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Words of Faith Final

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Words of Faith 12-17-2021
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2021
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Romans 16
Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.
[6] Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you.
[7] Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.
[8] Greet Ampliatus, whom I love in the Lord.
[9] Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.
[10] Greet Apelles, tested and approved in Christ.
Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.
[11] Greet Herodion, my relative.
Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.
[12] Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord.
Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.
[13] Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.
[14] Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brothers with them.
[15] Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the saints with them.
[16] Greet one another with a holy kiss.
All the churches of Christ send greetings.

   What did Paul have to show for his life?
   We have a historical advantage in answering that question. We might answer that Paul had a great deal to show. We might answer by noting that he was the single greatest Christian theologian, evangelist of the world, proclaimer of the faith, and apostle to the gentile world. But all that was still yet to come. After three missionary journeys, what did Paul have to show for it all at this point in his life?
   Did Paul have some great memories and stories to tell? A fine list of converts? Perhaps. But more important, Paul had something called community. The fruit of the Gospel is indeed personal salvation, but it is also community.
   For all his travels, Paul had not yet been to Rome. Yet, there was a community there that was related to him and his efforts for Christ. Paul greeted a long list of precious and dear saints. Each one held a special place in his heart, but collectively, they were a community of Christ, and he encouraged them to greet one another with a holy kiss. This was a greeting that spoke of the warm and affectionate fellowship that the Gospel had generated. He also extended the warm greeting of the various churches.
  It is an interesting thought to ponder. What do you have to show for your life? What do you have to show for your missionary journeys? It is good to stop and consider such a question. Perhaps there are goals accomplished or dreams built. Hopefully, some will be with us in eternity. But prayerfully, there will also be community.
   Community is one thing that extends from now into eternity. Believers living in various cities and places that have been influenced by the Gospel come to have warm Christian affection for one another. This is because of the Gospel we have expressed in word and deed. How is your community? Have you greeted them lately?

Lord, I give thanks for people around the country and world who have been touched by the Gospel of Jesus. I give thanks for the warm fellowship of those far away. Show me ways to greet them and ways to rejoice in all that you have done. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2021
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)        
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2021 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.