The Normal Christian Life: A Journey Through Romans
Friday, January 20, 2006
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, I worship You today! Thank You for Your amazing grace and mercy in my life. Help me to extend that to others. I want to be a person who goes into the “harvest” fields and works diligently for You! Help me to be fruitful in my labor for You. Give me eyes to see the harvest field in front of me. I ask that You would raise up many more people to go into Your harvest fields. I ask this in the name of Jesus. . . Amen.
God’s Word Today—Romans 1:8-15
8 Let me say first of all that your faith in God is becoming known throughout the world. How I thank God through Jesus Christ for each one of you. 9 God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by telling others the Good News about His Son. 10 One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. 11 For I long to visit you so I can share a spiritual blessing with you that will help you grow strong in the Lord. 12 I’m eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other.
13 I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see good results, just as I have done among other Gentiles. 14 For I have a great sense of obligation to people in our culture and to people in other cultures, to the educated and uneducated alike. 15 So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach God’s Good News.
Reflecting on God’s Word
In Romans 1:8-15, the apostle Paul gave the church at Rome three reasons why he intended to visit. The first reason was “to impart a spiritual gift.” The second reason was “to share encouragement.” The third and final reason, which is found in verse 13b, was “to harvest fruit.” He says, “. . . I want to work among you and see good results, just as I have done among other Gentiles.” We know that God called Paul to minister to the Gentiles. His calling was to go into the world and take the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and share it with others, but more specifically to those beyond Judaism. This burning passion drove Paul to journey thousands of miles in his lifetime to spread Christianity throughout different parts of the world with a good measure of success. It wasn’t easy, but God graced Paul with a harvest of much fruit throughout his ministry – fruit that is still being harvested. His desire in coming to Rome was for the purpose of harvesting even more fruit among them. We too are called for this same purpose – to harvest fruit: in our lives, our church, our communities, our neighbors, our schools, and our workplaces. As we’ve been gifted by the Holy Spirit, He will produce fruit in these places. This is why we’re here – to bear fruit!
A Deeper Exploration of God’s Word
According to John 15:8, what brings great joy to God the father? Because this brings God joy, what are ways in which you can allow the Holy Spirit to enable you to fulfill this joyful longing in God’s heart?
Understanding God’s Purpose for Us
God calls us to bear fruit. He has not only asked us to be “faithful” but also “fruitful.” Our ability to bear fruit is contingent upon our dependence on Jesus Christ. As we rely upon the grace of Jesus, He will help us to be able to be fruitful in ministry.
Applying God’s Word to Our Purpose
List the harvest “fields” in your life? (ie. work, home, family, etc. . . ). What are ways in which you can harvest more spiritual fruit in each field?
What “good results” have you seen spiritually in your own life?
Thoughts
We are “trustees” of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! God has called us to share the New Life of Jesus Christ with the world one person at a time. Like Paul, we are to look at the harvest “fields” in our lives to see how God is calling us to harvest fruit. That’s why we’re here – to harvest fruit! Jesus says in John 15:8, “My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great glory to my Father.” When we bear fruit in our lives, it brings a smile to God’s face. Just as Paul was dedicated to the purposes of God in the Roman church, so we must be dedicated to God’s purposes in our own lives. Paul did eventually reach Rome three years after he wrote the letter to the Romans. Eventually he would be imprisoned and beheaded by the Roman authorities for his faith in Jesus Christ. His life and death stand as a testimony for all of us – as one who was completely dedicated to the purposes of God. May God grant us the grace to be just as dedicated to His purposes! 99% commitment to Him is still 1% not enough. God is calling us to 100% follow Him!
This Week’s Memory Verse:
I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. Romans 1:12b