “they did not invite me” or “they have their own click”. These are all lines that are the bait of satan to bring disunity, bringing in the fox to spoil the vine. Let us be wise of satan’s devises that limit the power of God. If we will walk with a spirit of unity, encouragement, and praise the governor will be broken and the anointing will be allowed to move freely.

We can not hold to the spirit of complaint and disputing while at the same time holding fast the word of life. We either hold lazily to the spirit of complaint and disputing or purposefully hold to the word of life. Complaint easily flows while the spirit of encouragement and blessing are learned through exercise.

1 Timothy 4:7 But reject profane and old wives' fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

Oh that mindsets would be broken that enables us to limit the power of God in our lives!

James 5:14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

An old wives’ fable when you are sick call the doctor. God’s Word declares if you are sick call for the elders of the church. No I am not preaching against doctors! However I am preaching against the mindset that has never called for the elders of the church! We have how many prescriptions and have not yet submitted ourselves to God’ word commanding us to call for the elders. Much of the mindset of the church, if you are sick stay home from church; call the doctor early Monday. When our traditions have taken the place of being obedient to God words we have restricted God. We have placed the governor on Him limiting His power in our life. If doctor Jesus is our doctor let God be our first priority.

Matthew 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Worry itself is one of those foxes that spoil the vine. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. Where ever you treasure is there will our heart be also. God has commanded us to seek His face; is it His face we seek? Is it the kingdom of God that has our first priority or is it the next football game? You can tell what a man treasures by what he pursues. 3 hours of television and 5 minutes of prayer show our pursuit. A morning of golfing with 15 minutes of devotion time show what we pursue. 3 hours reading a novel and 10 minutes in the Word show what we treasure and pursue. We cry out God send revival we spend an hour or so in the church service and 3 hours at the movie theater. Am I preaching against doing things of pleasure? Let me answer this way. Jesus had times of getting away; however His pursuit in life was doing the will of the Father.

Matthew 12:50 "For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Have we have limited the power of God by not pursuing the will of the Father? Is the fox that spoils the vine our own selfish pursuit? Have we given the enemy a foothold in our lives that limits what God can do for us?

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Hebrews chapter 11 is said to be the hall of fame of faith. God will reward those who diligently seek Him. It is God’s desire that we join those in this great hall of fame!

Psalm 27:8 When You said, "Seek My face," My heart said to You, "Your face, LORD, I will seek." 9 Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. 10 When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me.

I was in a prayer meeting. While praying the word came to me “I am your reward”. I was anticipating God to use me in prophesying in that morning service and I thought that was the first words I would begin to speak. Many times that is how God does it. When I got home I asked God about it. Lord there was no appropriate time to share this word you put in my heart, how come? God spoke to my heart immediately “the word was for you Bruce”. I begin to weep. God is my reward! What else could one need than for God to be the cherished reward?

Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."

God Himself is our shield and our exceedingly great reward. Seeking His face has great dividend. We can take the limits off God. No governor on our car’s throttle! We can keep the fox out of our vineyard!

Matthew 7:6 "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.

Holdfast the word of life. The word that God speaks is to be treasured beyond life itself. Consider God’s will and word precious like the pearl with great price. Don’t miss the point of the individual who had holy truth and was willing to take what was precious and throw it out like scraps from the table. Slopping the pigs and feeding the dogs with what is holy was the shame.

Psalm 97:12 Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.

Israel limited God because they would not remember all that God had already done!

Ephesians 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

The Word is filled with ways to take the limits off God and allow Him to work freely. What we speak is so important. Godly fellowship with godly encouragement opens our hearts to His power working in us. Remembering what God has done with a thankful heart brings glory to the Father!

1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.

The Apostle Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to rejoice, pray, give thanks, quench not the spirit, hold precious prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. These are great keys to taking the limits off God.

(I might get back to edit this... might not) :-)