10 The Book of Romans-The Gospel Manifesto-How God Cares for Me

The Gospel Manifesto in the Book of Romans

Pt. 10 How God Cares for Me

By Louie Marsh, 7-6-2025

One night I had a wondrous dream,
One set of footprints there was seen,
The footprints of my precious Lord,
But mine were not along the shore.

But then some stranger prints appeared,
And I asked the Lord, "What have we here?"
Those prints are large and round and neat,
"But Lord they are too big for feet."

"My child," He said in somber tones,
"For miles I carried you alone.
I challenged you to walk in faith,
But you refused and made me wait."

"You disobeyed, you would not grow,
The walk of faith, you would not know.
So I got tired, I got fed up,
and there I dropped you on your butt."

"Because in life, there comes a time,
when one must fight, and one must climb.
When one must rise and take a stand,
or leave their butt prints in the sand."

GOD CARES FOR ME

 

1) By constantly CHALLENGING me.

 

¹⁴  I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. ¹⁵  But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God ¹⁶  to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:14-16 (ESV)

 

· Can I be PROUD of my work for Christ?

 

¹⁷  In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. ¹⁸  For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, ¹⁹  by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; Romans 15:17-19 (ESV)

 

Proud = καύχησις - Root kauchaomai; boasting (properly the act; by implication the object), in a good or a bad sense :- boasting, whereof I may glory, glorying, rejoicing.
Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.

 

“¹³But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you. ¹⁴For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. For we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ. ¹⁵We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged, ¹⁶so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another’s area of influence. ¹⁷“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” ¹⁸For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.” (2 Corinthians 10:13–18, ESV)

 

“²¹…But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. ²²Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. ²³Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death… ²⁷in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. ²⁸And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. ²⁹Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? ³⁰If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. ³¹The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.” (2 Corinthians 11:21–31, ESV)

 

2) By Calling me out of my COMFORT ZONE.

 

²⁰  and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, ²¹  but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” ²²  This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. ²³  But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, ²⁴  I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. Romans 15:20-24 (ESV)

 

· And always giving me opportunities to SERVE OTHERS.

 

²⁵  At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. ²⁶  For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. ²⁷  For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. ²⁸  When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you. Romans 15:25-28 (ESV)

 

3) By knowing me INTIMATELY.

 

¹  I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, ²  that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well. ³  Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, ⁴  who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. Romans 16:1-4 (ESV)

 

²⁸  And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹  yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹  Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. Matthew 6:28-32 (ESV)

 

HOW SHOULD I RESPOND TO THIS?

 

4) By always staying focused on JESUS & HIS GOSPEL.

 

²⁵  Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages ²⁶  but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— ²⁷  to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. Romans 16:25-27 (ESV)