Romans 12 ~ Contribute

 

Romans 12

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Let love be genuine. 

Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.

Rejoice with those who rejoice,

weep with those who weep.

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.

Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.



Romans 12 is incredibly inspiring. One of my favorites.


God praised the multi-talented and blessed Solomon for not asking for his enemies. Which was a new thing. The Blessing of Abraham said Abraham would possess Heaven and earth (for Abraham's faith and willingness to hear God and obey God). And continued into saying Abraham would find his enemies in his hand.


I like Solomon's idea. Let God take care of this. God is this big. 

More time for the Joy of Salvation Jesus Lives.

Romans 12 is a difficult chapter if you take this as a "To Do List". It's glorious. Don't get me wrong. But you have to step out of the caste system the United States is holding on to in some places. "One Opinion." And lately that is difficult. Yet, we live in a nation of freedom of religion and speech. Jesus might speak and fish are in the net, but Jesus never called us to be Salmon. We need our gifts and talents contributing.  And escape the net of what we know to be our own fish net.

At the opposite end - we have difficulty coping with the soul who clings to us and goes on and on about this and that. We have the elderly who will discuss odd health requirements. And this will be us, days will come.

God says if we keep listening, we hear their gifts and talents of God in people, in their goodness. God tells us to flee from some people. There is an actual list of flee. To give thanks and find what God is telling us.  And warns that the mercy of the merciless (when I look out for myself, or you look out for yourself) is cruel.


if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness

Prophetic gifts of Evangelism believe God is serious about the world. His mercy is vast.

Faithful people believe we need more people in God. The water is warm, come in. The Faithful believe the Promises of God will be given by God. Abraham believed God and was considered righteous. Even when he did not own a foot of the Nation of Israel.

Service people believe we can all lend a hand, working good for the Kingdom of Heaven.

Teaching people believe, if the Bible is put in someone's hand, God is going to show Goodness to them.

People who extort, have to have a sense of humor. Or a good pair of running shoes to keep up as people do their own thing quickly. Or a solution.

People who contribute believe God is going to really provide Goodness. Time, talent and money.

Generosity for the Kingdom of God is Blessed with encouragement of God's Children.

Vim, vigor, zeal - mercy and cheerfulness.

This is the Way, Truth and Life of Abundant Living in Jesus Christ.




We live Psalm 91. We believe God is going to keep us safe.  God is usually asking for compassion and mercy and not war. God wants us to see His compassion and His mercy reach to all people, asking Him. God says leave working for vengeance and work on being hospitable souls to one another. Overcoming what is wrong by seeing the good and working there.

Believe most people are doing their best.
Believe most people are doing their best.
Believe most people are doing their best.

And 4 of 10 people feel they are facing undo stress.

Revelation 7:17 

For the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd. 

'He will lead them to springs of living water,'

 and 'God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.'"

Abba, our Father,

Thank You for the gift of Jesus Christ.

Thank You for the gift of Salvation in Jesus Christ.

Thank You for the gift of seeing Jesus

washing feet

after His Feet were washed.

Jesus the Blessing

of Sharing His Blessings.

Jesus giving us the understanding of You,

Your Exact Nature.

Jesus brings us the Kingdom Today.

Your Blessings Renew Daily.

Thank You, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Let us Bless the Lord

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yay Thanks be unto the Lord

Acts 1:1-14 ~ Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up

 

Acts 1:1-14

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when He was taken up, after He had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom He had chosen. 3 He presented Himself alive to them after His suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the Kingdom of God.

4 And while staying with them He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, He said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 

7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His Own Authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 

9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. 

10 And while they were gazing into heaven as He went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into Heaven.”

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 

14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers and sisters.

81% of Americans celebrated Easter. As Jesus rose from the dead. 4 in 10 Americans have struggled to pay for either food or housing since Covid. And 4 in 10 Americans have wondered if this is the end times.

Matthew 24:14 

And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world 

as a testimony to all nations, 

and then the end will come.

Has not happened yet. There is genuine lack of understanding or even the knowledge of the Scriptures.  Jesus asked His people a question about the Second Coming. Will there be faith on earth? The Gospel explains during the birth of Jesus, Isaiah teaches us we don't understand some of the prophetic portions of the Bible. Knock, knock Herod, show us the Christ Messiah Child.

The weather and the wobbles of government and morality all occurred in the Roman Empire. It's just more of the same we see in the Books of Kings in the Bible.  The variations of faithfulness and faith.

Given the news as a proclamation of troubles, not really addressed, we would all feel uncertain. The surveys all show that 4 of 10 Americans have experienced or are experiencing a high degree of stress. In Pandemic history, this is par. As in, par for the course. 

Jesus shows us as Easter progresses, He gets up miraculously, even ancient Roman historians proclaim. And the Jesus Revolution continues. 1992 Easters later. Why? Each generation seeks, finds the meaning of life and finds Divine Love. The people of Jesus find Him and pray. Love, like light, is carried in Him to our up building. 

Billy Graham held up a single candle in packed, darkened, football stadiums. To tell us the Light of Christ goes forth. And lives and history change, to the up building of the Body of Christ in Love. The Movie, "Woodlawn" should never be forgotten. Alabama had terrible racism, Birmingham, was known as bombingham. One Dallas man, had a dream, to visit a Birmingham High School, Woodlawn. Alabama's Christian Body was built up to overcome the hatred. Why? One single candle lit up one man. Jesus of Nazareth, Messiah, The Christ of God. His Only Son.

Jesus Christ is the Light of mankind. Jesus is the Light of the world. Jesus is the light of Nations. Jesus is the Light of Heaven.

Let There Be Light. And God saw it was very good.

Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up

Abba, Father,

Help us to go before the Lord to prepare His ways

To give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins

Because of the tender mercy of our God

 His sunrise shall visit us from on high 

Giving light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death

Guiding our feet into the way of peace.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ

He has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms

By grace you have been saved through faith

 and that not of yourselves

 The gift of God

not as a result of works, so that no one may boast

Faith is a gift of God

by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ

May grace and peace be multiplied to you

 in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord

We pray for all facing injustice

and those who face the injustice

in a system called Justice.

We pray this Land

is Home of the Free

the Brave

and 

the Honest.

FREEDOM!

1 John 3:1

See what kind of love the Father has given to us,

 that we should be called children of God

Dwell in us, Father

Dwell in those we Love

Help us to seek You first

and in Jesus Christ,

we will finish well.

Blessed be the Name of the Lord

Jesus Christ, Savior of God.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yay Jesus

John 20:3-8 ~ he saw and believed

Let There Be Light

and it was Good

 

†

John 20:3-8

 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 

5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 

6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 

8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed

Abba, Father,

This 1992nd Easter, we pray for

Your Children

and Your Good Creation.

We ask You to forgive sin and error

in ourselves, families

and communities,

and look upon us with

Your abundant Grace upon Grace.

Isaiah 61

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

    because the Lord has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor;

    he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

    and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,

    and the day of vengeance of our God;

    to comfort all who mourn;

3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—

    to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes

The oil of gladness instead of mourning,

    the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

that they may be called oaks of righteousness,

    the planting of the Lord, that 

He may be glorified.

4 They shall build up the ancient ruins;

    they shall raise up the former devastations;

they shall repair the ruined cities,

    the devastations of many generations.

5 Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks;

    foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers;

6 but you shall be called the priests of the Lord;

    they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God;

you shall eat the wealth of the nations,

    and in their glory you shall boast.

7 Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion;

    instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot;

therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion;

    they shall have everlasting joy.

8 For I the Lord love justice;

    I hate robbery and wrong;

I will faithfully give them their recompense,

    and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

 Their offspring shall be known among the nations,

    and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;

all who see them shall acknowledge them,

    that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed.

10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;

    my soul shall exult in my God

For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation;

    He has covered me with the robe of righteousness

As a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,

    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,

    and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up

So, the Lord God

 will cause righteousness and praise

    to sprout up 

before all the nations.

Nothing is too difficult for

Our God!

In the Highest Name of Jesus,

 we ask You, Father.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yes Thank You, Father, for Jesus

Luke 11 ~ Our Father

Holy Saturday Was a day of Passover and a day of hiding. The men were in seclusion, wondering in if the Romans were coming to crucify them. The Roman guard were hiding from the sealed tomb, where the guard was said to have fled. It was a holiday of very high tension.

How is Easter Travel Air Travel Is Back at Prepandemic Level Ahead of Easter ... Barron's https://www.barrons.com › articles › air-travel-spring-bre... 2 days ago — The Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday is set to be the busiest travel day of the holiday period, with 51,252 flights expected across the USA. Europe is having major delays for Easter impacting the USA. Ontario reports Canada is extremely busy with Travelers.

We are not having a typical Easter. This Easter, our family is not interested in the traditional Easter.... this season in their lives...

We will walk in the path of Jesus.

Abba, Father,

We thank You for Jesus

and His Salvation.

Amen in Jesus.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Thank You, Father