This Sunday we will finish our summer series, Communion with the Living God, by looking at Romans 15:20-33, and seeing what it means to be “Abandoned To God.”  

This text is different than the others in this series, in that Paul is asking the church to pray for him.  What does he ask them to pray for, and why?  We really get a glimpse into the Apostle’s heart in this text, as well as the heart of God.  Read and pray over it in advance of Sunday.   

In September we will begin a new series on 1 Timothy.  (We will walk through 2 Timothy in the winter and spring.) The name of this series is Fight the Good Fight, something which Paul exhorts Timothy to do multiple times.  This is the first time I have preached through 1 & 2 Timothy, and I am very excited about it!  As I’ve immersed myself in these books recently, I am discovering so many treasures that I can’t wait to share with you.   

1 & 2 Timothy are traditionally known as “pastoral epistles,” meaning that they are written especially for pastors, but that’s only partially true.  Yes, they are wonderful exhortations for church leaders, but these letters are in God’s Word for all of us.  Because they are written to a person, they have a warm, personal feel, and are two of the most personally encouraging books in the Bible.  We’ll discover keys to a healthy church and healthy Christian living.  We’ll learn about leading and living for Christ.  And in this Fall series on 1 Timothy, we’ll learn what it means to “fight the good fight.”  Living for Christ is not easy in this broken world.  We are dealing with the world, the flesh, and the devil.  It is spiritual warfare.  How do we fight the good fight?  How do we finish the race, and keep the faith?  How do we make disciples in a fallen world?  How do we build healthy churches for God’s glory?  How do we watch our doctrine?  How do we watch our own lives?  How do we guard our hearts and the good deposit of the gospel that has been entrusted to us?  We will talk about these things and so much more in this series.  Be in prayer for it, as we begin walking through 1 Timothy on September 3^rd.   

I’ll see you this Sunday, as we dig into Romans 15:20-33.  Be praying for your one, and invite them to join you.    

By His Grace, For His Glory, To The Nations, 

Dr. Thurman Hayes, Jr.