I thank my God. Romans 1:8 In my mind’s eye, I see Paul coming to God with a special interest in his prayer - that is, the saints in Rome. Those faithful believers were living for God in the middle of one of the most ungodly cities in the world at that time. There, amidst all the moral and spiritual perversions of the idol-worshipping, sensual, materialistic people of that city were those who were salt and light to those around them. Living for Christ by faith in that place was worth their lives. Coming to the throne of grace with thanksgiving comes to one who has experienced similar pressures applied to him by those who oppose the Gospel. He knows what they are going through as the news travels from place to place, and he thanks God for the reality of their faith.
Giving thanks to God is the best place to start any prayer. It puts us into a setting of awareness of the goodness of God and the ongoing blessings He has given us. God sends us His love, grace, and forgiveness through our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank Him for what He has done for us and is doing through others. “In everything, give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Everything that pleases God, including prayers and praises, is done through our Lord Jesus Christ. Our labors and our fellowship with God’s people in all parts of the world are through Him. It is not uncommon for us to find reasons to praise God or pray when we think of what God is doing through His people in various nations and situations we only hear about.
How can I support my brothers and sisters who are standing for God in difficult places and in these difficult times? I can go to the throne of grace! Thanks to their faith in Christ, I can participate in their labors and sufferings by interceding on their behalf. As I pray for places like Mexico, Central America, South America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and worldwide, I become a fellow laborer to the extent I enter into their lives and difficulties.
If I have chosen to avoid public testimony because of the fear of men, I cannot participate with them in their testimony. If my interest in them is limited to a casual comment on their behalf, I will probably not have much effect in my prayer. One thing I can do, even if I don't know much about what they are going through, is give thanks for them. Like believers in Rome during the time when Rome was the center of the world as far as people at that time thought, we have the opportunity to let our faith and commitment to the Gospel be known worldwide. Our support of those who go to the “regions beyond” is a testimony to God’s grace and His Gospel.
I am thankful that God has saved them and given them a concern for the souls of men, women, and children in other places. I am thankful their testimony was such at home that they had the confidence of the Lord's people to send them to other places. I am thankful for those who listened to their testimony for the Lord. I am thankful that those saved by grace in those faraway places have counted the cost and come out openly for Christ in the places where they are known. I am thankful for the multiplying principle practiced in the book of Acts, which works today in every place where the Gospel is preached in fellowship with God. I am thankful that God's Word will not "return unto Him void" because of the faithful Sowers of the Gospel seed worldwide. “I praise Thee, O God, for Thy faithful people.”
Your Faith. “Faith,” that wonderful gift that God has given, makes it possible for mankind to connect with God. People think of faith in many different ways. It may mean being trustworthy or loyal. Sometimes, people use faith in common speech to mean a body of teachings or a tenet they have accepted, which may be far from God’s truth. When used in everyday terms, we commonly have faith in persons unseen who may sign a check or document that can greatly affect us or our actions.
To identify the faith of the Roman believers spoken of throughout the Roman empire, we would need to go further in evaluating such impacting faith. There would have to be a fidelity that would show, which they have to the unseen Person they believed in. There would have to be consistency for it not to be a point of mockery. They would have to be able to speak of their faith with credence, a genuineness that would make the unseen – reasonable. There would have to be confidence that could be observed when things were bad and good. It would be observable in the faces of those who spoke of love and answered prayer.
The faith of the Roman believers was an eminent faith – it was number one in order of life’s priorities. They would have to talk about their faith with a passion rather than with an indifferent tone. The people who heard about this would have to have been impressed with the witness of the observers for them even to give an ear to the spokespersons.
The general character of such faith would mean God is evident in the life and work of those who testify to their personal faith in Christ. It isn’t having faith in faith that saves us, but it is faith that leads us to the Object of our faith – the Lord Jesus Christ. That faith is transmitted to us by God Himself through His Word. The Holy Spirit makes that same word of truth understandable to us, and we put our faith in the Savior.
The general expectations of faith would be evidence of confidence, an awareness of the reality of unseen things, and a commitment to an unseen Person. It would be expected that if I had faith in a Living Christ, I would live my life no different than if He were visible beside me at all times. It would be expected that what His interests were would also be mine. The things that occupy His heart would be the same in me. If He asked something of me, it would be expected that, in faith, I would quickly obey.
The general reputation of faith would be a sense of purpose and meaning in all I do. If I believe in a Person, whether I am with them or not, in a physical way, I will be conscious of the fact that all I do will affect their reputation as well. I will be careful not to do anything that would dishonor the One in whom I have put my faith.