GOD IS ON OUR SIDE!

Romans 7:14-25 (NRSV)

I do not do the good I want

For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am of the flesh, sold into slavery under sin. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, with my mind I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin.

DEVOTION

Ah! This week I have really been struggling with doing the good I know that I should do!

Paul was so right when he said that even when we try our hardest, evil is close at hand!

In my case, there is something in my life that I KNOW that I should entrust to God. But, the good that I ought to do, I have not done.

I want to be in control. I want to be in charge. I want to dictate solutions and I want things to work out according to my chosen time line.

In essence, I want to be my own "god," rather than turning things over to Jesus! (Lord, have mercy upon me.)

In my heart and spirit I believe that God knows what is best for me! God has a good plan for my life not to harm me, but to give me a future and a hope; but it is so hard to live into that Truth.

Thank God for JESUS who forgives all of our sin and gifts us with eternal life. Thank GOD for Jesus who is able to rescue us from ourselves and our sinful and selfish ways. Thank GOD for Jesus who loves us more than we could ever hope, dream, or imagine, even though we struggle so much to do what is right!

Today, I want us to hear a word of freedom. No matter what you are struggling with, God is on your side in your desire to do the right thing. If you are addicted to drugs, alcohol, sex, pornography, or anything else--God wants you to get well and honors your struggle. If you are wanting to control your own life and haven't yet yielded to God's good plan, God is on your side and wants you to win your internal battle. If you are desiring to stop lying, cheating, fornicating, stealing, or coveting your neighbors stuff--your desire is God's desire and God stands ready and willing to aid you in your recovery.

God is on our side when our desire is to do God's will! (Hallelujah!)

So, don't give up and don't give in. Know that although we are not able to win the battle by ourselves, Jesus Christ has already won the victory over sin, death, and the grave, and the Holy Spirit will empower us with wisdom and the help that we need to be victorious over every thing that so easily ensnares us!

Let us be hopeful and joyful on this day! God is on our side and will help us to follow JESUS.

THANKS BE TO GOD!

Let us pray: God, I confess that I am a sinner, saved only by your grace. Thank you for Jesus who makes atonement for my sin and gifts me with eternal life. Please help me not to lose hope. Please help me to truly be desirous of doing your will. And please empower me by the Holy Spirit to trust YOU to change me from the inside--out! I pray this in Jesus' Name, Amen.

INVITATION

If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @ http://bit.ly/JVhaLta

I AM FREE!

SCRIPTURE

Romans 7:1-6 (NRSV)

The new life of the Spirit

Do you not know, brothers and sisters -- for I am speaking to those who know the law -- that the law is binding on a person only during that person's lifetime? Thus a married woman is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives; but if her husband dies, she is discharged from the law concerning the husband. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man, she is not an adulteress.

In the same way, my friends, you have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God. While we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we are slaves not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit.



DEVOTION

After reading today's scripture passage, I feel a HALLELUJAH PRAISE in my spirit!

I am so glad that I am no longer dead to sin and to the law, but made alive in Christ Jesus!

This is the good news that we share every day.

God's Love sent Jesus to die on the cross to make atonement for our sin and to gift us with eternal life. But, Jesus did not stay dead, but was resurrected on the third day, just like he promised!

HALLELUJAH!

Because Jesus died in my place and paid the price for my sin, I am made alive in my spirit. No longer do I need to be afraid of eternal punishment for my sin.

When we put all of our faith in Jesus, we are made completely free!

Now, does that mean we can do anything that we want to do, any time we want to do it, to whomever we wish?? Of course not!

As Christians, or followers of Christ, we are called to walk, talk, think, and act like Jesus. Jesus lived a life of love and service to others. He was kind, gentle, good, and compassionate. He was sharing and gave liberally of his time, talent, and treasure to others.

Jesus is our ultimate example! As we seek to serve the Kingdom of Love, we will find that although we are free in Christ, we are constrained by the Good News!

Because we are so compelled to share the good news with others, at any cost, we will seek to BE good news in all of our endeavors!

Today, I want to thank you for reading, sharing, and BEing good news within your spheres of influence.

I challenge you to share the freedom you have in Christ with at least one person today! You'll be glad that you did.

Please pray with me:

Hallelujah, God! I praise your name! Thank you for setting me from the bondage, death, and decay of sin and the law and making me free through the good news of Jesus Christ! Thank you that Jesus died on the cross to save me from my sin. Thank you that he did not stay dead, but was resurrected just as he promised! I believe all of this with my whole heart and promise to share it with others. Please forgive me of my sin and fill me with the Holy Spirit, so that I can share and BE good news today and every day! In Jesus' Name, Amen.


SPECIAL NOTE

If you just prayed that prayer for the first time, today, you are saved! Let me encourage you to tell a Christian friend that you just put all of your hope in Jesus. Ask him or her to help you find a Bible that is easy for you to understand and to find a good Bible believing church where you can be baptized and make new friends who will walk with you on your Christian journey!

Please also take a moment to fill out the survey at the top left hand side of this blog. Click "YES" in answer to the question, "Did God save you today?"

Congratulations and Happy Re-birthday! Your salvation is our GOOD NEWS, please go and share the GOOD NEWS with others!