No Condemnation

Scripture:

Romans 8:1-2 THEREFORE, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit. (2) For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has freed me from the law of sin and of death.

Observation:

To understand what Paul means by the "law of sin and death" we need to note the link between "the flesh" and "sin" in his thinking. For instance, he concludes the previous chapter with the dismal words "with the flesh [I serve] the law of sin," thereby clearly identifying "the flesh" as the means whereby sin operates within the human experience. At this point, considerable confusion can arise because of Paul's habit of using "flesh" (Greek, sarx) in a number of ways. In Romans 8:28, "flesh" obviously means the tissues of the physical body; in Romans 1:3, it means natural descent; in Romans 3:20, it is a synonym for the human race, and in Romans 8:30, it refers to human nature. To add to the confusion, the translators of English editions of the Bible occasionally translated sarx words by the English word "carnal." But all is not lost if we remember that when sarx, whether translated "flesh" or "carnal," appears in contrast to God and His work in human lives, it means human nature with particular reference to its inbuilt sinfulness. Godet defines it as "the inclination to seek self-satisfaction in everything," and Bruce weighs in with "sinful propensity from Adam." The flesh is an attitude or inclination operating in complete rejection of the divine will that requires self-sacrificial submission, choosing rather the free expression of anything and everything that will bring self-gratification. It is in this flesh that the law of sin and death moves and has its being.

Anyone who reads Romans 8 should have little difficulty grasping the significance of the flesh. The law is said to be "weak through the flesh" (Romans 8:3); those who live "according to the flesh" set their minds on the "things of the flesh," which we are told is "death" (Romans 8:5-6); the fleshly mind is "enmity against God" and "is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can it be" (Romans 8:7); furthermore, "those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:8). To be "in the flesh" means the same as being "in Adam," or unregenerate; to live "according to the flesh" means to live as if unregenerate after becoming regenerate. Paul's cry for deliverance is therefore a longing to be free from the discouraging tendency he has discovered in himself to live, although justified, as if he is not. He finds within himself a sinful propensity which is so powerful that he recognizes he, in himself, is incapable of breaking it; in fact, it is so pervasive that he feels as if he is "sold under sin" because his human nature is so thoroughly imbued with selfishness and self-serving. This is the law of sin and death from which he longs to be free.

Application:

"No Condemnation" simply means
"Not guilty; let him go free." What would those words mean to you if you were on death row? The fact is that the whole human race is on death row, justly condemned for repeatedly breaking God's holy law. Without Jesus we would have no hope at all. But thank God! He has declared us not guilty and has offered us freedom from sin and power to do his will.

Prayer:

"Lord, I am so thankful that when I give my life to you, when I confess my sins, and make you Savior and Lord, there is nothing known against me. I am free, and not guilty. That still overwhelms me. I am so thankful for the blood of Jesus that washes me and makes my heart "white as snow." I choose today to walk in that forgiveness and freedom. In Jesus' name, amen!"

Living Water

Scripture:

John 7:37-38 On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.
(38)
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."

Observation:

What did Jesus mean by "living water"? In the Old Testament, many verses speak of thirsting after God as one thirsts for water. God is called the fountain of life (Psalm 36:9) and the fountain of living water (Jeremiah 17:13). In saying he would bring living water that could forever quench a person's thirst for God, Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah. Only the Messiah could give this gift that satisfies the soul's desire.

Jesus' words, "come and drink," alluded to the theme of many Bible passages that talk about the Messiah's life-giving blessings. In promising to give the Holy Spirit to all who believed, Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah, for that was something only the Messiah could do.

Jesus used the term living water in John 4:10 to indicate eternal life. In today's "Soap" text (John 7:37-38), he uses the term to refer to the Holy Spirit. The two go together: Wherever the Holy Spirit is accepted, he brings eternal life. Jesus teaches more about the Holy Spirit in chapters 14-16. The Holy Spirit empowered Jesus' followers at Pentecost (Acts 2) and has since been available to all who believe in Jesus as Savior.

Application:

In Revelation 22:17, both the Holy Spirit and the bride, the church, extend the invitation to all the world to come to Jesus and experience the joys of salvation in Christ.

When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well, he told her of the living water that he could supply (John 4:10-15). This image is used again as Christ invites anyone to come and drink of the water of life. The Good News is unlimited in scope-all people everywhere may come. Salvation cannot be earned, but God gives it freely. We live in a world desperately thirsty for living water, and many are dying of thirst. But it's still not too late. Let us invite everyone to come and drink. And may we drink again and again of this Living Water...DAILY!

Prayer:

"Lord, thank you so much for being the Living Water. You invite me daily to come and drink IF I am thirsty. I want my thirst for you to increase, and this happens by spending daily time with you. Today...I THIRST! In Jesus' name, amen!"

MORE than conquerors

Scripture:

Romans 8:35-39 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.

Observation:

These words were written to a church that would soon undergo terrible persecution. In just a few years, Paul's hypothetical situations would turn into painful realities. This passage reaffirms God's profound love for his people. No matter what happens to us, no matter where we are, we can never be separated from his love. Suffering should not drive us away from God but help us to identify with him and allow his love to heal us.

Application:

These verses contain one of the most comforting promises in all Scripture. Believers have always had to face hardships in many forms: persecution, illness, imprisonment, and even death. These sometimes cause them to fear that they have been abandoned by Christ. But Paul exclaims that it is impossible to be separated from Christ. His death for us is proof of his unconquerable love. Nothing can separate us from Christ's presence. God tells us how great his love is so that we will feel totally secure in him. If we believe these overwhelming assurances, we will not be afraid.

One of my favorite songs (among many) is "We've been made more than conquerors". I have placed the lyrics below. As you read them, please remember that God is on FOR you, not AGAINST you:

We've been made more than conquerors, Overcomers in this life.
We've been made victorious. Through the blood of Jesus Christ!

When troubles come knocking' at your door, Don't be afraid, you know it's not like before.
Don't you give in, don't let it bring you down. Cause you don't have to worry anymore!

Hold on, we're getting stronger everyday. There's no reason for you to go astray.
Don't go leaning to your understanding, Cause you don't have to worry anyway!

Prayer:

"Lord, thank you for making me MORE than a conqueror. Your Word reminds me that nothing can separate me from Your love. No matter what I face today, you will not leave be, but you will walk with me...and comfort me. I love you Lord, and recognize Your presence and help today. In Jesus' name, amen!"

Paul’s Prayer Pattern

Scripture:

Colossians 1:11-14 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully (12) giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. (13) For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, (14) in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Observation:

In book of Colossians, Paul was exposing a heresy in the Colossians church that was similar to Gnosticism. This heresy (a teaching contrary to biblical doctrine) undermined Christianity in several basic ways: (1) It insisted that important secret knowledge was hidden from most believers; Paul, however, said that Christ provides all the knowledge we need. (2) It taught that the body was evil; Paul countered that God himself lived in a body-that is, he was embodied in Jesus Christ. (3) It contended that Christ only seemed to be human but was not; Paul insisted that Jesus was fully human and fully God.

Gnosticism became fashionable in the second century. Even in Paul's day, these ideas sounded attractive to many, and exposure to such teachings could easily seduce a church that didn't know Christian doctrine well. Similar teachings still pose significant problems for many in the church today. We combat heresy by becoming thoroughly acquainted with God's Word through personal study and sound Bible teaching. Gnostics valued the accumulation of knowledge, but Paul pointed out that knowledge in itself is empty. To be worth anything, it must lead to a changed life and right living.

His prayer for the Colossians has two dimensions:
(1) that they might have complete knowledge of God's will and have spiritual wisdom and understanding; (2) that their lives would produce every kind of good fruit, even as they learned to know God better and better. Knowledge is not merely to be accumulated; it should give us direction for living. Paul wanted the Colossians to be wise, but he also wanted them to use their knowledge. Knowledge of God is not a secret that only a few can discover; it is open to everyone. God wants us to learn more about him, and also to put belief into practice by helping others.

Application:

There are times we need direction on how to pray for people, including missionaries and other leaders we have never met. Paul had never met the Colossians, but he faithfully prayed for them. His prayers teach us how to pray for others, whether we know them or not. We can request that they (1) understand what God wants them to do, (2) gain spiritual wisdom, (3) honor and please God, (4) produce every kind of good fruit, (5) learn to know God better and better, (6) be strengthened with God's glorious power, (7) have great endurance and patience, (8) be filled with joy, and (9) give thanks always. All believers have these same basic needs. When you don't know how to pray for someone, use Paul's prayer pattern for the Colossians.

Prayer:

"Lord, thank you for the knowledge that I can receive daily from your Word. But this knowledge is not to merely be accumulated it should be used to give me direction in my life. I thank you today for the information I received from reading your Word this morning. I choose to use Paul's pattern to pray for those in leadership that you lay upon my heart. In Jesus' name, amen!"

Keep company with the Lord

Scripture:

Psalm 37:4-5 (NIV) Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. (5) Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:

Psalm 37:4-5 (MSG) Keep company with GOD, get in on the best. (5) Open up before GOD, keep nothing back; he'll do whatever needs to be done:

Observation:

David calls us to take delight in the Lord and to commit everything we have and do to him. But how do we do this? To delight in someone means to experience great pleasure and joy in his or her presence. This happens only when we know that person well. Thus, to delight in the Lord, we must know him better. Knowledge of God's great love for us will indeed give us delight.

To commit ourselves to the Lord means entrusting everything-our lives, families, jobs, possessions-to his control and guidance. To commit ourselves to the Lord means to trust in him (Psalm 37:5), believing that he can care for us better than we can ourselves. We should be willing to wait patiently (Psalm 37:7) for him to work out what is best for us.

Application:

Memories of the good times he'd "kept company" with his father, was what eventually brought the Prodigal Son back home (Luke 15:7). And the right memories will draw you back into God's presence, to keep company with Him time and time again. When you are delighting and keeping company with the Lord on a daily basis there are times that you will have to COMMIT everything to Him in the midst of a struggle where you need some direction. So, as you are delighting and keeping company with God, you need to pray...

(1) Until change begins.
"But we all… beholding… the Lord, are changed… from glory to glory… by the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18)

(2) Until you understand His plan for your life.
"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)

(3) Until you recapture your motivation.
"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living… be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (Psalm 27:13-14 NIV)

(4) Until you receive His wisdom.
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." (Psalm 32:8 NIV)

(5) Until new ideas are born. "See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being, I announce them to you." (Isaiah 42:9 NIV)

(6) Until Christ becomes the center of your life.
"Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4 NIV).

Gospel singer Larnelle Harris sang a song years ago that I loved, but it challenged me every time I heard it. It was called, "I miss my time with you." Read over the lyrics, hear God's heart as He longs for you to "Delight and keep company with Him again":

There He was just waiting In our old familiar place. An empty spot beside Him. Where once I used to wait

To be filled with strength and wisdom. For the battle of the day. I would've passed Him by again, But I clearly heard Him say

I miss My time with you, Those moments together. I need to be with you each day. And it hurts me when you say You're too busy, busy trying to serve Me
But how can you serve Me When your spirit's empty. There's a longing in My heart Wanting more than just a part of you It's true I miss My time with you

What will I have to offer How can I truly care My efforts have no meaning. When your presence isn't there. But You'll provide the power If I take time to pray
So Ill stay right here beside You And you'll never have to say "I miss my time with you."

Prayer:

"Lord, I am so thankful that I can keep company with You. Forgive me for the times You had to say of me "I miss my time with you." Today, I choose to delight and keep company with you. In your presence there is fullness of Joy! I love you Lord, and thank you for Your divine, manifest presence. In Jesus name, amen!"

Joyful INSIDE and OUT

Scripture:

Psalm 16:9-11 (MSG) I'm happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, I'm firmly formed. (10) You canceled my ticket to hell-- that's not my destination! (11) Now you've got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face. Ever since you took my hand, I'm on the right way.

Observation:

David's heart was glad-he had found the secret to joy. True joy is far deeper than happiness; we can feel joy in spite of our deepest troubles. Happiness is temporary because it is based on external circumstances, but joy is lasting because it is based on God's presence within us. As we contemplate his daily presence, we will find contentment. As we understand the future he has for us, we will experience joy. Don't base your life on circumstances, but on God.

David stated confidently that God would not leave him in the grave. Many people fear death because they can neither control nor understand it. As believers, we can be assured that God will not forget us when we die. He will bring us to life again to live with him forever. This provides real security.

Application:

After teaching His disciples the need for obedience, Jesus told them, "I have said these things to you that My joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete" (John 15:11 NIV). According to Jesus our problem is not that we're too happy for God's taste, but that we aren't JOYFUL enough. Nehemiah writes, "The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). We've greatly underestimated the necessity of joy. Joy is strength. Its absence creates weakness. Failure to live a deeply satisfying spiritual life always has the effect of making sin more attractive - therein lies the strength of temptation.

Psalm 68:3 says, "Let the righteous be joyful."

Joyfulness is a learned skill, but also a "Fruit of the Spirit." It's also a daily decision, one that lifts us above our circumstances. When we celebrate each day, we're exercising our ability to see and feel God's goodness in things we wouldn't have noticed before. As a result our capacity for joy increases.

The first step in pursuing joy is simply to begin - now! "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24). We live with the illusion that joy will come someday, like when we go to school and graduate, or get married, or have children, or when our children grow up and leave home; then they do, and we think we were happier when they were still with us. David says if we don't rejoice today we won't rejoice at all. If we wait until conditions are perfect we'll be waiting when we die. If we are going to rejoice, it must be this day.

We can be joyful on the inside and the out! When you have joy on the inside, your outside will be affected...I say it again today, SMILE!

Romans 12:8 if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.

Psalm 42:5 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God-- soon I'll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He's my God.

Proverbs 15:13 A cheerful heart brings a smile to your face; a sad heart makes it hard to get through the day.

Prayer:

"Lord, help me to be reminded today, that as a Christian it is not only ok for me to SMILE, it is very appealing and spiritual! You are such a good God...You put a SMILE on my face. Thank you for making me joyful on the inside and the outside. I choose today to walk in that "joy unspeakable and full of glory!" In Jesus name, amen!"

Joy and a Smile

Scripture:

Psalm 4:6-8 Why is everyone hungry for more? "More, more," they say. "More, more." I have God's more-than-enough, (7) More joy in one ordinary day Than they get in all their shopping sprees. (8) At day's end I'm ready for sound sleep, For you, GOD, have put my life back together.

Observation:

The godly are those who are faithful and devoted to God. David knew that God would hear him when he called and would answer him. We, too, can be confident that God listens to our prayers and answers when we call on him. Sometimes we think that God will not hear us because we have fallen short of his high standards for holy living. But if we have trusted Christ for salvation, God has forgiven us and he will listen to us. When you feel as though your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling, remember that as a believer you have been set apart by God and that he loves you. He hears and answers although his answers may not be what you expect. Look at your problems in the light of God's power instead of looking at God in the shadow of your problems.

Two kinds of joy are contrasted here-inward joy that comes from knowing and trusting God and happiness that comes as a result of pleasant circumstances. Inward joy is steady as long as we trust God; happiness is unpredictable. Inward joy defeats discouragement; happiness covers it up. Inward joy is lasting; happiness is temporary.

Application:

Nehemiah 8:10 says "...the joy of the Lord is my strength"

True joy always involves three things:

(1) A conscious decision to focus each day on God's goodness;
(2) Reaching out to bless others every chance you get;
(3) Understanding that joy produces strength, which explains why your joy is the devil's number one target. If you lose your joy you lose your strength, and he wins!

Dallas Willard writes: "To cut off the joys and pleasures associated with our bodily lives and social existence as 'unspiritual,' can have the effect of weakening us in our efforts to do right."

There are basically three kinds of people: The joy impaired - who believe we're not supposed to be happy, we're just supposed to be responsible. These people feel guilty about feeling good. The joy extinguisher - who's been hurt by life and whose anger simmers just beneath the surface. If you let them, they'll rain on your parade because your joy really bothers them. The joy carrier - when you're around them they breathe life into you. If you're joy-impaired, try spending a little time with joy carriers. Explain to them that you've been trying to break out of your joy-impaired condition. Ask them to become your joy mentor, meeting with you and holding you accountable for your attitude.

One way to make sure we express our joy is to lighten up! SMILE! Get a spiritual face-lift! Don't just give your children orders; smile while you're doing it. If your husband or wife works in a difficult environment, make sure they don't come home to more of the same. Smiles are like thermostats; they set the temperature and determine the climate around you. Joy is infectious. How people see you determines how they'll treat you. Who wants to be around somebody who looks like they'll bite your head off at any moment?

Learn to smile; it opens doors and hearts. It causes others to relax and lower their guard. It says, "I'm happy to be with you."

A well-known Bible teacher recently wrote, "One morning in the shower God said to me, 'I wish you'd smile when you're talking to me.' At 6:00 a.m. I didn't feel much like smiling, but I tried it anyway. I thought, 'I'm glad nobody's watching.' But when I did it, I immediately felt better. Then God reminded me of the words, "… joy cometh in the morning" (Psalm 30:5) Suddenly, I realized that when my eyes open each morning - joy is right there with me. All I have to do is activate it and operate in it all day long. The decision comes first - the feelings follow. That's how it works."

Prayer:

"Lord, like the Psalmist wrote in our verse today, "More joy in one ordinary day than they get in all their shopping sprees. (8) At day's end I'm ready for sound sleep, For you, GOD, have put my life back together." You bless my life daily with so much joy. I want to make a conscious effort today to express that joy by smiling more. At the beginning of this new year, I choose to recognize the gift of Your Joy, and to smile at my kids, my wife, my co-workers, people I come in contact with, more than I did last year. I thank you for the joy that I am experiencing today. Now, I will notify my face. In Jesus name, amen!"