F O O T H O L D
READING
78 GUILTY PEOPLE
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PRAY Help me to listen
carefully for your voice through the
Scriptures, righteous Lord.
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READ Romans 1:18-32.
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THINK What does this passage
tell us about people who are rebelling
against God. Try to list at
least eight things.
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FOCUS Some mistakes are not
very serious. Others are disastrous. A
nought too many - and the
whole calculation is wrong. Use salt
instead of sugar and even
the best mixed cake tastes horrible.
In human life there is one
basic error - refusing to take God
seriously. Make this mistake
- commit this sin - and everything
goes wrong.
WORSHIPPING IDOLS (23). God
has revealed himself in the wonderful
world which he created -
just as an artist can be identified by
his 'style'. In particular,
he shows 'his eternal power and his
divine nature' (20, GNB).
But people have missed the point, and
worship idols or other
substitutes for God. Can you suggest some
'idols' which people worship
today?
FILLED WITH WICKEDNESS (29).
If we have to sum up the 'daily
news' in a few words, what
better than 'jealousy, murder,
fighting, deceit, and
malice'? And this is exactly how the Good
News Bible translates part
of verse 29. Why do men and women
choose to do such
destructive things? Why is there so much
violence, so much injustice,
so much hate? Paul makes it quite
clear. People 'exchange the
truth about God for a lie' (25).
HEADING FOR TROUBLE. 'God
had given them over . . . ' (24.26.28),
that is he lets people have
their own way. He treats us as
responsible beings, and
allows us to reap the consequences of our
own decisions. People like
to think that faith in God is not very
important. But individuals
or nations that turn their backs on
God are heading for trouble.
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PRAY Bring the needs of your
nation before God. Pray for its leaders
by name.
