Verse of the Day 1/23

Verse of the Day 1/23

Romans 1:11-12 I want to see you and share with you the same blessings that God's Spirit has given me. Then you will grow stronger in your faith. ¹² What I am saying is that we can encourage each other by the faith that is ours.     Contemporary English Version (CEV)

I ended yesterday's post by posting the first stanza of "Pass It On" and the key line in the chorus states, "That's how it is with God's love, once you've experienced it.  You spread His love to everyone.  You want to pass it on."  It is the kind of feeling that the Apostle Paul felt in writing to the church in Rome.  He was writing it in a letter, but he hoped to share in person the blessings of following Christ that they might grow stronger in their faith.

It is one thing to send a letter, email, text or other form of communication but it is another to do it in person.  In person, you are able to see joy written on someone's face, year hear subtle tones in their voices, perhaps a tear of joy that comes to their eyes as they tell of God's love.  It is the same kind of thing that the author of the book of Hebrews shares when he writes:

Hebrews 10:24-25  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, ²⁵ not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.   English Standard Version (ESV)

That was Paul's goal "to stir the Romans and each other towards love and good works".  We should continue to spread the good news by any means available, but by all means, when we have the opportunity we should look forward to sharing God's work in our lives in person.

Is there someone you haven't seen in a while and need to exchange updates on what God is doing in your life.  Act upon that thought, "not neglecting to meet together" and sharing the faith that is yours.

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Romans 1:11-17 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹¹ For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— ¹² that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. ¹³ I do not want you to be unaware, brothers,^[a] that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. ¹⁴ I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians,^[b] both to the wise and to the foolish. ¹⁵ So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.