October 30 Who needs rules???

Reading: Jeremiah 45-47, Psalm 86, Romans 3, and 2 Corinthians 13

Scripture: Romans 3:20, For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Thoughts: In the course of Biblical history the amount of law varied, in the garden they had one rule to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, later Abraham made a covenant with God, then God gave Moses the ten commandments. Later the Jewish leaders developed hundreds of laws to keep them from getting close to breaking one of the commandments. Jesus later said all the law can be summed up in two Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Even though the Law changes and is modified by man over the years Paul is telling us it is not about the law, we are not getting into heaven because we keep a list of rules, those rules are there to help us see that there is sin in our lives and that our wadges for that sin is death. We are not able to be in relationship with God on our own we need the connection that is made through the gift of forgiveness and adoption made when Jesus the one who did live a sinless life gave up his life to offer that connection.  

Prayer: Father God, I thank you that you did send your Son that we could have reconciliation with you and be able to walk with you. I know that there is nothing I can do to wash myself clean but thought the blood of your Son I am washed clean and redeemed. I thank you that you are working in my life, you are leading and guiding, molding, and refining my life. Help me to focus on you and your path you have laid before me.