Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

October 22
Tuesday


THE CAMPAIGN

READ:
Romans 15:1-7
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Let us pursue the things
which make for peace
and the things by which
one may edify another.
__Romans 14:19
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Each year young people in our community participate in a "Be Nice" campaign spearheaded by a mental health organization. In one of the events in 2012, 6,000 students spelled out the words BE NICE with their bodies on their schools' sports fields. One principal said, "We want students to come to school and learn without the distraction of fear or sadness or uneasiness around their peers. We are working hard to make sure students are lifting each other up, rather than tearing each other down."

Paul desired that the people in the church at Rome would have an even higher standard of love. Both the strong and weak in the faith were judging and showing contempt for each other (Rom. 14:1-12). They despised one another as they argued about what foods were permissible to eat (vv.2-3) and what holidays they should observe (vv.5-6). Paul challenged them: "Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another" (v.19). He reminded them that their hearts should be concerned with pleasing others, not pleasing themselves. He said, "Even Christ did not please Himself" (15:3); He served.

Join the campaign that loves others despite our differences__you'll bring praise to God (v.7). __Anne Cetas

```````````````````Dear Lord, I want to be a person who is````````````````
``````````````````kind and loving to others, please help me``````````````
````````````````````to use words that will build others up````````````````
```````````````````and bring praise and glory to Your name.```````````````
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Kindness is simply love flowing out
in little gentlenesses.

****************************Today's Bible Reading __ Romans 15:1-7*************************

1 We then who are strong
ought to bear with the
scruples of the weak, and
not to please ourselves.

2 Let each of us please his
neighbor for his good,
leading to edification. 3 For
even Christ did not please
Himself; but as it is written,
"The reproaches of those
who reproached You fell on
Me." 4 For whatever things
were written before were
written for our learning,
that we through the patience
and comfort of the
Scriptures might have hope.

5 Now may the God of
patience and comfort grant
you to be like-minded
toward one another,
according to Christ Jesus,

6 that you may with one
mind and one mouth glorify
the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Therefore receive one
another, just as Christ also
received us, to the glory of
God.

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

In Romans 14:1-15:7, Paul addressed a conflict between two groups
of believers he labeled as "the strong" and "the weak." The dispute
was over the relevance and necessity of some Old Testament laws
(Rom. 14:1-6), and it threatened the unity of the Roman church.
The "Strong," or more mature believers, were those who believed
that Christians no longer needed to observe the Jewish dietary laws
(14:2). Paul asked them not to despise the less mature ("weak")
believers, and asked the weak not to condemn the strong (14:3). He
called for tolerance and acceptance of each other's convictions and
practices. In today's text, Paul laid the responsibility on the more
mature believers to be sensitive to the feelings of others, to help
build them up in their faith (15:1-2).