Thank you for taking the time this week to read the Weekend Sermon. I am thankful to the Lord for another opportunity to post the message. I hope that you all are having a wonderful week.
This week has been very busy. I am working hard at my new job, and I am very busy with writing. I am thankful to the Lord for providing me with work.
I do have an important prayer request. It is raining heavily where I live, and it is forecasted to rain for the next several days. I am concerned about flooding in my area. Please pray that the rains will not be too heavy. Please pray that there won't be flooding. Thank you for your prayers.
In prayer this week, please continue to pray for those in Indonesia who are recovering from the earthquake and tsunami. Pray that the injured will recover and that those in need will receive the aid that they need.
Please continue to pray for those on the east coast of the United States who suffered damage from the heavy hurricane rains. Pray that they will get the aid that they need.
I heard on the radio this morning that there are still cases of Ebola in the Congo. Please pray that those afflicted will recover. Pray that the disease will be brought to a halt.
We need to continue to pray for peace in the troubled areas of the world. Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Libya and South Sudan certainly need our prayers.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Iran and Singapore. Pray that many in these two nations will here about the love of Jesus.
For the last few weeks, we have been studying what the Lord has to say to us from the last few chapters of the book of Romans. We have been dealing with Romans Chapter 12 specifically up to this point.
Today, I would like us to focus our attention on verse 12 through 14 of this chapter. So far in chapter 12, we have seen that we are to present ourselves to the Lord as a living sacrifice. We are to use the gifts that the Lord has given to us to help the church of Jesus Christ accomplish the mission that has been given to it. All of us have a role to play in spreading the message of Jesus' love and forgiveness to the world.
Last week, we saw that we are to be people who love sincerely, and we are to care for those who are our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are to put away evil and do that which is good.
As we focus on verse 12, Paul states that we are to, "be joyful in hope." Of all people that live on this planet we are the ones who have hope for tomorrow. Those who are in Christ have the promise that one day, we will be with Jesus in the place that He has prepared for us. We know that this life is not all that there is. Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in Him will have eternal life. Whatever bad is happening in our lives at the present time, we still have hope for a glorious future in which Jesus reigns as Lord of all and over all. We can rejoice in this hope. We can be filled with joy because Jesus will make all things well.
Paul also tells us to be, "patient in affliction." This is a hard thing to do. When we are going through a hard time, we want to be out of that hard time as quickly as possible. No one likes to suffer. When we are afflicted in this life, we can endure because we know that the Lord is using everything in our lives to draw us closer to Him. Often that is hard to understand. It requires faith that the Lord is looking out for us in all things.
Paul goes on to say that we should be, "faithful in prayer." Prayer is at the heart of the Christian life. We have the privilege to pray and be in communication with the Lord of the universe. We can go to Him with every burden that is on our hearts. We can bring others before the throne of grace and intercede on their behalf.
I urge you to make it your practice to pray every single day. I couldn't make it through my day without prayer. I need to seek the guidance of the Lord Jesus with every step that I take. Pray the Lord's Prayer every day, and pray for your needs and the needs of others every day. Pray for those you know who do not yet know Jesus as Lord. Pray for the the needs of this world. Pray for those prayer requests that are mentioned here on the Weekend Sermon. Don't forget to be in prayer always.
In verse 13 it says, "Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." There are many people who are our brothers and sisters in the faith who have great need. This is true in nations all over the world whether they be wealthier nations or poorer nations. One of the qualities that distinguished the early believers in the book of Acts was that they shared what they had with each other. The Bible says that there was no need found among them. Those who were wealthy would even sell some of their land and give the proceeds to help others who were in need.
As believers in Jesus, we need to help one another. If we know of a brother or sister in Christ who has a financial need, we should do what we can to help them. If we know of a spiritual or emotional need, we should seek to be of assistance in these areas as well.
Our helping of others shouldn't stop with those who are our fellow believers in Jesus. There is a whole world that is in desperate need of assistance. Many do not have enough to eat. Many are dying of treatable diseases. So many need help, and we should be of aid as the Lord provides and gives us strength.
Next week, we will continue our study in the book of Romans. I believe that there will be two more sermons before we move on to chapter 13. The sermon will be posted on Saturday again next week. I will post the verses on Monday, and I will post the next chapter of my book about my friend Toby on Wednesday. I am having fun posting the story about my friend, and I hope that you enjoy reading it. May God bless you all. Amen.
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