ROMANS AND I CORINTHIANS

It's a beautiful Tuesday morning, and I've finished reading several hours ago, but just now am getting around to typing something.  1) THE ESSENCE OF FAITH- In Rom. 4:18 it says of Abraham: "Who against hope believed in hope."  and in verse 21 "And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform."  Faith is believing when our senses say "why?".  It is all hinged on the fact that someone who is eternally faithful said something that we can count upon.  Faith is believing what God has promised us.  Not a leap in the dark, but believing while in the dark that God has the light!!  This is the essence of faith. 2) GOD FORBID- Four times we see this phrase.  Twice in Rom. 6 and twice in Rom. 7.  It means "may it never be";  it is a strong word that is saying "no, God would never endorse that!"  Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  God forbid.  (God would never endorse that!!) Also, in Romans 11:1 we see the fifth time "God forbid" is mentioned. 3) REASONABLE SERVICE- Romans 12:1  The Bible says that to serve God is our "reasonable service".  We owe it to God in light of all that He has done for us and that He even created us.  We ought to serve God.... it is our duty to serve God!! 4) ONE LIVE TOUCHES ANOTHER- Rom. 14:7 "For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself."  All of us are touched by the lives of others.  We cannot avoid that and we also have an effect on others lives around us.  My prayer is that my influence is always for the positive and always for Jesus Christ.  In HIM I live and breath, and have my being.  I want Christ to be magnified in my body, whatever the cost!  To influence others to come to the Savior and follow Him.  That's my goal!! 5) Greet each other by name-- As Paul concludes the book of Romans, in chapter 16, he names 37 people and two he says of them "his mother and mine".  So 38 people are singled out to mention.  We too ought to get to know people and be appreciative of their relationship with us.  Greet one another!! 6) I Cor. 2:16 says: "But we have the mind of Christ."  We ought to use Christ's mind about things and not ours!!  We have His mind, so let's use it!! 7) I Cor. 6:19,20  We are bought with a price, so we should glorify Christ in our body and in our spirit which are His!!  Live your life for Jesus Christ today!   Well, so much for today.  May God bless you!!  Pastor Mike Mutchler