Romans 9-16

Romans 9:8 'In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring.' (NIV)
:15 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' (NIV)
:16 'Compassion doesn't originate in our bleeding hearts or moral sweat (man's desire or effort(NIV)), but in God's mercy.' (Message)
:18 'Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.' (NIV)
:20 'Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'(NIV)
:21 'Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?'(NIV) This is a pride issue. God is the creator and we are His.
:22-26 God has called all of us to Himself regardless of our background. Even the ones saved for punishment, He gives time to repent.
:27 'If each grain of sand on the seashore were numbered
and the sum labeled "chosen of God," They'd be numbers still, not names;
salvation comes by personal selection.' (Message) 'Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:
"Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,
only the remnant will be saved.' (NIV) Only the ones that live by my Spirit will go to heaven.
:28 'For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality."' (NIV) When the times comes for savation's door to close, the Lord will close it quickly and there will be no second chances then.
:29 'It is just as Isaiah said previously: "Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah." '(NIV) Without passing salvation on to our children, our society looks out only for itself and shows off it's sin.
:32-33 'they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone." As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."' (NIV) People try to earn there way into heaven. Any earning is done through the cross. Our job is to believe. Because this is difficult to grasp people reject it. They think rules and regulations get you to heaven.
Romans 10:11 'As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."'(NIV) Believe, trust, faith = heart; obey, confess, think = mouth, actions
:13 'for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."' (NIV)
:14, 17 'how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.' (NIV)
Romans 11:3-6 'I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me"? And what was God's answer to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal." So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.' (NIV) God always has His few that remain through it all. Ones that are true to Him and look to His word instead of the world. They live by faith and not by sight, by spirit and truth not by their mind or feelings. They depend upon Him to come through and provide instead of their own strength or ideas.
:11 'Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.' (NIV) God uses everything for His good-Romans 8:28 'And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.' (NASB) The Jews think that God has left them or Christians are wrong. However God is using this to eventually have them back.
:15 'For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?' (NIV) The Jews made our salvation possible.
:25 'Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.' (NIV)
:32 'For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.' (NIV) [Adam and Eve]
:36 'For from him and through him and to him are all things.' (NIV)
These last few verses are interesting because it shows us how God allows sin and failure to bring His plan into fruition. Just because we reject someone or a lifestyle does mean that God does. He made us and knows what we need. We just may need to follow a path of unrighteousness to see what we lack from Him. All sin is forgivable. So He has a plan to bring us to the place He created us for.
Romans 12:1-2 'So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.' (Message) There is a default in us to choose the easy life or one that is fun or pleasing. Many times this involves ignoring God. To live for God we need to know what His way is and how to follow it. To learn this Way we read the Bible, pray, worship, go to church and study groups. Be careful of rules and regulations that limit our minds and opportunities of God. Many rules can turn off an unbeliever and make them feel condemned.
:3 'it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.' (Message) This is another default we turn to when we don't follow God closely. We have only because of Him. We need His help and guidance and thinking we can do it without out Him is foolishness. The outcome is always lacking the fullness only He can bring with His plan and strength.
:4-6 'In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't.' (Message) We are not more important than anyone else. Only together do we function in our true purpose and calling. Trying to be something we are not and comparing our progress to how others are doing sets us up for failure or at least discouragement.
:6-8 'If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.' (Message) I am finding 'The Message' Bible really says it best for this chapter. It give the cautious things to lookout for. Do this but look out for this. This is a good way to measure our progress instead of comparing ourselves to others.
:9-10 'Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.' (NIV) 'Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.' (Message) Don't fake it! Deepen what you see as your best in relationships.
:11-13 'Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.' (Message) Don't try to go throughout the day without God, but be ready for anything with Him. When it gets really hard dig your heals in and seek Him all the more.
:14-16 'Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody.' (Message) God made every human being, love them like He does. Don't use people to get ahead and don't ignore someone because they are not cool or poor.
:17 'discover beauty in everyone.' (Message)
:19 'Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it."' (Message) Even when we get taken advantage of, we need to give it to God because He'll take care of it. Put ALL your trust in Him.
:21 'Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.' (Message) Instead of getting mad or even do good or when the need arises just walk away.
Romans 13:1-7 v.1 'The authorities that exist have been established by God.' (NIV) To rebel against them is rebelling against God. They stand for what is right and just. They will only carry out what is right and just. v.7 'Give everyone what you owe him' (NIV) Money, respect, debt, etc.
:8 'he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.' (NIV) 'Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. '(Message) I Cor. 13:4
:10 'Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law' (NIV)
:11 'The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.' (NIV)
:14 'Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.' (NIV)
This chapter is telling us to stop doing bad and to start doing good. Your sins will find you out.
Romans 14:1 'Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.' (NIV)
:3-4 'The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.' (NIV) God is telling us that we should not look down on anyone. He is their master and He will correct their ways. God has plans for each of us and we are not all the same. We are on different levels of maturity. So if somebody does something in excess to you or somebody does not do what you do don't look down on them. They and you follow God. Accept them because God accepts them. He made all of us and we answer to Him.
:7-8 'For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.' (NIV) We need to remember who put us here and where we are going. Then we will follow Him.
:11-13 'It is written: " 'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will confess to God.' "So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.' (NIV)
:14-15 'As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died.' (NIV) Just because you think you're right doesn't mean it's right for them. Take care how you act and what you say. People respond from love not criticism.
:17-18 'For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.' (NIV) This is how we need to think before we act. If these results are not happening then it is wrong.
:19-21 'Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.' (NIV) In an effort to do good you may do harm.
:22-23 'So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.' (NIV) Walk in faith by doing what you believe is right. If it's wrong God will correct you. However don't make another stumble in your walk.
Romans 15:1-2 'Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, "How can I help?"' (Message) I have found this to be true. Being unselfish is a blessing for both parties. The more you try to be a blessing the more you are blessed. And the more God does to bless above what you can.
:13 'May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.' (NIV) The more you trust in Him, the more peace and joy, and your hope becomes more than enough.
Romans 16:17-20 'I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.' (NIV) I think of salesmen and swindlers when I read this. He's telling us to be awake and alert because we can easily be had if we are not paying attention. We have victory if we live it.