Good morning. Today were
going back to Romans chapter 4. I am leaving out some of the words. It is
talking about Abraham. In hope against hope he believed, in order that he might
become a father of many nations. And without becoming weak in faith he contemplated
his own body, now good as dead. Yet with respect to the promise of God he did
not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being
fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform. Sometimes
our situation seems hopeless. According to man we are doomed. But then we have
two of the most comforting words of the Bible – but God. Our belief is not in some words of man or in some
man; but in God Himself. We can trust God to answer our prayer. We don't deny the
situation or hide our eyes from it. Like Abraham we look at the situation
honestly; but we still believe God will help us through it. We don't waver in
unbelief about God's promise to us. Instead we grow strong in faith. You don't
grow strong in something unless you exercise in it. So we have to exercise our
faith to grow strong in it. God has helped you in the past – God will help you
now. He is even more interested in us coming through the situation than even we
are. We are fully assured that what God has promised, God will perform. Father
help the reader to stand firm in faith believing the promises that You have
made to him/her. Help him/her to be able to look at the situation, and yet not
grow weak. Help him/her to know for certain that he/she has all of the promises
You have made to him/her.
Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me
Good morning. Paul then gives a list of a lot of things that he has gone through as an apostle. I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. There could be many people that you listen to either in church or through the Internet or other means; but there was only one person (as a general rule it was a person) that lead you to Christ. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. He was saying that just like a child imitates his or her father, they were to imitate him. He says that again seven chapters later. Since it is easy to forget some things about people we have not seen in a while, Paul says that he sent Timothy to them to remind them of his ways which are in Christ, just as he taught everywhere in every church. Some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. I shall find ou...
Comments
Post a Comment