Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living - The Global of the Nazarene's Foundry Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, United States for Friday, 6 July 2018 "Faith is the Choice" by William Coker, Jr. - Romans 9:25-33.

Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living - The Global of the Nazarene's Foundry Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, United States for Friday, 6 July 2018 "Faith is the Choice" by William Coker, Jr. - Romans 9:25-33.
Romans 9:25 As indeed he says in Hoshea,
“Those who were not my people I will call my people;
her who was not loved I will call loved;
26 and in the very place where they were told,
‘You are not my people,’
there they will be called sons of the living God!”[Romans 9:26 Hosea 2:25 (23), 2:1(1:10)]
27 But Yesha‘yahu, referring to Isra’el, cries out,
“Even if the number of people in Isra’el is as large
as the number of grains of sand by the sea,
only a remnant will be saved.
28 For Adonai will fulfill his word on the earth
with certainty and without delay.”[Romans 9:28 Isaiah 10:22–23]
29 Also, as Yesha‘yahu said earlier,
“If Adonai-Tzva’ot had not left us a seed,
we would have become like S’dom,
we would have resembled ‘Amora.”[Romans 9:29 Isaiah 1:9]
30 So, what are we to say? This: that Gentiles, even though they were not striving for righteousness, have obtained righteousness; but it is a righteousness grounded in trusting! 31 However, Isra’el, even though they kept pursuing a Torah that offers righteousness, did not reach what the Torah offers. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue righteousness as being grounded in trusting but as if it were grounded in doing legalistic works. They stumbled over the stone that makes people stumble.[Romans 9:32 Isaiah 8:14] 33 As the Tanakh puts it,
“Look, I am laying in Tziyon
a stone that will make people stumble,
a rock that will trip them up.
But he who rests his trust on it
will not be humiliated.”[Romans 9:33 Isaiah 28:16] (Complete Jewish Bible).
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Life presents choices: left or right, yes or no. Those choices often appear like paths at a fork along the road of life. The meaning of the paths, the one not taken and the one less traveled in Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken,” is debated. Are the paths equal or different? Most readers differ with critics. General readers say that the roads are different and the choice to take the one less traveled makes a difference. Is that how most people live? And what values determine life’s choices? Are those values what matter in life?
Years ago, in a hospital management seminar, I was asked to list my top five values in life. I use a similar exercise, Hieradchy of Values, to discuss how values fit into lifestyle activities in facilitating addiction recovery.
Two basic premises are evident: you are what you make of yourself and you are what you believe in. The Jews pursued life with God based on works and that has caused them to stumble over the law (vv. 31-32). Gentiles, who were not God’s people, have become the children of God (v. 25-26) because of faith (v. 30). How will you choose to live?

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Hymn for Today: "A Mighty Fortress" by Martin Luther.

1. A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he, amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
does seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.
2. Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right Man on our side,
the Man of God's own choosing.
You ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth his name,
from age to age the same;
and he must win the battle.
3. And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God has willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo! his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.
4. That Word above all earthly powers
no thanks to them abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours
through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill:
God's truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever!

Thought for Today: but those who hope in Adonai will renew their strength,
they will soar aloft as with eagles’ wings;
when they are running they won’t grow weary,
when they are walking they won’t get tired. (Isaiah 40:31) (Complete Jewish Bible)).

Please pray: For the development of Christian leaders in Lesotho.
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