God Gave
·      John 3:16 For God So Loved He gave
·      2 Corinthians 1:22 Sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.
·      1 John 3:1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God
·      James 1:17  Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father.
·      2 Corinthians 2:12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God,
·      2 Peter 1:3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness

Preference to the Saints
·      1 Thes. 3:12 And may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you
·      1 Thes. 4:9  Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.
·      1 Thes. 5:15 See to it that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.
·      1 Peter 1:22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart.
·      1 Peter 4:8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
·      Philemon 4, 5 I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints

Preference to the Poor
·      Matt. 25:35, 36 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you invited me in; naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you visited me…to the extent that you did to one of these brothers of Mine, you did it to Me!
·      Proverbs 19:17 One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord; and He will repay him for his good deed.
·      Proverbs 22:9 He who is generous will be blessed; for he gives some of his food to the poor.
·      God loves the poor, Jesus called them His brothers.
·      Proverbs 22:16 He who oppresses the poor to make [a]more for himself
Or who gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.
·      Proverbs 22:22,23 Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Or crush the afflicted at the gate; For the Lord will plead their case and take the life of those who rob them.
·      Proverbs 28:8 He who increases his wealth by interest and usury gathers it for him who is gracious to the poor.

God’s Currency is Love
·      John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
·      1 Thes. 2:8 Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.
·      1 Thes. 2:19,20 For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?  For you are our glory and joy.
·      1 Timothy 1:5 But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

What is your Ambition?
·      1 Thes. 4:11 make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands.
·      1 Timothy 2:2 Pray for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
·      1 Timothy 6:6-8  But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.

The six teachers who taught Romans in this series (Summer 2014) answer questions from the community.

Romans 8:26-39  Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

26 In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. 27 And He who searches the hearts knows the Spirit’s mind-set, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 
28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those He predestined, He also called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified. 

    31 What then are we to say about these things? 
    If God is for us, who is against us? 
    32 He did not even spare His own Son 
    but offered Him up for us all; 
    how will He not also with Him grant us everything? 
    33 Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? 
    God is the One who justifies. 
    34 Who is the one who condemns? 
    Christ Jesus is the One who died, 
    but even more, has been raised; 
    He also is at the right hand of God 
    and intercedes for us. 
    35 Who can separate us from the love of Christ? 
    Can affliction or anguish or persecution 
    or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 
    36 As it is written: 
    Because of You 
    we are being put to death all day long; 
    we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. 
    37 No, in all these things we are more than victorious 
    through Him who loved us. 
    38 For I am persuaded that not even death or life, 
    angels or rulers, 
    things present or things to come, hostile powers, 
    39 height or depth, or any other created thing 
    will have the power to separate us 
    from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord! 

The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ro 8:26–9:1). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.

- Who here is totally satisfied with their prayer life?

[26] In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we 
       - even Paul… is this encouraging to you? do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
       - March 2001 – Sabbatical – First two weeks - Fasting

[27] and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
       - This means the Spirit intercedes for us according to the Father’s perfect plan.
       - Only the Spirit of God can reveal who God is and what He has done for man.

I Corinthians 2:10-12 - Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. [11] For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. [12] Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God. [1]

[28] And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. [29] For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
       - What if God used everything that occurred (even before your life & after) for your own good?
       - Did you realize that God knows – and always has known – everything that will take place in the future?

Psalm 139:1-4 - Lord, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I stand up; You understand my thoughts from far away. 3 You observe my travels and my rest; You are aware of all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, Lord. [2]
       - God has given man free will to choose whatever he desires, but God knows beforehand what man’s choice will be.
       - I default to God’s sovereignty to answer your next question… “Why?”
       - Sovereignty meaning God has authority yet has given us free will.
       - It is this mindset that gives me “rest”… trusting in Him.
       - This is passage is not about predestination of salvation… this about God knowing who chose Him and that each believer is destined to be conformed in the image of His Son
       - “It is not that we are predestined to be Christians, but that as Christians we receive a glorious future destiny.”
       - Predestination only has to do with believers.

Romans 8:23 – waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 

Ephesians 1:5 - He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
       - Once we were in Christ.

Colossians 1:18 - He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
       - Jesus already has His glorified body. He was the first.
 
[30] and these whom He predestined, He also called;
       - a role or position in the body of Christ
and these whom He called, He also justified;
       - declared and made not guilty
and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
       - Past tense words – How God sees a believer – the spirit and soul of a believer – as a finished product.
       - When Christ comes to live in man, the spirit and the soul of man are glorified to the greatest degree possible… in an instant!

[31] What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
       - Do we have enemies and persecutors?
       - Sometimes it can even be those who are closest to you.
       - Sometimes it can even be yourself.
       - The power of sin that dwells in your flesh.
       - Your anger & rebellion may come from being mad at your own self or situation.
       - It’s just another way for the evil one to steal your joy that you already have.
       - You don’t have to blame shift to others.
       - Just acknowledge it and realize it is a lie.
       - If God is for us, who is against us?

[32] He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?
       - Everything we could possibly need.
[33] Who will bring a charge against God's elect?
       - How is this possible?
God is the one who justifies; [34] who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. [35] Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? [36] Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.” 
[37] But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. [38] For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, [39] nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
       - Any amount of suffering is worth it to understand the truth of Christ’s presence in our lives. 
       - In this perspective we find life. 
       - Are you convinced?
       - It is the Lord’s responsibility to enlighten truth as you face the variables of life. 
  
[1] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (1 Co 2:10-12). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ps 139:1–4). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.