Thursday Morning: 28 Mar 2019 – Romans 8:12-30 ~ waiting patiently and confidently

Thursday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Almighty God: to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of my heart through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that I may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ my Lord. Amen.
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Morning Reading – Romans 8:12-30 (NLT)

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

The Future Glory

Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
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Morning Reflection:

“We know that God causes everything to work together
for the good of those who love God
and are called according to his purpose for them.” – Romans 8:28

Yesterday a distant friend of mine attended a presidential Medal of Honor ceremony for his son who was killed in Iraq. His son’s act of heroism and self-sacrifice saved the lives of several of his fellow soldiers.

I don’t know about my friend’s faith, but I do know about my own anxiety when my USMC son served his tour of duty in Iraq during the same time period. Every day this verse – Romans 8:28 – was a comfort to me. But then, I never had to face the dreaded knock on the door; my son came home safe and sound.

What is it in Romans 8:28 that enables believers to wait patiently and confidently? It is certainly not freedom from the pain and suffering of this world. What is being promised?

We believe that God is in control of life’s events,
and that God works through them to achieve what’s best for us,
whether we understand it now or not.

Life experiences: Every experience of our life God has allowed. Each experience in our past God is working together with every other experience in order to bring about our good. Whatever experience in our past we think has been devastating, God meant it to develop us.

Personal failures: No sin can ever wipe out the Christians’ hope for the “good” for which God has chosen us and to which He has appointed us. We may fail. We will fail. For this we may very well suffer. But God’s purpose will never fail. Our failures will never separate us from God and from the good He has purposed.

What God does in us while we wait is as important as what it is we are waiting for. – John Ortberg

Questions for consideration:

Romans 8:28 is intended as a comfort for believers? Are you a believer in Jesus Christ? Please explain. (If you are uncertain, click here.)
Have you gone through a devastating experience in your life? As you reflect on your experience, do you find comfort in Romans 8:28? Can you see any good coming out of your experience, or are you still waiting? Please explain.
What are you waiting for at this time in your life? What is God doing in your life while you wait? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer:

Heavenly Father: Comfort your children with the assurance of your sovereign mercy and goodness, especially in our times of great suffering and heart-ache. Unlock your Spirit within us to strengthen us in our weakness and give expression to our groaning, that he might intercede on our behalf. Fill us with an eager hope of glory, when we will receive our full inheritance as your adopted children. And help us to wait patiently and confidently in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. All for your glory. Amen.
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“It Is Well With My Soul” – Audrey Assad

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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Wednesday Morning: 27 Mar 2019 – Romans 7:24-8:11 ~ No condemnation: the Spirit gives you life

Wednesday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (Collect for Purity)

Morning Reading – Romans 7:24-8:11 (NLT)

Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin

Life in the Spirit

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
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Morning Reflection:

“Now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
And because you belong to him,
the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you
from the power of sin that leads to death.” – Romans 8:1-2

What an encouragement: the Holy Spirit who lives in us has set us free from the power of sin and death. Do we still struggle? Yes. Are we under condemnation because of it? No. Why? Because we belong to Christ Jesus, and greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world.

What does it mean to belong to Christ Jesus?

+ It’s a union from which we draw new life and nourishment – like a branch grafted into a vine.

+ It’s a union from which we derive our meaning and purpose – like a member of a body.

+ It’s a union effected on God’s side by his Spirit, on our side by repentance and faith.

Why are we no longer under condemnation? Because when God looks at us, He sees Christ Jesus – our life is hidden in his redeeming love. Condemnation is impossible because we belong to Christ Jesus.

“Christ lives within you,
so even though your body will die because of sin,
the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God.”
– Romans 8:10

Questions for consideration:

Do you believe that “you been made right with God?” What does that mean to you? Please explain. Please click here if you’re not sure.
What does it mean to you to have Christ living within you, and the Spirit giving you life? Please explain.
Can you think of an example of how “the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin?” Please explain.
Can you think of an example when you were tempted to “follow our sinful nature but instead follow[ed] the Spirit?” Please explain.

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Morning Prayer:

I arise today through the mighty strength of Christ within me
and the freedom of his life-giving Spirit.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today through the mighty strength of Christ within me
and the freedom of his life-giving Spirit.

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“No Condemnation” – Anthony Evans

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Closing:

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Tuesday Morning: 26 Mar 2019 – Romans 7:13-23 ~ still struggling with sin

Tuesday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (Collect for Purity)

Morning Reading – Romans 7:13-23 (NLT)

But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my death? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death. So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God’s good commands for its own evil purposes.

Struggling with Sin

So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.
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Morning Reflection:

“Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death.
So we can see how terrible sin really is.
It uses God’s good commands for its own evil purposes.”
– Romans 7:13

In today’s opening verse, Paul describes the essence of our struggle with sin. It distorts the goodness of God for it’s own evil purposes – the destruction of our lives. Let’s look closer at this evil force of deception and distortion.

Steven Cole notes 15 ways that sin works to deceive us –

1. By convincing us that outward conformity is enough, without an inward change of heart.
2. By convincing us that everything is hopeless, so why even try.
3. By presuming on God’s grace, sin today and be forgiven tomorrow.
4. By convincing us it brings happiness, while godliness brings misery.
5. By convincing us of our right to happiness, instead of our responsibility to godliness.
6. By convincing us to discount the consequences of our willful disobedience.
7. By convincing us that we’ve earned a free pass to sin because of our service, past or present, to God.
8. By using euphemisms for sin, renaming immorality so that it sounds more acceptable.
9. By creating a new normal, convincing us that sinful people are normal and godly people are weird.
10. By working itself into our lives by degrees, so that what would have shocked us in the past is now accepted as normal.
11. By making us angry at God’s rules, boundaries and limitations, convincing us that God is against us.
12. By massaging our egos, boosting our pride and feelings of self-importance.
13. By convincing us that God’s rules, boundaries and limitations are keeping us from developing our gifts and abilities.
14. By making itself shiny and attractive, and making godliness look drab and dull.
15. By lowering the bar so that we compare ourselves with other sinners instead of God’s high standards.
Paul ends today’s reading with a reality check for believers –

I have discovered this principle of life—
that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.
I love God’s law with all my heart.
But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind.
This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.
– Romans 7:21-23

Questions for consideration:
- As you review this list of sin’s means of deception, which ones stand out to you? Please explain,
- Can you think of Biblical examples of sin’s deception? Please explain.
- Can you think of personal examples of how sin has deceived you? Please explain.
- Do you find yourself doing wrong, even though you love God and know what’s right? Please explain.
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Morning Prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ – Light of the World – expose the residual darkness in my life, and reveal the lies and deceit of the evil one who seeks to dominate and destroy my life. Break sin’s chains of bondage and set me free to love and serve you with my whole heart. Give me new eyes to see the world as you see it, and a new heart that breaks for the lost. Uncap the wellspring of the Holy Spirit within me that I may become a credible witness of your amazing grace. I ask this for your name’s sake. Amen.
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“Set Me Free” – Casting Crowns

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Closing:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Monday Morning: 25 Mar 2019 – Romans 7:1-12 ~ Serve God… by living in the Spirit.

Monday Morning

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening (Collect for Purity)

Morning Reading – Romans 7:1-12 (NLT)

No Longer Bound to the Law

Now, dear brothers and sisters—you who are familiar with the law—don’t you know that the law applies only while a person is living? For example, when a woman marries, the law binds her to her husband as long as he is alive. But if he dies, the laws of marriage no longer apply to her. So while her husband is alive, she would be committing adultery if she married another man. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law and does not commit adultery when she remarries.

So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit.

God’s Law Reveals Our Sin

Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good.
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Morning Reflection:

“You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ.
And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead.
As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God.”
– Romans 7:4

Martyn Lloyd-Jones says, “You are either a Christian or not a Christian; you cannot be partly Christian. You are either ‘dead’ or ‘alive’; you are either ‘born’ or ‘not born’. Becoming a Christian is not a gradual process; there is nothing indeterminate about it; we either are, or we are not Christian.”

If you are not a Christian, you are under the condemnation of the law. But if you put your trust in Christ, who bore the curse of the law, you are released from the law and joined to the loving, powerful, Holy Spirit so that you can bear good fruit for God.

Questions for consideration:

Are you a Christian? Have you made peace with God? If you aren’t sure, go to this website for clarification – click here.
Paul uses the example of marriage to describe our relationship with Christ. Do you view yourself as being “married to Christ?” Please explain.
What has changed in your life since you became a Christian? What good fruit is God producing in your life now? Please explain.
What does “living in the Spirit” mean to you? How is the Holy Spirit changing your life? Please explain.

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Morning Prayer:

Wondrous God: Thank you for adopting me into your family, by grace through faith, in union with your Son, Jesus Christ. Bind me to him in death and life, that I may die to my old ways and live in a new way that bears good fruit for your Kingdom – now and forever. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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“Spirit Of The Living God” – Meredith Andrews

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Closing:

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

The 3rd Sunday of Lent – 24 Mar 2019 – Luke 13:1-9 ~ repentance: one more chance

Third Sunday of Lent

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Opening Prayer

God of salvation, we stand before you on holy ground, for your name is glorified and your mercy revealed wherever your mighty deeds are remembered.

Since you are holy and forbearing, turn us from every rash and shallow judgement to seek the ways of repentance.

We ask this through Christ, our deliverance and hope, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, holy and mighty God for ever and ever. Amen.
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“There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy” – Ben Grace (Based on the hymn by Frederick Faber)

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Gospel Reading: Luke 13:1-9 (NLT)

A Call to Repentance

About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered? Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem? No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”

Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’

“The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”
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Prayer:

Most holy and merciful Father: We confess that we have sinned by our own fault in thought, word, and deed; by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and strength.
We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We have not forgiven others, as we have been forgiven.
We have been deaf to your call to serve, as Christ served us.
We have not been true to the mind of Christ.
We have grieved your Holy Spirit.

Lord, have mercy upon us: for we have sinned against you.

For all our unfaithfulness and disobedience; for the pride, vanity, and hypocrisy of our lives…. Lord, have mercy.
For our self-pity and impatience, and our envy of those we think more fortunate than ourselves…. Lord, have mercy.
For our unrighteous anger, bitterness and resentment; for all lies, gossip, and slander against our neighbors…. Lord, have mercy.
For our sexual impurity, our exploitation of other people, and our failure to give of ourselves in love…. Lord, have mercy.
For our self-indulgent appetites and ways, and our intemperate pursuit of worldly goods and comforts…. Lord, have mercy.
For our dishonesty in daily life and work, our ingratitude for your gifts, and our failure to heed your call…. Lord, have mercy.
For our blindness to human need and suffering, and our indifference to injustice and cruelty…. Lord, have mercy.
For our wastefulness and misuse of your creation, and our lack of concern for those who come after us…. Lord, have mercy.
For all false judgments, for prejudice and contempt of others, and for all uncharitable thoughts toward our neighbors…. Lord, have mercy.
For our negligence in prayer and worship; for our presumption and abuse of your means of grace…. Lord, have mercy.
For seeking the praise of others rather than the approval of God…. Lord, have mercy.
For our failure to commend the faith that is in us…. Lord, have mercy.

Show favor to your people, O Lord, who turn to you in true repentance. For you are a merciful God, full of compassion, long-suffering, and abounding in steadfast love. You spare when we deserve punishment, and in your wrath you remember mercy. Spare your people, good Lord, spare us; in the multitude of your mercies, look upon us and forgive us; through the all-sufficient sacrifice of your blessed Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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“Come Ye Sinners” – Jami Smith

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Blessing – Psalm 102:17-18

The love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!