Written By Pastor Mike Chambers

I believe the year was 1978. The place, Myrtle, Mississippi. Myrtle is a little town a few miles west of Tupelo. I was there attending an annual event called The Power Conference at Camp Zion, sponsored by the Myrtle Baptist Church of Myrtle Mississippi. The Pastor at that time was Dr. Percy Ray, who is now with the Lord. The church pastored by Dr. Ray sponsored what used to be called a power conference, at least that's what we called them.

This conference had a threefold purpose. One, a better understanding of the word of God; two, a greater knowledge of the Holy Spirit's work in the life of the believer; and three, revival in the Baptist churches of America. All who attended were encouraged to seek the Lord, and most did just that very thing.

The conference which was held for years in January was later changed to March. During this conference preachers and church leaders would gather from all over the southeastern part of the United States. Other states were also represented, but predominately the Bible Belt and the Southeast. The conference is still being held today.

In a gathering like this some of God's choice men would preach to the crowds that gathered. A good friend of Dr. Ray, and an outstanding Bible preacher, Bro. Estus Pirkle took to the pulpit, to the best of my recollection, on Tuesday during the day session. Power conferences were scheduled to last from Monday evening until Thursday or Friday. The morning and day sessions where moderately attended compared to the huge crowds that gathered at night. However a moderate crowd at Camp Zion during those years meant at least a thousand people maybe fifteen hundred or more.

Bro. Pirkle came to the pulpit and asked all of us to turn in our Bibles to the book of Romans, and then he said chapter eight. Some who knew what was coming began to shout. As a young preacher, like most young preachers, I thought that I knew everything. Bro. Pirkle said I entitle my message, "Roses from Romans Eight". I can remember thinking what an unusual title for a message.

Bro. Pirkle proceeded to preach I believe for at least an hour or more just skimming the surface of a few of the outstanding points of the chapter. I was amazed, and I wasn't alone, there were a lot of other young preachers there who like me had no idea before that day of the depth of the eighth chapter of Romans and old preachers too, I might add.

Since then I have made it a point in my preaching ministry to devote some time over the years in searching out some of those roses that blossomed that day as Bro. Pirkle spoke. I believe every preacher, regardless of how long he has been preaching, would benefit from an in-depth study of this wonderful chapter.

In the following notes, I make no claim to original thought. I have not intentionally plagiarized the work of others, but have studied their work as it was offered in book form. I have tried to glean in the fields provided by our greater Boaz who like the Boaz of the book of Ruth instructs his servants from time to time to drop a handful on purpose so that we might have plenty! This study will not be word by word. However I do want to cover every verse and every major point of Bible Doctrine.