Howdy:
David, I am Gus. I don't think we've met, so here is our virtual meeting: Howdy. Also, lets try to get the other guys on board with this; I know that Matt and Jake want to do it, they just need to get on. Josh Sink might want to do it and what about shamus? Shaymus? Shaemus? The Sha-man.

ROMANS
Since coming to Japan I have had a hard time actually getting deep into the word. but as i've read, here are somethings for further exploration:
LAW: I want to have a better understanding of the law. Rom 7:8 says "For apart from the law, sin is dead". This principle goes deep, I think. Also, Paul clearly presents the questions of our postmodern society in a very blunt manner. He asks, "Is there injustice with god" in Romans 9:14 talking about God's decision to show mercy upon whom he has shown mercy. And Romans 9:19, "So then, He shows mercy to whom He wills and He hardens whom He wills. You sill say to me, therefore, Why then does He still find fault? For who can resist his will". Oh my, that is almost exactly the question I was presented with time and time again in Germany. And I would say, "oh well uhh..." but Paul is pretty straight forward. He basically says, who are you to challnege God. Sometimes that argument even makes me a bit uneasy because I know that if I tell it to someone they probably won't buy it. but then again, who am I to challenge God? I think that I don't have the big picture understanding of his sovreignty, becuase when that comes into focus, passages like this in romans 9 will make sense. But to understand an infinite sovreign God through finite human means .... I suppose that is the beauty of metaphors. Though it is still a challenge.