2019-05-03
Good Morning Dear Ones,
I’m of the opinion that each book of the Bible usually has one chapter that is a special gift from our loving God. Certainly, RO 8: 1-39, which deals with life in the Holy Spirit, the future glory, and God’s love in Jesus Christ, would qualify! As promised last week, today’s devotion will begin with RO 8, having realized the entire chapter shouldn’t be missed. Let me remind you, Dear Readers, that we are examining supporting Scriptures to the book of Colossians and our relationships with God and with others.
RO 8: 1 and 28-29, “There is no condemnation for those living in union with Christ Jesus…We know now that in all things God works for good with those who love Him, those whom He has called according to His purpose. Those whom God had already chosen He also set apart to become like His Son, so that His Son would become the First among many believers.” If you are reading this passage and feeling like a ton of sin and guilt has been lifted off your shoulders, then you (who believe in Christ) are understanding this message well. (3-11) And yet, we are still capable of sinning, but His Spirit has made us not want to sin. The Father sent Christ for us, so that even though He had mankind’s nature, He chose not to sin-in fact, to do away with sin. The Law alone wasn’t doing the job. Only Christ could do this by His Atonement for those who believe in Him. Tough assignment? You bet it was! God’s plan was set up so that we who believe in Christ would be left with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Who Himself is a Counselor and can direct us to do what pleases the Father. Without Christ’s Atonement and the Holy Spirit, our human fleshly nature would take over our attitudes, thoughts and actions. To be controlled by our fleshly, human nature is to take a path straight to spiritual death. To be controlled by the Holy Spirit is to take the path to eternal life. The former can’t please God; the latter group does please God.
(12-17) Those who serially don’t allow themselves to be led by Jesus Christ can’t belong to Him. It’s a choice each human being must make. If the Holy Spirit lives in you, then you belong to God and His Spirit. The Spirit is life for you! If the Spirit lives in you, you have been put right (justified) with God. It is He Who raised Christ from death to life, and He does the same for those inhabited by Himself. This is what it means “to be alive in Christ” through His Spirit. One’s mortal body will come to life by means of the Holy Spirit in the Father’s perfect time and way. If by the Spirit one puts to death his sinful actions, he will live and will be God’s child. And what a family he has! This is a family who shares the same friends and enemies that God has, loves one another without conditions, serves God using the talents the Father has given him, and basks in the blessings and grace that the Father gives. This family of God is not enslaved by evil and afraid. But it is children of God, who are comforted, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and the recipients of the blessings God saves for His children. Moreover, when prayers are offered, God’s Spirit joins Himself to our spirits to declare that we are God’s children. While we share in Christ’s suffering, we also will share in His glory.
(18-30) As a child of God, each of us who believes in Christ, can look forward to sharing in His glory. We do this with groaning eagerness for God to reveal His children. The condemned of God’s human creation will lose its purpose. In Christ, we find the hope that creation itself will be set free from slavery to sin. He paid the ransom for sin with His blood on the cross. He alone could do this for us. Belonging to the Holy Spirit means He is our Teacher, the One Who shows us how to pray. “He pleads with God for us in groans that words cannot express. And God, Who knows our hearts, knows what the thoughts of the Spirits are. The pleading of the Spirit on behalf of His people is done in accordance with God’s will.
(31-39) God’s love for Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son is obvious! Having said this, it is also obvious that it was painful for the Father to see His Son suffering and spending time in hell before His resurrection and later, ascension. Yet, the Father and the Son made this sacrifice for humankind, so that we might have a way to salvation, justification, and eternal forgiveness. PS 44: 22 is recalled in RO 8: 36, “For Your sake we are in danger of death all the time; we are treated like sheep about to be slaughtered.” There are these dangers that beset humans: trouble, poverty, persecution, hunger, immorality, or death. However, with life in the Holy Spirit, a life in Christ, there is victory over these stings by the Son’s Atonement. See 1 COR 15: 42-58. We can truly understand that nothing or no one can separate us from the love of God [RO 8: 38 -39]. What a great gift Christ and our faith in Him brings!
PRAYER: We stand before Your throne, Dearest Father, to thank and praise You for making our salvation possible by such a great sacrifice as Christ’s Atonement and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us. Our faith isn’t possible without Your action. With reverence and awe, we take our weaknesses and confess our sins before You. You are a gracious and generous God! While we are able to sin, Your Spirit, removes our desire to sin. No other god has this power to do such good. Our faith is being sure of the things hope for and certain of things we cannot see [HE 11: 1]. We utter this statement of truth. PS 91: 1-2, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God, in Whom I trust.’” No matter where we are or what we do, we should and will show You the trust we have in You. As we uncover our sins and confess them to You, we rest in the hope that You will forgive them and not remove Your Spirit from us. We offer You our love, praise, prayers, and loyalty, in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ.
NEXT WEEK: I’m led to continue offering supporting Scriptures to the book of Colossians. Why go through all of this? It is valuable in explaining what we have already read, to increase understanding and commitment to God’s teaching. PHIL 1: 20-21 and 3: 8-11 will be discussed to reveal joyful faith in the Lord through the Holy Spirit. The many ways that the apostle Paul wrote in this letter reveal to us the willingness that this human being had to open his soul to the Lord Jesus. Can we do this? Of course, we can! It’s a choice we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to make. Ordinary people like you and me can choose to make our Lord Jesus a full-time Resident in our homes, congregations, communities, and beyond. It won’t necessarily be the easiest steps to take to do this, but it will be the most satisfying and will bring us future glory with Jesus. The story of Job taught me something critically important that I want to share with You. The whole time that Job’s trials were going on, even when his four friends gave him advice that wasn’t always the best, God was in control. His power was greater than the evil one’s. It remains that it will be in the present and in the future. Even during something as horrific as the Holocaust, God had His purposes (which were always-righteous) for allowing it to happen. If we understand this, it will be easier for us to trust in the Lord. Praise and thanks be to Him for His eternal goodness and love!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn
JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2019. All Rights Reserved.
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