Just loving going through Romans...so rich with how to live out our lives on this earth.  Blessed to be part of this group and love seeing what God is doing in your lives.  We are on this journey together!
Yesterday we talked about judging others.  As we read today it is all about putting others first before ourselves.  When I am focused on putting others before myself it takes my focus off of me and really onto Jesus, because it is only through Him that I can help others.


Vs. 1-4
We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
We are not here to please ourselves.  We are to live our lives and be an example to others.  To help them in their walk with the Lord and also to reach out to those who do not know Him.  Just as Jesus did not live to please Himself, we are not here to please ourselves.

Vs. 5-7
May You, the God of endurance and encouragement grant us to live in harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together we may with one voice glorify You the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, that we welcome one another as Christ has welcomed us, for the glory of God.
[ I often write this verse in a wedding card]. I also pray this often.

Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors. He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them.
To the Jews He showed that God is true to His promises and to the Gentiles of God's mercy for them.

Vs. 13
May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.  [this is one of my absolutely favorite verses.]
As we believe it builds our faith and brings us joy and peace because He is the God of hope and by the power of the Holy Spirit (which lives in us) we can be bubbling over with that hope.

Vs. 14-22
I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them. Even so, I have been bold enough to write about some of these points, knowing that all you need is this reminder. For by God’s grace, I am a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you Gentiles. I bring you the Good News so that I might present you as an acceptable offering to God, made holy by the Holy Spirit. So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God. Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them. They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God’s Spirit. In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum.
My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else. I have been following the plan spoken of in the Scriptures, where it says,
“Those who have never been told about him will see,
and those who have never heard of him will understand.”
In fact, my visit to you has been delayed so long because I have been preaching in these places.

I think of our group, Women in the Word in theses verses.  We love the Lord and encourage one another in the faith.  Spending time in His Word with Him alone.  It is good to dig into His Word just you and Him and hear and see what He is doing in our lives.  Let us boast in Him and in Him only.  For we can do nothing of ourselves.

But now I have finished my work in these regions, and after all these long years of waiting, I am eager to visit you. I am planning to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellowship for a little while, you can provide for my journey.  But before I come, I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believers there. For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem. They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially. As soon as I have delivered this money and completed this good deed of theirs, I will come to see you on my way to Spain. And I am sure that when I come, Christ will richly bless our time together.
Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit. Pray that I will be rescued from those in Judea who refuse to obey God. Pray also that the believers there will be willing to accept the donation I am taking to Jerusalem. Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other.
And now may God, who gives us his peace, be with you all. Amen.

Paul was a man on a mission!  Nothing deterred him from serving the Lord.  He was human just like you and I are but He put serving Christ first.  He longed to see them.  He asks for them to strive together with him in prayers to God for protection and to be accepted for what he is doing.  Longing to be with them to find refreshing rest in their company.
I love coming to Witw everyday to be renewed and refreshed in His Word with you all and to encourage and pray for one another.

What stood out to you today?  What is He speaking to your heart today?

Father,
Thank you for your Word that we have that we may learn of Your ways and that with perseverance and encouragement we have HOPE!  That hope that fills us with all joy and peace in believing, through the experience of our faith by the power of the Holy Spirit Who lives in us that we may abound and be overflowing, bubbling over with hope.
Help us to be boastful not in ourselves but in what You are doing in our lives.  To encourage those already in You, to strengthen those who are weak and to reach the lost.  It is only by Your Grace that we are who we are in You, not of ourselves.

Help us Lord to not live to please ourselves but to encourage and strengthen others in their walk with You.  Jesus, You did not come to please yourself.  You became a servant to show Your people that God's promises are true and to the Gentiles the mercy of God.

Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement  grant us to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus that with one accord you we will sing from the heart the praises of God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  So open our hearts to one another just as You Christ have  opened Your heart to us, and God will be glorified.  In Jesus name, Amen