OUR DAILY BREAD : SPECIAL DELIVERY

[cimi]

August 17
Friday


SPECIAL
DELIVERY

READ:
Romans 16:1-16
______________________________

I commend to you
Phoebe our sister, who
...has been a helper of
many. __Romans 16:1-2
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When a special delivery letter is handed to us at the door, it usually means we are receiving something very important. According to many Bible scholars, Phoebe was the one who hand-delivered a letter of immeasurable value to the church in Rome__Paul's inspired doctrinal masterpeice. It points out how a lost and sinful humanity can find redemtion through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Phoebe, whose name means "bright and radiant," lived in Cenchrea, a harbor village in eastern Corinth where Paul had stopped during his thrid missionary journey. Because of her kindness to him, he wrote to the Romans, "I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, that you may...assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also" (16:1-2). Phoebe had assisted others in getting out the Word of God.

All of us are "spiritual mail carriers." We have the good news that Paul wrote about so many cneturies ago. And like Phoebe, we should assist in delivering it by word and deed to people around us who need its life-giving message. __Dennis Fisher
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~Do good to all and kindness show__~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~That's what God's Word commands;~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~For when we're serving in Christ's name,~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~We are His feet and hands. __Fitzhugh~~~~~~~~~~
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We serve God by sharing HIs Word with others.

*************Today's Bible Reading __ Romans 16:1-6*************

1 I commend to you
Phoebe our sister, who is
a servant of the church in
Cenchrea, 2 that you may
receive her in the Lord in
a manner worthy of the
saints, and assist her in
whatever business she has
need of you; for indeed she
has been a helper of many
and of myself also.

3 Greet Priscilla and
Aquila, my fellow workers
in Christ Jesus, 4 who
risked their own necks for
my life, to whom not only I
give thanks, but also all the
churches of the Gentiles.

5 Likewise greet thte church
that is in their house.

Greet my beloved
Epaenetus, who is the
firstfruits of Achaia to
Christ. 6 Greet Mary, who
labored much for us. 7 Greet
Andronicus and Junia, my
countrymen and my fellow
prisoners, who are of note
among the apostles, who
also were in Christ before
me.

8 Greet Amplias, my
beloved in the Lord.

9 Greet Urbanus, our
fellow worker in Christ,
and Stachys, my beloved.

10 Greet Apeles, approved
in christ. Greet those who
are of the household of
Aristobulus... 15 Greet
Philologus and Julia,
Nereus and his sister, and
Olympas, and all the saint
who are with them.

16 Greet one another with
a holy kiss. The churches of
Christ greet you.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

"[Phoebe] has been a helper of many and of myself aslo," said Paul
(Rom. 16:2). The word translated "helper" means "a woman set over
others," a protector, a patron caring for the affairs of others and
aiding them with her resources. As a Greek citizen she commanded
a position of authority in helping the apostle. __HDF

Adapted from Wuest's Word Studies

[Mackenaw]

This reminds me of another similar idea presented by another respected teacher of the faith, Beth Moore, about Tertius, who took dictation from Paul for what is now known as the Book of Romans. Romans 16:22 I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.

Do you suppose these people -- Tertius and Phoebe -- knew what it was they were a part of, The Bible? Do you wonder if they had a sense of it, or if their spirit got a quiver confirmation from The Holy Spirit? It gives me chills just imagining it. So very cool.

Guess what? We are part of the future's history. No, our names aren't in The Bible, but we have specific giftings -- assigned by The Holy Spirit, given for the common good of the united body, the church, to deliver the message, The Good News, of our Saviour Jesus. Wooooooohoooooo!

God is so very Good.

God bless,
Mack