Partakers Christian Podcasts

Romans 12: Living Life

Study 19: Persevere and Pray

v12 Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

 

As part of our having a confident hope, Paul now commands these Roman Christians to be patient during trouble and to keep on praying. Because we have this great hope in the return of Jesus Christ and the fullness of our salvation, we can be patient in trouble and persevere. That doesn’t mean we won’t have trouble in this life, but it does mean that whatever we face, God is with us. Remember God is a personal God and if you are a Christian, then His Holy Spirit lives within you! WOW! God Himself helps you to persevere as He sustains, carries and empowers you! Whatever trials and troubles we are going through, we are not alone – God is with you! Don’t listen to anybody who tells you differently – including satan who will tell you lies in order for you to give up on God.

Another reason we can be patient and persevere is God perseveres with us! He does this through the continuous work of the Holy Spirit in your life if you are a believer. As a Christian, you will never perish, and nobody or nothing can snatch you out of His hand. Nothing can separate you from God’s love for you as you are shielded by God’s all mighty power. That is part of your confident hope, which is why you and I can persevere with patience through all types of trials and troubles.
Another part of our hope is that God’s whole purpose for you is to transform you into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. God may well use some form of temporal suffering in order to achieve it, but in the light of eternity, it will not be for long!

So we keep on praying to God earnestly! It is one way the Spirit empowers us! As we pray, Jesus also prays for us! WOW! Prayer is to have a high priority in our life – and not just half hour in the morning. Maintain a prayerful attitude throughout the day. As the conflicts and troubles come upon us, we can persevere in prayer because God perseveres with us. We are engaged in spiritual warfare. Satan will use all means to bring you down. Go and persevere with patience and prayer – for you will receive the fulfilment of your hope - the reward of your salvation.

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Psalm 58

For the director of music. To the tune of "Do Not Destroy."

Of David. A miktam .

¹ Do you rulers indeed speak justly?
Do you judge uprightly among men?
² No, in your heart you devise injustice,
and your hands mete out violence on the earth.
³ Even from birth the wicked go astray;
from the womb they are wayward and speak lies.
⁴ Their venom is like the venom of a snake,
like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears,
⁵ that will not heed the tune of the charmer,
however skillful the enchanter may be.

⁶ Break the teeth in their mouths, O God;
tear out, O LORD, the fangs of the lions!
⁷ Let them vanish like water that flows away;
when they draw the bow, let their arrows be blunted.
⁸ Like a slug melting away as it moves along,
like a stillborn child, may they not see the sun.
⁹ Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns-
whether they be green or dry-the wicked will be swept away.
¹⁰ The righteous will be glad when they are avenged,
when they bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.
¹¹ Then men will say,
"Surely the righteous still are rewarded;
surely there is a God who judges the earth."

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Romans 12: Living Life

Study 18: Rejoice!

v12 Rejoice in our confident hope.

Why can we serve the Lord with zeal and enthusiasm in all things we do, as we looked at last time? Because we have an assured and confident hope which should be a fantastic cause for joy and celebration! What is the assured hope for the Christian? Here it is! Peace with God takes care of the past - He no longer holds our sins against us. Access to God takes care of the present - we can come to Him whenever we desire. A glorious hope takes care of our future - which is the expectation of the return of Jesus Christ. When Jesus comes again, there will be an amazing time of glory to follow. An amazing time of glory to come, when Jesus, the Son of God, comes back for His people. Hope is the glory of salvation for all those who call Jesus Christ their Lord and Saviour! Our hope is in Him who is the object of our faith and life! WOW!

We rejoice by filling our minds with the hope of the glory to come! But as we looked at previously, don’t be so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly use! You are called to be growing and maturing in a process that is called discipleship. This will inevitable lead to your being asked the reason for which you have your hope in Jesus Christ. This hope is an unending hope, which will enable you to endure to the end and run the race marked out for you. How can you run this race? By having your focus set on Jesus Christ. Keep him in focus each day, by living each day for Him and let Him get all the glory and honour in all things you do!

Rejoicing doesn’t necessarily mean going around with a big silly grin on your face! Rejoicing is also have a quiet confident and sincere hope. Why can we be confident of this great hope? Because God is faithful and He is always true to His word! Just as Jesus Christ was raised from the dead with a new body 3 days after his death, so will all those who are Christian have new bodies! WOW! Go forward in this great hope you have with confident rejoicing! Thank you.

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Psalm 67

For the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. A Psalm. A song.

67:1 May God be merciful to us, bless us, and cause his face to shine on us.

Selah.

67:2 That your way may be known on earth, and your salvation among all nations,

67:3 let the peoples praise you, God. Let all the peoples praise you.

67:4 Oh let the nations be glad and sing for joy,

for you will judge the peoples with equity,

and govern the nations on earth.

Selah.

67:5 Let the peoples praise you, God. Let all the peoples praise you.

67:6 The earth has yielded its increase. God, even our own God, will bless us.

67:7 God will bless us. All the ends of the earth shall fear him.

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Romans 12: Living Life

Study 17: Enthusiastic Zeal

v11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.

Paul here commands Christians not to be lazy but to work hard! Is Paul talking about work outside the church or is he referring to work for the church? Quite possibly he means both! Remember those gifts we looked at earlier in the series? How are you doing with them? Are you being lazy and neither developing or using them as you ought? Get up and use them and develop them – work hard at them ensuring your service of God is with great zeal and delight! Perhaps Paul had heard that some of them were just sitting around waiting for Jesus to come back again and were neglecting their care and duty to work - and therefore their families!. So Paul has had to command them to get about their work with due diligence and attitude.

We are also to work hard at loving others and particularly loving those other believers that we know – as they are our family because of Jesus Christ! That is the immediate context. We are to work on our Christian lives utilising the power of the Holy Spirit as He changes us into the image of Jesus Christ! Yes that can be hard work too, but don’t give up! It will be worth it! You and I will be held accountable by God for the use and development of the gifts He has given us! Were you aware of that?
I wonder why you do, what you do and when you do it? In everything we do, we are to do it with zeal as we serve our God – regardless of what we do!

We are to do all things as if pleasing to our God. Have you been doing the same job or role for a while now and feeling a bit underwhelmed with it all? Let the Holy Spirit excite you, invigorate and enliven your attitudes and behaviour. Perhaps you are unemployed and looking for work? Do all you can to find a job and ensure that your conscience remains clear! Serve enthusiastically the Lord well in what ever you do – whether for the church or for you and your family! Let the world who is watching you know you are a Christian by the way you do things!

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Psalm 53

(as read by Jenny)

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Mahalath.” A contemplation by David.

53:1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” T

hey are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity.

There is no one who does good.

53:2 God looks down from heaven on the children of men,

to see if there are any who understood, who seek after God.

53:3 Every one of them has gone back.

They have become filthy together.

There is no one who does good, no, not one.

53:4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge,

who eat up my people as they eat bread, and don’t call on God?

53:5 There they were in great fear, where no fear was,

for God has scattered the bones of him who encamps against you.

You have put them to shame, because God has rejected them.

53:6 Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God brings back his people from captivity, then Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.

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Romans 12: Living Life

Study 16: Be family!

Romans 12:10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honouring each other.

 

Paul we know is writing to all believers in Rome, those who are called by God and loved by God (Romans 1:7). So Paul here commands that the Roman Christians are to love each other with genuine affection. Yes Christians are to love all others, including those who are not believers, but are to love especially other Christian believers. After all they are all Christian! There is only one Saviour for believers, Jesus Christ, and there is only one Holy Spirit living with believers and there is only one God! So be as one family!

Paul instructs these believers to be totally devoted to each other, having the welfare of others on their hearts and minds. For example when one believer is weak, the other believers are to act and strengthen that weak member. They are all to hold onto each other as family through their committed love and faith in Jesus Christ. That genuine family affection and love between them all – without division.
How is this genuine affection for each other seen? It is seen as each believer holds in honour all other believers. Honouring others is where the interest of others comes before self-interest. However, not just honouring but delighting in the other. Where there is family love and honour, there can be no division, arguments or strife! WOW!
Could that describe the group of believers you are attached to with your church or all the believers in your town? Are they a church or group of believers who all hold each other in genuine affection, devotion and honour? Are there believers know to you, that you are not loving with genuine affection and delighting honourably? Part of loving others is to hold them in high esteem – having their interests at heart and not your own. What are you doing for the fellowship of believers you are a part of? Are you jealous of somebody else who is getting more attention than you? Are you taking pride in your own work of ministry but looking down on the work of another believer? If you are, then you are not taking delight in them and honouring them!

Go! Love affectionately all believers – not just those who are your friends or those in your own church, but all believers everywhere and take great delight in honouring them above yourself!

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Wednesday Wisdom

Proverbs 10

G’day! Welcome to Partakers and to Wednesday Wisdom, where we are listening to what the Bible has to say through the Wisdom literature of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon. Come on in!

1 A wise son makes a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivers from death.
3 The Lord will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casts away the substance of the wicked.
4 He becomes poor that deals with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
5 He that gathers in summer is a wise son: but he that sleeps in harvest is a son that causes shame.
6 Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
7 The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.
8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a gibbering fool shall fall.

9 He that walks uprightly walks surely: but he that perverts his ways shall be known.
10 He that winks with the eye causes trouble and sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.
11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
12 Hatred stirs up strifes: but love covers all sins.
13 In the lips of him that has understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.
14 Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
15 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty.
16 The labour of the righteous tends to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.

17 He is in the way of life that keeps instruction: but he that refuses reproof errs.
18 He that hides hatred with lying lips, and he that utters a slander, is a fool.
19 In the multitude of words there wants not sin: but he that refrains his lips is wise.
20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.
22 The blessing of the Lord, it makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.
23 It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding has wisdom.
24 The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.

25 As the whirlwind passes, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.
26 As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.
27 The fear of the Lord prolongs days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
28 The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.
29 The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.
30 The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.
31 The mouth of the just brings forth wisdom: but the peverse tongue shall be cut out.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaks perversity.

That’s it for today! Come back every day to Partakers Podcasts to hear something to encourage and uplift you as a Christian disciple, regardless of where you are in the world. You can also purchase our books via Amazon at Pulptheology.com

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Romans 12: Living Life

Study 15: Glue to good and eschew evil

  V9- Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.

Do you want to show you love God? Then hate what God hates and adhere to what is good! Turn away from and get rid of from all that which God hates! Instead turn towards goodness and living right with God. God cannot abide sin and evil, and neither should those who claim to follow Him. When you love God then you are clinging to what is good, holy and helpful.

Love is also discerning and doesn’t let others sin wilfully but allows for you to gentle guide others back to living right with God and other people. Note I said gentle and not forceful or coercion. It’s not your job to convict others of sin. That is the role of the Holy Spirit and for Him to bring to repentance. God is love and cannot abide sin or evil. We as Christians are to turn away from all that is wrong and evil. Love God by living a life worthy of God – all that which is good, holy and pleasing to God! WOW!

Evil is anathema and poison to love. Saying that we love God, yet having known sin within our life, is akin to the love that Judas had for Jesus when Judas betrayed Him with a kiss. Judas’ love of Jesus was false, hypocritical and deceitful – it was a fake love, not real love. As a Christian you are to throw off everything that hinders your Christian life so that you can run the race of love for your God. With evil and sin there is to be no compromise or conforming!

Want to know what is right to do? Ask God and He will tell you! He may even surprise you with what He would have you do: against all your own expectations. Regularly confess your unconfessed sins to God and accept His forgiveness - turning away from that evil! Read and study the Bible. Be prepared to have a mentor and to be discipled by somebody. Part of the trouble with 21st century church, is that discipleship is a lost art and in some church circles, almost a dirty word. Go! Really hate what is sinful and wrong! Glue yourself to what is good – then you will be loving God and loving others.

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Psalm 144

 

(As read by Anne)

144:1 Blessed be Yahweh, my rock, who teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to battle:

144:2 my loving kindness, my fortress, my high tower, my deliverer, my shield,

and he in whom I take refuge; who subdues my people under me.

144:3 Yahweh, what is man, that you care for him?

Or the son of man, that you think of him?

144:4 Man is like a breath. His days are like a shadow that passes away.

144:5 Part your heavens, Yahweh, and come down.

Touch the mountains, and they will smoke.

144:6 Throw out lightning, and scatter them.

Send out your arrows, and rout them.

144:7 Stretch out your hand from above, rescue me,

and deliver me out of great waters, out of the hands of foreigners;

144:8 whose mouths speak deceit,

Whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

144:9 I will sing a new song to you, God.

On a ten-stringed lyre, I will sing praises to you.

144:10 You are he who gives salvation to kings,

who rescues David, his servant, from the deadly sword.

144:11 Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hands of foreigners,

whose mouths speak deceit, whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

144:12 Then our sons will be like well-nurtured plants,

our daughters like pillars carved to adorn a palace.

144:13 Our barns are full, filled with all kinds of provision.

Our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields.

144:14 Our oxen will pull heavy loads.

There is no breaking in, and no going away, and no outcry in our streets.

144:15 Happy are the people who are in such a situation.

Happy are the people whose God is Yahweh.

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