NOT ASHAMED

Romans 1:8-17
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.


God’s Good News


8 Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world. 9 God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son.
10 One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. 11 For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. 12 When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.


13 I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see spiritual fruit, just as I have seen among other Gentiles. 14 For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike. 15 So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News.


16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”




How did you respond the last time you faced a challenge to your faith? Did you take the ‘politically correct’ position, not bringing religion into the situation? I can remember, when I worked for a large corporation, I was advised that there were two things I needed to keep out of the workplace … politics … and religion. While I don’t think it is necessary to be a Bible totter, always ready to hit someone over the head with the Word, I do believer there are times when we just can’t hide our faith. We must daily carry ourselves in a way which brings honor to the God we serve. Our lifestyle can speak volumes … words are not always necessary.

But sometimes we must speak up. When our Father is blasphemed … when our Savior is trashed … when the truth of our faith is challenged … we must be ready to declare ourselves.


By deed or by word, are you ready to declare that you are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ? I am!