Shalom Jim

DEVOTIONAL: DAY 22 ROMAN 6:1:6 DEAD TO SIN: ALIVE IN CHRIST
Rom 6:1-6 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 May it never be! We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection; 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with so that we would no longer be in bo***ge to sin.
These verses require a lot of meditation.
Some take it from one extreme to the other. Some think that since we are no longer under the Law, we don't have to obey the Law. Some believe that we have to obey the Law and thereby, we are under the Law. Again, God’s ways are higher than our ways. We are under Grace. God’s Grace empowers us to obey the Law and yet not be under the Law. It's all about faith in Jesus. It's said that they were baptized with Christ and died with Christ on the cross. This is our old sinful nature, the Old Man that died with Christ. Then it goes on to say that we were raised with Christ in the newness of life. This is our "Born Again, New Creation " in Christ Jesus. The more that we acknowledge our New Creation Spirit in Christ Jesus; the more we put to death the Old Man. This requires a lot of Faith. The old nature will fight you, but if you continue to declare who you are, " in Christ Jesus," the Old Nature " will become weak and die.
Dear Jesus! It's all about You, Jesus. Believing that You are living in us and we are living in You. Truly amazing! Awesome! Hard to believe, and yet when we fight the good fight of faith; we see it more and more come to pass. Hallelujah! To God be the glory, Amen! Shalom 2 U
Ref. Shalom 2 U series: Book of Romans

Sin: noun, sin nature.

DEVOTIONAL: DAY 21 ROMANS 5:19 JESUS OBEYED
Rom 5:19 For as through the one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous.
What are we going to say to God when we die? Are we going to declare our righteousness? Are we going to tell God all the good things that we had done? It's not what God wants to hear. He wants to hear how we are righteous because His Son, Jesus, made us righteous by faith in Him.
Dear Jesus! Your ways are above our ways. There are many trying to be Holy and Righteous but are trying the wrong way. II Timothy 3:5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! Only in You can we meet God's standards for righteousness. Thank You for Your obedience and for giving us faith to believe. To God be the glory, Amen! Shalom 2 U. Ref. Shalom 2 U series: Book of Romans
Phi 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

DEVOTIONAL: DAY 20 ROMANS 5:17-18 JESUS DID IT ALL

Rom 5:17-18 For if by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; so much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ. 18 So then as through one trespass, all men were condemned; even so through one act of righteousness, all men were justified to life.

When we receive JESUS ( ask Him to come into our hearts and save us), we receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness. The more we receive JESUS ( believe in Him, who HE is, what HE has done, and who we are in Christ Jesus) the more grace we receive. It's a continual relationship with JESUS. When we believe that Jesus made us righteous, we are called to reign in life. This means that we defeat the enemy of our souls, the devil, by declaring our righteousness in Christ.

Dear Jesus! Thank you for making us righteous. When the flesh or the accuser comes against us, we will declare our righteousness in You. To God be the glory, Amen! Shalom 2 U. Ref. Shalom 2 U series: Book of Romans

DEVOTIONAL: Day 19 ROMANS 5:8-11 THEN and now
Rom 5:8-11 But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we will be saved from God’s wrath through him. 10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we will be saved by his life. 11 Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

We seem to live in the past. We keep looking at our sins in the flesh but forget that Jesus saved us, and Now we are a New Creation in Christ Jesus. Before we can see it in our flesh, we have to declare our righteousness. We WERE sinners, but NOW we are righteous in Christ Jesus.

Dear Jesus! You did so much for us through Your sacrifice. We are now justified by Your blood. The more we believe, the more we receive what you have done. We no longer look back on who we WERE. We are NOW a New Creation made in Your image and likeness. We are NOW righteous in You. All praise, honor, and glory to You Lord Jesus Christ Amen! Shalom 2 U Ref. Shalom 2 U series: Book of Romans

DEVOTIONAL: DAY 18 ROMANS 5:1-3 JESUS + GRACE + FAITH
Rom 5:1-3 Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; 2 through whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance;

These three things have to be prominent in our hearts to be able to live the Christian life. We hear about works, Law, and obeying, but we can not do these things without Jesus, grace, and faith. Believing in what Jesus' sacrifice has done for us takes faith. When we know, believe, and declare these promises, we receive the grace to live like Jesus. This is the Good News. We suffer tribulations when we declare that Good News.
Dear Jesus! You came to declare the Good News of the Father’s great love and mercy. You didn't condemn but gave Grace to those who had faith in You. As You suffered tribulations, help us to endure whatever comes against us as we declare the Good News. To God be the glory, Amen! Shalom 2 U. Ref. Shalom 2 U series: Book of Romans

DEVOTIONAL: DAY 17 ROMANS 4:23-25 FOR OUR SAKE
Rom 4:23-25 Now it was not written that it was accounted to him for his sake alone, 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be accounted, who believe in him who raised Jesus, our Lord, from the dead, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses, and was raised for our justification.

We just got done reading about how Abraham was declared righteous. It wasn't by his works. It wasn't because he obeyed the Law. It wasn't because of anything in his flesh. It was only because he believed in what God promised him, God's Word. He walked by the Spirit: God's Word, not by his flesh: looking at his natural abilities.

Dear Jesus! Because we live in You and You live in us; we are righteous. We can do all things with You living in us. We are more than conquerors. We are One in You. May Your Kingdom come, Your will be done. To God be the glory, Amen! Shalom 2 U. Ref. Shalom 2 U series: Book of Romans

Day 16 ROMANS 4:19-22 NOT WEAK FAITH
Rom 4:19-22 Without being weakened in faith, he didn’t consider his own body, already having been worn out, (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 Yet, looking to the promise of God, he didn’t waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was also able to perform. 22 Therefore, it also was “credited to him for righteousness.”

We need strong faith. We need to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. Abraham wasn't weak in Faith because he didn't consider his body but only what God spoke and promised him. He grew to know, believe, and declare the promises of God. That's walking in the Spirit.

Dear Jesus! We know that in the flesh, we are unrighteous. We believe in You and Your free gift of righteousness. Our Spirit man, our New Creation Spirit, is made in Your image and likeness. We are children of God. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. Our flesh died with You on the cross, and we were raised with You. Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. We declare our righteousness in You, and therefore, we live righteously by faith in You. To God be the glory, Amen! Shalom 2 U Ref. Shalom 2 U series: Book of Romans

DEVOTIONAL: DAY 15 ROMANS 4:18 HOPE
Rom 4:18 Besides hope, Abraham in hope believed, to the end, that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, “So will your offspring be.”

There are two kinds of hope. The first kind of hope is natural hope. When we are faced with challenging situations in life, we hope for the best.

The second hope is supernatural hope. This results in faith when we consider what Jesus has done and His promises. 2corth. 1:20. This hope is based on the Word of God. It's based on His promises. This results in faith believing in hope. As God's Word tells us: Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen. This HOPE we see with our spiritual eyes, which gives us faith to believe.

Dear Jesus! You said blessed are those that have not seen, yet believe. Yes, we don't see you with our natural eyes. It's when we meditate on Your Words that we are able to see in the supernatural. Thank you for giving us Your Word, which gives us hope to believe those things that we are believing in. Our hope is found in You alone. To God be the glory, Amen! Shalom 2 U. Ref. Shalom 2 U series: Book of Romans

DEVOTIONAL: DAY 14 ROMANS 4:17 AS IT IS WRITTEN
Rom 4:17 As it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations.” This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were.

As it is written: this is the "Sword of the Spirit." This is how we defeat the flesh, defeat the spirit of darkness. We can use God's Word in the right way or the wrong way. If we go back to the Old Testament and the Law, we are using it wrongly. If we are using it in the New Testament of Grace, we are using it correctly. II Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. There are plenty of Scriptures in the Old Testament that are not about the Law. They are prophetic promises that Jesus has fulfilled through His sacrifice. These we need to know, believe, and declare. Psalms 103 is one that I declare every day. Psalms 103:1‭-‬5 Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagles.

Dear Jesus! Abraham believed the word of God. He believed what God had spoken to him. He believed what God had promised him. Like Abraham, we believe what You did for us. We believe what You say who we are in You. Not by our works but by Your Word. We declare our righteousness by Grace through Faith in You. To God be the glory, Amen! Shalom 2 U. Ref. Shalom 2 U series: Book of Romans

DEVOTIONAL: DAY 13 ROMANS 4:16-17 FAITH & GRACE
Rom 4:16-17 For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, to the end that the promise may be sure to all the offspring, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. 17 As it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations.” This is in the presence of him whom he believed: God, who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not, as though they were.

Again, we see that it's Faith & Grace, not the Law and works. We have to have faith to receive the grace that is needed to fulfill the promises of God in our lives.

Dear Jesus! You are the author and finisher of our faith. You are the source of all Grace. As we come to You, You feed us with Your Word of Grace. Faith comes by hearing, hearing Your Words. We come to You daily so that we would be full of Your Grace and Faith. To God be the glory, Amen! Shalom 2U Ref. Shalom 2 U series: Book of Romans

Acts 14:3 Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.