Day 53 - Romans 14:20 - 14:23

20 Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble. 22 You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. 23 But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.

Tori's Comments:

I haven't got many thoughts on this except that our unity is the work of God. It is held as more important in this passage than we seem to treat it nowadays. Unity should be a priority!

Terrie's Comments:

This would be the part where if the Holy Spirit tells you to do something and you don't do it, that would be sinning for you.  If the Holy Spirit tells you to not do something and you do it, that would be sinning for you.  Which means that each believer is responsible  to listen to the Holy Spirit and I believe that God works with us where ever we are at and helps us continue to become more like Jesus everyday.  It is not our responsibility to be anyone else's Holy Spirit... even our husband... Our part is to pray for them and let God do the rest.

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 52 - Romans 14:13 - 14:19

13 So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.

14 I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. 15 And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. 16 Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good. 17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. 19 So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.

Terrie's Comments:

The Kingdom of God is a matter of 

-Living a Life of Goodness

-Peace

-and Joy in the Holy Spirit

Serve Christ with this attitude ... it will please God and others

Aim for harmony in the church

Try to build each other up

Each person will be accountable to God for their own actions.  A life of goodness, peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit sounds really awesome right now... Why does it have to be such a struggle to remain there?

Tori's Comments:

Still MIA... Miss you Tori!!

I'm sorry for the late update, guys. 

I am again reminded of constantly living a life with the question of whether your actions are dictated by love or not.

And the confirmation that God cares more about the position of our heart than if we're going through our 'Christian' checklist like a chore is nice.

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 51 - Romans 14:1 - 14:12

14 Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. 2 For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. 3 Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.

5 In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable. 6 Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. 7 For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. 8 If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.

10 So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? 

Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For the Scriptures say,

“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bend to me,
    and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’”

12 Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.

Tori's Comments:

I was just rereading our past few posts, and this heavily reminds me of what Terrie said not that long ago about asking herself whether she was honoring God.

I think the main message I am getting is actually about unity and how we shouldn't constantly be nagging and correcting each other theologically but walking alongside each other and growing together in faith. 

Terrie's Comments:

We live and we die to honor the Lord.  So why do I live comparing myself to others?  It steals my joy that Jesus came to give me.  

Verse 10 I don't condemn or look down on other believers if I am actually thinking about what I am thinking about.  It happens... then when I actually think about what I am thinking about and take those thoughts captive into obedience to Jesus Christ they are exposed for what they are... lies.  Too often though things proceed out of my mouth before I have examined what is actually going on in my head.  Like a well directed missile bomb aimed at a target by the enemy.  Then the enemy turns the bomb back at the launching pad for another attack through regret, shame and guilt.  It is an awful cycle. 

Does anyone else need renewal in the word so this cycle ends?

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!