....December 2nd
Today’s Reading: Romans 9–12
Scripture Focus
Romans 9:6 (NLT)
“Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people!”
Romans 10:3–4 (NLT)
“For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself… For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.”
Romans 12:1–2 (NLT)
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice… Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think…”
Reflection
Romans 9–12 are some of the most debated chapters in the Bible, especially by the Reformers who used them to argue that some people were born for heaven and others were born for destruction.
But that is not the message Paul is teaching here.
And instead of getting lost in the arguments people make, we want to focus on what these chapters reveal about God’s heart, God’s character, and our walk with Him.
What We Learn About God
1. God has never failed His promises.
Paul begins by reminding us that God’s Word has not failed—ever. Being born into a believing family or a religious nation doesn’t make a person belong to God. Faith does.
God has always been faithful, and He always keeps His word.
2. Salvation has always been for everyone.
The Bible never contradicts itself.
It has one message:
Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:13)
God desires that all would come to repentance.
Paul is not talking about God pre-selecting individuals for heaven or hell…
He is talking about God’s way of making people right with Himself:
Not by birth.
Not by nationality.
Not by keeping the law.
Not by personal effort.
But by faith in Jesus Christ alone.
3. Christ accomplished what the law could never do.
The law showed us our need for God.
But it could not save us, cleanse us, or make us right.
Jesus did everything the law pointed to — perfectly.
So what makes us right with God?
Not performance.
Not rule-keeping.
Not striving.
Not working harder.
Trusting in Jesus — His finished work, His righteousness, His cross, His resurrection.
And that kind of trust produces a transformed life.
What We Learn About Ourselves
Paul then asks us a quiet but piercing question:
Does our walk with God make others jealous for the joy, peace, and love we have?
Israel missed God’s righteousness because they clung to their own.
We can do the same if we’re not careful.
But a life shaped by trust in Jesus is a life so full of grace, peace, and freedom that it draws people toward Him.
Where All of This Leads (Romans 12)
After explaining God’s mercy, His patience, His open invitation to all people…
Paul brings us to the response:
“And so…”
“This is what it all boils down to…”
Because of everything God has done —
His mercy, His calling, His faithfulness, His cross, His grace —
Paul pleads with us:
Give God all of yourself.
Offer your whole life to Him.
Let Him renew your mind.
Let Him reshape your thinking.
Let Him transform you from the inside out.
This is true worship.
This is what it means to belong to Him.
Lesson for Me
God is not looking for performance — He is looking for surrender.
Romans 9–12 remind me that I am made right with God only through Jesus, and that His mercy toward me should change the way I live. True worship isn’t just singing or attending church; it’s offering my whole life back to Him — my body, my thoughts, my habits, my desires.
If I cling to my own way, I miss the beauty of His.
But when I let Him transform the way I think, I begin to walk in His will — good, pleasing, and perfect.
I want my life to make others hungry for the peace, joy, and love that only Jesus gives.
I want to live as a woman fully surrendered — a living sacrifice — because of all He has done for me.
Application Questions
🙏 Prayer
Lord, I thank You for Your mercy that found me and made me Yours.
I surrender myself to You — my mind, my body, my desires, my habits, my decisions.
Transform me by Your Spirit and renew the way I think.
Help me walk in Your will, not my own.
Make my life a living sacrifice that honors You and draws others to Your goodness.
Teach me to trust Jesus alone for my righteousness, and let my life overflow with the joy, peace, and love that come only from You.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Today’s Reading: Romans 9–12
Scripture Focus
Romans 9:6 (NLT)
“Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people!”
Romans 10:3–4 (NLT)
“For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself… For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.”
Romans 12:1–2 (NLT)
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice… Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think…”
Reflection
Romans 9–12 are some of the most debated chapters in the Bible, especially by the Reformers who used them to argue that some people were born for heaven and others were born for destruction.
But that is not the message Paul is teaching here.
And instead of getting lost in the arguments people make, we want to focus on what these chapters reveal about God’s heart, God’s character, and our walk with Him.
What We Learn About God
1. God has never failed His promises.
Paul begins by reminding us that God’s Word has not failed—ever. Being born into a believing family or a religious nation doesn’t make a person belong to God. Faith does.
God has always been faithful, and He always keeps His word.
2. Salvation has always been for everyone.
The Bible never contradicts itself.
It has one message:
Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:13)
God desires that all would come to repentance.
Paul is not talking about God pre-selecting individuals for heaven or hell…
He is talking about God’s way of making people right with Himself:
Not by birth.
Not by nationality.
Not by keeping the law.
Not by personal effort.
But by faith in Jesus Christ alone.
3. Christ accomplished what the law could never do.
The law showed us our need for God.
But it could not save us, cleanse us, or make us right.
Jesus did everything the law pointed to — perfectly.
So what makes us right with God?
Not performance.
Not rule-keeping.
Not striving.
Not working harder.
Trusting in Jesus — His finished work, His righteousness, His cross, His resurrection.
And that kind of trust produces a transformed life.
What We Learn About Ourselves
Paul then asks us a quiet but piercing question:
Does our walk with God make others jealous for the joy, peace, and love we have?
Israel missed God’s righteousness because they clung to their own.
We can do the same if we’re not careful.
But a life shaped by trust in Jesus is a life so full of grace, peace, and freedom that it draws people toward Him.
Where All of This Leads (Romans 12)
After explaining God’s mercy, His patience, His open invitation to all people…
Paul brings us to the response:
“And so…”
“This is what it all boils down to…”
Because of everything God has done —
His mercy, His calling, His faithfulness, His cross, His grace —
Paul pleads with us:
Give God all of yourself.
Offer your whole life to Him.
Let Him renew your mind.
Let Him reshape your thinking.
Let Him transform you from the inside out.
This is true worship.
This is what it means to belong to Him.
Lesson for Me
God is not looking for performance — He is looking for surrender.
Romans 9–12 remind me that I am made right with God only through Jesus, and that His mercy toward me should change the way I live. True worship isn’t just singing or attending church; it’s offering my whole life back to Him — my body, my thoughts, my habits, my desires.
If I cling to my own way, I miss the beauty of His.
But when I let Him transform the way I think, I begin to walk in His will — good, pleasing, and perfect.
I want my life to make others hungry for the peace, joy, and love that only Jesus gives.
I want to live as a woman fully surrendered — a living sacrifice — because of all He has done for me.
Application Questions
- Where am I still trying to “earn” God’s approval instead of resting in what Jesus has already accomplished?
- What parts of my thinking need to be transformed so I can walk more fully in God’s will?
- Does my life make others curious — even jealous — to know the God who gives me peace and joy?
- Have I offered my whole self to God today — my body, my choices, my time, my desires?
- Am I copying the patterns of this world in any area instead of surrendering to Christ’s way?
- What is one step of obedience I can take today in response to God’s mercy?
🙏 Prayer
Lord, I thank You for Your mercy that found me and made me Yours.
I surrender myself to You — my mind, my body, my desires, my habits, my decisions.
Transform me by Your Spirit and renew the way I think.
Help me walk in Your will, not my own.
Make my life a living sacrifice that honors You and draws others to Your goodness.
Teach me to trust Jesus alone for my righteousness, and let my life overflow with the joy, peace, and love that come only from You.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.