Take a few minutes and read First Peter, Chapter 1, verse 1 to 12. Every so often, when we approach Scripture, it’s important to understand why the Lord spoke them into existence, and who did He send it to. Peter, one of twelve disciples, wrote this letter to believers forced to leave their families, homes, and careers because of the…
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It is only appropriate that Paul concludes this letter with people, those who have been changed by the power of the gospel. The church was and is established, formed, and strengthened by the gospel. All the churches send you greetings. Romans 16:16b We find 25 names here in the concluding chapter—17 men, 8 women, two unnamed women and two households….
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Paul concludes this chapter with a prayer request. He was traveling to Jerusalem to give the poor Christians sorely needed funds to survive. A gift from Christians scattered abroad. Paul understood this journey was dangerous. Would the Lord deliver him from unbelievers, and would the believers accept the offering he carried? Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus…
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I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. (Romans 15:14) Paul left more than a few letters in the wake of his Christian life. He left a legacy—an example of what it means to obey God in what what was deposited in his…
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Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God… Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:7 & 3 We are almost at the end of the book of Romans….
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The Civil War, two world wars, the Great Influenza, the Great Depression, floods, storms, and hurricanes. How did they survive? How did they endure in such challenging and uncharted territory? Our encouragement to endure comes from the Lord. It’s true, it’s a gift, and it’s the mark of the “with-God” life. Such endurance sets us apart. Paul even whispers a…
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How we treat each other matters—it matters to God. Specifically, how we treat other believers reflects a message (good or bad) to the watching world. Our character is on display. Shouldn’t they know us by our love? Here, as Paul is drawing to the end of his letter, he finds it necessary to address a concern for the church in…
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We’ve journeyed through twelve powerful chapters of the book of Romans, and now we must face the question: How now should we live? I found the answer by reading the chapter backwards. No, not sentence by sentence, but thought for thought as follows: As we review this chapter, it would be well to keep in mind Paul’s admonition to the…
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We could easily pass by these passages and say, “That’s nice. I’ll do my best, but I can’t make any promises.” And many have read these verses and done that very same thing. Not you. We belong to Christ and should care how the community we live in sees us. Not to impress them, but to honor the Lord. The…
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