<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>Romans 15;22-24<div><br></div><div><b>22. &nbsp;This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you.</b></div><div><b>23. &nbsp;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,</b></div><div><b>24. &nbsp;I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be sped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a little.&nbsp;</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>Paul sensed that his evangelistic ministry throughout the northern Mediterranean was ending. &nbsp;Other unnamed Believers had flooded throughout the region, carrying the name of Jesus in Word and deed.</div><div>Therefore, Paul looked further westward for new unplowed ground so to speak. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>We know&nbsp;God had other plans. &nbsp;Not long after&nbsp;he expressed these desires, the Lord allowed Paul to be attacked by the Jews&nbsp;and arrested, imprisoned, and finally to travel to Rome, (not privately, but as the guest of the emperor)<span>&nbsp;to whom he had made a legal appeal in order to save his own skin.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>So we see the contrast between ‘the plans of man’ verses the plans of God. &nbsp;Had Paul’s plans gone forward, he would not have witnessed Christ before kings, even as he was being held in chains, or visited the island of Malta. &nbsp;Paul’s will was always to do the Father’s will, he was just a little off on how that was to be done toward the end of his missionary life.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>The most tender aspect of this reading is his desire to, <i>“enjoy your company a little.” &nbsp;</i>This reflects the joy and desire of the Spirit of God, which takes pleasure and&nbsp;comfort in fellowship and worship with ‘family’ we have yet to meet. &nbsp;Our spiritual hunger for oneness&nbsp;transcends the entire earthly church, and extends all the way to eternity, the Church Triumphant. &nbsp;In Christ, we break the bonds of time and connect with the whole of God’s healed and restored fruitful, creative, perfect work.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, bless us to be mindful of the spiritual desires You have inspired in us through the indwelling of Christ. &nbsp;In Jesus we pray, Amen.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Love,</span></div><div><span>Dad/Baba/Eric/Grandpa Pickle Pastor</span></div><div><span>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word. &nbsp;God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”</span></div><div><b><br></b></div><div><b><br></b><br><br><div><a href="https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&amp;c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&amp;af_sub1=Acquisition&amp;af_sub2=Global_YMktg&amp;af_sub3=&amp;af_sub4=100000604&amp;af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>


Romans 15;22-24
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 sped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a little. 

Paul sensed that his evangelistic ministry throughout the northern Mediterranean was ending.  Other unnamed Believers had flooded throughout the region, carrying the name of Jesus in Word and deed.Therefore, Paul looked further westward for new unplowed ground so to speak.  
We know God had other plans.  Not long after he expressed these desires, the Lord allowed Paul to be attacked by the Jews and arrested, imprisoned, and finally to travel to Rome, (not privately, but as the guest of the emperor) to whom he had made a legal appeal in order to save his own skin.
So we see the contrast between ‘the plans of man’ verses the plans of God.  Had Paul’s plans gone forward, he would not have witnessed Christ before kings, even as he was being held in chains, or visited the island of Malta.  Paul’s will was always to do the Father’s will, he was just a little off on how that was to be done toward the end of his missionary life.
The most tender aspect of this reading is his desire to, “enjoy your company a little.”  This reflects the joy and desire of the Spirit of God, which takes pleasure and comfort in fellowship and worship with ‘family’ we have yet to meet.  Our spiritual hunger for oneness transcends the entire earthly church, and extends all the way to eternity, the Church Triumphant.  In Christ, we break the bonds of time and connect with the whole of God’s healed and restored fruitful, creative, perfect work.
Prayer:  Merciful Father, bless us to be mindful of the spiritual desires You have inspired in us through the indwelling of Christ.  In Jesus we pray, Amen.
Love,Dad/Baba/Eric/Grandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.  God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”



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