Sunday 8 September, 2013

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you. People all over the world are talking about your faith. 9 I serve God with my whole heart. I preach the good news about his Son. God knows that I always remember you 10 in my prayers. I pray that now at last it may be God’s plan to open the way for me to visit you. 11 I long to see you. I want to make you strong by giving you a gift from the Holy Spirit. 12 I want us to cheer each other up by sharing our faith. 13 Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that I planned many times to visit you. But until now I have been kept from coming. My work has produced results among others who are not Jews. In the same way, I want to see results among you. 14 I have a duty both to Greeks and to non-Greeks. I have a duty both to wise people and to foolish people. 15 So I really want to preach the good news also to you who live in Rome.

Every Christian should be thankful. Paul says he is not jealous, but thankful for them. Paul did not start this church. Many men would have been jealous of the blessings that the Romans were enjoying, and these people were the talk of the entire world. Everywhere Paul travelled, the people were talking about the Roman believers. Paul rejoiced in the Lord whether it was part of his ministry or not!

Every one of us should be thankful for the Lord's blessings in our lives. How do we cultivate a thankful spirit? We need to place Jesus Christ at the centre of all you do. If you make Jesus our sufficiency, then we will always be satisfied. However, if it takes material and physical blessings to make me thankful, then I am more likely to be depressed and defeated.

I think every Christian and every church should have the same testimony that the Roman Christians. They were known everywhere for their solid faith and lifestyles. The same should be true of us. Whether we are at home, at work, at the shops, or anywhere, there should be that testimony that marks us as belonging to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord, help me to always be thankful for the blessings in my life, and that my life would always reflect that I follow You. Amen

Written by Cathy Croft