1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:12,650 Speaker 1: Life Audio Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture, 2 00:00:13,710 --> 00:00:18,550 Speaker 1: a calming scripture-centered devotional podcast designed to help you end 3 00:00:18,650 --> 00:00:21,639 Speaker 1: each day with God's Word in your mind and on 4 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:26,640 Speaker 1: your heart. Right after this short word from our sponsors, 5 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:33,450 Speaker 1: we will reflect on tonight's scriptures From Romans chapter 11. 6 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:45,739 Speaker 1: Our evening reflection is written by Greg Grandchamp and read 7 00:00:45,979 --> 00:00:54,750 Speaker 1: by Kyle Norman. Romans 11. I ask then, did God 8 00:00:54,810 --> 00:00:59,890 Speaker 1: reject his people? By no means. I am an Israelite myself, 9 00:01:00,170 --> 00:01:04,389 Speaker 1: a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin. God 10 00:01:04,470 --> 00:01:08,630 Speaker 1: did not reject his people whom he foreknew. Don't you 11 00:01:08,670 --> 00:01:12,570 Speaker 1: know what scripture says in the passage about Elijah? How 12 00:01:12,610 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 1: he appealed to God against Israel. Lord, they've killed your 13 00:01:16,580 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: prophets and torn down your altars. I'm the only one 14 00:01:19,940 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 1: left and they're trying to kill me. And what was 15 00:01:24,060 --> 00:01:28,210 Speaker 1: God's answer to him? I have reserved for myself seven 16 00:01:28,330 --> 00:01:32,850 Speaker 1: thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal. So too, 17 00:01:33,350 --> 00:01:37,090 Speaker 1: at the present time, there is a remnant chosen by grace, 18 00:01:37,890 --> 00:01:40,570 Speaker 1: and if by grace, then it cannot be based on works. 19 00:01:41,709 --> 00:01:46,750 Speaker 1: If it were, grace would no longer be grace. What then? 20 00:01:47,660 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 1: What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did 21 00:01:50,740 --> 00:01:54,420 Speaker 1: not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others 22 00:01:54,460 --> 00:01:58,050 Speaker 1: were hardened. As it is written, God gave them a 23 00:01:58,090 --> 00:02:00,970 Speaker 1: spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears 24 00:02:00,990 --> 00:02:05,510 Speaker 1: that could not hear to this very day. And David says, 25 00:02:05,530 --> 00:02:07,690 Speaker 1: Again I ask, did they stumble so as to fall 26 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:30,090 Speaker 1: beyond recovery? Not at all. Rather, because of their transgression, 27 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 1: salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 28 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: But if their transgression means riches for the world, and 29 00:02:39,460 --> 00:02:43,840 Speaker 1: their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater 30 00:02:43,980 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 1: riches will their full inclusion bring? I'm talking to you Gentiles, 31 00:02:51,380 --> 00:02:55,260 Speaker 1: inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles. I 32 00:02:55,300 --> 00:02:58,660 Speaker 1: take pride in my ministry in the hope that I 33 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:03,450 Speaker 1: may somehow arouse my own people to envy and then 34 00:03:03,550 --> 00:03:08,490 Speaker 1: save some of them. For if their rejection brought reconciliation 35 00:03:08,530 --> 00:03:12,430 Speaker 1: to the world, what will their acceptance be but life 36 00:03:12,630 --> 00:03:16,090 Speaker 1: from the dead? If the part of the dough offered 37 00:03:16,510 --> 00:03:19,919 Speaker 1: as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy. 38 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:24,870 Speaker 1: If the root is holy, so are the branches. And 39 00:03:24,910 --> 00:03:28,250 Speaker 1: if some of the branches have been broken off, and you, 40 00:03:28,889 --> 00:03:32,850 Speaker 1: through a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among 41 00:03:32,870 --> 00:03:35,830 Speaker 1: the others, and now share in the nourishing sap from 42 00:03:35,870 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 1: the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior 43 00:03:40,860 --> 00:03:45,580 Speaker 1: to those other branches. And if you do, consider this. 44 00:03:46,620 --> 00:03:50,840 Speaker 1: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 45 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:55,460 Speaker 1: You will say then, branches were broken off so that 46 00:03:55,660 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 1: I could be grafted in. Granted, but they were broken 47 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 1: off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. So 48 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:09,340 Speaker 1: do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did 49 00:04:09,460 --> 00:04:17,040 Speaker 1: not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider, therefore, 50 00:04:17,660 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 1: the kindness and sternness of God, sternness to those who fell, 51 00:04:23,500 --> 00:04:29,409 Speaker 1: but kindness to you, provided that you continue in this kindness. Otherwise, 52 00:04:29,610 --> 00:04:33,210 Speaker 1: you will also be cut off. And if they do 53 00:04:33,270 --> 00:04:36,650 Speaker 1: not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for 54 00:04:36,710 --> 00:04:41,040 Speaker 1: God is able to graft them in again. After all, 55 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:43,900 Speaker 1: if you were cut out of an olive tree that 56 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:48,340 Speaker 1: is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted 57 00:04:48,500 --> 00:04:52,940 Speaker 1: into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, 58 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:57,279 Speaker 1: the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? 59 00:04:59,020 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 1: I don't want you to be ignorant of this mystery, 60 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:05,260 Speaker 1: brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited. 61 00:05:06,460 --> 00:05:10,599 Speaker 1: Israel has experienced a hardening, in part until the full 62 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 1: number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this 63 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:18,260 Speaker 1: way all Israel will be saved. As it is written, 64 00:05:19,220 --> 00:05:22,950 Speaker 1: the Deliverer will come from Zion He will turn godlessness 65 00:05:23,110 --> 00:05:26,210 Speaker 1: away from Jacob, and this is my covenant with them 66 00:05:26,670 --> 00:05:30,950 Speaker 1: when they take away their sins. As far as the 67 00:05:31,029 --> 00:05:35,780 Speaker 1: gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake. But 68 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:39,860 Speaker 1: as far as election is concerned, they are loved on 69 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:45,110 Speaker 1: account of the patriarchs. For God's gifts, or God's call, 70 00:05:45,430 --> 00:05:49,190 Speaker 1: are irrevocable. Just as you who are at one time 71 00:05:49,310 --> 00:06:16,570 Speaker 1: disobedient to God Oh, the depth. of the riches, of 72 00:06:16,630 --> 00:06:20,730 Speaker 1: the wisdom and the knowledge of God, how unsearchable God's 73 00:06:20,810 --> 00:06:25,820 Speaker 1: judgments and His paths beyond tracing out. Who has known 74 00:06:25,860 --> 00:06:28,180 Speaker 1: the mind of the Lord and who has ever been 75 00:06:28,220 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 1: considered His counselor? Who has ever given to God that 76 00:06:31,820 --> 00:06:36,990 Speaker 1: God should repay them? For from Him and through Him 77 00:06:37,460 --> 00:06:42,050 Speaker 1: and for Him are all things. To Him be the 78 00:06:42,089 --> 00:06:52,200 Speaker 1: glory forever. Amen. Life on this earth is not always easy, 79 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:57,160 Speaker 1: is it? Often quite the opposite. Life brings a lot 80 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:00,620 Speaker 1: of different seasons and sometimes it seems that God's plan 81 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:06,180 Speaker 1: is hidden. Yes, trust can prove difficult at times. We 82 00:07:06,220 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 1: suffer loss of loved ones, broken relationships, unexpected or unwanted changes, 83 00:07:12,860 --> 00:07:18,850 Speaker 1: and God appears silent. The thing is, Scripture seems to 84 00:07:18,970 --> 00:07:23,270 Speaker 1: not only acknowledge this tension in our lives, but reinforces it. 85 00:07:24,570 --> 00:07:28,630 Speaker 1: From Abraham to Joseph to David to Jeremiah to the 86 00:07:28,710 --> 00:07:34,580 Speaker 1: apostles to Paul, all suffered. From where we sit, we 87 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:41,060 Speaker 1: can see God's plan. But how could they? Then there's Israel. 88 00:07:41,460 --> 00:07:44,700 Speaker 1: The ups and downs that Israel thrilled their history are hard, 89 00:07:45,340 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 1: even for us now to understand. But perhaps that's the 90 00:07:49,820 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 1: point Paul was making in Romans 11, that there is 91 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:58,160 Speaker 1: an end. God has a plan. And we just have 92 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:01,670 Speaker 1: to trust that God knows what's best and will work 93 00:08:01,770 --> 00:08:04,250 Speaker 1: all things out for the good of those who love him. 94 00:08:05,770 --> 00:08:11,030 Speaker 1: Even when circumstances feel painful or confusing or remain unresolved, 95 00:08:11,450 --> 00:08:15,460 Speaker 1: we must trust in God and God's plan. We must 96 00:08:15,500 --> 00:08:20,510 Speaker 1: have faith in his unchanging character His faithfulness, wisdom, and goodness. 97 00:08:22,290 --> 00:08:27,460 Speaker 1: Faith and fear cannot coexist. They are opposing forces, one 98 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 1: battling the other. Fear limits, but faith liberates. Fear weakens, 99 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 1: faith strengthens. Fear paralyzes, faith inspires. Max Lucado once wrote, 100 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:44,070 Speaker 1: Feed your fears and your faith will starve, but feed 101 00:08:44,090 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 1: your faith and your fear will starve. The thing is, 102 00:08:49,500 --> 00:08:53,500 Speaker 1: worry is nothing more than an emotional reaction. It's fear 103 00:08:53,540 --> 00:08:56,780 Speaker 1: of an outcome. But faith is a choice, and we 104 00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: can make that choice to trust in God with everything 105 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:05,730 Speaker 1: we've got. Circumstances change, but God does not, even when 106 00:09:05,790 --> 00:09:10,530 Speaker 1: life seems challenging. Our trust is not built on understanding 107 00:09:10,650 --> 00:09:15,030 Speaker 1: or explanations, but on surrendering our hearts and our lives 108 00:09:15,090 --> 00:09:19,260 Speaker 1: to Him, even when He seems silent. as he had 109 00:09:19,300 --> 00:09:24,650 Speaker 1: been with Israel lo those many years. When your circumstances 110 00:09:25,270 --> 00:09:29,910 Speaker 1: or the future seems unclear, cling to what is very clear, 111 00:09:30,429 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 1: God's mercy and grace and love and faithfulness, as demonstrated 112 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:39,100 Speaker 1: at the cross. Of course, it doesn't mean that pain 113 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:42,900 Speaker 1: will go away, but we choose to know that God 114 00:09:43,020 --> 00:09:47,030 Speaker 1: is still good and wise, even in our darkness. And 115 00:09:47,070 --> 00:09:52,939 Speaker 1: he has not left your side. Faith isn't about asking 116 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:57,190 Speaker 1: God to stop the storm. It's about trusting God to 117 00:09:57,250 --> 00:10:04,980 Speaker 1: help you through it. Father, thank you for always being 118 00:10:05,020 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 1: there for me, even when I don't see you or 119 00:10:07,900 --> 00:10:10,960 Speaker 1: hear you. You know what I'm going through and I 120 00:10:11,020 --> 00:10:14,300 Speaker 1: thank you for letting your Holy Spirit give me strength 121 00:10:14,740 --> 00:10:18,020 Speaker 1: to get me through this crisis. I don't know how 122 00:10:18,059 --> 00:10:21,440 Speaker 1: this will end, but that doesn't matter because you are 123 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:25,300 Speaker 1: in control. Please remind me that you are right here 124 00:10:25,380 --> 00:10:31,410 Speaker 1: with me. Amen. How did tonight's scripture speak to you? 125 00:10:32,170 --> 00:10:35,550 Speaker 1: Share your thoughts in the Your Nightly Scripture forum discussion. 126 00:10:44,230 --> 00:10:48,790 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture. Tonight's scripture 127 00:10:48,809 --> 00:10:52,900 Speaker 1: is was read from the New International Version by Biblica. 128 00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: All rights reserved. Be sure to follow our sister show, 129 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:04,790 Speaker 1: Your Daily Bible Verse, on Apple or Spotify. By following 130 00:11:04,970 --> 00:11:09,550 Speaker 1: Your Daily Bible Verse and Your Nightly Scripture, you can 131 00:11:09,590 --> 00:11:13,950 Speaker 1: be sure that your day begins and ends centered on 132 00:11:13,990 --> 00:11:27,260 Speaker 1: the Word of God. Thank you.