Daily Devotion: The Book of Romans - God Has Not Cast Away His People by J.E. Smith

Bible Reading: Romans 11:1-8 KJV 

Key Verse:  "God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying," - Romans 11:2 KJV

Paul now begins one of the most important sections of the book of Romans. He has spent much of chapters 9 and 10 explaining Israel's unbelief and their failure to receive Christ as the promised Messiah. That naturally raises an important question: Has God rejected Israel? Paul's answer is immediate and emphatic: “God forbid.”  Romans 11:1 In other words, absolutely not.

Daily Devotion: The Book of Romans - Faith Comes by Hearing by J.E. Smith

Bible Reading: Romans 10:9-18 KJV 

 

Key Verse:  "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." - Romans 10:17 KJV 

Paul has just declared: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13 That is wonderful news. But Paul immediately asks a series of practical questions: “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?” Romans 10:14

Daily Devotion: The Book of Romans - The Word of Faith by J.E. Smith

Bible Reading: Romans 10:1-14 KJV 

Key Verse:  "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." - Romans 10:4 KJV

Romans 9 ended by showing us that Israel stumbled because they sought righteousness through works rather than faith. Romans 10 begins with Paul's heart for them: “Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” Romans 10:1 Notice Paul's attitude. He is not merely making an argument about theology. He genuinely wants people to be saved.

Daily Devotion: The Book of Romans - The Righteousness of Faith by J.E. Smith

Bible Reading: Romans 9:26-33 KJV 

 

Key Verse: "But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness." - Romans 9:31 KJV 

At first, that statement seems almost impossible. Israel had received God's law. They had been given God's promises. They had the Scriptures, the prophets, the covenants, and the worship of God. They pursued righteousness. Yet Paul says they “have not attained” it. Why? Because they pursued righteousness in the wrong way. 

Daily Devotion: The Book of Romans - The Potter and the Clay by J.E. Smith

Bible Reading: Romans 9:20-30 KJV

Key Verse:  "Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?" - Romans 9:20 KJV

Romans 9 brings us face-to-face with one of the great truths of Scripture: God is the Creator, and we are His creation. Paul has been explaining God's sovereign purposes concerning Israel, and now he anticipates the questions that naturally arise. If God is sovereign, what right does a human being have to question Him?

Daily Devotion: The Book of Romans - God's Faithfulness and His Purpose by J.E. Smith

Bible Reading: Romans 9:1-16 KJV 

Key Verse:  "(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)" - Romans 9:11 KJV

Paul's heart is heavy as Romans 9 begins. He has just finished declaring that nothing can separate believers from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Now he turns his attention to his fellow Israelites, his own people, and expresses an extraordinary burden for them. Paul writes: “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,” Romans 9:1

Daily Devotion: The Book of Romans - Nothing Can Separate Us by J.E. Smith

Bible Reading: Romans 8:32-39 KJV

Key Verse:  "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come," - Romans 8:38 KJV

Paul began Romans 8 with one of the greatest declarations of freedom in Scripture: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 And now, at the end of the chapter, he gives us another great declaration: “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come…” Romans 8:38