Gary Gleans

                                                                                                 Romans 16:21-27 Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen. I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord. Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you. Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages   but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. As Paul closes this book, he brings final greetings to the church from his coworkers and a final blessing from God.  Paul did not do the ministry alone, he was accompanied by other min

                                                                                  Romans 16:17-20 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.   For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.   For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.   The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.   The work of the Gospel has enemies both seen and unseen.  These enemies try to destroy believers and the body of Christ through various means.  There are evil men on this earth who are doing the work of Satan.  We must beware of their presence but never despair of hope because God has promised to defeat all His enemies.  We are in a battle but the o

                                                                                  Romans 16:1-16 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant [ a ]   of the church at   Cenchreae,   that you   may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.  Greet   Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,   who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. Greet also   the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was   the first convert to Christ in Asia. Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you.   Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my   fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me.   Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Gre

                                                                             Romans 15:22-33 This is the reason why   I have so often been hindered from coming to you.   But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and   since I have longed for many years to come to you,   I hope to see you in passing as I go   to Spain, and   to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while.   At present, however,   I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints.   For   Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.   For they were pleased to do it, and indeed   they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave   for Spain by way of you. I know that when I come to you I will

                                                                             Romans 15:14-21 I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with  all knowledge and able to instruct one another.   But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder,   because of the grace given me by God   to be   a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles   in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that   the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.   In Christ Jesus, then, I have   reason to be proud of   my work for God.   For I will not venture to speak of anything except   what Christ has accomplished through me   to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed,   by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that   from Jerusalem and all the way around   to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ;   and thus I make it my ambition to prea

                                                                                  Romans 15:8-13 For I tell you that Christ   became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order   to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,   and in order   that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,  “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,   and sing to your name.”  And again it is said,  “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”  And again,  “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,  and let all the peoples extol him.”       And again Isaiah says,  “The root of Jesse will come,  even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;   in him will the Gentiles hope.” May the God of hope fill you with all   joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. The Jews are God’s chosen people.  He purposed to use the nation of Israel as a means of blessing and reaching all nations.  God’s mission in the world is to be worsh

                                                                                  Romans 15:1-7 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.   Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.   For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”   For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.   May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.   Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.   Our relationships with one another are not only important for our own well-being, but they are a vital part of our worship.  God is glorified when we

                                                                                       Romans 14:20-23 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves.   But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.   Priorities are vital to determine in the Christian walk.  What we consider as vital will dictate many of the decisions we make in life.  Many people make their own pleasure, comfort or desires to be their biggest priorities thinking that this will lead to fulfillment and happiness.  This is a mistake.  Once again Paul points us to some principles that can help us great

                                                                             Romans 14:13-19 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.   For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.   So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.   For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.   Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.   So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.   Dealing with differences in the body of Christ continues to be the theme of this chapter.  Paul has been striving to help us live according to our convi