Prayed…
Thank You, Father, for all You have done for us
That we do not have to take care
Your precious holy blood and comfort sees us through
We worship and magnify You today
Thank You, Father, for Your purpose and Your way
For all the strength we receive through You
Scripture Focus…
(1) Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with—even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently.
(2–4) For instance, a person who has been around for a while might well be convinced that he can eat anything on the table, while another, with a different background, might assume he should only be a vegetarian and eat accordingly. But since both are guests at Christ’s table, wouldn’t it be terribly rude if they fell to criticizing what the other ate or didn’t eat? God, after all, invited them both to the table. Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God’s welcome? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help.
(5) Or, say, one person thinks that some days should be set aside as holy and another thinks that each day is pretty much like any other. There are good reasons either way. So, each person is free to follow the convictions of conscience.
(6–9) What’s important in all this is that if you keep a holy day, keep it for God’s sake; if you eat meat, eat it to the glory of God and thank God for prime rib; if you’re a vegetarian, eat vegetables to the glory of God and thank God for broccoli. None of us are permitted to insist on our own way in these matters. It’s God we are answerable to—all the way from life to death and everything in between—not each other. That’s why Jesus lived and died and then lived again: so that he could be our Master across the entire range of life and death, and free us from the petty tyrannies of each other.
(10–12) So where does that leave you when you criticize a brother? And where does that leave you when you condescend to a sister? I’d say it leaves you looking pretty silly—or worse. Eventually, we’re all going to end up kneeling side by side in the place of judgment, facing God. Your critical and condescending ways aren’t going to improve your position there one bit. Read it for yourself in Scripture:
“As I live and breathe,” God says,
“every knee will bow before me;
Every tongue will tell the honest truth
that I and only I am God.”
So tend to your knitting. You’ve got your hands full just taking care of your own life before God.
(13–14) Forget about deciding what’s right for each other. Here’s what you need to be concerned about: that you don’t get in the way of someone else, making life more difficult than it already is. I’m convinced—Jesus convinced me!—that everything as it is in itself is holy. We, of course, by the way we treat it or talk about it, can contaminate it.
(15–17) If you confuse others by making a big issue over what they eat or don’t eat, you’re no longer a companion with them in love, are you? These, remember, are persons for whom Christ died. Would you risk sending them to hell over an item in their diet? Don’t you dare let a piece of God-blessed food become an occasion of soul-poisoning!
(18–19) God’s kingdom isn’t a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness’ sake. It’s what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy. Your task is to single-mindedly serve Christ. Do that and you’ll kill two birds with one stone: pleasing the God above you and proving your worth to the people around you.
(20–21) So let’s agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words; don’t drag them down by finding fault. You’re certainly not going to permit an argument over what is served or not served at supper to wreck God’s work among you, are you? I said it before and I’ll say it again: All food is good, but it can turn bad if you use it badly, if you use it to trip others up and send them sprawling. When you sit down to a meal, your primary concern should not be to feed your own face but to share the life of Jesus. So be sensitive and courteous to the others who are eating. Don’t eat or say or do things that might interfere with the free exchange of love.
(22–23) Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don’t impose it on others. You’re fortunate if your behavior and your belief are coherent. But if you’re not sure, if you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe—some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them—then you know that you’re out of line. If the way you live isn’t consistent with what you believe, then it’s wrong. Rom 14:1-23 (Message)
Pastor Ray shared…
On one hand we don’t judge but there is another side to it where we have to stand for what we believe and if it causes us to reassess and look in the Word to be sure what we are believing is right, that’s good. But we have to stand for what we believe and I love the scripture that says we are not answering to one another but we are answering to Him. I like what we just read in Romans “If the way you live isn’t consistent with what you believe, then it’s wrong.” So if we are living in ways that we actually don’t believe or agree with, then it’s wrong for us… maybe not for others.
It’s easy to make judging statements and get ruffled up, say things, easy to do that but it is also easy to not do it and look to heaven from where all of our help comes from and where our direction… from what we know in our hearts to be true and follow after that. No matter what someone says about it, we are answerable to the King of Kings. It’s not that we have just entered into a new year that I say these things but these words are true, period. They were then, they are now and they will always be. He is always the same. Thank God.
Continued praying…
We glorify You, Father, for who You are
You do not remember our past mistakes – they are cleansed by the blood
Standing up strong in You – not judging our sister or brothers
Thank You, Father, for the power and revelation of Your Word
Doing our best to follow after You
Every limit be removed – Your body is coming through in victory
We are the head and not the tail – seated above in Christ
Praying over the body of Christ – every member lifted today
Loose angels to go and work on their behalf
Lifting those that are down
Declaring changes – doors that need shutting will be shut
Doors needing to be open will be open
Standing on the victory that has already been won!
Watching over every step and praying out the plans
Lining up more and more with Your plans in these days
Eminent change!
Pleading the blood over every change in Jesus’ name
Opening up ourselves to Your change!
Assignments over ministries of all kinds – answers today!
We set our faces like flint – stepping up and through
Declaring the way it is!
No, we will not miss the doors of more
Attending to the right – setting those steps right
For the fullness and wholeness of the body
Rivers – different visions and calls lined up – together we go
Deliverance – setting them free!
Not bound in any way – abundantly free!
Setting it in time – wisdom
We lift up the positions in the body – revelation and understanding
Harmony and strength for the body to move and be lifted – going in that right way
Greater momentum and authority
Healing every one
Spirit of Seeing and the Spirit of Knowing today
More and more and more of You, Father
Great cooperation in Jesus’ name
Words spoken at just the right time
New doors and steps
Thank You, Father, for Your love
The power of the Holy Spirit in our lives
The streams of living water coming through us to others today
Believing to be at the right place at the right time speaking the right words today
You receive all the glory and honor in Jesus’ name
