"Yes, Lord!"

Romans 8:5-9

DEATH & CHAOS

Sound good?  No!

How about… LIFE & PEACE

Yes, much better!

The first set characterizes life without the Spirit, which isn’t very pleasant, but the second set is what you receive when you allow the Spirit to dwell in you.

It seems an easy choice when presented this way, so why can it be such a struggle?

Because we live with sin.  If only, Adam and Eve had listened, right?!  Now we’re stuck with this battle, but guess what?  The battle has been won and victory is ours, when we believe.

Verse 9 states, You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.  The Spirit must LIVE in us, which is a verb, an action word.  When the Spirit lives in us, then we are truly alive.  Life without Christ is death – a death without the promise of resurrection.

In John 11:25-26, Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

My prayer is that your answer, like Martha’s, is “Yes, Lord” and that the Spirit dwells in the deepest parts of your soul.  And, May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:14).  Amen

How do YOU spell success?

The verse which jumps out when I read from Psalm 118 is, "O LORD, save us: O LORD, grant us success. Success? Really?  If you read from The Message Bible, it calls success: "a free and full life." Is that success? Google describes it as (1) the accomplishment of an aim or purpose, (2) the attainment of popularity or profit.

George Patton said, "success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom." If you research other quotes by other famous folks you will find a plethora of concepts. What do you say success is; looks like or feels like?

In a world overflowing with chaos and turmoil, to this writer, success is finally embracing the peace that passes all understanding. Success is having walked through all the drama life had to throw at us and coming out on the other side with a testimony worth telling.  It is having a story where God is the main character and peace and hope are the happy ending.

Psalm 118:19-29

I have written on these very same verses twice before in 2012 and 2014. Which of the 3 speak to you today in this place and in this time? Comment below or email your comment to me.

There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us. (1 Timothy 3:16-17)

Mark 13:26-37

Keep Watch - Always

As chaos builds around me, I stay the course.

When untruths are spoken about me and my loved ones, I do not retaliate.

The corrupt attempt to pull me in, but I turn to the Lord.

The world claims to have all I need, I am tempted, but hear my God’s whisper.

As Jesus advised us in Mark 13 about being watchful for the end times, he referenced a fig tree; “As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.” In the same way certain things will occur as judgment day draws near.

Jesus uses the fig tree as an illustration of watching for signs of the end times, but it could not sprout if it took in water and nutrients from the soil on that day only.

Will we be healthy and sprouting when that day and hour comes? In order to be strong in the Lord we must be well nourished with the Holy Word on a regular basis. Going days without that fuel will affect our spiritual health, just as going without food and water impact our physical and emotional well-being.

Turning the other cheek, not being judgmental, being kind to those who don’t deserve it, and loving our enemies are true challenges. We are called to do these things, but we cannot go it alone. If we are to be one of his elect on the day of reckoning, our responsibility is to live each new day in humility seeking ways to make life more pleasing to God.

Do you know someone who does this? Take notice. It is not that it comes easy for them, but that they work at it daily, and strive to remain in the Lord…..always.

God graciously offers to take our burdens, thus lightening our load. I suggest you take him up on that!

 Read/Listen to Mark 13:26-3           You Tube video For King and                                                                         Country  "Shoulders"