Be Constant in Prayer
Rom 1:9-12 God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in 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. I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.
Paul prayed constantly for Christians, both for communities and individuals, as in the case of Timothy. "I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers." 2Tim 1:3 But in contrast to the kinds of prayers and prayer requests you commonly hear today in the Christian community dominated by health and material concerns, Paul's prayers were dominated by spiritual things. (See the study guide of prayers in the New Testament http://www.bcbsr.com/topics/prayerseries.html)
Encouragement is a gift which is spiritual. For if you give someone encouragement you're not giving them a material thing but a spiritual thing. It's this kind of thing which was on Paul's mind, discouraging sin and encouraging faith. And it's this kind of thing which should be on our mind when it comes to our practice of generosity. Consider how you may encourage others in the faith - encourage others to apply their faith. "encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness." Heb 3:13
The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources
Rom 1:9-12 God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in 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. I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.
Paul prayed constantly for Christians, both for communities and individuals, as in the case of Timothy. "I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers." 2Tim 1:3 But in contrast to the kinds of prayers and prayer requests you commonly hear today in the Christian community dominated by health and material concerns, Paul's prayers were dominated by spiritual things. (See the study guide of prayers in the New Testament http://www.bcbsr.com/topics/prayerseries.html)
Encouragement is a gift which is spiritual. For if you give someone encouragement you're not giving them a material thing but a spiritual thing. It's this kind of thing which was on Paul's mind, discouraging sin and encouraging faith. And it's this kind of thing which should be on our mind when it comes to our practice of generosity. Consider how you may encourage others in the faith - encourage others to apply their faith. "encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness." Heb 3:13
The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources
