1 00:00:38,001 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: Hey friends, it's Kelly from Life Audio. We just launched 2 00:00:41,501 --> 00:00:45,181 Speaker 1: something new. It's called The Good Word, our free weekly 3 00:00:45,241 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: newsletter built for people who want to go a little 4 00:00:48,161 --> 00:00:54,011 Speaker 1: deeper in their faith. Think devotionals, guided prayers, curated podcast recommendations, 5 00:00:54,191 --> 00:00:57,311 Speaker 1: and a little community all in one place. No ads, 6 00:00:57,651 --> 00:00:58,651 Speaker 1: just good content. 7 00:00:58,871 --> 00:01:00,091 Speaker 2: This one means a lot to us. 8 00:01:00,491 --> 00:01:03,271 Speaker 1: We built The Good Word based on the audience survey 9 00:01:03,491 --> 00:01:05,671 Speaker 1: so many of you filled out a few months back. 10 00:01:05,991 --> 00:01:08,571 Speaker 1: You told us what you wanted and we listened. So 11 00:01:08,611 --> 00:01:11,531 Speaker 1: thank you truly for helping us shape this. Head to 12 00:01:11,571 --> 00:01:14,150 Speaker 1: the link in the show notes and join our community today. 13 00:01:14,471 --> 00:01:15,371 Speaker 1: We'd love to have you. 14 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,511 Speaker 2: Hello, and thank you for listening to Your Daily Bible Verse, 15 00:01:30,830 --> 00:01:34,131 Speaker 2: the podcast that examines one verse each day to learn 16 00:01:34,170 --> 00:01:38,050 Speaker 2: more about God and His will for us. I'm your host, 17 00:01:38,651 --> 00:01:42,750 Speaker 2: Jessica VanRoekel, and after this short word from our sponsor, 18 00:01:42,991 --> 00:01:48,871 Speaker 2: we'll dive into today's Bible verse, Romans chapter 12, verse 12. 19 00:01:59,531 --> 00:02:04,471 Speaker 2: Today's Bible verses, Romans chapter 12, verse 12. Rejoice in hope, 20 00:02:04,891 --> 00:02:10,621 Speaker 2: be patient in tribulation, be in constant prayer. Last summer, 21 00:02:10,631 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 2: a tornado came through our area, and it just skimmed 22 00:02:14,601 --> 00:02:17,881 Speaker 2: the tops of properties. And some of those properties that 23 00:02:17,941 --> 00:02:21,161 Speaker 2: I drive by, I can see several trees without their 24 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:24,621 Speaker 2: uppermost branches. And one of my favorite trees in our 25 00:02:24,661 --> 00:02:27,791 Speaker 2: yard split in half, and we needed to remove it. 26 00:02:28,411 --> 00:02:31,571 Speaker 2: Then one of our apple trees died from a different reason, 27 00:02:31,711 --> 00:02:34,281 Speaker 2: and so we decided to go ahead and plant some 28 00:02:34,321 --> 00:02:38,681 Speaker 2: new trees. At the nursery, we selected a honey locust, 29 00:02:38,721 --> 00:02:42,981 Speaker 2: a Kentucky coffee tree, and a Minnesota redbud. We drove 30 00:02:43,001 --> 00:02:47,981 Speaker 2: so slow, 25 miles an hour, home to reduce the 31 00:02:48,020 --> 00:02:50,321 Speaker 2: beating of the wind, and we planted them with care. 32 00:02:51,121 --> 00:02:54,761 Speaker 2: But one of them is suffering from transplant shock, and 33 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:56,601 Speaker 2: I learned that it could take a year for it 34 00:02:56,661 --> 00:03:00,531 Speaker 2: to recover. The tree expert assured me that although it 35 00:03:00,571 --> 00:03:03,971 Speaker 2: looks like it's not doing well, it's using this time 36 00:03:04,111 --> 00:03:08,821 Speaker 2: to focus on root growth. Romans 12, verse 12 reminds 37 00:03:08,891 --> 00:03:13,180 Speaker 2: us that hope is not based on visible evidence. Hope 38 00:03:13,361 --> 00:03:17,901 Speaker 2: finds its roots in God's promises, which sustains us through hardship, 39 00:03:18,721 --> 00:03:21,241 Speaker 2: and hope will grow stronger every time we fix our 40 00:03:21,681 --> 00:03:26,391 Speaker 2: hearts on Him. This 12th chapter of Romans outlines how 41 00:03:26,431 --> 00:03:30,211 Speaker 2: to live the Christian life. It starts out by urging 42 00:03:30,351 --> 00:03:34,030 Speaker 2: followers of Christ to resist conformity to the world's standards 43 00:03:34,091 --> 00:03:37,761 Speaker 2: of living and to give our life to Christ as 44 00:03:37,781 --> 00:03:42,921 Speaker 2: a living sacrifice. We do this by embracing the transformation 45 00:03:42,961 --> 00:03:45,581 Speaker 2: that comes to us through the power of Jesus Christ 46 00:03:45,841 --> 00:03:50,811 Speaker 2: living within us. The chapter also outlines the pursuit of 47 00:03:50,861 --> 00:03:54,451 Speaker 2: living in harmony with fellow believers in Christ, and it 48 00:03:54,511 --> 00:03:58,051 Speaker 2: reveals itself through how we really relate to one another. 49 00:03:58,821 --> 00:04:02,521 Speaker 2: Paul tells us to give preference to each other, to 50 00:04:02,721 --> 00:04:06,301 Speaker 2: serve one another using the gifts God gave us, and 51 00:04:06,361 --> 00:04:12,081 Speaker 2: by being faithfully diligent in our relationships. Then there's suffering. 52 00:04:13,071 --> 00:04:16,351 Speaker 2: Suffering is a topic woven through much of the Apostle 53 00:04:16,411 --> 00:04:22,450 Speaker 2: Paul's writings. He talks about persecution, recurring hardships, not doing 54 00:04:22,510 --> 00:04:26,571 Speaker 2: as we ought, divisions, and our weakness in God's strength. 55 00:04:27,301 --> 00:04:31,421 Speaker 2: but he repeatedly reminds his readers to rejoice, to be 56 00:04:31,501 --> 00:04:36,301 Speaker 2: firm in hope, and constant in prayer. The Bible recognizes 57 00:04:36,380 --> 00:04:39,461 Speaker 2: that most of us will struggle, not only to keep 58 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:43,061 Speaker 2: an attitude of prayer, but to spend real time in prayer. 59 00:04:43,971 --> 00:04:47,871 Speaker 2: That Greek term that's used for constant in prayer implies 60 00:04:47,931 --> 00:04:55,491 Speaker 2: a continuous, persistent perseverance and insistence. Verse 12 encouraged us 61 00:04:55,591 --> 00:04:59,171 Speaker 2: to be faithful and persistent in prayer because it's our 62 00:04:59,411 --> 00:05:04,091 Speaker 2: access to God for a life of spiritual intimacy and power. 63 00:05:04,831 --> 00:05:08,851 Speaker 2: It's through prayer where we learn to communicate with God's heart. 64 00:05:09,371 --> 00:05:13,451 Speaker 2: But God also wants us to be patient in hard times. 65 00:05:14,851 --> 00:05:19,190 Speaker 2: Patience is one of those attributes not many people really 66 00:05:19,231 --> 00:05:22,631 Speaker 2: want to learn because it's hard and yet it's a 67 00:05:22,711 --> 00:05:27,641 Speaker 2: vital skill. because many of our hardships are long-term experiences. 68 00:05:28,401 --> 00:05:33,111 Speaker 2: To be patient in tribulation means to absolutely and emphatically, 69 00:05:33,471 --> 00:05:38,391 Speaker 2: under misfortune and trials, to hold fast to one's faith 70 00:05:38,451 --> 00:05:42,111 Speaker 2: in Christ. Often we can think of patience as a 71 00:05:42,171 --> 00:05:46,270 Speaker 2: passive putting up with things, but considering this new definition 72 00:05:46,411 --> 00:05:50,221 Speaker 2: or this better definition of patience, it's an active choice 73 00:05:50,351 --> 00:05:54,181 Speaker 2: to build our endurance and like a bricklayer builds a 74 00:05:54,221 --> 00:05:58,821 Speaker 2: wall to protect our faith during difficult seasons. Then the 75 00:05:58,841 --> 00:06:02,151 Speaker 2: term used for hard times in today's verse is tribulations. 76 00:06:02,831 --> 00:06:06,651 Speaker 2: The Greek term used here indicates a pressing pressure or 77 00:06:06,851 --> 00:06:10,891 Speaker 2: anything which burdens the spirit. Each time we encounter a 78 00:06:11,071 --> 00:06:14,541 Speaker 2: time of struggle, we can be patient through it by 79 00:06:14,721 --> 00:06:19,241 Speaker 2: abiding in Christ and not doubting his goodness. which, honestly, 80 00:06:19,281 --> 00:06:22,261 Speaker 2: the Apostle Paul implores us to do in many of 81 00:06:22,321 --> 00:06:27,241 Speaker 2: his letters. This then leads us to rejoicing in hope. 82 00:06:28,141 --> 00:06:31,611 Speaker 2: The hope Paul references here is the hope of future 83 00:06:31,651 --> 00:06:36,451 Speaker 2: blessedness which gives us joy. It's pointing us to eternity 84 00:06:36,511 --> 00:06:40,991 Speaker 2: where there will be no more sorrows or tears or brokenness. 85 00:06:41,731 --> 00:06:44,721 Speaker 2: It's where we'll see God face to face and where 86 00:06:45,201 --> 00:06:49,461 Speaker 2: darkness will be no more. Our hope is the joyful 87 00:06:49,841 --> 00:06:56,081 Speaker 2: and confident expectation of eternal salvation. Just like my tree 88 00:06:56,461 --> 00:07:02,811 Speaker 2: that's experiencing transplant shock, we can feel shook by unexpected news. 89 00:07:04,071 --> 00:07:08,791 Speaker 2: Some troubles last a short time, but other times they 90 00:07:08,811 --> 00:07:13,231 Speaker 2: become a daily part of our lives. But we don't 91 00:07:13,291 --> 00:07:16,871 Speaker 2: have to despair. we're given three steps to take when 92 00:07:16,911 --> 00:07:21,621 Speaker 2: we encounter troubled times. One, we look beyond the right 93 00:07:21,701 --> 00:07:26,721 Speaker 2: now and remember our promise of eternity. Two, we actively 94 00:07:26,861 --> 00:07:32,041 Speaker 2: endure by cultivating our faith journey. And three, we choose 95 00:07:32,101 --> 00:07:37,351 Speaker 2: to communicate with God throughout the day by praying. In fact, 96 00:07:37,831 --> 00:07:42,671 Speaker 2: let's pray right now. Heavenly Father, I don't know why 97 00:07:43,461 --> 00:07:46,551 Speaker 2: Sometimes it seems like we face just hard time after 98 00:07:46,631 --> 00:07:49,531 Speaker 2: hard time. Or we wake up in the day and 99 00:07:49,551 --> 00:07:51,711 Speaker 2: we think we know how the day is going to go. 100 00:07:51,771 --> 00:07:54,811 Speaker 2: But by the end of the day, we're in tears 101 00:07:54,951 --> 00:08:00,301 Speaker 2: because something took us by surprise. Or we got that unexpected, 102 00:08:00,401 --> 00:08:04,881 Speaker 2: really bad news that's going to completely change however many 103 00:08:04,961 --> 00:08:08,891 Speaker 2: other tomorrows we face. But Lord, you say that we 104 00:08:08,921 --> 00:08:13,231 Speaker 2: can still have hope. that you want us to still rejoice, 105 00:08:13,571 --> 00:08:17,521 Speaker 2: that you want us to be patient, and that you 106 00:08:17,551 --> 00:08:22,541 Speaker 2: want us to pray. So God, help us remember that 107 00:08:22,661 --> 00:08:26,281 Speaker 2: the hard times that we face isn't a time to 108 00:08:26,401 --> 00:08:31,121 Speaker 2: abandon our faith or to accuse you of being unkind. 109 00:08:31,781 --> 00:08:34,420 Speaker 2: But Lord, help us to remember that these hard times 110 00:08:34,501 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 2: is a time to practice our faith, to be patient. 111 00:08:38,641 --> 00:08:43,421 Speaker 2: to endure through them with an active faith, to rejoice 112 00:08:43,540 --> 00:08:48,021 Speaker 2: in hope because someday we'll experience a time where we 113 00:08:48,081 --> 00:08:51,601 Speaker 2: see you face to face. And then finally, Lord, let 114 00:08:51,661 --> 00:08:55,791 Speaker 2: us remember to go to you in constant prayer. We 115 00:08:55,851 --> 00:08:57,931 Speaker 2: praise you for what you're going to do in our lives. 116 00:08:58,591 --> 00:09:00,151 Speaker 2: In Jesus' name, amen.