Don’t live a life that is self pleasing but live a life that is pleasing to the Lord - Surrender

Hello friends and welcome back to The Book of Romans Series. Today we are exploring chapter fifteen. Yesterday we talked about how we should not judge others for we are fellow servants and discernment is only from our Master.

We who are strong ought to bear with failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. (Verses 1-4)

Build each other up. Encourage each other with the word of God. Don’t live a life that is self-pleasing but live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. Let love shine through the darkness like a beacon of light. Let it's light rest upon the dirt of the earth. Let the love of God radiate through the trees and across distances.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Verses 5 & 6)

We are to be like Christ. In fact, the word Christian means ‘like Christ’ or I’ve heard ‘little Christ’ or even ‘follower of Christ’. Jesus came to earth to die for us and rise from the dead, but He also came to show us how to live.

“God, I ask that you give me the same attitude of mind towards others that Christ had.”

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on Behalf of God’s truth, so that the promise made to the patriarchs might be confirmed and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written:

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.:

Again it says:

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him.”

And again, Isaiah says:

“The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.” (Verses 7-12)

Accept one another just as Christ accepted you. This will bring praise to God.

Remember that Paul is writing to the people in Rome, the Gentiles. So he is telling them that they now have hope because of faith and to glorify God for His mercy.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Verse 13)

Trust in God and you will automatically gain joy, peace, and hope. Since I’ve been trust God more this past year, I’ve noticed I’ve had less anxiety and more peace, less doubt and more hope, less sadness and more joy. God is so good and the more you give Him your trust the more He gives you in return.

I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another. Yet I have written you quite boldy on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, as that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. (Verses 14-16)

I know Paul is writing to the Gentiles, but when I first read this, I felt like he was talking to me a little bit. I’ve never felt competent in anything and have never felt smart enough to teach others in anything especially about God. I am not as knowledgeable about God’s word as some are and that feeling held me back for so many years. But God is showing me that I can, through these blogs, teach the word of God in my own way. I am not a preacher or priest or minister like the apostle Paul but I am capable, with God’s help and direction, to write blogs like this for you all.

When I am stuck, God helps me. God has even been giving me paragraphs to write. I feel the yearning in my heart and so I close my eyes, turn my brain off, and type; letting God take control of my thoughts and hands. Sometimes I type something that I don’t remember spelling out with my fingers. It’s always something I probably wouldn’t have thought of myself; using words I don’t even know. Like yesterday, I didn’t know that discernment meant the ability to judge well, but God gave it to me in that context. It’s mind blowing. Sometimes I feel the emotion in His voice, when He gets passionate about certain things, so I know what is important to touch on. It’s been amazing.

So, even if no one reads my blogs; I will continue writing them because I get more out of writing these then I do reading my Bible; because when I read my Bible I can read something and move on to the next sentence without fully being aware of what I read but when I write to you all, I really have to discern what every word of that verse means.

Therefore I glorify in Christ Jesus in my service to God. I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done – by the power of sings and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would be building on someone else’s foundation. Rather, as it is written:

“Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”

This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you. (Verses 17-22)

So in the first chapter we heard that Paul has longed to come to Rome, but have been hindered and now we know why; He had been preaching where Christ was not known.

My friends, we have another two parter on our hands. Tomorrow, we will read Paul’s plan to visit Rome, but for today we will let everything we’ve learned sink in. Smile and trust in God so you can gain peace, joy, and hope. And I will surrender again today – I surrender my attitude of mind so that God can, in return, give me more of the same attitude of mind that Christ had. I want to be like Christ.