Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Romans 14:17-19

Passage

For the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  For the one who serves in this for Christ is pleasing to God and proven to mankind.  Therefore, as a result we should pursue the things of peace and the things that result in the building up of each other.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul gives us an incredible reminder of what God’s work is all about in these opening words.  The kingdom of God is not eating or drinking.  You could add that the kingdom of God is not attendance or church buildings or programs or locations or bank accounts.  It’s not outward appearances of how put together my life is.  It’s not how great my kids are and how busy our lives are.  The Kingdom of God is God’s righteousness and peace with God and joy in God.  Wealth, busyness, prosperity, materialism, and being overall better than other people have nothing to do with the Kingdom of God.

What do the words righteousness, peace, and joy look like in your life?  How much of your life is spent striving for those things?

Second Thought:

Paul then tells us that those who work for righteousness, peace, and joy are pleasing to God.  Do you want to please God?  There you go!  That’s the ticket.  Devote your life to pursuing God’s righteousness, peace with Him, and bringing His joy into the world and you will please Him.  Devote your life to other things and you will please yourself.

To whom are you more devoted to pleasing: God or yourself?  How interested are you in pleasing God more than you already are?

Third Thought:

Finally, Paul reminds us that not only should we pursue the things that bring us peace with God but also the things that build up one another.  After all, if we are God’s people then pursuing godly things should bring us together and encourage one another!  We should be able to strengthen one another and build people up in our pursuit of pleasing God.

Do you build up the people of God?  How do you accomplish this task?


Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 14:20-23

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