Month: December 2022

December 9, 2022

Prayer

Our church is continuing our current devotional format, to devote Mondays and Fridays to prayer and study through Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans on Tuesdays through Thursdays. As we memorize our hymn of the month together, we pray the sentiments expressed in the hymn “Savior Thy Dying Love (Something For Thee)” will grow deeper in our hearts this Thanksgiving season with deep gratitude for God and the Gospel. 

“Prayer is the exercise of drawing on the grace of God.”

Oswald Chambers

Prayer of Gratitude

Prayer of Supplication

Hymn of December: Savior Thy Dying Love

(Something for Thee)

Savior, Thy dying love Thou gavest me,

Nor should I aught withhold, Dear Lord, from Thee;

In love my soul would bow, my heart fulfill its vow,

Some off’ring bring Thee now, something for Thee.

At the blest mercy seat, pleading for me,

My feeble faith looks up, Jesus, to Thee;

Help me the cross to bear, Thy wondrous love declare,

Some song to raise, or pray’r, something for Thee.

Give me a faithful heart, likeness to Thee,

That each departing day henceforth may see

Some work of love begun, some deed of kindness done,

Some wand’rer sought and won, something for Thee.

All that I am and have, Thy gifts so free,

In joy, in grief, through life, Dear Lord, for Thee!

And when Thy face I see, my ransom’d soul shall be,

Through all eternity, something for Thee.

By gracepoint
December 8, 2022

Romans 15:22-23

Journal

Please use one of the prompts below to get your journaling started.

  • Explore your fears and what’s behind them.
  • Write about a relational conflict you are experiencing.
  • List out all that you are grateful for.
  • Recall a significant reaction, conversation or event.

Romans 15 Commentary

Bible Text: Romans 15:22-33 (ESV)

22 This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. 23 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, 24 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. 25 At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.  27 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. 28 When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you. 29 I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

30 I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, 31 that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,         32 so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company.          33 May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Reflection Questions

Romans 15:22-33

  • What hindered Apostle Paul from seeing the Romans although he had “longed for many years to come” to them?

Romans 15:30

  • Apostle Paul says that the Romans, who were hundreds of miles away, can join him by praying for him.  What are some ways and who are some people whose “struggles” for the Lord I can join through prayer?

Prayer

By gracepoint
December 7, 2022

Romans 15:14-21

Journal

Please use one of the prompts below to get your journaling started.

  • Explore your fears and what’s behind them.
  • Write about a relational conflict you are experiencing.
  • List out all that you are grateful for.
  • Recall a significant reaction, conversation or event.

Romans 15 Commentary

Bible Text: Romans 15:14-21 (ESV)

14 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. 15 But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God 16 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. 17 In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. 18 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, 19 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; 20 and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, 21 but as it is written,

“Those who have never been told of him will see,

    and those who have never heard will understand.”

Reflection Questions

Romans 15:14-21

  • What was Apostle Paul’s attitude towards being a minister in the “priestly service of the gospel of God?”
  • What was Apostle Paul’s ambition?
  • “From Jerusalem all the way around to to Illyricum” is a vast territory covering Palestine all the way to Greece. Think about the impact of one person wholly obedient to God’s call.  In what ways can I share in Apostle Paul’s spirit?

Prayer

By gracepoint
December 6, 2022

Romans 15 Commentary

ROMANS 1-14 COMMENTARY

Romans 15 Commentary

v.2  “If we merely set out to please our neighbors, we will be people-pleasers. Paul was opposed to that (see Gal 1:10). But we are to set aside willfulness and self-pleasing action for the sake of building others up for good. Our Christian convictions must not be a disguise for coldhearted treatment of our brothers and sisters.”

v.12  “The Root of Jesse refers to Christ as the heir from the family line of Jesse, David’s father (1 Sam 16:1).” [1]

v.19  “Paul has fulfilled his mandate to preach the gospel among the Gentiles from Jerusalem to Illyricum (roughly comprising what is now Albania and also what was formerly Yugoslavia). How can Paul say that his work has been complete when many still have not heard the gospel in this area? It can be seen from the following verses that churches have been planted in key centers, and from there Paul’s coworkers will bring the gospel to outlying areas (e.g., Epaphras in Colossae, Col 1:7).” [2]

vv.20-22  “Paul wanted to visit the church at Rome, but he delayed his visit because he had heard many good reports about the believers there and he knew they were doing well on their own. It was more important for him to preach in areas that had not yet heard the Good News.” [3] vv.23-24  “No visit of Paul to Spain is recorded in the NT, but it is possible that he went there after his release from prison in Rome (after Acts 28:30–31). There is some historical evidence after the NT suggesting that Paul did preach in Spain, but it falls short of clear proof.”

[1] Life Application Study Bible, study notes (co-published by Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1991) 2054.

[2] English Standard Version Study Bible, study notes (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008) 2183.

[3] Life Application Study Bible, study notes (co-published by Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1991) 2055.

By gracepoint
December 6, 2022

Romans 15:1-13

Journal

Please use one of the prompts below to get your journaling started.

  • Explore your fears and what’s behind them.
  • Write about a relational conflict you are experiencing.
  • List out all that you are grateful for.
  • Recall a significant reaction, conversation or event.

Romans 15 Commentary

Romans 15:1-13 (ESV)

1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” 4 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. 5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

8 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, 9 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.”

10 And again it is said,

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”

11 And again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,

    and let all the peoples extol him.”

12 And again Isaiah says,

“The root of Jesse will come,

    even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;

in him will the Gentiles hope.”

13 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.

Reflection Questions

Romans 15:1-3

“The way Christ acted, the Christ who although he was strong yet for our sake became weak, is the way that the strong must also act toward those whose own faith is weak.  The self-limitation of Christ for the sake of others thus shows the way the strong are to exercise the freedom they have in the faith: Its exercise is to be limited for the good of others, in this case, the weak.” [1] 

  • Reflect on the fact that Christ “did not please himself.”  To what extent is “pleasing myself” the criterion by which I choose between options, and the motivating goal of my life? 
  • What can I do to “please [my] neighbor for his good, to build him up?”

Romans 15:4-11

  • In what way does a deep desire to “with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 6) push out the attitude of wanting to assert the rightness of my opinions, or engage in disputes over nonessential matters?

[1] Achtemeier, Paul J., Romans (John Knox Press, 1985) at p.223-4

Prayer

By gracepoint
December 5, 2022

Prayer

Our church is continuing our current devotional format, to devote Mondays and Fridays to prayer and study through Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans on Tuesdays through Thursdays. As we memorize our hymn of the month together, we pray the sentiments expressed in the hymn “Savior Thy Dying Love (Something For Thee)” will grow deeper in our hearts this Thanksgiving season with deep gratitude for God and the Gospel. 

Work, work, from morning until late at night. In fact, I have so much to do that I shall have to spend the first three hours in prayer.

Martin Luther

Prayer of Gratitude

Prayer of Supplication

Hymn of December: Savior Thy Dying Love

(Something for Thee)

Savior, Thy dying love Thou gavest me,

Nor should I aught withhold, Dear Lord, from Thee;

In love my soul would bow, my heart fulfill its vow,

Some off’ring bring Thee now, something for Thee.

At the blest mercy seat, pleading for me,

My feeble faith looks up, Jesus, to Thee;

Help me the cross to bear, Thy wondrous love declare,

Some song to raise, or pray’r, something for Thee.

Give me a faithful heart, likeness to Thee,

That each departing day henceforth may see

Some work of love begun, some deed of kindness done,

Some wand’rer sought and won, something for Thee.

All that I am and have, Thy gifts so free,

In joy, in grief, through life, Dear Lord, for Thee!

And when Thy face I see, my ransom’d soul shall be,

Through all eternity, something for Thee.

By gracepoint
December 2, 2022

Prayer

Our church is continuing our current devotional format, to devote Mondays and Fridays to prayer and study through Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans on Tuesdays through Thursdays. As we memorize our hymn of the month together, we pray the sentiments expressed in the hymn “Savior Thy Dying Love (Something For Thee)” will grow deeper in our hearts this Thanksgiving season with deep gratitude for God and the Gospel. 

“Prayer is no petty duty, put into a corner; no piecemeal performance made out of the fragments of time which have been snatched from business and other engagements of life; but it means that the best of our time, the heart of our time and strength must be given.”

E.M. Bounds

Prayer of Gratitude

Prayer of Supplication

Hymn of December: Savior Thy Dying Love

(Something for Thee)

Savior, Thy dying love Thou gavest me,

Nor should I aught withhold, Dear Lord, from Thee;

In love my soul would bow, my heart fulfill its vow,

Some off’ring bring Thee now, something for Thee.

At the blest mercy seat, pleading for me,

My feeble faith looks up, Jesus, to Thee;

Help me the cross to bear, Thy wondrous love declare,

Some song to raise, or pray’r, something for Thee.

Give me a faithful heart, likeness to Thee,

That each departing day henceforth may see

Some work of love begun, some deed of kindness done,

Some wand’rer sought and won, something for Thee.

All that I am and have, Thy gifts so free,

In joy, in grief, through life, Dear Lord, for Thee!

And when Thy face I see, my ransom’d soul shall be,

Through all eternity, something for Thee.

By gracepoint
December 1, 2022

Romans 14:19-23

Journal

Please use one of the prompts below to get your journaling started.

  • Explore your fears and what’s behind them.
  • Write about a relational conflict you are experiencing.
  • List out all that you are grateful for.
  • Recall a significant reaction, conversation or event.

Romans 14 Commentary

Bible Text: Romans 14:19-23 (ESV)

19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

20 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. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. 22 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. 23 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.

Reflection Questions: Romans 14:19-21

  • Reflect on v.19 as a general rule of life. in what specific way can I increase my effort to “pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding” with people in my life?

Prayer

By gracepoint
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