These brethren extend beyond brothers within a local church; these brethren extend to the Body of Christ. Take the time to learn who these brethren may be—you will be spending eternity with them.
Psalms 133:1 KJV Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Phebe seems to be an important woman of faith. Women are hardly honored in many churches, but this should not be so.
Ten women are honored in Romans 16 alone: Phoebe, Prisca, Mary, Junia, Tryphaena, Tryphosa, Persis, Rufus’s mother, Julia, and Nereus’s sister.
Romans 16:1 KJV I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:
Romans 16:2 KJV That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.
I’m not sure how America’s greatest allies fit into all of this. Perhaps those who teach that we should ally with the antichrist spirit for filthy lucre should be marked and avoided.
Romans 16:17 KJV Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
Romans 16:18 KJV For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
I find it interesting that Paul tells the Romans that Satan would be bruised underneath their feet shortly. It seems that the 70 AD destruction of the children of the devil fits right into this near-term prophecy, yet a far greater fulfillment is still to come with much more than a bruise, that is for sure.
Romans 16:20 KJV And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Paul, following in the steps of Christ, also references the scriptures of the prophets (Old Testament).
Romans 16:25 KJV Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Romans 16:26 KJV But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
Church splits do not always end the way the perpetrators hope they will.
Numbers 16:32 KJV And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
Numbers 16:33 KJV They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
Numbers 16:35 KJV And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.
Numbers 16:49 KJV Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.
We all have an appointment with death. Some of us may even be granted an extension, if we ask.
Isaiah 38:5 KJV Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.
King Hezekiah understood salvation, just as we do today.
Isaiah 38:17 KJV Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.
Isaiah 38:20 KJV The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD.
Father, thank You for our women of faith! In Jesus' Name, Amen.
