VERSE: Romans 12:21–Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. TRUTH: We are to overcome evil, but how do we do that? Often, we thing we overcome evil through justice. We punish evil. But according to this verse, the way we overcome evil is through good, not justice. The previous verses explain how we are to go about doing good to the evil that we face. RESPONSE: Father, it is hard to do good to those who are evil to us, but today I will trust in You and Your ways. I will do good and You, in Your perfect timing, will handle the justice.

VERSE: Romans 11:18–Do not be arrogant toward the branches, but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you. TRUTH: It can be easy to get our perspective turned around and be focused on all the good things we do for God. “See God, how great I am and all I do for You?” Paul reminds us here that we should never lose focus of the fact that Jesus Christ is the root, the source of all our strength and ability. Only by being connected to Him are we able to do anything. Apart from Him we can do nothing.…

VERSE: Romans 10:17–So faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of Christ. TRUTH: The word of God is more powerful than anything else. By it, people are brought into an understanding of their need for a relationship with Jesus Christ. Are we sharing Gods word with others? There is nothing that will have a greater impact on their lives than that. RESPONSE: Father, Your word gives life to all who hear and believe. I pray today You will help me to share Your word to others who have not heard of You.

VERSE: Romans 9:31-32–but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.TRUTH: The people of Israel had missed God’s plan for them. He brought about a way to be saved through faith and they were still trying to work to gain God’s grace. Are we trying to get to God by faith through grace, or are we still working to justify ourselves by our own deeds? RESPONSE: Father, thank You for making a way for us to come to You through Your grace since my…

VERSE: Romans 8:35–Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? TRUTH: The answer: none of them will. God loves us. No matter what we go through (and we will go through difficulty), we will not be separated from God’s love. His love for us is there in the midst of everything we experience. Do we have our hope and trust in God’s love? RESPONSE: Lord, You love me! When I go through hard times, difficulties, persecution, and every other trial of life, I will trust Your love for me.

VERSE: Romans 7:19–For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. TRUTH: We can try our hardest to live the perfect Christian life, but we will always fail. Each day, we want to be faithful and obedient, but we find ourselves doing things we do not want to do. We must realize that we cannot live the Christian life on our own. We need Jesus Christ to live in and through us every day. Only through Him can we do what we want to do to be obedient and pleasing to God. RESPONSE: Lord, I want to please…

VERSE: Romans 6:1-2–What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? TRUTH: God’s grace is sufficient to cover all our sins, but that doesn’t mean we should use that as an excuse to sin more. Our lives in Christ are dead to sin and we don’t desire to continue it if we’ve accepted Jesus Christ. Do we desire the things God desires? God’s grace can cover everything we’ve ever done or will do, but our desire going forward is for Him. RESPONSE: Lord, You can indeed cover all my…

VERSE: Romans 5:20–the Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased grace abounded all the more. TRUTH: Why did God give us the Ten Commandments and other laws? So we would be able to see for ourselves that we fail to meet His standards of perfection by ourselves. The Law is there to convict sinners that they need a Savior. Jesus Christ died so that grace might be available for all to cover the sins the Law has revealed to us. RESPONSE: Father, thank You for showing me that I need You and that Your grace covers all my sins. Help me to share the…

VERSE: Romans 4:20–yet with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God. TRUTH: Abraham had received a promise from God. Even though it was many years before God fulfilled it, Abraham waited, growing strong in faith that God would fulfill His promise. When we feel we are waiting on God, do we waver in our belief or not? Like Abraham, do we give glory to God even in the waiting? RESPONSE: Lord, while I am waiting for You to bring about Your will, I pray You will use this to grow my faith and trust in You.…

VERSE: Romans 3:23–for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. TRUTH: Why do we need Jesus? Because on our own we cannot hope to measure up to God’s standard of perfection. We have all fallen short and missed the mark of perfection God requires. Thankfully, God has made a way for us to be made right with Him through Jesus Christ. RESPONSE: Lord, I praise You that You are Holy and perfect. Thank You for making a way for me, since I am not. Today, I will remember Your sacrifice for me and the whole world, so we can be made right with You.