Romans 11:16-36 (The Living Bible)
16 And since Abraham and the prophets are God’s people, their children will be too. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be too. 17 But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree, some of the Jews, have been broken off. And you Gentiles who were branches from, we might say, a wild olive tree, were grafted in. So now you, too, receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in God’s rich nourishment of his own special olive tree. 18 But you must be careful not to brag about being put in to replace the branches that were broken off. Remember that you are important only because you are now a part of God’s tree; you are just a branch, not a root.19 “Well,” you may be saying, “those branches were broken off to make room for me, so I must be pretty good.” 20 Watch out! Remember that those branches, the Jews, were broken off because they didn’t believe God, and you are there only because you do. Do not be proud; be humble and grateful—and careful. 21 For if God did not spare the branches he put there in the first place, he won’t spare you either. 22 Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is very hard on those who disobey, but very good to you if you continue to love and trust him. But if you don’t, you too will be cut off. 23 On the other hand, if the Jews leave their unbelief behind them and come back to God, God will graft them back into the tree again. He has the power to do it. 24 For if God was willing to take you who were so far away from him—being part of a wild olive tree—and graft you into his own good tree—a very unusual thing to do—don’t you see that he will be far more ready to put the Jews back again, who were there in the first place? 25 I want you to know about this truth from God, dear brothers, so that you will not feel proud and start bragging. Yes, it is true that some of the Jews have set themselves against the Gospel now, but this will last only until all of you Gentiles have come to Christ—those of you who will. 26 And then all Israel will be saved. Do you remember what the prophets said about this? “There shall come out of Zion a Deliverer, and he shall turn the Jews from all ungodliness. 27 At that time I will take away their sins, just as I promised.” 28 Now many of the Jews are enemies of the Gospel. They hate it. But this has been a benefit to you, for it has resulted in God’s giving his gifts to you Gentiles. Yet the Jews are still beloved of God because of his promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 29 For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn; he will never go back on his promises. 30 Once you were rebels against God, but when the Jews refused his gifts God was merciful to you instead. 31 And now the Jews are the rebels, but some day they, too, will share in God’s mercy upon you. 32 For God has given them all up to sin so that he could have mercy upon all alike. 33 Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are his wisdom and knowledge and riches! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his methods! 34 For who among us can know the mind of the Lord? Who knows enough to be his counsellor and guide? 35 And who could ever offer to the Lord enough to induce him to act? 36 For everything comes from God alone. Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory. To him be glory evermore.
1. The INTEREST OF CHRIST must prevail and be pushed always to avoid constant failure.
Prayer: Lord, pursue Your interest in my home. Let it be You in every plan, action, reaction and conversations. Be the centre of our thoughts, desires and interests at all times.
2. Constant feeding on the ROOT (CHRIST) . Be mindful and guard the nourishment from above.
Prayer: Lord, help us to stay connected and committed to You as a family. Help us to stay alert and walk closely with You in all matters. Let us all be mindful of Your inputs in our lives and cause us all to respond accordingly without holding back.
3. Have an absolute TRUST in God to make any dead branch / branches in our homes come alive.
Prayer: Lord, deliver us from anything that is crushing our branches as a family (loads of care, pressures of the world...). Breathe afresh on any branch that is dead; bring it to life again, established and rooted in the virtues of Heaven.
4. Be humble as a family of God and hate what God hates. Our homes are designed as Gospel platforms for other homes.
Prayer: Lord, help us to identify our giftings and calling as one family in Christ. Grant us the grace to step into our giftings, to keep them intact for Your glory. Help us not to take Your goodness for granted in our homes.
Lord, let everything that comes up in my home begin with You and ends up in You, Who is The Beginning and The Ending of all things.
Open our eyes to Your ways, and our ears to divine instructions on every issue. Help us not to forfeit the glory of Heaven for the glitters of the world.
Lord, please do an irreversible work on everyone that is named after my family, my home or anyone connected to my home in whatever capacity.