http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%208-10&version=NIV
Wow - how does one blog on Romans 8? It is filled with so much truth - so many essentials for salvation and a life of faith. I'd love to point out my favorites that I believe are key truths:
8:1 - Therefore there is now no condemnation for those we are in Christ Jesus. Hear that and make sure your heart is certain of it - there is NO condemnation. When you, by faith, accept the salvation provided freely, your past - and the way you might screw up in the future - do NOT condemn you if you are in Christ Jesus. You don't have to clean yourself up or live up to a certain standard to received God's love and mercy - for it is FREELY given to all who open up their hearts to receive!
8:9 - You, however, are not controlled by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. In Christ, not only is there no condemnation for your past, but the Spirit of God living in you enables you to be changed in the present. From the inside out you are changed.
8:16 - The Spirit himself testifies that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are 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. By grace, we share all that Christ has - including eternal life in the presence of our Daddy God - oh how I long for that day! But what we inherit does not just come after we pass from this life. No indeed - all the promises of God for his children are for us TODAY! So while we might suffer in this life on earth - all of God's promises - both present and future - are for us.
8:26 - 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 with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. This is my favorite Roman's 8 verse lately. I love the idea that when I can't seem to find my way through what is happening in my life or what I even should pray for, I simply say "I know that the Spirit intercedes for me when I don't know what to pray - and that's how I feel right now, so Spirit, I ask you to intercede. And then I ask you to create my prayers - prayers that are according to the will of God. Your words says that when we pray in the Spirit and according to the will of God, we have what we ask. Lord, I want to see answered prayers and so I ask Lord, that my prayers would be spirit created." So there's a glimpse into my prayer life and why I've come to treasure this verse.
8:28 - 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. All things, in your life, my friends can and will be used for good. Beautiful things, challenging things, devastating things, things that are your own fault, bad choices, good choices - ALL THINGS can be worked for your good and conformed to the will of God. Be certain, friends, that if God allows it, God can and will use it for His good, pleasing and perfect will. This, I believe, is core to perseverance as we walk in faith.
8:38 - For I am convinced that 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. There is nothing, my friends, that can separate us from the love of God. Nothing. We are covered by the blood of Christ, so nothing we do can change how God loves us. Maybe you need to hear that again - nothing you do can change how God loves you. I worked with a client the other day who walked away from God for a while. She now feels like she needs to earn her way back into God's grace. Untrue! Nothing - not even our own actions - can change how much God loves you. If you walk away, he waits with open arms ready to embrace you - waiting for you to let him.
A Romans 8 summary: Christ died for you so that you would have freedom from the law and so that because your sins are covered, you have the Spirit of God living inside of you. This Spirit changes you from the inside out. You are not longer a slave to sin, but have the ability to see your life changed by God's power, in a way that you have been powerless to do yourself. Because Christ has given us his perfection, the Father embraces us as children and we have all that he offers and promises - both for this life and for eternity. He lives in us, He walks with us, He even prays for us. There is nothing in this life, nothing in this world, and even nothing that is not of this world, that can separate us from the love of God that we have through faith in Jesus Christ and his abundant sacrifice. God loves you - know it, live it, celebrate it!
Blessings to you!
Today's post was submitted by Carol Bartels
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This is worth dancing about. Prayer!
ReplyDeleteAn 11 year boy of a friend we've been praying for suddenly woke up from his 2 month coma yesterday. We do serve the living God! The things we reading here are more than just words. The Spirit brings life! Last week, an txt to a single moms phone for us to pray for Andrew, locked up her phone. The txt would not go away. It as stuck on "Pray for Andrew" She removed the battery of her phone, tried all she could to get the message off to no avail. After a day and half and much prayer for Andrew, the message finally closed. She joked about how I locked her phone up but we knew it was a God thing.
Interesting note on 3 verses in chapter 8 I have found them to be the most powerful verses on the Godhead in the Bible or the trinity as some would say
Notice who dwells in us!
Rom 8:9-11
But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Spirit of God dwells in you
Spirit of Christ
Christ is in you
Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead
His Spirit