LEAVE A LAGACY

OF FAITHFULNESS (Romans 12:1=21) Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:9,17,21) Romans 12:9-21 shows how love should be the foundation for believers in Jesus. This passage bears striking similarities to Paul’s extended instructions to the Corinthian church on the centrality of love (1 Corinthians 13). Here in Romans,love verses evil, love is the winner everu time. As we dedicate our lives to Christ and in His ways of LOVE, and we live a faithful life being committed to loving others as Christ loved His own. Matthew 5-6, Romans 12:21). Paul the apostle promotes that followers of Christ show forth humility, meekness, and faithfulness (Romans 12:10-16). Yes it was for the people in Pauls time but it is also guidance for us today. Believe me, it has been tested, love overcomes the evil in the world and that the way of Christ ring true every time. Who He, Himself never repaid evil for evil but first loved those who hated Him. We need to be “faithful in prayer” so that through the power of the indwelling spirit we too can fullfill the LOVE "AGAPE" (12:12), of the Holy Spirit, for it is He that can fulfill this tall order to love, with out condition. And in so doing we get to leave a legacy of faithfulness. I know a faithul prayer warrior, I don't know how long her pray list of names she prays for is, but I am sure ist is long and that He gift is intercessory prayer. I know she prays regularly for family and friends, ands I am very pleased to know that I am on that prayer list. I am sure we only see a small amout of the list that she has. Paul wrote many of his letters to the early churches and many of his letter contained words like we read here. Word of encouragement and often correction. He says “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12). Over and over again Paul often brings up the subject of love, he wanted believer to display love, putting it into action. And hate evil.. How about you, do you hate evil? And to love GOOD. Do you love it when other do good to you, and you do good to others If they are happy does it make you happy. (v. 9), Do you and I honor others above ourself (v. 10), do we serve God with passion or out of duty.(v. 11), do we practice hospitality out of love or because we have tooo, because the bible says so. (v. 13). Friend, if you feel empty while your doing things for God, you are doing them for the wrong reason. For true enough they will feel empty without the LOVE OF GOD (AGAPY LOVE) without the love of Christ working in us. What brings that love to the top, like cream rises to the top on milk is prayyer. Yes, faithful prayer will bring genuine agape love. Paul's encouragement here is that we join him, called his friends to “join in [his] struggle by standing in the gap for him, by liftiing him uo in prayer. (15:30). Friends we do not have to be present to pray fpor someone, we can pray for them from afar, and Jesus takes those prayers befpore the Father and the y are answered according to His will. We can pray specifically for God's servants for safety from evil, enemy, HE that seeks to oppress a stop the work of the Lord. and a favorable reception in Jerusalem (vv. 31-32). I must confess, my gifting is not prayer.. I struggle with knowing what or how to pray, some times my mind goes to the name of a person, and often my thoughts are my prayers, because God is directing those thoughts and putting the words into action.. One thing I do want to say is that my prayers and committments to God empowers me, to always try and live in a way that “overcomes evil with good” (12:21). I do not always see the outcome, sometimes I see it but its not the outcome I was hoping for,but then I attempt to leave it in Gods hands. I have been faithful in praying.. I am creating a legacy of faithfulness for my children and grandchildren who will follow after me. As I have gone through life, I know that others have sent up many prayers for me and my family as we have sought to follow the Lords leading in our lives.. God has been faithful, even though at times we have not been. But God has carried us, on the prayers of those who faithfully prayed Friends, I can tell you from experience, do not stop praying for those God has laid on your hearts, because those prayers are very important to the one they are meant for. God does not lay these names on your heart if they are not omportant prayers. God is using you to strenggthen and hold up someone who is struggling. Father God, thank you for your agape love, a love that is unconditional a love that never stops, it matters not where we are or what we are doing, you Lord are always interceeding for us. Now Lord, please help me be faithful in my prayers for others as you bring them to mind. I thank you that you hhear my thoughts, you hear my words, and you answer according to your will. You have asked us to faitulluy pray, so therefore I will.Thank you Lord that you are faithul as a good example to me, that I too must be faithful It is in your name I pray AMEN