June 2016 – The Listening Plan

Romans 13

June 30, 2016

Devotional

For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.

– Romans 13:4

The governing authorities and law enforcing institutions are ordained by God. They (governors and law enforcers) are ministers of God. Ministers not of his grace and gospel (as I, a pastor, am), but ministers of God’s justice.

Looking at the broken world around me, I know that such ministers of justice are needed.

If you’re in law enforcement, remember, you are a minister of God. If you’re not in law enforcement, remember, respect the authorities given the charge to executed justice, for they are God’s ministers to you for good.

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Romans 12

June 29, 2016

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Devotional

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

– Romans 12:14

Echoing the exhortations of Christ, Paul challenges me to do that which is certainly impossible without God’s enabling grace and power. My immediate response to being reviled, defamed or ill-treated is not to bless. It’s always to curse. I need God’s help constantly do be and do what God desires of me.

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Romans 11

June 28, 2016

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Devotional

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

– Romans 11:29

I am so grateful for the grace of God. The longer I live with Jesus the more I realize how undeserving I am of His blessings. His gifts and His calling is all of grace. And to think that such things are irrevocable makes me want to thank and praise Him all the more.

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Romans 10

June 27, 2016

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Devotional

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

– Romans 10:17

This is why The Listening Plan exists. Faith comes by hearing. Not reading! Which is a good thing, because there are more than a billion illiterate people in the world. Yes, many, among the illiterate, do not even have a translation in their own language, but even if they did, they couldn’t read it! They’re illiterate.

Moreover, even in highly literate nations, like the United States, many are functionally illiterate, or at least, preferred oral learners. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

I hope that you are regularly hearing God’s word with me. I pray that The Listening Plan is growing and strengthening your faith.

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Romans 9

June 24, 2016

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Devotional

For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh,

– Romans 9:3

Paul’s zeal for his own countrymen is both awesome and convicting. Would to God that my heart burned in like manner for the lost.

God help me!

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Romans 8

June 23, 2016

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Devotional

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

– Romans 8:31

Romans 8 is one of those passages that you can camp in for a very long time, and just barely scratch the surface of it’s riches. There are so many verses in this chapter that I could write paragraphs on. but I’ll leave that for another day.

Verse 31 is, I think, a simple and helpful truth for our day. With all the craziness in the world and sensational fear in our own nation surrounding the political insanity that is the 2016 political cycle, it is important to be reminded that “God is for us.” Therefore, “who can be against us?”

Don’t lose sight of this simple truth!

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Romans 7

June 22, 2016

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Devotional

O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

– Romans 7:24

I am grateful that Romans 7 doesn’t end with this question hanging unanswered. We all, because of the fall, are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. But Christ Jesus is the savior of wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked sinners like us!

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Romans 6

June 21, 2016

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Devotional

Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

– Romans 6:3

When an individual places their trust in Lord, they are baptized into Christ Jesus. He (Jesus) is the element of this Spiritual Baptism. The water baptisms we perform are merely a symbol of that which Spiritually takes place at salvation. And when that Spiritual Baptism is performed by God, in Christ Jesus, we are immersed in Him to be permitted by His nature, bringing about a permanent transformation of ours, whereby He preserves us eternally.

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Romans 5

June 20, 2016

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Devotional

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

– Romans 5:3-5

God is able to work in my life through tribulation and trial to bring about His perfect plan of sanctification. Tribulation leads to perseverance, which leaders to character, ultimately producing an eternal hope. Knowing the end product makes glory and joy in tribulation possible.