Thomas Wheeler discusses the book of Romans
Thomas Wheeler conducted a 5-part discussion on the book of Romans. I was only able to take notes on the Wednesday night presentation, so that is what follows. |
| When Plans go Awry |
We Plan, God Plans
When considering God's will, it is important to know that God is not opposed to you planning out your steps per se. However, it is always important to know that changing the course of your life is God's prerogative--He can & will change your circumstances to accomplish His goals. Accomplishing His goals should be the highest priority of the believer. |
| Willpower |
Think Again!
Sometimes we feel that when our plans don't work out, we were clearly going against God's will. That may be the case (see: Jonah). It is possible that we were directly rebelling against the will of God. However, things are not always so clear-cut. Perhaps God wants you to learn from a failed exploit. He might want to show you how to depend on Him through a trial. Sometimes we interpret our life events in binary terms--things are either entirely positive or they are entirely negative. This mode of thought is not Biblical. Sometimes God uses negatives to bring about a positive. Sometimes positive experiences are only physically positive while actually being spiritual negatives. |
| Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive & ...Dodge |
Flaming Darts
How severely does God punish people for past sins? We know there may be physical repercussions for sinful deeds, but how many of them qualify as direct discipline from the Divine arm of deity? Actually, God is not in the business of keeping a record of wrongs. The only punishment that God metes out is a final one for sin. Other consequences are physical results of a fallen wold. The Devil is actually the accuser of the brethren. He is the one who keeps a list of wrongs & recites them into our ears. He is the one who tries to keep us under bondage through the following mechanism: |
| The Oppressor |
Guilt
Satan wants you to wilt & remain crippled by your guilt. He has no other weapon but your past sin. Why? Because your character is perfect if you are in Christ! The Lord Jesus has cleansed you & He should be your prince of peace. Satan uses guilt (false guilt) to lower the effectiveness of your Christian life. He whispers your shortcomings into your ear. He uses legalism to hinder growth & Christian liberty. Beware when feeling guilty. It must be examined for what it really is. Have your done wrong? If so, has it been confessed? If so, you are forgiven--move on. If the answer is no, you have done no wrong, ignore the Devil's accusation. Carry on.More Reading
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