Paul wrote the letter to the Romans on his third missionary trip. He was on
his way to Jerusalem and wanted to be there by Pentecost. It addresses the
Jewish and Gentile believers, first telling the guilt of the Jews and then the
Gentiles and finally, of everyone. He preached the gospel to believers. He
told them to tell the good news. God communicates with our spirits. We are
spirit beings having a soul (the mind, will, emotions) and living in a body. (1
Thessalonians 5:23; 2:18) Paul wanted to impart something to the Romans
in person. The theme of Romans is found in 1:16-17. The gospel is the
power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. He states that the just
shall live by faith. What God said by faith gives us faith. God's wrath is
against ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth. No
one has an excuse to not believe in God as evidenced in His creation.
Romans 1:24-25 is about exalting science and dulling a person's spirit.
Verses 26-27 is about pride, which is Satan's main attribute. There are
different consequences of sin. You can repent of sin, but there are sins unto
death, and there are sins you cannot undo. The wages of sin are death.
Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of homosexuality and
because they did not show mercy to the poor. Chapter two addresses
judging others and practicing what you preach. Circumcision is of the heart
and is covenant. Chapter three tells us that all have sinned. The law shows
your sin and your need for the Lord, but it cannot save you. The
righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ. We are justified in
Christ. The angels cannot repent. We uphold the law by love.

Pastor Syd teaches on Romans 4. Abraham was justified by faith, not by what he did. Satan’s masterpiece is the Pharisee, the self-righteous one. Abram believed God, therefore God considered him right. It was credited (the right to get something; someone else does something for you in your place; it’s because God is right) to Abram for righteousness, while he was uncircumcised. The time of God’s giving Abram the promise of blessing through a son was about thirteen years before he was circumcised. Abraham was not a Jew. (Genesis 14:18-16:16; Genesis 12:1-3) As Abram came back from liberating Sodom and Gomorrah, he met Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest to the Lord. He said that God blessed Abram, and he gave Melchizedek a tithe of everything, because he was thankful for the victory. This was four hundred years before the law of tithing. Tithing did not change, and it results in His provision, His reward to you. (Malachi; Hebrews 7) Jesus taught New Covenant principles. Abram had a covenant with God (Genesis 15). He had Ishmael when he is eighty-six. In Genesis 17:1-12 when Abram was ninety-nine years old, his name was changed to Abraham, the father of many nations. (Genesis 21 is when Isaac is born.) The promises are by faith and operate by grace (Romans 4:13-25). His Word overcomes the world and gives grace to do what He says. Call things into existence that are not. Say that you can do all things. Hope against hope (confident expectation). Abraham kept his faith, was strengthened, and was fully convinced that what God had promised He was also able to perform. Just like Paul on a ship destined for shipwreck, don’t be afraid. Take courage and believe God. You are credited as right when you believe God.

Pastor Syd explained the reason the Lord told him to get his pilot’s license.

Word Given in CWI service:

You know, My children, when you think of what’s going on in this world, and
most of you don’t even know what the enemy is doing, he is a defeated foe,
and I will have My way, and I will use you, things I have planted in your
hearts. It’s like Pastor Syd, things that he almost buried, but I’m not done.
I’m not done with you.
This church is a church after My own heart. It has been for a long time, and
I’m grooming people. I’m grooming people to do things they never thought
they would do.
Don’t cut Me short. I’m much bigger than you think, and I’ve called you to
do things you never dreamed of doing, or maybe only dreamed of doing.
The anointing power of the Holy Spirit is very real, very real, but you have to
get to know Him. You have to spend time in the Word. You have to spend
time with Me. You have to spend time on your knees, and these times will
take you to your knees. That’s a good place to be, because I honor that. I
honor that.
So as I speak to you in that still, small voice, don’t discount it, even though
you think it’s too big. Don’t discount it. Remember, I’m real. I am God. I
created heaven and earth. I created each of you to be and do and fulfill
great and mighty things in these days.
You’re My hands. You’re My feet. Be willing to do that. Be willing to follow
that still, small voice, because I love you. You’re My children. I’ve called you,
and I will call you for greater and mightier things than you ever dreamed of.
Be faithful. Be faithful. Be givers! As you give, I will give. It’s in the Word,
you know.

After a brief review of Romans 1-4, Pastor Syd starts with Romans 4:13-25. God has the power to do what He says He will do. Context and the witness of two or three are important in establishing doctrine. Chapter five starts with peace with God through faith. Death happened because of Adam, and life came because of Christ. We, as believers, can have peace, but all are not walking in it. Being in peace is an individual choice. In Mark 4:35-40 Jesus was sleeping in a violent storm. He spoke “Silence! Be still!” to the sea. “Silence” means to be muzzled. A mark of peace is hope. It is not being resigned to a situation or the absence of conflict. Hope is a confident expectation and is part of peace. Romans 8:6 mentions the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. Isaiah 32:17 says that the work of righteousness is peace. Romans 14:17 says that the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy. God’s covenant of peace will not be shaken (Isaiah 54:10). Jesus would be called Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:7). Be rooted in grace (Romans 5:3). God is glorified when the enemy is put down. We boast in the pressure, because it produces cheerful constancy and proven character (approved in a test), which produces hope. God’s love has been distributed to our hearts. Love overcomes the world. God’s DNA is in us. (Communion was served based on 1 Corinthians 11:23-32.)

[Romans 5:12 to 6:23] Death for all came through Adam, but life for all comes through Jesus Christ. The grace of God is God’s coming to help you do something you could not do on your own. It is a gift. It is His empowering you. The original sin changed the DNA of the human race, introducing spiritual death. We can reign in life and walk in faith and victory. Kings reign by giving orders that come from authority and responsibility. Choose to walk in Christ’s authority by opening your mouth and declaring the Word over yourself. Get back up when you get down by speaking who you are in Christ. Reign with your mouth. Speak to what is causing you to fall down. It has to go! The Lord is the Enforcer. (James 4:7) Reigning in life is now. There is only one sin that the blood of Jesus will not cleanse: the unpardonable sin, which means that you are out of reach of the Holy Spirit, a person who is completely withdrawn from the Spirit. As long as you have that draw, you have not committed the unpardonable sin. Paul makes sure that grace does not give permission to sin. Being immersed in Jesus Christ and His Spirit means being buried into His death and raised with Him, so we can walk in a new way of life. Our old man was crucified with Him (Galatians 2:20). Christ lives in us. We are spirit beings, have a soul, and live in an earth suit. The spirit needs to be born again and the soul renewed by the truth of the Word. (Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:9-10) To be sanctified you need to renew your mind by the Word. Live and walk free from sin. (2 Corinthians 5:17) Do not let sin reign in your body, but use it for righteousness. You are not a victim of flesh and corruption. Temptation is not a sin. Satan tries to accuse and condemn you, whereas the Holy Spirit invites, convicts, and convinces you toward God. You sin when you make his thoughts, yours. (1 John 5:3-4) Love God. Keep His commands. Conquer the world by your faith and the Word. Grace gives us the ability to not sin. What you obey, you become a slave to. When you disobey, you open the door to Satan. Obey from the heart (Isaiah 1:19). Be sold out to righteousness, set apart for holiness. The outcome is eternal life. The pay of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus. Be a slave to the Holy One. Reign in life, eternal life.

Text: Romans 6:21-8:17. Romans 7 and 13 are probably the most misunderstood chapters in Romans. Romans 7 is about living by the law, being “married” to the law, which is “sin unmasked.” The law reveals what sin has been there all along. Genesis 4:6-7. Living by the flesh and the law cannot save you. It is possible, but not good, for a saved person to be living under the law. If you are born again, you are crucified with Christ and should be living by faith. Romans 7:14-24 is not an excuse to live by sin. We are to live by the Spirit (Galatians 5:13-22). If you live and walk by and in the Spirit, you will not do the things of the flesh. Your flesh and your soul did not get saved. You renew your mind and live in the Spirit realm. There is now no condemnation, no judgment for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). The law of the Spirit of life and peace has set you free from the law of sin and death. If your mind is set on the Spirit, you will walk and live by the Spirit. To fight the flesh, speak out loud the things you want to think. Those who are led by the Spirit are the sons of God. We are children and heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. Pastor Syd asked the congregation to pray for their revelation to see truth in the book of Romans and for him to explain it clearly. [He answered a question about voting, and two ladies shared their visions during prayer.]

Pastor Syd continues his series on the book of Romans by teaching on Romans 8:1-17. Romans eight is like the climax of the previous chapters and is the answer to Romans seven’s conflict of soul and body. Paul uses the word “spirit” or “Spirit” twenty-two times in chapter eight. There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Condemnation means an adverse sentence or verdict. It is like a condemned building which is unfit for use and ought to be destroyed. Do not condemn yourself or listen to condemnation from others, or the enemy will build on that. Tell the devil and those feelings to get out. You must be in Christ Jesus. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made you free from the law of sin and death. Condemnation comes with the law of sin and death, and it brings defeat. He Spirit of Christ is the reborn spirit in you. He is preparing you for the new heaven and new earth. Is your mind set on the things of the Spirit? If you have thoughts of death, examine your mindset, because you are living in the flesh. Life and peace can be your mindset, if you are in the Spirit. Your flesh will die, but your body will be upgraded. Living in the flesh is hostile to God and cannot please God. You are in the Spirit if the Spirit of God lives in you. The Spirit gives life because of the righteousness of what Jesus did. Those who are led by God’s Spirit are the sons of God. The law revealed the natural slavery of sin and your need for a Savior. The Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Colossians 3:15. The Spirit is the umpire of our peace. Invite the author of the Word when you read it, and the Bible will speak to you. The Spirit also leads you with your inward spirit. If you have a decision to make, make it based on whether you have a spirit of peace. Pay attention to it! Listen for God in the right place at the right time. Do not put out fleeces, which open you up to deception! The Spirit of God resides in you. God may lead you by giving you a picture, or by knowing a Scripture, or by repeating the voice of someone you know. He is bringing it to your remembrance. NEVER VIOLATE PEACE! 1 John 5:10; 1 John 3:24. Say no to condemnation. Be an heir of God and a co-heir with Christ.

Pastor Syd opened his sermon on Romans 8:17-39 by reading Ephesians 1:3-2:10. He explained about our redemption and predestination to be adopted, but it is dependent on our receiving it. Romans 8:18 reveals that there will be sufferings as a believer. Other Scriptures confirming that are: 1 Peter 4:12-14; Acts 14:22; John 16:33. There is a glorification coming as we will be like Jesus (1 John 3:1-2; 2 Corinthians 4:17). Your spirit is redeemed, but your soul and body are not. Ask yourself: Is what I am dealing with that will matter in ten years? To eagerly wait with anticipation is like stretching your neck forward (Romans 8:19). The earth is in a state of decay (8:21-22). There will be a new heaven and earth (2 Peter 3:13; Isaiah 11:6-9). There was a fear of man for the animals after Noah and the flood. We have a down-payment for our bodies’ redemption, and we will have a glorious body (Philippians 3:21). Hope, which is confident expectation, produces patience (8:23-24). You do not hope for what you already have. The Spirit helps us in our weakness by interceding for us, but really it is Jesus Christ who intercedes for us (8:26-27, 34; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1). The Spirit of Christ within you will know how to pray. God is NOT the one doing accidents. All things are working for good considering: 1) you are praying in the Spirit, 2) you love God, and 3) you are called according to His purpose. God is NOT in control of everything, although He is sovereign. Pastor Syd gave the example of being sovereign over his children’s bedrooms but not being totally in control of them. Why should you be guilty of sin if God made you that way? He is not in control of you. It is not His will that people die, but they do. Foreknowing is knowing beforehand (8:29-30). We are predestined, called, justified, and glorified, but not everybody fulfills their destiny. Paul asks rhetorical questions (8:31-35). Romans 8:36 is taken from a negative Psalm 44. Romans 8:37 refutes that verse in Psalms by emphatically saying, “NO!” We are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus. He mentions all kinds of things that cannot keep God’s love from us, but he does not mention the past, because it does not exist (8:38-39). The Spirit of God lives in me. 2 Peter 1:3-8, 11. Everything you need, you have the right to and is available to you.

Scripture text: Romans 9:1-10:13. Romans is about the gospel (good news) being for both the Jews and Gentile believers who live by faith (Romans 1:16). Paul’s conscience and the Holy Spirit agree that he is telling the truth. Your conscience is a co-perception between yours and another one. Your conscience can be trained wrong, and if so, it needs to be renewed, retrained. Your conscience is not the same thing as your heart or faith (1 Timothy 1:5, 18-19). You can have a clear conscience (Acts 24:16). David’s conscience bothered him when he cut off Saul’s garment (1 Samuel 24). Repentance is the way out of a guilty conscience. (1 Timothy 3:9; Hebrews 13:18; 1 Corinthians 8:7-12; Titus 1:15; 1 Timothy 4:1-2.) The Lord wants to minister to your spirit, but your conscience may need to be retrained. (Hebrews 10:19-22; 9:14; 1 Peter 3:21; Colossians 3:14-17; 1 John 3:18-24.) God is just, but it is a person’s choice to let his hearts be hardened. God does not create evil people and then judge them. He has a destiny for you, but His will will not happen for you for sure. Your heart can be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness and by His giving you over to the hardening effects of sin (Psalm 81:11-12; Romans 1:24-28; Hebrews 3:13). It is up to you if you are hardened. No one was created for God’s wrath. Jews and Gentiles are one. If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your hear that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. It is about believing and confessing Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Faith is voice-activated. (Other Scriptures: Jeremiah 18:1-11; 2 Corinthians 3:14-16; Romans 1:18; Romans 2:5, 8; John 3:36)

Pastor Syd reviewed with the congregation Romans 9-10:13. Romans 10 and 11 are about the relationship of Israel and the church. In Romans 10 Paul prayed for ethnic Israel to be saved. (Ethnic Israel is different from the Israel of God, or the saved Jews.) A sign of a hardened heart is deception.

The word of faith for salvation and righteousness consists of confession and belief that God raised Jesus from the dead. Whoever calls on the Lord shall be saved. Faith is followed by action. Israel can be saved, if they hear about Jesus Christ, and if a sent one preaches Jesus. Faith is birthed in a heart that responds to God’s anointed utterance of the Anointed One, from hearing the Rhema (word) of God, a living word to you.

Present Israel can be saved (Romans 11; Romans 1:16). The Israel of God, that is the believing Jews or the elect, and the church are one. Romans 11 is not about the return of a Davidic kingdom or the national state of Israel. The Israel of God is Jew and Gentile. There are different theologies about end times: 1) everything is Revelation has past; 2) all of Revelation is symbolic; 3) it is a mixture of some of it prophetically and symbolism. The Gentile has been adopted into the original root of the family of God. Pride leads to unbelief (vs. 18). The ethnic Jew can be grafted into the tree. A partial hardening has come upon Israel all the way through, as far as, until it is completed (the fullness of the Gentiles become Israel) (1 Corinthians 15:25; Hebrews 4:12). Israel is either ethnic Israel or the saved Israel. Israel and the church: 1) Ephesians 2:14-22 (one new man); 2) Ephesians 3:4-11 (co-heirs in the same body); 3) Romans 11:1-17 (grafted into the same tree); 4) Galatians 3:16-29 (We are called the seed of Abraham)(It is a horrible idea if they rebuild the temple.); 5) Galatians 4:22-26 (the heavenly Jerusalem); 6) Galatians 4:27-31 (children of the promise and the free woman); 7) Romans 9:6-8 (Not all Israel is the elect Israel.); 8) Galatians 6:15-16 (The Israel of God is not excusive to ethnic Israel.); 9) Romans 2:28-29 (not a Jew outwardly; circumcision of the heart); 10) Hebrews 12:22-24 (Mt. Zion compared to Mt. Sinai); 11) Matthew 16:18; Acts 7:38; Hebrews 2:11-13 (Jesus says I will build My church.); 12) Hebrews 7 and 8 (new covenant with the house of Israel and Jesus as the High Priest); 13) 1 Peter 2:9-10 (chosen race); 14) James 1:1 (the dispersion of the believing 12 tribes); 15) Galatians 2:1-16 (the Judaizers); 16) Acts 15:9-11 (saved by grace); 17) Jeremiah 33:14-18: Isaiah 9:6-7 (types and shadows and promises of the temple;); 18) Luke 24:44 (the Davidic throne of Jesus). End times study should be based from the teachings of Paul and Jesus. Daniel, Isaiah, and Revelation have mixed up timelines.

Pastor Syd teaches on Romans 12:3-16. He talked about self-worth versus pride, the measure of faith, the body of Christ compared to a person’s body, grace for the different gifts, agape love, detesting evil, clinging to what is good, serving the Lord, being cheerfully expectant in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer, sharing with your spiritual family, and being hospitable. Other Scriptures: 1 Peter 4:10; 1 Corinthians 12:4-24; Ephesians 4:1-16; Psalm 97:10; Proverbs 8:13; Psalm 45:7; Galatians 5:13; Ephesians 6:6-11.

Pastor Syd opened the service with Scriptures about Jesus’ and our authority over the devil and his power. We are more than conquerors and need to hold onto our confession when intensity against us increases. With boldness we must provoke love and good works, continuing to assemble ourselves together. He led us in a prayer to break the enemy’s tactics and establish our faith. There was a time when we encouraged each other. Sermon: Romans 12: 17-13:9. Pastor Syd explained vengeance belongs to the Lord and the role of the Christian in submission to government compared to obedience. There are four kinds of government: self, family, church, and civil. Listen to find out if you should disobey civil government.

Scripture text: Romans 14-15:13. The fulfillment of the law is love, which is
the focus of these chapters. There are settled matters, such as doctrine, but
there are also matters of opinion and conscience. In writing to Jews and
Gentiles, Paul makes a point of expressing their liberties not causing them to
look down on others or to put a stumbling block in another person's path.
The kingdom of God is a matter of power and righteousness, peace, and joy
in the Holy Spirit. Conforming is not unity. Live in harmony with one another
according to Christ Jesus. Other: Prov. 13:10; Col. 2:8, 14-17; 2 John 9; 1
Cor. 4:6; 1 Tim. 4:1-6; Phil. 3:16-20; Rom. 10:23.

Scripture text: Romans 15:16-16:27. Paul preached the Word, and it was accompanied with signs, wonders, and the power of the Holy Spirit. (1 Thess. 1:5-6; 1 Cor. 2:2-5). You can be a witness by sharing what God has done for you. If you pray but are not in faith, pray again. If you are praying for others, God will give them opportunities to come to Him, but they can reject Him. Pastor Syd stressed how women were an important part of the ministry (Acts 18:1-3, 11, 18-19, 24-26; 2 Timothy 4:19). Paul warned the Roman church to keep an eye on certain people, because of their causing strife and division (1 Cor. 5:9-11; Titus 3:9-11; 2 Thess. 3:6, 14-15; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 2 Tim. 2:16-18; Heb. 12:15). Other Scriptures: Proverbs 14:15; John 17:17; Psalm 19:7; Psalm 119:130. To be established, allow the gospel to be rooted in you.