I'm up! Yay..
So. John paints a pretty impressive picture of Jesus in Revelation. That's the Jesus of NOW. How awesome is that?!!
In Romans, I'm basically getting the feeling that Paul is eager to share the gospel, because it really has the power to save. We know that and we're not eager. So I don't think we really know that. Hmm... Serve God with your WHOLE heart. That's a good one... When we go to church, are we mutually encouraged by each other's faith? We should...
Obligated, but eager, and not ashamed!! YES!!
Love,
Revelation 1
So John was on Patmos. He wasn't there of his own accord. He was banished there because he was a Christian and wasn't afraid to tell others about it. He didn't get killed. Just banished. "Just" banished. Imagine it!
John is "in the Spirit," which I think means that he was just praying and really getting into it, kinda forgetting where he was or even what he was doing, and was just enjoying God's presence. The he has this vision-- well, actually, first he hears a trumpet-voice. He turned around, and saw it was coming from this dude who was walking among these seven lampstands. He was like a man, with a robe and an awesome golden sash. (I'm assuming the golden sash was awesome... the Bible doesn't actually say that...) He's got white hair, blazing-like-fire eyes (!!!), glowing bronze feet (how weird it that?!), a rushing water-trumpet voice (it must have been very loud), seven stars in his right hand (just randomly. These were probably like STAR-stars. Not those fake five-point ones), and a double-edged sword coming out of his mouth. Pretty crazy. Oh, don't forget, not only was he holding seven stars, his face was shining like our star, the sun. Um... Yeah. This wasn't no ordinary guy. In fact there's only one person this could be (besides an angel, I suppose...): Jesus (cue the cheering).
Romans 1:8-17
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God's will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
So the Roman's faith is being reported all over the world. How cool would that be? I mean, at the time, this was sort of the world's capital. And Christians were probably being persecuted at this time by Nero or some other guy. And "persecuted" hardly covers what Nero did. No wonder Paul was praying for them so much.
Whole heart. Not just half, not even most. WHOLE. Good to remember.
Paul constantly remembers the Romans in his prayers at all times. A little redundant, don't you think? But that is awesome. Can I say that my prayer life is a little.... nonexistent? It's bad. Like, I talk to God throughout the day, and if someone catches my attention, I pray for them. But I don't sit down and really hash it out with God. For that I'd actually have to wake up at like, 7 or earlier! (gasp how shocking, I know.)
"At last" Paul's been trying to get to see these Rome people for a long time, but hasn't been able to. "By God's will" --it's all up to God whether he'll get to see them or not. I've definitely been learning that everything, the good, the bad and the ugly, everything is part of God's will.
11I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. 13I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
So Paul wants to give them some spiritual gift to make them strong. I think that's an "Aka, mutual encouragement by each other's faith." I'm thinking. Unless Paul has some other gift he's thinking of. But mutual encouragement is pretty awesome too. It's nice when you're in a tough situation to see other Christians who are still strong. :-)
Umm... Paul wants to come help in the harvest in Rome. He's not thinking of how the Christians need to survive, he's thinking about how they need to grow, in spiritual maturity and in numbers.
14I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.
He's obligated to everybody. I love that he puts Greeks and wise together, and non-Greeks and foolish together. Heheheh that's great. Paul is EAGER to preach the gospel. How many American Christians are EAGER to preach the gospel? And we don't have the consequences these people had!
So. Paul is eager because he's not ashamed of the gospel. WHY? It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. You know what that means? The gospel is the way God gives people (who believe in it) the power to be saved from eternal separation from God. How amazing is that?!! God gives a righteousness, aka, Jesus' life--the life has no sin. It's by faith all the way through. There's nothing we can do. NOTHING. All we can do is have faith in it. That's it. That is IT.
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