Habakkuk 2

Then the Lord replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay."

Saturday, March 13, 2021

For Those Who Love God

Romans 8:26-27 ESV

 

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

 

Are you ever at a loss for the right words? Have you ever faced a situation where you didn’t know what to pray? You know something is wrong, but you don’t have all the details, so you aren’t sure what to ask God for. And sometimes all you can do is just say “Help!”

 

For, God knows our needs. He knows what is going on even when we don’t. He sees the end from the beginning. He is working behind the scenes in ways we do not comprehend, working out his will and purposes in people’s lives. So, when we don’t understand, we trust God.

 

What is encouraging here is that, for those of us who are believing in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives, we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit who intercedes for us in prayer. And he knows what to pray, for he is God. And he will always pray according to the will of God, too.

 

Romans 8:28 ESV

 

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

 

Who are those who are loving God? They are those who are walking in obedience to his commands. They are not perfect people, but they are living to please the Lord in all that they do. They are listening to him and to his word, and they are putting his word into practice in their lives (1 Jn 5:3).

 

They are not walking in sin. They are not deliberately and/or premeditatedly doing what is evil in God’s sight. It doesn’t mean that they never sin, but sin is not what they practice. They don’t plot evil and then carry it out. Their lives are committed to following the Lord where he leads.

 

They are called according to God’s purpose, not according to the will of man. So, they have died with Christ to sin, and they have been raised with Christ to newness of life in him, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. And they are walking according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh (Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; 1 Jn 1:5-9; Eph 4:17-32).

 

God is working all things together for our good, for what is best for us, for what will benefit us spiritually, and for what will grow us in our walks of faith in him. He is pruning and purifying us and making us holy. He is conforming us to his likeness, and he is teaching us to walk in his ways and in his truth.

 

Romans 8:29-30 ESV

 

“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

 

We, as humans, live in flesh bodies. Our flesh is at war with the Spirit, and the Spirit is at war with our flesh. That is why Jesus said that if we would come after him we must deny self and take up our cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow (obey) him (Lu 9:23-26; cf. Rom 8:1-17).

 

We, as followers of Jesus Christ, are a work in process. Now, that is never to be used as an excuse for willful, deliberate, premeditated, and habitual sinning against God. We should daily be dying to sin and self and walking in obedience to his commands. But it is one day at a time.

 

But the goal or the purpose for our salvation from sin is that we are to be conformed to the image (likeness) of Christ Jesus, our Lord. We are to become like him in attitude, thought, word and deed. We are to be holy as he is holy, and his heart should be our heart (Eph 4:17-24).

 

But this is not something we do in our flesh, of our own accord. We can’t! We must die with Christ to sin so that we can live to Christ and to his righteousness in the power, working, and strength of God’s Spirit now living within us. And we must yield control of our lives over to God.

 

God is working all things together for our good, in the bad times, and in the good, when things don’t make sense, and when they make perfect sense. He has a plan and a purpose for everything that he allows to come into our lives, so we have to trust him to work it all out according to his plan.

 

Servant of the Lord

 

An Original Work / July 26, 2012

Based off Romans 1:1-17

 

Servant of the Lord;

For the gospel you’re set apart.

Promised through the prophets of old:

Jesus, Son of God.

Through Him, and for His name alone,

We receive His grace

To call people, Him to obey;

Coming from their faith.

Servant of the Lord,

For the gospel you’re set apart.

Promised through the prophets of old:

Jesus, Son of God.

 

You belong to Christ;

Loved by God, and called to be saints;

Serving God with whole heart and mind;

Preaching Jesus Christ;

Always praying for others’ needs;

Helping hand to lend;

Giving courage to others’ faith,

For the praise of God.

You belong to Christ;

Loved by God, and called to be saints;

Serving God with whole heart and mind;

Preaching Jesus Christ.

 

Servant of the Lord;

Of the gospel, I’m not ashamed;

For salvation, power of God

To those who have faith.

In the gospel find righteousness:

Being right with God.

Turn from sin, and trust Jesus Christ.

By faith, live in Him.

Servant of the Lord;

Of the gospel, I’m not ashamed;

For salvation, power of God

To those who have faith.

 

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