Heavenly Father, I praise You for my purpose and hope that I have. I praise You for
wanting to have a relationship with me and all people. I praise You for the hope
that rests within me that I will one day reach home and see my son, my babies
and many others who have gone ahead of me. I praise You for this not being my permanent home and for the chance to live eternally.
Holy Spirit we have received wisdom from Proverbs 22:28 when it says, "Do not move an
ancient boundary stone set up by your ancestors." The reason I bring this up in prayer is because we need to remember the foundation of the body of Christ and what the early
Christ followers went through to stay true to their purpose in building Your
kingdom. We need to see how much better many of us have it in life than they did. We need to understand the sacrifices they made to keep the message and hope moving forward until it reach our generation. We also need to see that they put up standards to help us not fall into temptation and to avoid missing eternity because of a greater love for the world.
Holy Spirit help me to learn from early Christians and follow the same instruction they learned from like when Paul wrote: Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba,
Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Not only that, but we also whohave the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope
for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what themind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. What shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for
us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, yes, who is risen, who is also at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities nor powers, neither things present nor things to come, neither height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word
of Christ. Therefore, I urge you, brothers (and sisters), in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conformany longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.
Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; Let love be
without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
But you, man [or woman] of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness,
godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or
blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
[Romans5:1-5; Romans 8:1&2; Romans 8:14; Romans 8:14-17; Romans 8:23&24; Romans
8:26&27; Romans 8:31-39; Romans 10:17; Romans 12:12; Romans 12:9-13; 1Timothy
6:11-16]