What picture do you have of God? In order to answer this question, we often have to look at our relationship with our parents or caregivers. Our attitudes were formed early in our childhood, and they can be changed, but only by recognition and reformation of thoughts.

WHAT WE THINK & DO	CONSEQUENCES	WHEN JUDGMENT IS REVEALED
stubborn, unrepentant heart	store up God’s wrath against yourself	the day God’s righteous judgment is revealed
refusal & avoidence of God	adds fuel to fire	bonfire of God’s wrath on judgment day
persistently seek God’s glory & honor, do good, accept what God offers	God’s Kingdom on earth	granted eternal life on judgment day
self-seekers who reject the truth & follow evil, take path of least resistance, live wicked lives	trouble, distress, calamity	experience God’s wrath, anger, & condemnation to the fire
our background, hertage, & tradition are irrelevant; whther we hear God’s law or not doesn’t matter.	everyone experiences same consequences based on what we think & do	God will not show favoritism

My thoughts as I ponder God’s word to me in these verses.
God doesn’t have a bias. That is not true of any human or human institution, but it is true of God. Before He created the world, he designed each one of us and put us in a place and time of His choosing. Each one of us is designed by God, and He has no favorites.
So if I try to coerce God into giving me special treatment by comparison—“See how well I’m doing compared to so-and-so.”—I am reducing my image of God into someone I can fool, control, or manipulate. It’s time for me to remember the first commandment: “You shall have no other Gods before me.” As Moses told the people in Exodus 20:20, “Don’t be afraid. God has come to test you and instill a deep and reverent awe within you so that you won’t sin.” (MSG)
God is a just God, and His justice must be satisfied. I am a sinner who cannot achieve perfection, but God provided a pathway for me through the sacrifice of His Son for my sins. My salvation is separate from anyone else’s—there is nothing to compare that would be beneficial to me. He has given me a way to eternity with Him through His Son and the Holy Spirit. When I fill myself with His Words and His Spirit, I live in obedience to Him, and I will receive what He has promised.

The Bible Doodle I wanted for these verses was straight forward: A picture that showed a part of who God is to me.

Thanks for digging deeper into Paul’s letter to Romans with me. Share you thoughts in the comments. If you prefer to reply only to me, send me an email at: ksevenhousewwv@gmail.com