Bible, Grief, Romans, Scripture, Sorrow, Witnessing

HEAVY HEART

ROMANS 9:2

“that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.”

I am sure you have heard the expression, “heavy heart.” You may have experienced that yourself at one point in your heart. It’s really hard to describe and put into words. You have to experience it yourself to be able to relate to someone going through this. It’s not depression. That’s a whole other thing. It’s just…well…a heaviness you can’t describe.

Paul is trying to express his heavy heart in today’s verse. He is thinking about his kinsmen, the nation of Israel, knowing that so many of them will perish apart from the Lord because of their refusal to recognize Jesus as the long awaited Messiah. The words “sorrow” and “grief” are described by Gill’s Exposition of the Bible this way. “These two words, ‘heaviness’ and ‘sorrow, the one signifies grief, which had brought on heaviness on his spirits; and the other such pain as a woman in travail feels: and the trouble of his mind expressed by both, is described by its quantity, ‘great’, it was not a little, but much; by its quality it was internal, it was in his ‘heart’,”

APPLICATION

The word “sorrow” is lupé which is used sixteen times throughout the New Testament. In Luke 22:45, it is used to describe Peter, James and John when they fell asleep waiting for Jesus to finish praying in the garden. “When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow.” You can imagine the heaviness these three felt, knowing what was to come. They were Jesus’ closest companions, the three He poured extra into. They knew His demise was upon them, so Luke describes the heaviness that caused their sleep.

Paul uses oduné to describe his unceasing grief. This word is only used here and over in 1 Timothy 6:10. There Paul is describing those who “have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” That would be a self-inflicted grief. Still painful, but avoidable. That is not the case in today’s verse. Paul was in deep grief and sorrow over his nation. He so desired them to come to Christ.

I, too, am grieving over my nation. When I see all the riots and protests, all the rejection of Christ, my heart is heavy. But what am I doing about it? Some days I am feel I am doing all I can, but other days not enough. Let us all agree to stop grieving and start doing. Let us not grow weary and fall asleep from our sorrow like Peter, James and John. Let us fight until the end, leaving it all on the battlefield for Jesus.

Father, heal my heaviness of heart for my nation and give me a renewed vigor and energy to reach the lost.If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry

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Bible, Conscience, Romans, Scripture, Truth

MY CONSCIENCE

ROMANS 9:1

“I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying; my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit,”

We begin the second half of this letter to the Romans today with a confession by Paul saying he is “telling the truth.” It is only appropriate that he brings up his conscience when he says that. Doesn’t your conscience (I hate trying to spell that word, lol) bother you when you lie? And before you get all high and mighty, we have all lied at some point in our lives. God gave us our conscience to help guide us. But if we are not forming our thoughts and intentions according to His Word, our conscience isn’t offended when we lie to ourselves or others.

Paul uses the Greek word syneídēsis which comes from sýn, (together with) and eídō (to know, see). It literally means “joint-knowing.” HELPS Word-studies says it means this. “Conscience which joins moral and spiritual consciousness as part of being created in the divine image. Accordingly, all people have this God-given capacity to know right from wrong because each is a free moral agent.” I like that. We all have this capacity, but do we follow it?

APPLICATION

Paul uses this word earlier in Romans 2:15 and then once again in Romans 13:5, but I really like how he uses it in his letters to Timothy. In 1 Timothy 1:5, Paul writes, “But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from a sincere faith.” Again in 1 Timothy 1:19 he uses it. “keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.” Once more in 1 Timothy 3:9 we see it used. “but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.” In 2 Timothy 1:3, Paul writes to his “beloved son,” “I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day,…”

What a display of the use of this word, syneídēsis, to show its importance to us as followers of Christ. We need to be walking in such a way that our conscience is clear and good. When we have a bad or seared conscience, we are taken out of the race. Remember what Hebrews 12:1 says, “…let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us,…” Keep your conscience clear and pure.

But how am I suppose to do that, Carl? Glad you asked. Stay on your knees. Pray! Read His Word! Encourage others in their walk. Find an ally to walk with you and hold you accountable when you stray. The devil knows your triggers and will pull that trigger every chance he gets. He knows a bad conscience hinders a believer and sidelines him. Read Romans 12:2 today and do what it says.

Cleanse my conscience today of any intention to do evil. Help me live today to honor You in everything I think, say and do.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Father, Love, Romans, Scripture, Separation

THE LOVE OF GOD

ROMANS 8:39

“nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

We throw around the word “love” so flippantly, don’t we? Our love of things can lead us into disaster. Our love for the wrong person can also cause us pain and suffering emotionally. Love is such a critical part of the human experience, yet we misuse it so often. Children need to be taught to love. For that matter, some adults do also. Loving well is something we can all get better at.

So, when Paul switches from the “love of Christ” in verse 35 to the “love of God” in today’s verse, that caught my attention. Is there a difference? Why did the Holy Spirit inspire Paul to change this love statement? I love how the Cambridge Bible explains this. “The ‘love of Christ’ is the Divine Love felt for us by the Eternal Son. And this, because He is the Eternal Son, is also the Divine expression of the love felt for us by the Eternal Father, who ‘sent His Son to be the Propitiation for our sins,’ and, in giving His Son, gave His Son’s love to be our bliss and light.”

APPLICATION

We can find passages all throughout the Bible of “the love of God.” Take a look at some of them.

1 John 4:9 “By this the love of God was revealed in us, that God has sent His only Son into the world so that we may live through Him.”

Romans 5:8 “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Jeremiah 31:3 “The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.”

I could go on and list hundreds of other verses on the love of God, but you need to do your own study on that. Just do a google search on verses about the love of God. You could probably spend weeks on that study. But all the study in the world does not matter if we are not showing God’s love to others. That is why He gave us His love. He wants to use us as His vessels of love to others.

Share His love with someone this week. I am going to be traveling some in the next several days and am praying for opportunities to do that. Sometimes those pop up when you least expect it. Be ready to show it to others.

Lord, I know I did nothing to deserve Your love but You chose to show me Yours. I love because You first loved me.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Conviction, Persuasion, Protection, Romans, Scripture

I AM CONVINCED

ROMANS 8:38

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,”

What does it take for you to be persuaded about something? In this day of AI, you have to be careful about what persuades you. What might seem to be true could, in fact, be totally fabricated by the use of AI. I am convinced of a few things. I am convinced that I am sixty-five years old. I am convinced I live in TN. I am convinced I have been serving the Lord since April 1979. Other than that, it’s all up for grabs, lol.

But Paul tells us today that we can be convinced, just as he was, of some things. The word “convinced” is a primary verb used throughout the New Testament for being persuaded about faith. In faith, the Greek word here is peitho which is the root of pistis (faith). HELPS Word-studies says, “The Lord persuades the yielded believer to be confident in His preferred-will (Galatians 5:10; 2 Timothy 1:12).” Are you convinced?

APPLICATION

Paul was a persuader! In Thessalonica, when he preached to the Jews there, some of them believed. Acts 17:4 says, “And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas,…” Why were they convinced? Because Paul taught from the Scriptures how Jesus had to suffer and die and was the long awaited Messiah, the Christ. Then the Holy Spirit did His job and wooed them to the Lord. It is not only up to us. God uses us, but He calls them.

One of my favorite verses that uses peitho is 2 Timothy 1:12. “For this reason I also suffer these things; but I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to protect what I have entrusted to Him until that day.” There is even a hymn entitled “I Know Whom I Have Believed.” All four stanzas of that hymn talk about what we do not know. Here is the first one:

“I know not why God’s wondrous grace to me He hath made known,

nor why, unworthy, Christ in love redeemed for His own.”

But then the Chorus burst out:

“But I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able

to keep that which I’ve committed unto Him against that day. “

Praise be to God for the convincing power of the cross and His unfailing love for us. He has convinced me. Has He convinced you?

Lord, I am persuaded. I am convinced that You are able to keep me secure against all that comes against me.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Conquerors, Romans, Scripture, Trials, Tribulations, Victors

MORE THAN CONQUERORS

ROMANS 8:37

“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.”

This verse is probably one you have heard quoted before. I love how the various translations show the Greek word, hupernikaó. Here are some other ways it is translated:

NLT  – overwhelming victory is ours 

NIV – more than conquerors 

AMP – we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory

What a picture of this one Greek word. Let’s take a closer look at it.

Paul uses hupernikaó just once in all his letters. In fact, this word isn’t found anywhere else in the New Testament. It’s a compound word coming from huper (beyond) and nikao (conquer). Combined we get “to vanquish beyond, i.e. gain a decisive victory – more than conquer.” (Strong’s). You get the picture. The word is in the Present Indicative Active which means we are constantly doing this. Paul is telling us that no matter what we face in life, we are continually totally conquering our adversary’s efforts to defeat us. Praise God.

APPLICATION

What challenge are you facing today? You are more than a conqueror. You are a vanquisher. Is it a physical challenge such as cancer? You are victorious over it! That doesn’t mean the illness just vanishes. But you can defeat any thoughts of despair and depression because of it. You are victorious through Christ.

Think about your worst defeat you’ve faced as a believer. Now, honestly examine how you approached the challenge that led to that defeat. I read today this quote by Bill Sunday. “Temptation is the devil looking through the keyhole. Yielding is opening the door and inviting him in.” That’s pretty good, huh? Did you suffer because of your choice of sin or your choice for God? A lot of us claim we are being persecuted for things that we put on ourselves. Never do that.

If you are currently facing persecution for your faith, do not lose faith. Know that the God of Ages knows your name and is fighting for you. 1 Peter 3:14 tells us, “But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE IN DREAD,” Praise be to God for His faithfulness to us. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He has made us victors in this life. Now, live like it.

I claim that promise, O Lord, that I am more than a conqueror in Christ.” 

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Persecution, Protection, Romans, Scripture, Suffering, Sufficiency, Witness

PERSECUTION

ROMANS 8:36

“Just as it is written: ‘FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE KILLED ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE REGARDED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.’”

I receive daily emails from Voice of the Martyrs. The stories they share humble me beyond words. Persecution is real today throughout the world. One report says that 32 Christians are killed every day in Nigeria. Only recently has the U.S. raised complaints to the Nigerian government about this. The government there, of course, denies such killings are taking place.

Paul wrote of such persecutions here in Romans and quoted Psalm 44:22 in today’s verse. The sons of Korah wrote this Psalm to encourage the followers of Jehovah to be brave in the midst of persecution. They tell them in the previous two verses, “20 If we had forgotten the name of our God or extended our hands to a strange god, 21 Would God not find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.” God knows when and how we are facing any type of persecution for our faith. Submit to it as a badge of honor.

APPLICATION

Take a minute and examine your walk with Christ. Does it expose you to persecution? Are you fearful of being killed for your faith? I read in a missionary friend’s prayer letter today this request. “As we worship today at the local fellowship. Pray for our brothers and sisters who face incredible persecution. Every day we get new reports of believers being attacked or threatened. Pray they will be strong in the Lord and not in fear. The enemy can’t stop God’s work.” That’s an eyewitness to persecution in an unnamed country.

In the ministry in which I serve (Every Man A Warrior), we hear of our leaders facing similar threats. We have had some of our leaders kidnapped and others interrogated by police. As I sit here in the comfort of my home in TN, I do not face such threats. The worst I would be subject to is perhaps some chiding or rude comments. I encourage you to stand firm in your faith for the cause of Christ.

Pray for your persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ. We are told in 1 Peter 5:9-10, “9 So resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brothers and sisters who are in the world. 10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

Father, I praise You for the persecution You allow in our lives which drives us to our knees in obedience to Your calling. 

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Persecution, Romans, Scripture, Separation, Tribulations, Trouble

NO SEPARATION

ROMANS 8:35

“Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or trouble, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?”

Whenever I travel, I am physically separated from my wife and family. In days past, that meant a daily phone call from a motel room or complete silence. I remember my first trip after I got married was to Liberia. I left my wife who was seven and a half months pregnant for about 3 weeks. And her doctor was with me. Talk about crazy. But I was young and stupid, lol. On that trip there was a phone call when I arrived in Monrovia and one when I returned to Monrovia to fly home. The rest of the time, we were completely separated.

As followers of Christ, that will never happen with Him. Paul begins a five verse dialogue about this topic of separation in today’s verse. Notice how he starts. He says, “Who will separate us,” not “what can separate us.” Matthew Poole references this in his commentary. “he does not say what, but who; though he instanceth in things, and not in persons, yet it is expressed personally, because that these things do commonly do us hurt in the improvement of persons, whether of Satan or wicked men, who are instrumental thereunto.” All the things Paul’s mentions are brought on my individuals.

APPLICATION

The Greek word for “separate” here in today’s verse and also in verse 39 is chorizo. It’s translated as “leave” or “left” over half the times it used in the New Testament. But in Matthew 19:6 and Mark 10:9 where Jesus is talking about the bonds of marriage, it is translated as “separate.” That separation could only be caused by someone else.

So, Paul is saying in today’s verse that all these things – tribulation, or trouble, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword – are powered by others. Don’t forget that Paul knew how it felt to be separated from others. He was thrown into jail, put under house arrest, and struck blind on the Damascus road. He had felt the anguish of separation from others. But he is reassured that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.

That love transcends time and place. Christ loves us wherever we are. I have read of the many followers who have faced intense persecution and torture for their faith. They tell of an unending reassurance of Christ’s love, even in the darkest cells or prisons. Christ is aware of every breath we take. His love will never leave us or forsake us. His love is secure.

O God, I thank You for the power of Your love in my life and the reassurance You will never leave me.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Holy Spirit, Intercession, Romans, Scripture, Son

ANOTHER INTERCESSOR

ROMANS 8:34

“who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, but rather, was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”

One of the joys of my ministry is the privilege to pray for our Every Man a Warrior leaders around the world. Even today I had the privilege to pray with our leader in the Dominican Republic and another in the Philippines. I received thank you emails from another three others in Ghana, Zambia and Ethiopia for praying for them. Intercessory prayer is such a blessing. I pray you are interceding for others.

Back in verse 27 of chapter 8, Paul talked about how the Spirit “intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” The same word for “intercedes” is used again in today’s verse. I won’t rehash all I said back on verse 27. I refer you to that day’s blog entitled “Bullseye.” The word for “intercedes” means to hit the target. But in today’s verse, the intercessor changes. Now Paul says, “Christ Jesus is He…who also intercedes for us.” That’s double coverage! Wow!

APPLICATION

I like American football. Sometimes the defensive team will put double coverage on a player of the other team to prevent that player from scoring. Double the coverage cuts the chances a lot that the player will catch the ball thrown to him. Listen, the devil is trying to score as he accuses you daily. But since we have both the Spirit and the Son interceding for us, his chances are nil. We just have to trust our intercessors.

Why can Jesus intercede for us? Because, as Paul says in today’s verse, He died for us, was raised for us and now sits right next to the Father. He’s got the Father’s ear. Because the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are One, every time the Spirit intercedes for us, Jesus knows it and also takes that intercession to the Father. The Father is hearing it “in both ears.”

Never doubt that the Father hears your prayers. All through the Psalms and Proverbs we have verses telling us how the Father is listening to our voice. Psalm 5:3 is one of my favorites. “In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.” We pray. We wait. We listen. But God has heard. Never, never doubt that. Satan wants us to doubt. He will accuse God of not listening, but if Satan’s lips are moving, he’s lying. You can bet on that.

I cry out to You, O Lord, and I know Your ears are bent towards me.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Scripture, Satan, Accused, Justified, Romans

ACCUSATIONS

ROMANS 8:33

“Who will bring charges against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;”

Have you ever been falsely accused? I have and let me tell you it is no picnic. When I was serving at a children’s home in South Carolina, I was falsely accused by a child of touching her inappropriately on three separate occasions. I knew it wasn’t true. She knew it wasn’t true. But because the accusation had been made, there had to be a full investigation. It was proved to be unfounded, and I was cleared of all of it. It was a painful yet enlightening experience as it required me to dig deep into my trust bucket with God.

I love this verse. What a great truth for us, as followers of Christ, to hold on to. The answer is implied. “Who will bring charges against God’s elect?” No one can! The Greek word for “bring charges” is egkaleó which Strong’s defines as “accuse, call in question, implead, lay to the charge.” It’s a court term and was used by the prosecution to lay a charge against someone. As my personal example shows, however, being accused does not make you guilty. This is Paul’s point.

APPLICATION

It is interesting to note that egkaleó is only used seven times in the New Testament. Each time it is used, it is used in reference to Paul. In Acts 19:38 and 40 and Acts 23:28-29 it is used by someone else but in reference to Paul. In Acts 26:2 and 7 Paul uses the word stating that the Jews had falsely accused him. And then you see the word again here in today’s verse.

Our greatest accuser, however, is not someone here on this earth. It is the great accuser, Satan himself. Think back to the book of Job. What happens there? God delivers up Job to Satan as someone who is righteous, but Satan accuses Job of relying too much on God’s blessings. And he doesn’t stop there. After Job proves faithful through the first trial God allowed, Satan accuses Job again of shallow faith that would fail if touched physically. Listen, Satan will never stop accusing us. He knows he has lost us, but he is happy just taking us out of the fight.

I pray you never have to go through something like I did. But if you do, remember who justifies you. Paul says in today’s verse, “God is the one who justifies.” Remember your position in Christ. Go back and reread Romans 8:28-32. Refresh your mind. You are called His elect. You belong to Him. No accusation brought against you can change that. Now, go live that way today.

I am so thankful that You have justified me and removed all guilt so that there is no room for accusations against me.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Forgiveness, Grace, Jesus, Obedience, Romans, Scripture

FREELY GIVE = FORGIVEN

ROMANS 8:32

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?” 

Have you ever had the experience of finding out what you thought you understood really had much deeper meaning? I like to watch suspense movies. I am the one in the crowd who tries to figure out “who did it” long before it is revealed. A lot of the time I guess right, but sometimes I am blown away at the ending. When all is revealed, it is so much easier to understand.

That’s true with today’s verse for me. Sometimes when you are reading the Bible you come across a verse that you think you understand until you dig a little deeper. In the last phrase of today’s verse, Paul writes, “how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”That sounds good on the surface, but there is so much more here. Let’s dig in.

APPLICATION

Let’s look specifically at “freely give.” That’s the Greek word charizomai which comes from the Greek word for “grace.” The  Topical Lexicon describes this verb this way, “The term gathers under one umbrella the concepts of (1) freely bestowing a gift, (2) remitting a debt or penalty, and (3) graciously granting a request. In every occurrence the accent falls on the generosity of the giver, not the worthiness of the recipient.” Isn’t that so much better than simply “freely give”?

The same verb is used over in 2 Corinthians 2:10-11. “10 But one whom you forgive anything, I also forgive; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did so for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.” Charizomai is used three times in verse 10 (the one in italics isn’t in the Greek text). This forgiveness gives us power over the schemes of the devil. How is the possible? Because an unforgiving spirit plays right into his hands. When we forgive like Christ forgave, we are be obedient to Jesus and not our flesh.

We see charizomai used twice in Ephesians 4:32. “Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” You and I need to forgive like that. And we do that not for the other person but for ourselves. More importantly, we do it out of obedience to our Lord Who has forgiven us so much. Amen? Amen!

Even though I was unworthy of Your forgiveness, You bestowed it upon me. Help me do the same to others.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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