Tag: Romans 15:13
Endurance, encouragement and hope!
Scripture reading for June 5th: Romans 15, Psalm 111, Proverbs 18
Romans 15: 4-7, 15 “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through the endurance and through the encouragement of Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Jesus Christ, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. . . . .May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
Our God knows exactly what we need and even before we were born, He has written it down for our instruction. His purpose is to encourage us because He is for us, not against us! He has a glorious future planned for us so He wants us to hold fast to Him and His awesome and glorious Name. He wants us to dwell together with our brothers and sisters in harmony, and with one voice to bring Him and our Father glory! We are called to be encouragers and show hospitality by welcoming others into God’s forever family! This brings God eternal joy and fulfills His desire to share His eternal covenant of love, mercy and peace with all people! Praise His awesome and holy Name!
Psalm 111: 9-10 “He sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever. Holy and awesome is His Name! The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!”
Prayer: Father God, Your Son Jesus Christ is my strong tower of encouragement and hope in a world that is sometimes very dark and foreboding. Thank You for the eternal covenant of life and peace which brings me hope and joy each day as I anticipate Your coming. Help me to live in harmony with others of like-precious faith and to welcome them into Your forever household. Fill me with the Holy Spirit today!
Proverbs 18:10 “The Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.”
Praying for God’s workers!
Scripture reading for June 13th: Proverbs 16-18, Romans 15
Romans 15:29-33 “I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ. I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.”
God’s Word declares that all His people are ‘saints’, set apart to serve Him. But those chosen to go out and preach and teach and evangelize are to be supported in prayer by those that send them. Paul asks the church to pray for him as he goes on to minister in places not yet reached by the Gospel. He asks deliverance from the unbelievers. This does not mean that he won’t be persecuted or suffer for Christ’s sake and the Gospel. He asks that his service, his ministry and life will be acceptable to the saints and to God and that by God’s will he might return to them and share the joy of ministry he has experienced and be refreshed by their ministry to him. As believers we are told to ‘strive together’ with God’s workers in prayer and support. As we give prayer, our God of hope and peace will be with us!
Romans 15:13 “May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
Prayer: Father God of Hope and Peace, thank You for filling me with joy and peace as I trust in You for salvation and power to obey Your Word. I lift up those who are preaching and teaching Your Word in lands where they have never heard. Deliver them from attacks of unbelievers and make their work acceptable to the saints and to You. Fill them with joy and peace and abounding hope as they trust You.
Proverbs 16:20 “Whoever gives thought to the Word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.”
Endurance, encouragement, and hope!
Scripture reading for June 11th: Proverbs 16-18, Romans 15
Key Scriptures: Romans 15:5-7, 13 “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” . . .”May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
By God’s grace we are empowered to live in harmony with one another. God gives us endurance and encouragement to stay in unity through the infilling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us God’s power to rest in Jesus Christ and live in peace and joy because we know we are God’s children and declared righteous. We have the Blessed Hope of Jesus’ soon return.
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You today for the fruit of the Holy Spirit in my life, bringing patience and endurance in this trying time. May I live in the power of the Holy Spirit today to live in steadfast love and harmony with Your Church sharing the hope we have in Christ Jesus, making my enemies my peace-filled friends.
Proverbs 16:6-7 “By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil. When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”
Sunday Rest and Reflection
Another seventh day of rest has arrived. God himself wanted to rest. Man and woman need rest too! “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath”. (Mark 2:27) Resting is not the practice of many in the modern world we live in. I know that myself too well. I am a doer and have been taught that I shouldn’t waste time. Time is precious and there are many things to do. Church can even be busy. I am trying rest and reflect more this year and enjoy creation, my family and God. We find the invitation in Genesis to enjoy a Sabbath Rest every seventh day!
Looking back on the readings from Genesis 10-26, we have taken quite a trek through time and history. The world-wide flood sent by God began the history of man again with Noah and his family. We have this genealogy in Genesis 10. In Genesis 11, we find some of those descendants building the tower of Babel in defiance to God! How could man forget the lesson of the flood in just over 100 years with their grandparents as eyewitnesses of that judgment? Was it true even then that the generations didn’t communicate? It has been said that God’s church is always only a generation away from extinction! But God is merciful in judgment, scattering them over the earth by confusing their languages. Thus the nations are formed and God’s plan is moved forward.
The lives of Abraham and Sarah and their children take up the bulk of last weeks reading. They appear about 2000 years before Christ. God’s purpose is to make from this couple a great nation that He could be King over. They would be His people and He would be their God. Abraham believed God when God spoke to him. This is counted as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6) Believing is the only ‘work’ we need to do to be right with God. We must work it out by obedient actions and attitudes in our walk of faith. Abraham and Sarah give me hope because they certainly weren’t perfect in believing or obedient actions. How about Sarah’s plan to give her maid Hagar to Abraham for sexual relations and children? How about Abraham twice asking his wife to say she was his sister and nearly sending her into an adulterous relationship just to protect his own life? How about Sarah’s anger at Hagar and mistreatment of her? How about Sarah’s laughter when the angel spoke of a child? And then the denial she later made when confronted? I’m thankful that God’s grace covers my sin when I confess, repent and trust in His son Jesus!
Isaac is finally born to parents whose bodies appeared ‘dead’ to the ability to reproduce! The sound of laughter filled this aged couple’s home! God specializes in the impossible! We simple need to rest in His ability to do what He says He will do!
“May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit!” –Romans 15:13
May the Lord give you a blessed day of rest and enjoyment of creation, your family, and your awesome God!