Wonderful Jesus!

No Expense Spared!

Romans 8:32- “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” NKJV

He did not spare His only Son
but delivered Him up for us all!

Romans 8:32

God is so amazing! When we stop and think about how perfect His plan of redemption is, we should rejoice! Not a selfish plan to have subjects running around like puppets doing His bidding, but a selfless love that He pours on us! Isn’t He simply wonderful? Paul has mentioned many things in this chapter that are available to us as the people of God:

There is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus!
Those led by the Spirit are the sons of God!
Those who have the Spirit of God belongs to God!
Those in Christ can cry “Abba, Father”!
Those in Christ and heirs and joint-heirs with Christ!
Those who belong to Him will be glorified with Him
God’s glory will be revealed in us
The Spirit of God helps us in our weaknesses
The Spirit of God makes intercession for us
All things work together for good when we love Him and are called according to His purpose
We will be conformed to the image of His Son
If God be for us, who can be against us?

And although he has been very pointed in what he says God has for us, he penned the above verse letting us know that God has so much more! Nothing in this chapter reveals anything to us that could cause us to think that God is against us, that He doesn’t love us! Actually, it is really quite the opposite!

Let’s read the verse again:

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
Romans 8:32 NKJV

This verse puts me in mind of Abraham again. Remember when God told Abraham to offer Isaac up to Him on Mt. Moriah? As they approached the place, Abraham left his servants behind and went up the mount with Isaac, telling them that he and Isaac would return to them. When he got to the place to make the offering, Isaac wanted to know where the offering was at, and Abraham responded that God would provide. Then as Abraham drew his arm back to kill Isaac, the Angel of the Lord stopped him and then said this to him:

Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son— blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
Genesis 22:15-18 NKJV

Just as Abraham believed it would be, it was! He trusted the previous promises that God had made to him, so much so that he believed that if he killed Isaac, God would give him life again! And if God didn’t have him kill Isaac, there would be a sacrifice waiting to be offered. This faith in God was so impressive that even today, it speaks to me! After all of that, Abraham gave that a mountain a new name:

And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
Genesis 22:14 NKJV

Just as the Lord provided for Abraham, by placing a ram in the bush, He will provide for us. I believe this is the whole point of Paul referencing this particular incident in Abraham’s life! That, and the fact that this very imagery would reflect what the Father Himself would do with His own Son!

This reminds me of another verse:

Yet the Lord was willing to crush Him, causing Him to suffer;
If He would give Himself as a guilt offering [an atonement for sin],
He shall see His [spiritual] offspring, He shall prolong His days,
And the will (good pleasure) of the Lord shall succeed and prosper in His hand.
Isaiah 53:10 AMP

Paul knew that scripture stated that God was pleased to crucify Jesus, and that Jesus was willing to be crucified; and the purpose was for the will of God to succeed. It was His will that we be reconciled back to Him!

He isn’t withholding blessings, He is freely giving us blessings!
He isn’t withholding salvation, He freely gives us salvation!
He isn’t withholding healing or health, He freely gives us healing and health!
He isn’t withholding finances, He freely gives us finances!

The psalmist wrote:

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows grace and favor and honor;
No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
Psalm 84:11 NKJV

In another letter, where Paul was explaining a similar topic, he wrote:

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the [Holy] Spirit who is from God, so that we may know and understand the [wonderful] things freely given to us by God.
1 Corinthians 2:12 NKJV

Spiritual things, material things, emotional things…If it’s a thing, it is provided with His Son! The One He did not spare, Jesus, but delivered up for us all, is the gateway to receiving all things from God! Freely! No dangling it before us and then removing it from us to show us that we are undeserving!

Paul wants us to have a clear picture of God and all that was provided for us in Christ Jesus! God provides for us far more then we can imagine:

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJV

So the next time you pray, you don’t have to beg God to do anything for you. You don’t even have to wonder if He wants to bless you, or provide for you! It is written:

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
Romans 8:32 NKJV

How great is your imagination? Mine is pretty big! God has so much more for me than I can imagine, and He has spared no expense. Let’s start receiving like we understand the preciousness of all He has done! Wonderful Jesus!

Happy Father’s Day!

Deuteronomy 6:4-5- “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

When Moses said, “Hear O Israel”, he was speaking to the men of Israel! He encouraged them to love the Lord with all of their heart, all of their soul, and all of their strength! And in the next verse he tells them to teach their children to love God the same way:

“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 6:5-9 NKJV

Today we celebrate Father’s Day here in America. Typically we attend church and we hear a word to encourage bad dads to become better dads, or struggling dads to be encouraged. According to my husband, it seems there should be more encouraging words for the dads who get it right!

Well, today, I commend those of you who get it right more than you get it wrong. You love God, you have trained your children, or you are training your children in the way that they should go. You are teaching them the word of God by your lifestyle, by the way you parent, by the way you love them and their mom! You are leading your family in righteousness and you are glad to be a father! Thank you and you deserve to be celebrated today and every day!

I personally celebrate my husband who has been a wonderful example before our girls. They see their father loving me and they desire to settle for nothing less. They enjoy spending time with him as much today as they did when they were little girls. They have a special relationship with their dad and it makes me happy to see it! We love him and are so grateful that he is a part of our lives!

I know this is the testimony of so many of you who read my blog! God has to be excited about the way you reflect Him to your families. It makes it easier for your family to understand the loving God they serve because you are their first example, and you do it well!

Enjoy your day today as you are celebrated by your loved ones. Today, it is all about you! Happy Father’s Day! Wonderful Jesus!

If God Be For You!

Romans 8:-31 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” NKJV

Paul began this chapter addressing life in the Spirit and life in the flesh. He warned us that a carnal life was no life at all, while true life was found in being led by the Spirit of God! He discussed sonship, sharing of an inheritance with Christ, suffering with Him, and then being glorified with Him.

Paul seems to take a detour by explaining how God takes us from that state of suffering to revealing His glory in us. He reminds us that even creation is waiting for the day of our full redemption that it may also be redeemed. Paul refers to being in that place where you have no words, only groanings; but it is okay because the Holy Spirit comes alongside us, helping us through those weak moments. Then he informs us that all the sufferings, heartaches, prayers that cannot be uttered, and feelings of being overwhelmed are working together for good for those of us who love God and are invited into His purpose! Those who have been justified, Paul states, will be glorified! Encouraging words!

But he isn’t finished, for while he has had some hard things to say in previous verses, now he is full of words of encouragement. If you have been following along with me in this study, you have already seen some of that! And with our key text, he brings home yet another very important point about our God:

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31 NKJV

The things Paul is referencing are the sufferings that he has mentioned to us. The type of sufferings that causes our hearts to hurt. What do we say to theses things, Paul asks?

This gives me the impression that we can talk to our circumstances! If we are honest with ourselves, our circumstances are always talking to us! God doesn’t love you and that’s why you are going through this! God isn’t faithful because if He was you wouldn’t be going through this! Life was better for you before you became a Christian. Our circumstances talk loudly and persistently to us! Now Paul asks the question, “What do we say to these things?

Well, he answers with a question that should stop all complaining in its tracks!

If God be for us, who can be be against us?
Romans 8:31b NKJV

We should “oida,” have full knowledge, of the power that God possesses! He is Creator of the ends of the earth! He is the One who parted the Red Sea for the children of Israel! He is the One who sent fire upon the altar that Elijah built! He is the One who held the sun back at Joshua’s word! He is the One who caused the walls of Jericho to fall! He is the One who made a public spectacle of the devil, triumphing over him! He is the One who holds the keys to hell and death! He is Jesus! There is no one greater than Him! And Paul says,

If God be for us, who can be be against us?
Romans 8:31b NKJV

I used to wonder why Paul used the word if, and not since. It always seemed to me that “if” left us wondering, if God indeed was for us! And maybe Paul was stating that everyone who believed that God was for them, He was not really for! After all, Paul experienced that himself when he was persecuting the Church. He thought God was for what he was doing, only to discover that he was fighting against God; and therefore, God was not for him! Some people have a difficult time understanding that God isn’t for everything that they say He is for!

Then I read somewhere that what Paul was saying is, “If God is for you, and He is, then who can be against you? I was leaning that way because it made more sense to me, than Paul leaving us wondering! But in all honesty, they both work! Because we can be assured that God is for His people!

So when we have these circumstances coming at us, instead of listening to what they have to say, we should say some of the things the overcomers in the word had to say:

Jonathan and his armor bearer spotted a group of Philistines, and though he was outnumbered he said to his armor bearer:

“Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.”
1 Samuel 14:6 NKJV

They had a mighty victory that day, and God did indeed save them! He doesn’t need a lot of anything to overcome circumstances in our lives!

David said, before defeating Goliath:

Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”
1 Samuel 17:47 NKJV

Then David released his rock and Goliath fell down! If God be for you, you understand that the battle belongs to the Lord!

David wrote these words:

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident.
Psalm 27: 1-3 NKJV

What is the thing that David was confident in? His confidence was in the fact that the Lord was for him! He had no reason to be afraid of man, his enemies, or his foes, because he had seen them stumble and fall! Even an army camped against him would not cause his heart to fear! David knew that God was for him!

One of my personal favorite cross-references to Romans 8:31 is Isaiah 54:17:

No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.
Isaiah 54:17 NKJV

None! Absolutely none! It doesn’t matter what life, or the devil, throws at us, when we are trusting God, IT SHALL NOT PROSPER!

Jeremiah had this to say:

But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.
Jeremiah 20:11 NKJV

I know I placed a lot of verses in this blog, but sometimes we need reminding of how often God tells us that He is for us! We need to remember that if He delivered Daniel out of the lion’s den, and He did, then He can most certainly deliver us from our troubles! If He delivered the children of Israel, and He did, He can certainly deliver us! There is nothing too hard for Him, and there is no weapon, no demon, no circumstance, that He cannot overcome!

The remaining verses of this chapter are so encouraging, I may have to take them one by one! Be patient with me, because this stuff is so exciting and so encouraging that I can’t help myself!! Wonderful Jesus!

I love this song! Let it bless you!

You’re Invited!

Romans 8:28-“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

The concept of all things working out for our good isn’t always an easy concept to accept or to live by. For those who believe that the Sovereignty of God means that the good, the bad, and the ugly, comes from God, this concept is easier to accept. For those who say they are of the “faith” movement, it’s a challenge because “faith moves mountains” and when the mountains don’t move, this scripture can seem as a cop out for your faith!

I know what I am talking about, especially in regards to my personal life. At one time, I wasn’t fond of this verse! (Don’t shoot me, yet!) It was as if, every time something happened that I didn’t care for, this would be the scripture that would come to me. And every time, I would feel like it was an excuse for me not seeing God show up in my situations! Things will work out, I would tell myself! Don’t worry about it! God’s got you! But there were times when it just didn’t seem that way! Am I talking to anybody today?

People often ask tough questions like, “How can the fact that my house burned down with everything in it, work for my good?” Or, “How can you tell me that my spouse leaving me and the kids is for my good? Or better yet, how can you even suggest that my loved one dying during this pandemic was for my good?” Genuine, heartfelt questions! Causing this scripture to seem cliche and insensitive to the one who it is told to. Because in the midst of the struggle, in the midst of the heartache, in the midst of the pain, it really doesn’t seem feasible that good could come out of sorrow! But it can, and it does!

Paul begins this verse with a simple phrase, “and we know”! I think this is important enough for us to stop and look at, so I will! There are two words in the Greek for our English word “know”, ginosko and oida. Ginosko suggests a progression in knowledge, while oida suggests fullness of knowledge. (Vine’s) Jesus uses both of these forms of the word “know” in the following verse:

“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
John 14:7

Translated: If you had “ginosko“, or had definitely come to know Me, you would have known (oida), would have had a perception, or real knowledge of my Father also, and from now on you “ginosko” would now consciously be in the constant and progressive experience of knowing Him. Ginosko implies have a relationship between the one who knows and the thing that is known, while oida suggests that the object has simply come within the scope of the “knower’s” perception or knowledge of. (Vine’ Dictionary).

The phrase Paul used was, “and we oida“, we have knowledge of. Paul wasn’t expressing what he was getting to know about God, but what he already knew about God! After all, only someone who had suffered a great deal, through a variety of circumstances and attacks, can confidently state, “and we know”!

What did Paul know? He had knowledge of the truth that all things worked together for good! He didn’t say that everything was good, only that all things worked together for good! Let’s look at an example in his life:

As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.
Acts 8:3 NKJV

For the Christian, what could possibly be the good in this situation? Paul led the charge against them; yet, it was this charge that moved the Christians from Jerusalem to go throughout the continent. As they went, they spread the gospel to other regions. As Paul arrested them, he saw their faith in the Lord Jesus and was troubled by it. We call it conviction! It led to his own salvation!

Paul went through continuous persecutions, but as he fled one place to another, he led others to Christ. As he was beaten, let down through windows, thrown out of cities, and left to die, he would just get up and keep preaching. One situation leading to another, but always with others coming to Christ. Even when he was told that bonds awaited him in Jerusalem, he declared that he was not only ready to suffer for Christ, but to die for Him also! This is the Paul who wrote that He understood that all things work together for good to those who love God.

Loving God is a condition for seeing the faithfulness of God in the midst of sufferings. When you love Him, you know He is working on your behalf even when you can’t see it, even when you don’t feel it! He’s working! And the end result is for good towards His people!

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV

That’s all the Father has on His mind when He thinks of us: peace, good, hope, a future. He isn’t trying to destroy our lives or bring pain and destruction, but when it comes, He works it out for our good and for His glory!

The end of the verse states, “to those who are the called according to His purpose”. In the Vine’s, the phrase, “the called” is from the Greek word “kletos” and it means invited. The Vines’s uses the word in this manner:

“invited (by God in the proclamation of the gospel) to obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God through Christ”
Vine’s Dictionary G2822

That’s us! We have been invited by God to partake of eternal salvation through Jesus Christ! Not only that, it suggests that the invitation is to a banquet! In the midst of sufferings, we’re invited to the banqueting table:

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
Psalm 23:5 NKJV

The banquet wasn’t prepared in the times of celebration, but in the time of the attack before the enemy!

Wasn’t it a banquet, that Esther “invited” Haman and the king to, to expose his plot against her people! Didn’t that work out for Esther’s good and the good of her people? It was a bad situation, but God worked it out!

The Shulamite said:

He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
Songs of Solomon 2:4 NKJV

God loves His people! That includes you and me. Unfortunately, we experience things that are hard, heart wrenching, and down right tough! It seems unfair, to say the least! Paul addressed this letter to people who saw all of that and so much more! But he wanted to encourage them, that even when they didn’t know how to pray, or what to pray for, the Spirit of God was with them to assist them!

Some prayers are groanings which cannot be uttered! Have you been there? Some prayers are from a place of weakness and we can’t get anything out but some tears! But we know, Paul said, that all of these things work together for good! Strengthening us! Strengthening our faith! Strengthening our resolve! And then we look up, and we are in a place we had only imagined, but He made manifest because He used our hardship for our good!

I’ll close with this: My parents and my grandparents died before I entered high school. It was the most painful time of my life. I went through some things as a result of not having parents. But today, I can truly say that those things were used by God to help and mold me into the person I am today. I don’t know who I would’ve been had they lived, but I know who I am now! And I love the me I have become! Keep loving and trusting Him! You are invited to share in all that He has and He is working it all out so that you can! Wonderful Jesus!!

Creation Groans!

Romans 8:19- “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. NKJV

There are so many truths in Romans that I sometimes wonder if I should just skip a few of them and move on. Such was my thought as I read verses 18-25 of the 8th chapter. However, after deciding that I could skip this part, the verses would not leave me. A clear sign that I am to stop here and see what God is saying to us!

If you have ever studied history, or geography, then you know that the world we live in boasts of a variety of landscapes where people have learned to live, work, and play. One of my favorite past times is walking in my neighborhood, and as I do so, I often think of the Creator and thus creation. Birds are singing and flitting around; branches extend from their trees waving at passersby; the sun shines brightly and the wind blows softly, making the walk a most pleasant experience. And in all of this beauty, Paul wrote that creation groans!

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Romans 8:18 NKJV

Paul mentioned previously that if we suffer with Jesus, we shall also be glorified with Him. He is encouraging the believers in Rome, and every believer after them to remember that we are going to go through some things in this life. And as we go through, or suffer, these sufferings should be a reminder to us that we shall one day be glorified with Him. Then Paul states that the sufferings in our daily life does not compare to the glory that shall be revealed in us!

The writer of Hebrews spoke of the sufferings of Jesus in this manner:

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2 NKJV

Jesus understood persecution! He is the One who said:

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 NKJV

Therefore, while He was being slandered, made fun of, spit upon, beaten, slapped, and nailed to the cross, His mind wasn’t on the suffering, the pain, or the shame! His mind was on the right hand of the throne of God! His mind was on every believer that would be freed from the kingdom of darkness and translated in His kingdom! His mind was upon us and the glory of reconciling us to the Father!

Paul also understood persecution! His life and ministry was not easy. Recently I heard a shocking statistic about ministers and pastors who are leaving the ministry in droves, or committing suicide. Paul would have encouraged them in the Lord, reminding them that although they were suffering, there’s glory on the other side! Have you heard the song, “After This”? There will be glory after this and Paul was saying that it far outweighs the trials that we are currently experiencing!

Yet, every believer will not suffer to the same degree that Paul, and some other believers have experienced. We can live a life in Christ that isn’t a life of physical persecution. Persecution and suffering come in many degrees and variety. The devil tries to be creative! But be clear of this truth, there is persecution for every believer in Christ! If the devil isn’t bothering you, it could be because you are not bothering the devil!

Paul wrote that the glory of God shall be revealed in us. Since His glory was what He crowned man with in creation, it makes perfect since that His glory will be revealed in us. I don’t know what all of that entails, but I believe that the day will come, maybe when we are changed from mortality to immortality, that God’s glory will be revealed in us!

Creation, Paul continues, is waiting with expectation, for the sons of God to be revealed. This is where it gets really interesting to me!

For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
Romans 8:19-22 NKJV

We know that when Jesus was born, angels burst forth out of heaven and sang to the earth! We also know that when Jesus was crucified, the earth had a response. Luke wrote that the sun darkened (hid its face) for about three hours. Matthew included other details: there was an earthquake, rocks split, graves opened! Creation groaning at the crucifixion of Jesus!

One thing I noted, was that God subjected creation, not willingly, but He did so in hope for His children. This seemed weird to me, except that I remember what God said to Adam after he sinned:

“Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”
Genesis 3:17 -19 NKJV

In making sense of this, creation was taken from a state of peace, to a state of discord, representative of the state of mankind. Creation was placed in bondage at the same time that man was placed in bondage! Creation was to see corruption, the same way that man was to see corruption. Life and death for all of His creation! Bondage for all of His creation! This is deep! When mankind is restored to sonship in all of its glory, the earth will be restored to its former glory.

Isaiah wrote what this will look like:

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Isaiah 11: 6-9 NKJV

Isn’t it something how the things in God’s word come together when you stop to think about it? Well, this may be a stretch for some of you, but it makes perfect sense to me.

Creation groans! This explains the natural disasters that we hear about all over the world. God isn’t causing it! The devil isn’t really causing it! But when sin entered the world and God subdued creation until redemption is complete in mankind, the earth began to groan! I have absolutely never seen this before! Thank you, Lord!

Tsunamis, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, all fall under the banner of the earth groaning! And why is it groaning? Because it’s waiting with expectancy for the glory of God to be revealed in us when Jesus returns! This is exciting news!

The next time I hear of a natural disaster I know what will come to my mind! The earth is groaning again! Have a wonderful day with Jesus! Wonderful Jesus!

Heirs of God!

Romans 8:16-17- “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” NKJV

God’s Last Will and Testament

A last will and testament is a legal document that expresses how you want your assets to be divided and how you want your children (if they are minors) to be taken care of. People lay their wishes out in writing so that the executor of the will can make sure that assets are distributed as the individual wished. If you are a member of the family, then you are an heir to the assets. As an heir, after you find out what is yours, all you need to do is to receive what was given to you in the last will and testament of your loved one.

As I read my key text tonight, I automatically thought about the power of a will and what it means to those who will inherit. When Paul calls us heirs, and joint-heirs with Christ, he is saying that we are beneficiaries of God’s will, which is His word. Since Jesus has released the contents of His will, with His death, burial, and resurrection, we need to find out what is in the will for us, and receive all of our benefits!

Both the Old and New Testaments are God’s expressed will. As such, when we see what God says about His children in His will, we know He meant it for us. When we read of the relationship and all that God has promised Jesus, we know that we too will experience His rewards. To fully understand this, we must understand a few concepts that Paul mentions in this passage: adoption, Abba Father, sons of God.

Paul said that as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. We have been adopted into the family of God. Let’s look at the adoption process:

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 1:12 NKJV

It is God’s will that we become His children. Paul wrote in Ephesians that this adoption into the family of God has been predetermined, and is the expressed will of God:

Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will
Ephesians 1:5

The term adoption, to the Romans, would have held significance since the practice of adoption was a means for a man to have a son who was deliberately chosen to inherit his assets and to perpetuate his name. (Bruce) I recently read a book by Tessar Afshar named Bread of Angels. I mention this book because it is the story of Lydia, the seller of purple. Of course, it is a work of fiction, but in the story, Lydia is adopted by a Roman, giving her privileges and social status she did not formerly have. Paul said that we did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the Spirit of adoption! We have been specially adopted by God, through Jesus, to inherit all that He has and to perpetuate His name! He hasn’t called us to be fearful of Him, but is drawing us into an intimate and personal relationship where He affords us privileges and status that we otherwise would not have.

Abba is a term that Jewish children use to address their Father. Often, Jesus told us to come to God as little children, encouraging us to see the Father, as One who waits to embrace us in His love. Abba Father denotes a relationship of intimacy with God that implies we have access that only family can receive.

Let’s speak of nepotism. I am a firm believer in the practice of nepotism. It is biblical in many respects. Nepotism is about favoring your children above others. Some people try to pretend that they don’t believe in it, or practice it, but I don’t believe them. And I can tell you that God practices nepotism. In the account of the Exodus, He practiced nepotism when He stopped allowing the plagues to touch Goshen. He practiced nepotism when He placed a cloud of glory to lead them in the day and a pillar of fire by night. He practice nepotism when He gave them houses they did not build and vineyards they did not plant. He favored His children time and time again. And He still does! Only God knows how to do so with complete wisdom, but He does believe in favoring His children above others. I, for one, am glad that He does!

This brings us to the topic of being heirs and joint-heirs with Jesus! What’s in this will and testament of God, that belongs to us:

We are heirs to His kingdom-Luke 22:29, James 2:5
We will be with Him wherever He is – John 17:24
We will inherit all things- Revelation 21:7
We are heirs to Abraham’s promise- Galatians 3:29
We are partakers of His promise (whatever it is)-Ephesians 3:6, Hebrews 6:17
We are heirs of eternal life- Titus 3:7
We are heirs of salvation- Hebrews 1:14
We are heirs of an incorruptible inheritance reserved for us in heaven- 1 Peter 1:4

And that isn’t everything! As heirs to the kingdom of God there are some present-day benefits for us: healing, health, strength, wisdom, power, righteousness, access to God, access to His Holy Spirit, angelic protection and assistance, divine connections…and the list goes on!

Now, let me ask you this, why are we struggling again? What does the world have for us in comparison to what God has for us? What can Satan promise us that is better than that which Jesus has provided for us in His will and testament? I can answer that! Nothing! Absolutely nothing!

Everything that is in His word is a promise He has made as a possibility in our lives. It’s ours for the believing and the receiving. It won’t all happen without a fight! You may have to go to probate to get what is rightfully yours! But that’s no problem because the executor of the will is the Holy Spirit, the judge presiding over the case is the Father, and the benefactor is Jesus! You are in good hands!

Remember the brother of the son who left home and squandered his inheritance? You know the one who was a grouch and complained about the party his brother got when he returned home? What did his father say to him?

“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours.”
Luke 15:31 NKJV

Imagine Abba saying that to you when you get to heaven! What a disappointment to know that you could have experienced so much more on earth had you only believed it! Well, I’m reminding you this very day, that He is saying this to you right now! All that He has is yours! Now begin to live like it and watch as things begin to change in your world! You are a son of God! You are an heir and a joint heir with Jesus! Give Him some praise! Wonderful Jesus!

Life from the Dead!

Romans 8:11- “And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.” AMP

The Holy Spirit is the most ignored and misunderstood member of the Trinity. We understand that God is God, the Creator of the ends of the earth, the One we are reconciled to. We understand Jesus, the Son of God, the Lamb that took our sins away, and takes away the sins of the world. But most people are confused about the Holy Spirit, referring to Him as, It, or Something, or a Feeling. To me, that’s a clear indication that person is clueless about the Holy Spirit!

I originally started this blog like I do so many others, wanting to explain scripturally what I believe the word is stating about a verse or passage. After all, I speak a lot about studying the word and want my blog to be another place you can learn about the word. But after hours of trying to pull that type of study together when my heart is shouting, “there is so much more”, I finally gave in!

I know the impact the Holy Spirit has had on my life. My Sunday School teacher led me to the Lord as a little girl, after my mother died. And although I was saved and His Spirit was dwelling within me, keeping me from much of the temptations of the world, something was missing!

As a teenager, I was filled with the Spirit of God, and I can say that I truly came alive. Had I been accurately taught and encouraged in a life for God after I got saved, that feeling of life could have been there then, but it wasn’t. Getting saved was a lifeline, but it was learning of the Person of the Holy Spirit that gave life to my mortal body! Literally!

I was sickly as a young person. After being paralyzed for a short spell, it seemed that my body just didn’t want to fully recuperate. My legs never seemed as strong as they should have been, and I would be in pain, or sick, for no apparent reason, with no apparent cause. Then I was introduced to the Holy Spirit and my life changed! God healed me and that pain went away making my body strong enough for me to go to the Navy!

I remember thinking one day, “Lord, I need you to help me to stop cursing. I don’t want to embarrass myself around the church people.” Believe it or not, it was as if He took those words from my vocabulary and gave me a new vocabulary. I never did curse around those church folks and I haven’t cursed since, unless I was repeating something a student said. And I generally spell or write it out so that I don’t have to say it! Life changing!

I loved dancing. I thought that I was the dancing machine Michael Jackson sung about. But one day, I didn’t want to dance to secular music because I could dance before the Lord. My heart was rapidly changing. My lifestyle was rapidly changing. My family couldn’t keep up with the changes, they were happening so fast.

The more I allowed the Holy Spirit to lead me and to guide me, the more He did just that! I wasn’t perfection in the going, but my aim was to live for Him and to live like Him. And He was faithful! Over and over again!

We sang a chorus that was a constant reminder to me:

I’ve got a river of life flowing out of me!
It makes the lame to walk and the blind to see!
It opens prison doors and set the captives free!
I’ve got a rive of life, flowing out of me!
Spring up O well, within my soul!
Spring up O well, and make me whole!
Spring up O well, and give to me,
That life, abundantly!

It was my pleasure to attend church as I was growing up! My pleasure to serve God! My pleasure to read the word, or share my faith! Nothing was too much for me to do, and I didn’t see Him or anything about Him as a burden, or a chore! That was the power of His Spirit living in me and guiding me.

His Holy Spirit was real to me! Is real to me! And because of His Holy Spirit, I have been kept, loved, cherished, taught, encouraged, strengthened, blessed! There’s no greater testament to the life I am living than the reality of who God is to me, and the joy I have of knowing His Spirit lives in me!

Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit that was in Jesus being in us. He says that same Spirit will quicken our mortal bodies. I don’t know how many times I have embraced that truth in my heart for my personal health! Or the health of others! But I have! And I have seen Him raise my body off the bed of affliction with continued life.

I welcome the Holy Spirit in my life and my daily affairs. He has helped me to be a wife for over 34 years. He has helped me to raise three daughters whom I love dearly and who loves Him. He has helped me through turbulent years as an educator. He has helped me to not grow weary in the waiting, as I look for Him to fulfill promises He has made to me. He is my constant source of strength, and life without Him would not be this good. As a matter of fact, it wouldn’t be life! Because He is my life in Christ Jesus!

All of this carnality, this fleshly living, we’ve been learning about in Romans can really be dealt with, as Paul said, living life in the Spirit! When I’m tempted to operate in my flesh, generally I cry out to Him, the One who lives in me, to help me to respond as He would have me to respond. When I obey, things are great! When I don’t, I end up having to repent! But repentance doesn’t frighten me, because I am repenting to my loving, heavenly Father. And I fully expect to be forgiven and received. Yet, I don’t practice living in sin, because I don’t want to hurt the One who loves me so unconditionally! The One who has given me life! Who has given me so much!

The man in John said that he once was blind, but now he can see! I once was dead, but Jesus brought me from death to life by His Spirit! He has given me a reason to live, to love, to be vulnerable, to forgive, to do life! Wobbling in your faith is a sure sign you haven’t experienced Him in the Person of the Holy Spirit! But if you will try Him, you will feel the life that quickens your mortal body, that raises the dead! And you will never regret it, because He just gets sweeter and sweeter as the days go by!

I know I went off my usual path, but I did it for someone! And you are worth it! Keep loving Him and reaching for Him, for when you do, you will find Him, for He is reaching for you! Wonderful Jesus!

The Mind of the Flesh!

Romans 8:7-8- “The mind of the flesh [with its sinful pursuits] is actively hostile to God. It does not submit itself to God’s law, since it cannot, and those who are in the flesh [living a life that caters to sinful appetites and impulses] cannot please God.” NKJV

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Today, I want to use a different version of the Bible than I traditionally use, to help us to get a grasp of what I believe Paul is saying in Romans 8 about the flesh. “Sarx” has several meanings in the Vine’s dictionary, and the Vine’s typically gives us a reference for each meaning to help us to understand the idea that a particular verse is conveying. The rendering for “sarx” in the Vine’s for our key text is, “the unregenerate state of men.” Unregenerate means not regenerate; and the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines regenerate as spiritually reborn or converted.

Typically, when we attach ourselves to theology, we embrace what our spiritual leaders tell us; after all it is their responsibility to teach us the truth of God’s word. However, we bear a responsibility in the learning of truth. Paul made mention of a group of people who did just that:

Now these people were more noble and open-minded than those in Thessalonica, so they received the message [of salvation through faith in the Christ] with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
Acts 17:11 AMP

Paul noted that there was something impressive about the Bereans. They were open-minded and receptive to the teachings of Jesus; yet, they studied the scriptures daily, to see if what Paul and Silas was teaching was indeed the truth! I’m a Berean in my heart. I accept very little at face value, and investigate just about everything that personally affects my life. Especially things regarding the Word of God.

Having said that, let’s look at verse 5:

For those who are living according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh [which gratify the body], but those who are living according to the Spirit, [set their minds on] the things of the Spirit [His will and purpose].
Romans 8:5 AMP

In Christendom, we have coined a phrase, “the carnal Christian” based off of verses like this one. Lets for the moment, go with this vein of thought that Paul is now contrasting the carnal Christian with the follower of Christ. One way of looking at this verse, in keeping with the carnal Christian, is to reflect simply on the mind of that individual. When we are born again of the Spirit of God, our spirit is converted, but we have the same mind. Paul writes in a later part of this epistle that we have to renew our minds:

And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].
Romans 12:2 AMP

Keeping with this thought that we are recreated in our spirits, and not our minds, let’s read more about the unregenerate mind and see if we can gain some insight into this dilemma:

For those who are living according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh [which gratify the body], but those who are living according to the Spirit, [set their minds on] the things of the Spirit [His will and purpose]. Now the mind of the flesh is death [both now and forever—because it pursues sin]; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace [the spiritual well-being that comes from walking with God—both now and forever];
Romans 8:5-6 AMP

Now, let’s think for a minute about what Paul is saying here:

A carnal mind is fixed on that which is satisfying to their flesh
A spiritual mind is fixed on the things of the Spirit
A carnal mind lives life with its mind on the flesh
A spiritual mind lives life with its mind on the will and purpose of God
A carnal mind pursues sin and is dead
A spiritual mind pursues life and peace
Both are for eternity

If indeed, Paul is speaking in regards to someone who is a carnal Christian, their end is as destructive as the person who is not even a Christian. Death now, and death eternally! This is not what God wants for those who belong to Him!

Walking in the Spirit is the only life for those who are in Christ Jesus! Pursuing a life of obedience to the Father is our greatest display of gratitude for His amazing grace! Even if our mind are unregenerate, living according to that mindset is dangerous for those who have received grace! It’s a death sentence!

The mind of the flesh [with its sinful pursuits] is actively hostile to God. It does not submit itself to God’s law, since it cannot, and those who are in the flesh [living a life that caters to sinful appetites and impulses] cannot please God.
Romans 8:7-8 AMP

Let’s return to our key text. This state of mind, the unregenerate mind, with its sinful pursuits is actively hostile to God! What? Your spirit is recreated and your mind is actively hostile to God? No wonder the carnal Christian is just as confused as the non-believer! As a matter of fact, you can’t tell the difference between the two! A mind that is actively hostile to God is a mind that has no receptivity to God!

Not only that! A mind that is unregenerate does not submit itself to the laws of God! A renewed mind is constantly proving what is good, acceptable and the will of God; but this other mind refuses to submit to God, because it cannot submit to God. This carnal Christian is sounding more and more like an unsaved person.

I was talking to someone about a situation with a husband and wife. The wife did not profess to be a Christian and the man did. The wife did something that was shocking to this individual; they couldn’t understand it! I responded, what else could she do! She isn’t a Christian, and she did exactly what a non-Christian does! She pursued her fleshly instincts! But when we have people who are supposed to be Christians “pursuing” their fleshly instincts, it’s truly shocking!

Those living in this state, as carnal Christians, which is how we decided to look at this chapter, cannot please God! That is the real eye opener! You may say that you love God, and that may be the truth; but you cannot please Him! And so, when you are living life as a carnal Christian, you may as well not even be a Christian! And that’s the gospel truth! Because there is nothing in your life that is drawn to God, or that draws Him to you! And if this is your current state of spiritual condition, Christian and carnal, you should repent as if you don’t even know God, and get this thing right! You can’t afford to live life being governed by your flesh any more than a non-believer can. When your life isn’t pleasing to God, your life isn’t pleasing!

Don’t be deceived any longer by those who are telling you that you are okay when you are not okay. If you attend church, but you are living according to your flesh, your desires, your will, it is time to do spiritual inventory. How sad to live your whole life thinking that you got fire insurance, (you prayed to receive salvation), but you have no assurance that God is pleased with you! Get it right today! It’s not too late! Wonderful Jesus!

No Judgment Here!

Romans 8:3- “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh” NKJV

NOT GUILTY!

As I have been trying to juggle what I see in the word with what I see in the lives of those around me, I have felt a need to address the individual who is a believer, and yet struggles with sin. This particular post is actually from my archives with some updates. I may not have been as clear as I originally thought on being free from the power of sin, or struggling as a believer, so I thought I would address it through Romans 8.

If we look at Romans 8, reading it without seeing the chapter and verses, we will clearly see that Paul is continuing his thinking from chapter 7. As I have read and reread these chapters, have had some conversations, and have prayed, I’ve added to my thinking. I am thinking that maybe, just maybe, Paul addressed this issue in chapters 6-8 because some of them were struggling in their walk with the Lord. Probably some of these Roman Christians had the same problems that some Christians we know seem to have today. An inability to live a life of victory! Maybe they were tired of seeing friends and family members thrown in the Coliseum and murdered by gladiators and ferocious animals. Maybe they were tired of hiding in the catacombs and living a secret life. This I can understand! I would have struggled with trust issues in the face of this type of persecution, too! But let’s just be honest, these are not the conditions that we find ourselves in as we struggle with our faith in Jesus.

Paul has taken time to explain in Romans 6 that sin should not reign in our lives, for the wages of sin is death. That since we have died to sin, and have been raised to newness of life, that we should no longer live in sin. In Romans 7, Paul shared how before we came to Christ, our life was a struggle because sin had control over us. Even when we wanted to do right, because of our sinful nature, we were powerless to do right. But then he concludes chapter 7, (as we know it), saying that God, through Jesus Christ, broke the power of sin by delivering us from this wretched state! Paul wanted us to know that sin should no longer have this same hold over our lives that it had prior to us coming to know Jesus as our personal Savior! Maybe you would struggle with trust issues in the face of grave persecution, but that is so different from struggling to live for God.

In the first verse of chapter 8, Paul tells us that there is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus when we are walking according to the Spirit; but if we are walking according to the flesh, then condemnation is obviously our constant friend. However, Paul points out, there is condemnation of sin, and Jesus was the One who condemned it! God has judged sin and found it lacking and condemned it by the cross while in His humanity. He did so, that we might know that we could also walk free of sin, while in our physical bodies, in Christ Jesus!

When we find ourselves struggling to live for Christ, it’s difficult for us to believe that grace has been given to us, and we feel condemned. This condemnation is as a result of the guilt and shame we experience when we sin. But God doesn’t condemn us, He convicts us of sin by the Holy Spirit. This type of guilt and shame that pushes us back into the worldly lusts and activities that we were made free from is of the devil! God strongly disapproves of His people acting as if the crucifixion and the Blood of Jesus was a small thing. As if it wasn’t enough! But I can assure you that it was! However, if you feel like God is so disappointed in you that He wants nothing to do with you, then that’s the devil! God loves you and want the very best for you, but sin has never provided anything but hardship and separation from God. That is the only reason it disappoints Him so much to see you struggle with sin, as if He has not done everything possible to make you free! He loves you! He hates what sin does to you!

The word condemnation in verse 1, is the Greek word, “katakrima”, and it means that a sentence has been pronounced and you are judged. But there is no judgment against the people who are walking after the Spirit, only those walking after the flesh! And since that judgment was paid in full by Christ Jesus, Paul is reminding us that His Blood still works!

Galatians 5:1, a personal favorite of mine, states:

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”
Galatians 5:1 NKJV

Paul is the author of these words. In writing to the Galatians he tells them that Christ made them free and they should stand in that freedom and not get tangled again in the bondage of sin. Getting tangled in the bondage of sin again is a choice! Getting set free is a privilege. And all too often Christians are found living beneath their privileges!

This verse brings us right back to Romans 8, verse 2:

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”
Romans 8:2 NKJV

This verse reminds us that we are free from the dictates of sin and death through Christ Jesus! That’s why verse 3 and 4, basically refers to chapter 7 when it states:

“For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
Romans 8:3-4 NKJV

Many people believe that they can’t live free from sin. This is absolutely true when we live in the flesh and not the Spirit! Those who walk in the Spirit realize that Jesus’s death on the cross was for them to be free, to lay hold to that promise of freedom, and to expect to see it fulfilled in their life!

Charles Finney, in his autobiography, wrote about his salvation experience.

He was first interested in the Bible because he was studying law, and many of the laws referred to the Bible. Then he started attending church and a prayer meeting. But much to his dismay, he was not impressed, for it seemed that the people prayed, but without much expectation in seeing their prayers answered. He discovered that what was in the Bible and what Christians actually lived was not the same. But one day he decided that the Bible would be his point of reference and sought the Lord for salvation. When he received salvation, he was made completely free of his sin. He never looked back.
Autobiography of Charles Finney, paraphrased

Does God free some and not others? I think He frees all who believe! Come on! Remind the devil that he is a liar when he says you can’t walk in victory! Stop listening to him and start believing the word of God! There is no judgment against you in Christ Jesus when you live after the Spirit! Wonderful Jesus!

Freedom from the Burden of Sin!

Romans 7:15 – “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” NIV

Today, I want to actually delve into my key text. Paul wrote,

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”
Romans 7:15 NIV

Traditionally, it is believed that Paul was confessing to having struggles in his life as a Christian that he couldn’t overcome. In the remaining verses it would appear that is exactly what is happening; but we are to rightly divide the word of truth. As such, we cannot take these verses out of context and give them a meaning, or significance, that we wish for them to have. We must take the entire narrative of this epistle into consideration as we seek to understand the meaning behind these words.

Paul begins by talking about the flesh. Actually, he talks about the spirit and the flesh throughout the book, and therefore, we will look at this word today. The Greek word for flesh is “sarx”. In the book of Romans, Paul uses this word frequently. Sarx was used literally to mean our physical body, and it is rendered “according to the flesh”. It was also used to mean “from a human point of view.” But in Romans 7, Paul used it in reference to us being “in the flesh”. In this reference he is actually referring to our sinful human nature, apart from Christ.

It is to this nature that Paul is referring as he writes in verse 14 (but I am a creature of the flesh, sold into slavery to sin) because we are slaves to sin before coming to Christ. When he gets to verse 15 and states,

For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.
Romans 7:15 NKJV

it is because when we are bound in sin, we do things that God knows we don’t always want to do. Some of those things we hate, but we find ourselves yielding to them again and again. I think of an alcoholic parent who spends the weekend getting drunk to the point that he or she passes out, unconcerned about the needs of the rest of the family. But before passing out, they wreak havoc in the home, and in the lives of their family members. Does this person want to be like that? I don’t think so! Does this person hate the way they are, the way they act? I truly believe they do. But they feel powerless to make the necessary change because they are a slave to sin! They feel as if they have no escape from this desperate and hopeless state that their lives are in and they want out of it! This is what Paul is referring to! Pastor Eric, of Victory in Christ Kingdom Church likes to say “that sin will take you farther than you wanted to go and keep you longer than you wanted to stay”. Why? Because you are in bondage to sin! Sin is your master!

Paul shares with his readers that, as a good Jewish young man, he was a sinner, an unbeliever, and there was nothing good that lived in him; because even when he was willing to do good, it was not always what he did. And in fact, it wasn’t so much him, as it was his sin nature which dominated his thinking, his actions, his behavior, and basically the way he lived. Before Christ! After all, when he was known as Saul, he was known as a persecutor of the believers, and was in agreement with Stephen being stoned to death. That surely qualifies as no good thing!

Paul tells the believers in Rome that he discovered that a law was at work in him; a law that evil was present in him when he was trying to do good. Paul, as a Jewish rabbi loved the law, but he saw a lack in his life that the law could not fulfill. He found that even though the law was wonderful, it didn’t have the power to influence his actions and to keep sin at bay. And neither will anyone else’s sins be kept at bay outside of Jesus! Only Jesus has the power to forgive sin, break the yoke of sin off our necks, and then casts them into the sea of forgetfulness! Glory be to God!

In case we have forgotten Paul’s thinking in regards to sin, I think we need to remember some things he has already said:

“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness…disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death”
Romans 1:29-32 NKJV

These are harsh words about sin and those who practice sin, and Paul wrote them because he believed them and lived them. There is no way that Paul, in the very same letter, would turn around and profess an inability to live a life of righteousness in Christ!

Paul also wrote, in this same letter:

You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written.
Romans 2:21-24 NKJV

Notice that Paul said that people who live this type of life dishonors God and causes His name to be blasphemed amongst the heathens! That is so not how Paul lived his life!

O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Romans 7:24-25 NKJV

Paul knew that in his Jewish, legalistic, rabbinical state, without Jesus, he was a wretched man. But he also rejoiced in the truth that God, through Jesus, was the One who had actually delivered him from that state of wretchedness! Paul was giving God praise for delivering him from that state of warring in his soul: trying to be good when in actuality what he did was evil.

When I read this chapter, I understand that without chapters 6 and 8, it could easily sound like Paul had a hard time being a Christian. However, this is Paul, who emphatically stated that he was ready to die for the cause of Christ. A man with this type of dedication isn’t flaky with his lifestyle. He isn’t struggling day in and day out to live for God!

But here’s the most profound part of it all! You don’t have to struggle either. Because the answer to “who can deliver you” is the same for you as it was for Paul. Jesus! His blood is sufficient to redeem you! His blood is sufficient to free you! And His blood is sufficient to keep you! Wonderful Jesus!