Welcome to our new project, the Daily Bible Devotional. The goal is to help you understand and apply

scripture as you go through a New Testament Bible read five days a week, Monday through Friday,

as we move from Matthew straight through to Revelation. In under four minutes each morning, we will recap the chapter,

make some application, present thought questions for the day, and offer a prayer together.

I'm excited about exploring God's word with you, so let's get started.

Welcome to our Bible study today from Romans chapter 9.

God is almighty in his plan to save.

Salvation is not the result of human effort, but God's mercy and purpose.

Paul begins by expressing deep sorrow for Israel's rejection of Christ,

despite their unique privileges as God's chosen people. He explains that

God's promises have not failed, as true Israel is defined not by ethnicity, but by faith in God's

promises. Examples like Jacob and Esau highlight that God's choices depend on his mercy,

and he has the right to extend mercy wherever he chooses.

God has every right to shape his plan like a potter molding clay.

He chose to bring Christ through the Jewish people and to extend salvation to Gentiles.

These decisions are uniquely his to make.

Salvation is open to everyone through faith in Christ.

The Jewish believers really struggled with their place in all of it and what it meant that God extended mercy to the Gentiles. That was entirely God's choice, and I sure I'm thankful for it.

Here are some thoughts for us. Christians trust in God's authority and

embrace his will, even when his ways are beyond our understanding. His choice is to bless, quote,

children of the promise, meaning those who pursue faith in the likeness of Abraham. God's choices

regarding mercy are not always easy to understand, like choosing Jacob over Esau or hardening Pharaoh's

...