Friday night I broke my movie and TV fast by watching Prince Caspian. I had been planning to see the movie for over a month. The last week was tough. I kept on wanting to drive to the theater as fast as I could and watch Narnia and then come home and start watching whatever and everything I wanted to. I managed to control myself and wait. While other people including my brothers went to see Prince Caspian during the opening week, I spent my time studying and taking my finals. I got through it all.
I enjoyed the movie even though they had made some changes that I didn't like. I don't like change whether it is a movie or life in general. But I'm not going to tear apart the movie here and now.
The next day I spent watching seven episodes of "Murder She Wrote." I think I need to practice moderation.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Studying Through Romans Part 17
8:1-4 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so He condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit."
Hallelujah! This is one of the most joyful verses in Romans. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. I am not condemned. I do not have a death sentence. I am free! Jesus came as a sin offering so we might not die. These verses sum up the salvation message.
8:5-8 "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God."
It is so true. When I am living for Christ, my thoughts are on Him. My mind is on Him. I cannot please God when I am controlled by sinful desires. You cannot serve both God and man. You must choose this day who you are going to serve.
8:9-11 "You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you."
Our bodies are dead in Christ but our spirits are alive. God will give life to our bodies. I think this means that we should live as though our bodies are dead. We shouldn't please our fleshly desires but instead we should dwell on spiritual things. And God will give life to our dead mortal bodies. We will someday have immortal bodies.
8:12-17 "Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation - but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a Spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children then we are heirs - 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."
We have this obligation to live for God. If we renounce our sinful ways and follow Christ then we will live. We are sons of God. We are also heirs if we share in Christ's sufferings. Only those who share in His sufferings may also share in His glory.
8:18-21 "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God."
But our sufferings are nothing compared to the glory that will be revealed in us. Creation is waiting for the sons of God to be revealed. I picture the rocks and trees rejoicing in their freedom when the sons of God are revealed.
8:22-25 "We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of out bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."
I think of my deepest desire to be holy. I am in anguish over my sinfulness. I cannot wait for the redemption of my body when I shall be called a son of God and I shall be made pure.
8:26-27 "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."
Often I pray without knowing how I'm supposed to. Sometimes I feel like the Spirit is directing me to say something and other times I keep silent because I do not know what to say. It is then that the Spirit intercedes for me.
8:28-30 "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. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified."
Some people think that verse 28 means that if you love God then everything will be peachy keen. I think it goes with verse 30. If we love God, if we have been predestined and called, we are justified and glorified. Isn't this our good? We are justified and glorified. What more could a person want?
8:31-39 "What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all-how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-more than that, who was raised to life-is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither hight 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."
No one's judgment can separate us from God. Nothing on earth or in heaven can separate us from the love of God. Isn't that amazing to think about? Sometimes life can get depressing and you can feel like there is no love in this world. But God's love reaches everywhere and nothing can separate us. Doesn't that give you the greatest security you could ever hope for?
Hallelujah! This is one of the most joyful verses in Romans. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. I am not condemned. I do not have a death sentence. I am free! Jesus came as a sin offering so we might not die. These verses sum up the salvation message.
8:5-8 "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God."
It is so true. When I am living for Christ, my thoughts are on Him. My mind is on Him. I cannot please God when I am controlled by sinful desires. You cannot serve both God and man. You must choose this day who you are going to serve.
8:9-11 "You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you."
Our bodies are dead in Christ but our spirits are alive. God will give life to our bodies. I think this means that we should live as though our bodies are dead. We shouldn't please our fleshly desires but instead we should dwell on spiritual things. And God will give life to our dead mortal bodies. We will someday have immortal bodies.
8:12-17 "Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation - but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a Spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children then we are heirs - 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."
We have this obligation to live for God. If we renounce our sinful ways and follow Christ then we will live. We are sons of God. We are also heirs if we share in Christ's sufferings. Only those who share in His sufferings may also share in His glory.
8:18-21 "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God."
But our sufferings are nothing compared to the glory that will be revealed in us. Creation is waiting for the sons of God to be revealed. I picture the rocks and trees rejoicing in their freedom when the sons of God are revealed.
8:22-25 "We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of out bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."
I think of my deepest desire to be holy. I am in anguish over my sinfulness. I cannot wait for the redemption of my body when I shall be called a son of God and I shall be made pure.
8:26-27 "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."
Often I pray without knowing how I'm supposed to. Sometimes I feel like the Spirit is directing me to say something and other times I keep silent because I do not know what to say. It is then that the Spirit intercedes for me.
8:28-30 "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. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified."
Some people think that verse 28 means that if you love God then everything will be peachy keen. I think it goes with verse 30. If we love God, if we have been predestined and called, we are justified and glorified. Isn't this our good? We are justified and glorified. What more could a person want?
8:31-39 "What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all-how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-more than that, who was raised to life-is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither hight 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."
No one's judgment can separate us from God. Nothing on earth or in heaven can separate us from the love of God. Isn't that amazing to think about? Sometimes life can get depressing and you can feel like there is no love in this world. But God's love reaches everywhere and nothing can separate us. Doesn't that give you the greatest security you could ever hope for?
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Lord, Consume Me
My family is looking for a church again. I want to be part of a church that does things together. When I worship, I want to see others worshiping. I want to feel like I belong and am needed there.
My parents are out of town this weekend. I decided to take three of my younger brothers and visit the First Assembly of God in the next town over. So I woke up this morning and confessed my sin to God. Then a song popped into my head. A thousand times I've failed but still Your mercy remains.... I got ready for church and then drove there with my brothers. People were friendly. Worship started. Some of the songs I didn't know but some I did. The last song started playing and I thought I recognized the tune. Then the lyrics were projected on the screen A thousand times I've failed and still Your mercy remains.... I knew God was trying to tell me something. I don't think it was a coincidence. I nearly broke down crying when I got to: from the inside out Lord my soul cries out..... Why can't God break and humble you without making you cry in front of people? I broke down. God's grace and mercy covers all. I know that God has been saying that He wants me now. Not when I feel like it. Not when I have found a church. Not when I move this fall. He wants me now. I was touched by the worship and the sermon. The pastor preached on Jonah chapter four. He talked about anger and depression and joy and thanksgiving. I want to go back but most of all I want God to consume me from the inside out.
My parents are out of town this weekend. I decided to take three of my younger brothers and visit the First Assembly of God in the next town over. So I woke up this morning and confessed my sin to God. Then a song popped into my head. A thousand times I've failed but still Your mercy remains.... I got ready for church and then drove there with my brothers. People were friendly. Worship started. Some of the songs I didn't know but some I did. The last song started playing and I thought I recognized the tune. Then the lyrics were projected on the screen A thousand times I've failed and still Your mercy remains.... I knew God was trying to tell me something. I don't think it was a coincidence. I nearly broke down crying when I got to: from the inside out Lord my soul cries out..... Why can't God break and humble you without making you cry in front of people? I broke down. God's grace and mercy covers all. I know that God has been saying that He wants me now. Not when I feel like it. Not when I have found a church. Not when I move this fall. He wants me now. I was touched by the worship and the sermon. The pastor preached on Jonah chapter four. He talked about anger and depression and joy and thanksgiving. I want to go back but most of all I want God to consume me from the inside out.
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