3-8-26// FERVENT IN SPIRIT...Pastor David Reeve
Rom 12:9-13 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
"Fervent in spirit" means serving God with passionate enthusiasm, intensity, and diligence, rather than apathy or spiritual laziness. The Greek root suggests "boiling over" with holy passion, often tied to being filled with the Holy Spirit. Key scriptures include:
Romans 12:11: "Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord" (KJV) or "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord" (NIV).
Acts 18:25: Describes Apollos, who was "instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently".
James 5:16: Highlights the result of this passion: "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much".
2 Corinthians 7:7: Mentions a "fervent mind" (or zeal) regarding love for others.
John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
1 Cor 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
James 1:2-4 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
3-1-26// THE CREATION OF A ENDURUING LEGACY
Psalm 103:17
New American Standard Bible
17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting for those who fear Him,
And His justice to the children’s children,
Proverbs 4
4 Listen, my sons, to the instruction of a father,
And pay attention so that you may gain understanding,
2 For I give you good teaching;
Do not abandon my instruction.
3 When I was a son to my father,
Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother,
4 He taught me and said to me,
“Let your heart take hold of my words;
Keep my commandments and live;
5 Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding!
Proverbs 22:6
6 Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he grows older he will not abandon it.
Proverbs 13:22
22 A good person leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren,
And the wealth of a sinner is stored up for the righteous.
Psalm 78:72
72 So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart,
And guided them with his skillful hands.
Psalm 127:1-3
127 Unless the Lord builds a house,
They who build it labor in vain;
Unless the Lord guards a city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is futile for you to rise up early,
To stay up late,
To eat the bread of painful labor;
This is how He gives to His beloved sleep.
3 Behold, children are a gift of the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
2-22-26//NOT LAGGING BEHIND IN DILIGENCE
Rom 12:9-13
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality
DILIGENT: having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties.
Eph 2:8-10
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
God has given us all different gifts, talents and work to do
Numbers 4 God gave specific duties to the sons of Kohath and the sons of Aaron
Putting up, taking down, and tabernacle duties
1 Cor 12:12-31
For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19 If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, 24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. 29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? 30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? 31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts.
And I show you a still more excellent way.
Heb 6:11-12
And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Eph 4:11-13
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
2-15-26/GIVE PREFERENCE TO ONE ANOTHER IN HONOR
Rom 12:9-13 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
Preference:
proegeomai (pro-ay-geh'-om-ahee); to lead the way for others, i.e. show deference:
to go before and show the way, to go before and lead, to go before as a leader
to put above, go before
KJV - prefer.
Honor:
time (tee-may'); a value, i.e. money paid, or (concretely and collectively) valuables; by analogy, esteem (especially of the highest degree), or the dignity itself:
1. a valuing by which the price is fixed
a. of the price itself
b. of the price paid or received for a person or thing bought or sold
2. honour which belongs or is shown to one
a. of the honour which one has by reason of rank and state of office which he holds
b. deference, reverence
honor, value, respect; nobility, specialness; money, cost
KJV - honour, precious, price, some.
Phil 2:3-8 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Matt 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me
1 Peter 5:1-7 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
Matt 5:43-48 You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.' 44 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 "If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
NASU
2-8-26//BE DEVOTED TO ONE ANOTHER IN BROTHERLY LOVE
Rom 12:9-13 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality
DEVOTED:
philostorgos (fil-os'-tor-gos); from PHILOS and storge (cherishing one's kindred, especially parents or children); fond of natural relatives, i.e. fraternal towards fellow Christian:
1. the mutual love of parents and children and wives and husbands
2. loving affection, prone to love, loving tenderly
a. chiefly of the reciprocal tenderness of parents and children
devoted, loving dearly
KJV - kindly affectioned.
BROTHERLY LOVE:
philadelphia (fil-ad-el-fee'-ah); fraternal affection:
1. love of brothers or sisters, brotherly love
2. in the NT the love which Christians cherish for each other as brethren
brotherly love; brotherly kindness
KJV - brotherly love (kindness), love of the brethren.
John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
1 John 5:1-2 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.
1 Thess 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 John 3:16-18 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.
2-1-26//ABHOR WHAT IS EVIL; CLING TO WHAT IS GOOD
Rom 12:9-13 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.
To "abhor": something is to be so disgusted by it as to shrink from it or to detest. It means to shudder from with horror or hatred. Christians are told to regard evil with instant abhorrence. Amos says, "Hate the evil, and love the good" Jude says hate "even the garment spotted by the flesh" .
Prov 6:16-19 There are six things which the Lord hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil,
19 A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.
Isa 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
Gal 6:1-2 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
Phil 4:8-9 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you
1-25-26// LET LOVE BE WITHOUT HYPOCRISY
Rom 12:9-13 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good
WITHOUT HYPOCRISY:
anupokritos (an-oo-pok'-ree-tos); undissembled, i.e. sincere:
unfeigned, undisguised, sincere
sincere, genuine, without hypocrisy; of good character, lacking pretense and prideful show
KJV - without dissimulation (hypocrisy), unfeigned.
HYPOCRITE
hupokrites (hoop-ok-ree-tace'); an actor under an assumed character (stage-player), i.e. (figuratively) a dissembler ("hypocrite"):
1. one who answers, an interpreter
2. an actor, stage player
3. a dissembler, pretender, hypocrite
implying arrogance and hardness of heart, utterly devoid of sincerity and genuineness
KJV - hypocrite.
Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
1 Peter 1:22-23 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, 23 for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.
1 Peter 4:8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
1 Cor 13 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.
13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
1-18-26//PERSEVERING IN TRIBULATION
Rom 12:9-13 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
PERSEVERANCE
hupomeno (hoop-om-en'-o); to stay under (behind), i.e. remain; figuratively, to undergo, i.e. bear (trials), have fortitude, persevere:
1. to remain
a. to tarry behind
2. to remain i.e. abide, not recede or flee
a. to preserve: under misfortunes and trials to hold fast to one's faith in Christ
b. to endure, bear bravely and calmly: ill treatments
to stay behind; to stand firm, endure, persevere
KJV - abide, endure, (take) patient (-ly), suffer, tarry behind.
TRIBULATION:
thlipsis (thlip'-sis); pressure (literally or figuratively):
1. a pressing, pressing together, pressure
2. metaph. oppression, affliction, tribulation, distress, straits
trouble, distress, oppression, tribulation
KJV - afflicted (-tion), anguish, burdened, persecution, tribulation, trouble.
Matt 5:11-12 "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Rom 5:1-5 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
1 Cor 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
TEMPTATION:
peirasmos (pi-ras-mos'); a putting to proof (by experiment [of good], experience [of evil], solicitation, discipline or provocation); by implication, adversity:
an experiment, attempt, trial, proving
trial, proving: the trial made of you by my bodily condition, since condition served as to test the love of the Galatians toward Paul (Gal. 4:
the trial of man's fidelity, integrity, virtue, constancy
an enticement to sin, temptation, whether arising from the desires or from the outward circumstances
an internal temptation to sin
of the temptation by which the devil sought to divert Jesus the Messiah from his divine errand
of the condition of things, or a mental state, by which we are enticed to sin, or to a lapse from the faith and holiness
adversity, affliction, trouble: sent by God and serving to test or prove one's character, faith, holiness
temptation (i.e. trial) of God by men
rebellion against God, by which his power and justice are, as it were, put to the proof and challenged to show themselves
KJV - temptation, try.
1-11-25//REJOICING IN HOPE
Rom 12:9-13 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality
Rejoicing: chairo (khah'-ee-ro); a primary verb; to be "cheerful", i.e. calmly happy or well-off; impersonally, especially as salutation (on meeting or parting), be well:
1. to rejoice, be glad
2. to rejoice exceedingly
3. to be well, thrive
4. in salutations, hail!
5. at the beginning of letters: to give one greeting, salute
KJV - farewell, be glad, God speed, greeting, hall, joy (-fully), rejoice.
God rejoices over you with shouts of joy
Zeph 3:14-17 Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away His judgments against you,
He has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
You will fear disaster no more.
16 In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: "Do not be afraid, O Zion;
Do not let your hands fall limp.
17 "The Lord your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior.
He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love,
He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.
Hope: elpis (el-pece'); from a primary elpo (to anticipate, usually with pleasure); expectation (abstractly or concretely) or confidence:
1. expectation of evil, fear
2. expectation of good, hope
a. in the Christian sense
1. joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation
3. on hope, in hope, having hope
a. the author of hope, or he who is its foundation
b. the thing hoped for
KJV - faith, hope.
Rom 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit
Biblical hope is not mere wishful thinking but a confident, steadfast expectation of God's promises, rooted in His faithfulness and fulfilled through Jesus Christ's resurrection, offering assurance of salvation and future redemption for believers, even amidst suffering, and is described as a "living hope" that binds believers to God's enduring plans. It's a future-focused certainty, grounded in past acts of God, and sustained in the present, unlike worldly hope which is uncertain.
Hebrew (Batah/Qavah): Means to trust, lean on, or bind oneself to something, implying security and reliance, like binding a tree to a car.
Greek (Elpis): Signifies a joyful and confident expectation, contrasting with the Greek philosophical idea of hope as mere possibility
1-4-26// REJOICING IN HOPE
Rom 12:9-13 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
Rejoicing: chairo (khah'-ee-ro); a primary verb; to be "cheerful", i.e. calmly happy or well-off; impersonally, especially as salutation (on meeting or parting), be well:
1. to rejoice, be glad
2. to rejoice exceedingly
3. to be well, thrive
4. in salutations, hail!
5. at the beginning of letters: to give one greeting, salute
KJV - farewell, be glad, God speed, greeting, hall, joy (-fully), rejoice
Ps 118:24 This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Phil 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
1 Thess 5:16-18 Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Isa 61:10 I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,