ROMANS

Today is Christmas Eve!  The day before we celebrate the birth of our LORD.  We know that December 25th was not the day that Jesus was born, but a day chosen to celebrate the birth of our LORD.  Thank the Lord that we set aside a day across this world to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.  As a Christian, we reflect on the great gift to mankind of baby Jesus, and the death of our LORD that gave us Salvation.  I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!! Reading in Romans: 1) RECKON--REIGN- In Romans 6, we have a whole chapter given to teach us not to sin.  In verse 11 it says to "reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin"; and in verse 12 it reads: "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof."  The two words to draw out are: reckon and reign.  We are to reckon, or "act as though we are dead to sin" (because we are dead to sin's eternal penalty through Christ).  When confronted with sin, we are to act as though we are dead and not pay sin any attention when it pulls at us.  A dead man has no pull.  Then we are to not let sin "reign" in us.  Though we are not perfect in our ability to "reckon" sin dead at all times; we should be able to not let sin "reign" if we even try to walk in the Spirit.  "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh."  So though we may sin, sin should not reign in us!!  Reckon....Reign! 2) I MAGNIFY MINE OFFICE- In Romans 11:13, the apostle Paul made this statement.  Paul was an apostle of the LORD, and also a Pastor (an elder).  He never magnified himself, but he did magnify his office.  Now here is the truth in this statement.  We ought to magnify the office of the pastor.  I am never for putting a man on a pedestal, but we ought to have a reverence for the office.  The Office of the President should be respected, even if a man who fills that office is not what he should be, the OFFICE demands respect.  The OFFICE of the Pastor demands the same respect.  The man is only human, and in some sad cases, not at all what he should be, but let us never be found guilty of tearing down the OFFICE of the Pastor, just because a man has not filled it well.  David knew that Saul was trying to kill him (that is not right!), but he still knew God said: "Touch not mine anointed, do my prophet no harm."  He would not retaliate against Saul because of this.  I have known Christians who stood against men of God who later suffered for it.  I have observed this over and over.  If you cannot follow the leadership of a man of God, leave quietly but do not harm yourself by responding unscripturally to some man who is a pastor and does not do right.  The church should handle it by voting him out of the OFFICE to still respect the office!  Then get a man of God to fill the office properly!!  That is the way to handle such things.  Well, I only am going to comment on these two verses today.  I hope you have a blessed day this Christmas Eve.  A merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!! Pastor Mike Mutchler