“Be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12c, ESV).What is the longest time that you have ever prayed? An hour? Maybe two? Here we are told to pray constantly—to never stop. To help us, lets reframe prayer ...  Read More

“Be patient in tribulation” (Romans 12:12b, ESV).This does not come naturally. To the contrary, when we face tribulation—we want it to end ASAP! Let’s begin with the word, “tribulation”. The Greek, “t...  Read More

“Rejoice in hope” (Romans 12:12a, ESV).Hope is the anticipation and expectation of something good. To rejoice in hope means that we begin to enjoy something good—even though it hasn’t quite happened y...  Read More

“Serve the Lord” (Romans 12:11c, ESV).This is an important distinction to be made—we don’t serve the church, and we don’t serve people—We serve the Lord. This means that our service is an expression o...  Read More

“Be fervent in spirit” (Romans 12:11b, ESV).The word translated “fervent” is the Greek word “zeo” which literally means boiling. This is the same word that is used to describe Apollos in Acts 18:25, “...  Read More

“Do not be slothful in zeal” (Romans 12:11, ESV).That’s a fancy way of saying, “Don’t be lazy.” I don’t know that I have every heard anyone being accused of being lazy at church. Imagine being told, “...  Read More

“Outdo one another in showing honor” (Romans 12:10, ESV).Looking at more than one translation often gives fuller meaning:• “Take delight in honoring each other” (New Living Translation).• “Give prefer...  Read More

“Love one another with brotherly affection” (Romans 12:10, ESV).TBC is a family. This idea of church as family is not just a slogan, or a metaphor, or a nice idea—it’s what the Bible says! This verse ...  Read More

“Hold fast to what is good” (Romans 12:9, ESV).Genuine love hates what is evil (detrimental) in the lives of those around us. The other side of the coin is that genuine love will “hold fast” (will cle...  Read More

“Abhor what is evil” (Romans 12:9, ESV).One of the best ways to understand and apply the biblical words, “good” and “evil” is to move beyond understanding them as moral thermostats and see them in the...  Read More

“Let love be genuine” (Romans 12:9, ESV). The love spoken of in this verse is “agape” and so we understand immediately that we are being told to sacrifice for each other. This is a Jesus kind of love,...  Read More

“Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them (Romans 12:6, ESV).Romans 12:4-8 begins by defining the church as “many members in one body” (v4). We don’t look alike, th...  Read More