Monday, April 30, 2018


Romans 8


Romans 8 says it all

It covers the entire Gospel of Jesus Christ


Those who are in Jesus are set free

Free from compulsion to sin

Free from condemnation

that comes from the law because of sin


The Holy God requires punishments for sins committed


God gave Jesus to be The Sin Offering

So He condemned sin in the flesh

In order that the righteous requirement of the law

Might be fully met in us



Our mindset sets us up

If we are governed by the flesh we will die

But if by the Spirit we put to death the misdeeds of the body

We will live


We are in the realm of the Spirit

if the Spirit of God lives in us


When Christ is in us

Even though our bodies are subjected to death because of sin

The Spirit who raised Christ from the dead

Will also give life to our mortal bodies


We have an obligation to live according to the Spirit

By putting to death the misdeeds of the body


So that we will live


Those led by the Spirit of God are the children of God

The Spirit living in us testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children

We are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ


If we share in His sufferings we would also share in His glory


There is glory awaiting the children of God

The creation waits with eager expectation

for the revelation of the glory of God’s children


The creation groans and waits with God’s children

for our adoption to sonship

The redemption of our bodies


For in this hope we were saved


We wait patiently for a hope not yet fulfilled


The Spirit intercedes for us through wordless groans

in accordance with the will of God

Confident that God works for the good of those who love Him

who have been called according to His purpose


For those God foreknew

He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son

So that Christ can be the firstborn among many siblings



Those God predestined He also

Called

Justified and

Glorified


What then can we say in response to these things

If God is for us who can be against us


He Who did not spare His own Son

but freely gave Him up for us all

How will He not also graciously give us all things


Who will bring any charge against those Whom God has justified

Who then is the one who condemns


NO ONE


The risen Christ is also interceding for us at the right hand of God


No one

And nothing

Can separate us from the love of God

No situation

No circumstance


We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us


No life circumstances

Nor powers

No time

Nor space

Nor anything else in all creation

Will be able to separate us from the love of God

That is in Christ Jesus our Lord




The question is

Are we the children of God?

Do we have Christ’s Spirit?


For whoever do not have the Spirit of Christ

Do not belong to Christ

And without Christ we cannot enjoy

All or any

of what He has provided for us



Come on to Christ

Come into Christ

He is knocking at your heart’s door

He wants to come in

To set you free from

The cycle of sin and condemnation


To pour over you

His love

His unconditional love

His fierce love

His persistent love

His powerful love


That does not let you go


Neither death nor life

Neither angels nor demons

Neither the present nor the future

Nor any powers

Neither height nor depth

Nor anything else in all creation

will be able to separate us from the love of God


That is in Christ Jesus our Lord



1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


Monday, April 2, 2018


Romans 8 (Cliff Note)

Romans 8 has it all

It speaks of the whole Gospel



Those who are in Jesus are set free from the law of sin and death

because Christ fulfilled the righteous requirement of the law for us



Our mindset determines how we will live

If we live according to the flesh we will die

But if we live in accordance with the Spirit we will have life



While our body is subject to death because of sin

the Spirit gives life because Christ is our righteousness



We have an obligation to be live by the Spirit and not to the flesh



We have been adopted as God’s children

Heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ


While there’s suffering awaiting God’s children

there’s also glory awaiting us



Creation groans with eager expectation 

for the children of God to be revealed

Our adoption to sonship

The redemption of our bodies



In our weakness, the Spirit intercedes for us 

in accordance with the will of God



In all things, God works for our good 

us who love Him whom He foreknew


God predestined us, called us, justified us and glorified us



If God is for us, no one can be against us

If He gave up His Son for us, He will also graciously give us all things



No one can bring any charge against us

Because God is the One who justifies

Therefore no one can condemn us



The resurrected Christ 

Himself intercedes for us at the right hand of God



Who then can separate us from the love of Christ

No circumstances

No situations

None



We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us

No circumstances

No rulers or powers

No time boundaries

Nor anything else in all creation

Will be able to separate us from the love of God

that is in Christ Jesus Our Lord



********************************************************


1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.


22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.


28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.


Monday, December 25, 2017

Born to Die


Jesus was born to die

Born to demonstrate God’s love

Born to accomplish God’s salvation plan


Born to show God’s Truth

Born to give us Life

Born to show The Way to God


The only Way to God


To the heart of God

To communion with God

To be in eternal fellowship with the Triune God


The only way to the Holy God

Is a pure and cleansed heart

A pure and cleansed heart that we cannot achieve


So Jesus was born for us


Born to die for us


To take on the punishment of our sins

To purify and to cleanse us

By dying on the cross for us


Now we can have true communion with God

With the One and Only

Holy

True

Pure

Perfect

God


For we are now also

Holy

True

Pure

And perfect like our Heavenly Father


Through the death of our Savior


Who was born a baby

In a manager

In a smelly feeding trough


A baby born

So He could show us

The Way

The Truth

Life Eternal


By Him dying for us on the cross



Jesus was born to die

To die on the cross

For you

For me


For any and every one who would believe



On this Christmas Day



Thank You, Jesus

For Your birth

For being

The Only Way

The Only Truth

The Only Life

Back to God


Thank you, Jesus

For your death

On the cross for us


Thank you, Jesus

That You were


Born to die



For us

Monday, November 13, 2017

Highway of Holiness
(Isaiah 40)


Every valley will be raised up
    
Every mountain and hill made low

The crooked will be made straight

The rough places plain

So that God can

Make straight in the desert
    
A highway for His handiwork


His glory will be revealed

Because He alone will accomplish it




Valleys are our unmet needs

Our deprivations

Our scarcity

Experiences and the lack thereof

That prevented us from growing into full maturity



Mountain and hills are our coping mechanisms

We needed them to deal with our unmet needs

We erected them for our protection

from our experiences of deprivation and of pain



Crooked paths are work-arounds

of these

Valleys

mountains and hills


Many times these work-arounds were sinful

As they looked to ourselves

Our own strength

Instead of

to God



Rough places are the boulders we erected

As we bumble about our emotional terrain

The residues and collateral damages

Of our coping


The best that we can muster

on our own strength

Our unconscious

Subconscious

Volitional choices

to cope with what were

Lacking

Hurtful

Painful

Neglectful

And even abusive

As a child

Young child

Even at infancy




God raises up our valleys

He meets our needs

Flourishes us with abundance of

His provisions

His blessings

His love

His full pleasure



God removes our mountains and hills

His fierce love levels them

His unconditional love melts them away

As we experience His full acceptance

His very own presence annuls our need for them



His forgiveness cleanses us of our work-arounds

sinful ways of coping

of ameliorating

of comforting

of ourselves

for ourselves

by ourselves


Jesus did this by extending his arms

On the cross

As He was nailed to the cross

When He shed His blood

For our sins



The Holy Spirit removes

The pebbles

rocks

and boulders

we have erected


By sweet whispers of His love

Gentle convictions of His truths

His tender mercies and blessings

Despite our sinful ways



His life within us gives us the strength to

Face our fears

Tackle our sins

Accept His gentle corrections

Imbibe His nurturance

Feed on His truths



So that

A level ground can be established

To make way for

A highway of holiness


His HOLINESS


Where God’s glory can be shown

In our lives



Where there were valleys of lack

Now flourish with His provisions



Where the mountains and hills once were

Are now leveled and are gone



The crooked paths have been straightened

Through His blood shed on the cross



The rough roads are now smooth

No residues left

No signs of collateral damage



He can now reign freely

Unencumbered

Having His Way

His Truth

His life


Demonstrated

In our lives

Through our lives



That His Will is now accomplished

In our lives

As it is in Heaven



Our lives become

The exemplification of

His truth

His mercy

His handiwork


God’s glory is now revealed


In us




Through us