May 24, 2018
Romans 8:1-18 New Living Translation
To be able to choose every day how we will think or emotionally respond to life’s situations is a very liberating thought. If sin is the rejection of the God-life, righteousness is putting God in the center of our lives and learning not to be controlled by everything we see or experience with our thoughts or natural senses. As believers, we are human beings on a faith journey with a God who is Spirit. Our natural inclinations, senses, or mindsets have to be monitored, because our flesh is infected with sin. That monitoring is the work of the Spirit who guides us into all Truth. I am so grateful Jesus cleared the eternal slate recording my sin and every day is a prayerful new beginning for the Spirit to help me make better decisions.
The decision for how we mentally process things is done at an individual level. If I am going to focus on the positive things of God vs. negative sinful things the decision begins with me. Changing certain situations may be impossible, but how you and I approach those things with our thoughts and responses is a free choice of our will. We must make a decision to be led by the Spirit for the glory of God. When we find ourselves experiencing more negative consequences in our lives than positive ones, we need to evaluate our choices by getting in the Word to see what the Spirit has to say to our hearts. A positive life change might be one Spirit-led decision away. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Romans 8:1-8 Life in the Spirit
8 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 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. 3 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. 4 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.
5 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. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
Prayer: Lord, every day is essentially my life letter recording the results of my decisions. Let today be a letter written for your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.