Called to live by the Spirit

Romans 8:1-14

“The mind is a terrible thing to waste”. If you’re a late 70s or early 80s baby as I am, you’ve probably heard this phrase in an ad from the United Negro College Fund commercial during the 90s. This slogan has remained unchanged for over three decades, and has become part of the American vernacular. The Negro College Fund campaign has helped raise more than $2.2 billion and has helped to graduate more than 350,000 minority students from college or beyond. This organization believes that the minds of our youth are to be used to make positive change in the world, and with the right support and financial assistance, achieving that goal would be less of a burden to accomplish.

According to Scripture, to be carnal minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace (vs. 6). God desires that His people keep their minds set on things that will have a positive impact on this wayward society. When we set our minds, or affections on the sins of the flesh, fulfilling them will become a natural occurrence. For example, if you’re not pleased with your spouse for whatever reason, and you continually admire the attributes in someone else, rather than fix your own issue, you’ll eventually fall into the snare of temptation and find yourself committing adultry, or some other form of dishonor in your marriage. On the contrary, those who set their minds and affections on things of the Spirit, will naturally fulfill them, and refrain from committing sinful acts.

There are many who claim to be in the family of God, but the way to tell who truly is a son is, to monitor who’s life is led by His Spirit. When God’s Spirit is in a man, his actions will never go outside the boundaries of holiness, because God is holy, and His Spirit operates under the same authority. I’ve witnessed countless individuals who say they have God in them, but act like monkeys in a barrel. They’re loud, rude, and pull others down, rather them build them up. How can a man say he loves God whom he has never seen, but hate the brother he sees on a daily basis? The Spirit of God is first humble, and compassionate. The same love Jesus portrayed as He walked the earth, is identical to the love which the Spirit of God imparts in us. Knowing this, it’s impossible to hate anyone, treat another man unjustly, or turn away from someone in need, if you claim God’s love flows through you.

Believers are the ambassadors of God, and are called to not only live in the Spirit, but allow the Spirit to lead, guide, and direct their thoughts and actions. Our new man, through Christ Jesus, cannot be controlled by sin, but has the power through the Holy Spirit to overcome sin and its consequences. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Sustained and led by the Spirit

Romans 8:26-30

Without the light (knowledge) of God’s Word to guide the path of His people through this dark and perverse world, they would all be lost, and be wandering aimlessly along dangerous paths to destruction. The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof, but the prince of the power of the air stole the authority man once held over the earth, yet only for a season. The apostle Peter encouraged the church to “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Believers weren’t saved, and delivered from sin only to be left alone to seek God on their own strength, but the very Spirit of God assists them, as they face day-to-day challenges from their adversary.

Not only does the Holy Spirit help us counter satan and his tricks, but he guides us as we deal with our physical, moral, and mental weaknesses and flaws. Just as a ship is sustained above water because of its weight, in relation to the amount of water it displaces, the Spirit of God keeps us above the consequences of sin and carries us safely over the weight of our trials and obstacles that inevitably come against us. Even when we pray, our thoughts and desires don’t always align with God’s divine will, because our minds can become tainted with all the sin and negativity we see in the world, so the Spirit makes intercession for us, because He knows we would make many mistakes in prayer, and inspires us with proper desires that are pleasing to God.

The church is to walk by faith, and not by sight. In other words, we live, trusting God in all things, and acknowledging that He alone has the power to give us the victory in every area of our lives. Where there’s sickness, God is a healer. When your money is acting funny, God is your provider. In moments of sadness and depression, God understands our emotions, and grants peace that men will never understand. When you allow the Spirit to lead your life, you will walk the path God predestined for you before you even existed. Your purpose will be fulfilled daily, and you’ll avoid falling into the traps and snares that have been set to hinder your progress. As you live for God, you may not understand everything that goes on in your life, nor see instant change, but never forget “that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose” (vs. 28).

Walk in love,

Ell

Eager longing

Romans 8:18-25

There’s a song my siblings and I use to listen to back in the day that my mom would play in the van, as she drove us to evening church services called, Patience, and it was sung by a character named, Rushing Rabbit. The lyrics to the song were, “I can’t wait to have patience, because patience is a wonderful thing! Hurry up lemme have it, gotta get it now! I want it more than anything! This has taken long enough, give me some of that patience stuff! I can’t wait to have patience, hurry up, hurry up, HURRY UP!” This song was quite entertaining at the time, but I never really paid attention to the message it attempted to render until I got older.

Patience indeed is a wonderful thing, and it is actually one of the nine fruit of the Spirit, or characteristics of God Himself. The true and living God has patience beyond human comprehension, and it’s on full display daily, as we witness men and women continuing to live on, despite walking in disobedience to the will of the Father. God is gracious, as He allots time and breath to every man, but only for a season, so that they can have full opportunity to learn of Him, and decide whether or not to submit to His authority, or continue in sin. For those already adopted into the family of God, the clock is tick tockin’, as we live every day awaiting the second coming of our Lord, and Savior, Jesus Christ. Not only are we to patiently wait for Christ’s return, but we must also be diligent in proclaiming the Gospel until He arrives. It matters not how long He takes to come, but how much time and effort we invest in the Kingdom, while we yet live. Knowing that the glory which will soon be revealed in us in eternity far outweighs anything that could come against us on the earth, should remove all limits on how far we are determined to go, to win the lost. We will have days when we suffer, and face persecution, but the more we keep our chins up, looking unto God, the less strain we’ll have while going through all that comes against us.

I often think of the men and women of the past, who also lived in expectation of Christ’s return, but died without seeing Him. During their lifetimes, they more than likely suffered persecution, and endured hard times while continuing in the works of the Lord, but their living was not in vain, because all their investments in the Kingdom of God will yield them tremendous eternal returns. We ourselves, often groan, or sigh deeply in those moments when life seems to be too much to bear, but if we continue to hope for that we see not, then we must, with patience, wait for it. Many things will happen in this life before we change to immortality and life eternal, so we must run this race with patience, and not allow anything to keep us from making it to the finish line.

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: (Hebrews 12:1-14).

Walk in love,

Ell

Seeing others through Christ

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

One of the most fascinating things about Christianity is, all who are in Christ have become new creatures! Old things are passed away, including sin nature, evil thoughts and desires, wicked motives, and lust for things that only bring pleasure to self. Not only do we become new in the eyes of God the Father, but we are to also see this newness in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Unlike men who tend to dwell on things in the past, when God forgives, He remembers our sins no more. The same way we acknowledge a renewed and resurrected Christ, is how we are to look upon the body of believers as well. We are all dead to sin, yet alive through Christ, so rather than judge men according to the flesh, we should instead promote their new lives in relationship with Christ.

The love of Christ constrains, or urges men to accept the Gospel, and this is what the believer’s new focus should be. God loved His created beings so much, that He gave His best, so we could have another chance to experience His love in its fullness. Knowing that our Father cared so much for us, should motivate every believer to show the same love to one another. It’s time for the church to represent God the right way. For too long, God has been misrepresented by men and women who have perverted those things which are sacred, and embraced idolatry, just as the children of God did in the past. The body of Christ is to live by a standard, not as the world, but as the one already established in the Kingdom of Heaven. Christians are to love and be kind at all times. Even when facing unfavorable situations, God expects His people to uphold a certain standard, so that the world can see a difference in our behavior, compared to their own. If we look like, act like, and talk like those in sin, then how can we ever expect to influence them to follow after Christ?

As the ministers of God, we are to be blameless, and approved by Him, so that the ministry isn’t blamed. In other words, we should be mindful not to cause any offence or scandal, that might cause blame on the Gospel ministry. Just as you wouldn’t want your children misrepresenting you in public, is the same way we shouldn’t want to bring shame to the name of the Lord. Be holy, keep God first, love your enemies and walk in love. “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).

Walk in love,

Ell

The resurrection of the dead

1 Corinthians 15:12-28

I often wonder what life would have been like if sin had not infiltrated the earth. When God finished His creation, and called it good, Adam and Eve were granted the opportunity to live in harmony with God, and enjoy eternal peace and prosperity on the earth, without the strain of resistance against evil influences. Their earthly bodies weren’t subjected to the stain of sin and death, and were more than likely purposed to last as long as God existed. The first Adam was made a living soul and was earthy, and by him came death. Many judge Adam for his inability to resist evil, and continue in the works of the Lord, but he only did what many of us do on a daily basis. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Just as Adam knew the words from God, yet was influenced by satan to go against them, men and women today who claim to be believers can be found ignoring God’s voice in favor of selfish desires, or even the voice of the evil one as well. I’m not so quick to judge any man for the mistakes they have made, because at any moment, I could get caught up into doing things that aren’t pleasing to God, and wouldn’t appreciate others judging me for my actions.

Although Adam’s big mistake had devastating ripple effects that are continuing to this very day, Christ rectified his original error, when He came to the earth, established the Kingdom of God, died, was resurrected, descended into the the lower parts of the earth to deliver those there, then ascended back to His Father’s side with all of His original power restored. The resurrection of Jesus is an essential cog in God’s plan of salvation for men, and in our text, the apostle Paul had to correct false teachings from some who denied that the resurrection of the dead would actually take place. I grew up watching movies like Night of the Living Dead, Beetlejuice, and Drop Dead Fred, so in the mind of a kid, I believed that dead bodies could actually be resurrected. Obviously, I know now the reality of life and death in a spiritual sense, but the men in our text knew that Christ had rose from the grave, but denied that men would also. Paul explained that if the dead in Christ would not be resurrected, then Christ Himself was not risen. Not only was Christ not raised from the dead, but their preaching and faith would be in vain, and all men would still be in sin. To make this false assumption even worse, those who were dead in Christ were just that, gone with no afterlife. “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (vs. 19). Can you imagine living now, and not having an eternal destination, except the grave? We may as well just die now, because the hope of an eternal future in glory wouldn’t exist. Christ’s resurrection is a fact, and the guarantee that all other men will soon be resurrected at the appointed time.

Knowing that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption, how will dead, flesh bodies raise up, and be in the presence of the incorruptible God? “But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased Him, and to every seed his own body” (vs. 38). God will give every person his own body, but not a natural one; a spiritual body. Corruption must be put aside so that incorruption can take its place in the bodies of those resurrected, because flesh and blood cannot inherit glory or the spiritual body. “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:51-58). This life isn’t all we have to live for, but there is a time coming when we will enjoy a better life, in the presence the Savior of the world.

Walk in love,

Ell

Spirit of Christ in our hearts

Galatians 4:1-7

All of the adopted sons (and daughters) of God who have ever lived, are also heirs to Him, as well as joint heirs with Christ. An heir is a person legally entitled to the property or rank of another upon that person’s death, or someone inheriting and continuing the legacy of a predecessor. As sons of God, we receive the most wonderful evidence of it by the Spirit of Christ in our hearts. Before Christ sacrificed His life to cover the full payment for all men who were slaves to sin and satan, and held under the death penalty of the law, we were in bondage under the elements of the world. Christ came to redeem us from the law, that we might become adopted sons of God, and free from the law of sin and death. When studying the believer’s relationship with God, I often wonder about the little children who are placed in adoption agencies, because they have no guardian to care for them. Children without proper care and parenting are usually forced into living unfavorable lifestyles, just as an unbelieving sinner is swayed into all manners of sinful activities when operating outside the boundaries of godliness. Thousands of innocent and impoverished children await the moment to be redeemed by someone willing to adopt, and accept them into their own families, but many of them can only live on hope, as they have no power to change their circumstances on their own. For the unbelievers, God provided a program called, “the adoption of sons”, by which those who are lost and spiritually impoverished, can be redeemed and adopted into His royal family. The adoption fees have all been paid by the blood of Christ, so all one must do is confess with their mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in their heart that God hath raised him from the dead, then they shall be saved.

Walk in love,

Ell

Believers in Jesus have eternal life

John 5:19-24

What will life be like when we finally live in a world where time is irrelevant? Have you ever really considered eternity, or is your focus fixed on the now, and the cares of this dying world? We have a glimpse of eternity through the writings of the inspired Scriptures, that reveal the very nature of the eternal God. “In the beginning God…” (Genesis 1:1). God exists outside of time, and operates in a realm that our finite minds can barely comprehend. “In the beginning was the Word…” (John 1:1). God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit are from a dateless past. The union of these three form the holy trinity. No person of the trinity acts independently of the others, and all function in the same character traits.

While on earth, Jesus was an agent of the Father, who worked through Him by the Holy Spirit. Jesus does the same works as His Father, in perfect union with Him, and His will. When we pledge our allegiance to Christ, we solidify an eternal reservation with Him in glory. All we see in this world, and the things it offers are vanity, and can do nothing to earn us rewards in Heaven. True believers in Jesus not only confess salvation with their mouths, but prove it daily in their unselfish acts of love and devotion. Growing in the knowledge and understanding of the timeless God, helps make living on the earth more of a mission to win souls, than simply trying to live the “dream”.

Eternity is a very long time, and how we choose to live today, will determine which eternal destination we’ll eventually be assigned to inhabit. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13). “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:3-4).

Called to righteousness

Romans 3:21-31

Righteousness is the standard set by God, by which believers are to align themselves with on a consistent basis. God is righteous, and that same holy standard is what sets the atmosphere of the third Heaven. It’s because of the faith of Jesus Christ, that God’s righteousness was made available unto all, and upon all them that believe. We were created in the image of God, and after His likeness, but sin caused a great divide between the creature and the Creator. God made man with intentions to do amazing things through them, but the deception that caused man to fall disrupted (but didn’t stop) the plans God intentionally had in mind for man to live by. Now, being justified freely by the grace of God, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, all who have called upon the name of the Lord, and have received Him into their hearts, are now called the righteousness of God.

Just as colors portray the name by which they are labeled (red reveals red, blue reveals blue, etc.), when you hear the word righteous, you should only see a man or woman mirroring the sinless life of Christ. Verse 23 reads, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”, but after becoming new in Christ, believers put away sin, and become new creatures. So the question that comes to mind is, is it impossible for the believer to sin, after they have converted to holiness? Well, I’m glad you asked. I’ll mention a story in the Bible, and let you devise the conclusion. “Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: GO, AND SIN NO MORE. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:1-12). Would Jesus tell the woman to do something that was impossible to accomplish? Allow that to settle for a moment.

After God saves us, it’s our responsibility to cling to Him, as a newborn babe latches to a mother. We become new, but are still susceptible to evil influences. The enemy wants nothing but to see God’s children fall, but through Christ, we are righteous, and have set are affections on things above, and not on things of this wicked world. To those who claim to be sons and daughters of the Most High God, let your lives prove what you profess. The world knows it’s own, and seeks only to spread the evils of satan, but your life can be persuasive enough to change the hearts and minds of some who are lost. Be that man or woman God created you to be: Righteous, holy, bold, virtuous, wise, and humble. “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet” (Psalm 8:4-6).

Walk in love,

Ell

Jesus brings true justice

Romans 3:9-20

God implemented the law to expose the sins of men, and to reveal why the whole world was guilty before Him. The law did its job to perfection! Unfortunately, exposing man’s sin alone, wasn’t enough to make them righteous before God, because the law could only condemn, not justify. Sin had to be removed, in order for man to be redeemed, and presented back to God in a more acceptable state.

Every line in this text resembles the world to this very day, even though it was written thousands of years ago. Sin is a very real force that has the capability to dominate a person’s mind, and potentially enslave them. In these last days, men are continuing in sin and disobedience, and unrighteous living seems to be the norm in our society, as more and more people tend to support standards that are contrary to holiness. Evil is preferred over good, words are used more to cause harm, than to edify, and the hearts of men are full of bitterness that leads them to seek destruction and bloodshed, rather than peace and love. The primary reason men and women have become so entangled in sin up to this point in life is, because there is no fear of God before their eyes. When God is reverenced, lives are changed. When lives are changed, obedience is exercised. When obedience is exercised, God is pleased, and is then moved to bless, and not curse.

Without the bloodshed of Jesus, we would be lost until this very moment, and would be unable to live in the fullness of God’s favor. Christ is the way by which justice can be served, but also mercy and grace as well. The difference between grace and mercy is, grace is when God gives us what we don’t deserve, whereas mercy is when we don’t get what we do deserve. While the law brought revelation, Jesus brought salvation. This free gift of salvation is offered daily to all who desire the truth of God, and His purpose for their lives. Although salvation grants men the right to be engrafted into the family of God, consistent holy living keeps them on the righteous path, while avoiding the way of misery and destruction. Sin makes men exert great amounts of energy into unprofitable works, but obedience to God makes the ways of righteous men prosperous and fulfilling.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, but not just life on earth, life eternal. Our goal in this present life is, to fashion our living like Christ’s, so that we can be permanently aligned with God’s will for us. We only exist in this realm for a season, then after that, eternity. It’s imperative that we live our days preparing to see God, in hopes of being welcomed with open arms, and directed in the way of eternal glory, peace, and celebration!

Walk in love,

Ell

God is faithful

Romans 3:1-8

One of the things so absolutely amazing about God is, He’s always faithful in keeping His word. Not only is He faithful to His word, but His faithfulness extends to His love, grace, mercy, and provision. God promised to bless those adopted into His family abundantly, but there are conditions that must first be met, in order to enjoy the full benefits God offers to those who live for Him. Another amazing fact about the wonderful God we serve is, there is no respect of persons with Him. It matters not whether a person is a Jew, Grecian, American, or whatever, God loves all men the same, and treats them respectively, according to their obedience. Not one man or woman holds and advantage over another in the kingdom of God due to their race or nationality, because God sees no difference, and He’s rich unto all that call upon Him. Even when some refuse to believe in the power of God, it doesn’t stop Him from beautifying the world with all His creation and splendor. There are others who are under the assumption that God needs sin in order to magnify His glory. On the contrary, sin is not necessary to magnify God. If this were true, then God would be unjust Himself and could not rightly be justified in judging the world. In a similar sense, many preach that God is using President Donald Trump to evoke the church to tighten up and pray more, but the church should already be praying without ceasing, according to Scripture. God doesn’t need to use an unjust man to motivate His children to live better, because we should be doing that regardless of who holds a seat in office. God will never fail us, nor go back on His word. No man can ever say that God failed to keep His word, because if they examine themselves and all their ways, there’ll find where they failed to meet the conditions God set, so He could fulfill the promise He made.

Walk in love,

Ell