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Romans 8

So, I have read Romans before but I have been revisiting it after some of my pastor's sermons in the last couple of weeks. I just love chapter 8. It has some verses that just make me feel even more blessed than I have before. Here's what I'm talking about. And thanks Preacher William Boyd Bingham for these sermons which have taught me so much!

Romans 8 (King James Version)

1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

5For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

6For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

So true!

7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

9But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Monica this is exactly what we were discussing on the phone tonight. The Holy Spirit is with us from the first day we get Saved.

10And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Gosh, it dwells in us and its the exact same spirit that raised Jesus! How could anything be more powerful and on our side?

12Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

13For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Why are we in bondage to fear? Who is our Father? Is He not the God of all creation who holds us in the palm of His hand? He is our "Abba, Father." In the Greek language this means "Dear Father" or "Papa". We can cry out "Papa, Papa" or "Daddy, daddy! Help me!" So amazing!

16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

We've been adopted in and are so blessed to be joint-heirs to all that God owns... which is EVERYTHING! We are kings and priests. We are so blessed.

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

This is a great statement!

19For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

20For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

21Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

22For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

Creation really is groaning in pain and ready to be delivered from this strife.

23And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

24For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

25But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

26Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

This is hands down one of my favorite verses. So many times I haven't a clue how to articulate my Prayers into words. Yet my precious friend, the Holy Spirit, steps in and reads my heart and takes those Prayers to my Heavenly Father and intercedes on my behalf. How amazing that He knows me well enough to understand my "groanings."

27And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Interesting word. "Foreknow" means that He not only knew ahead of time but that He planned ahead of time. Just a bit of humor, I love knowing my God is so organized. And He would have to be. Look at what all He has created and taken care of! Bless His high and holy name!

30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

God defends His own.

34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

How blessed to know how much assurance we have in our Salvation! Nothing can separate us from our Lord and His love!

Glory to God!

I am so sorry it has taken me almost a week to actually post my mom's heart cath results. Praise Jesus the doctor said everything looked fine and that it was just scar tissue. How amazing! We were so overwhelmed with worry because she has worked even harder this time around to keep herself even more healthy with diet and exercise. I'm sort of like a mother hen with her over it all and I'm pretty strict. haha I cannot praise God enough for this blessing. It was so wonderful to put her in the car and bring her back home and know that there had been no more blockages since those found and fixed this past fall. Thank you Heavenly Father for your mercy and grace! You're love for me and my family is astounding and I just can't fathom my life without You in it. Thank you so much for hearing my "groanings" and answering them according to Your will. I thank You for Saving my family and I and I Pray for continued salvation for those who have seen You answer our Prayers, yet are not Saved. I love you Father!

Ps. Thanks to everyone who bathed us in Prayer, thoughts, and kind words. You are so precious!

My Heart Is Heavy

"When I saw your car pull into the driveway today, I felt better. It's like when you show up, I know that everything is going to be ok and you are going to take charge and help me." Those are the words of my precious mother. She told me this today after I came back to her house for the second time upon hearing that her nuclear stress test results came back abnormal. I had just left to come home and was stopping to pay two of her bills when she got the call. I could hear her talking on the phone and I heard the word "blockages" which sent me into a frenzy. That word just takes my breath. Granted, I'm glad that if something is really wrong, it gets picked up and we have an opportunity to get it fixed. However, it is so hard to see my precious mother going through this over and over again. She often tells me that it is a mental thing. You don't just go through it physically but mentally as well. Every poke, every prod is a mental game that you play with yourself. She and I cried together today. It isn't a big deal that I cried because I can cry just about anytime, but my mom is not someone who just cries often. I love her so much and I just hate seeing her cry. And she did feel better about it when I left to come home tonight.

So I am, once again, asking for YOUR Prayers in this situation. Please Pray for my saintly mother to be healed and to be blessed with many more years of wellness on this earth with her family. She so desires to enjoy my children and I so desire her influence in their lives. She desires to see my brother grow up and to grow old. She desires to live just like most folks do. And I by no means feel like she isn't going to, but I desire your Prayers for God to move in her situation. She has always served the Lord and I know that she will continue to do so. I know God has more work to do through her. Just please keep us in your Prayers and in your churches' Prayers. God has carried us through her emergency open heart surgery in 2004 and her stent in Oct. 2007 of this year and we give Him honor and glory for those blessings! I know that He isn't through with her life.

We head to Lexington on Tuesday evening for blood work and then on to the Heart Cath Lab on Wed. morning at 8:30am. Please, please, please bathe us in YOUR Prayers during this. I appreciate each of you and God Bless!

How Great Thou Art .... Part 5 in a hymn study

How Great Thou Art – The History of the hymn

The history of the hymn How Great Thou Art begins with Mr. Carl Gustaf Boberg (1859-1940). He was a Swedish pastor, editor, and member of the Swedish parliament. Mr. Boberg was enjoying a nice walk when a thunderstorm suddenly appeared out of no where. A severe wind began to blow. After the storm was over, Mr. Boberg looked out over the clear bay. He then heard a church bell in the distance. And the words to How Great Thou Art begin to form in his heart -- O Lord, my God, When I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds Thy hands hath made. . . Can you imagine what Boberg felt as he formed these words? There was such calmness after the fierce storm he could only utter those words of peace.

This poem, titled O Store Gud (O Great God) was published in 1891 in Witness of the Truth, the weekly newspaper that Boberg edited. It was later translated in German. In 1927, it was published in a Russian version of the German text.

How Great Thou Art – Translated by Stuart K. Hine

How Great Thou Art was translated by Stuart K. Hine, the English missionary to Ukraine. He found some version of the Russian text and sang it at an evangelistic meeting with his wife. He then translated the first three stanzas into English, which was sung at an evangelistic meeting in England during World War One. He published the first three verses (in both English and Russian) in 1949 in Grace and Peace, a Russian evangelistic paper which Hine edited. He later wrote the fourth verse as a triumphant message of life eternal.

Of the hymn’s importance he said: “When we reach that heavenly home, we will fully understand the greatness of God, and will bow in humble adoration, saying to Him, O Lord my God, how great thou art.” May we all live in such a way that we will be ready when Jesus Christ appears to receive the saints. Our heavenly home awaits us, all of those who have received Christ in obedience.

Dr. J. Edwin Orr of Fuller Theological Seminary, is said to have brought the hymn to America. After hearing it sung in India, he introduced it to various Christian groups in America. In 1954, Dr. Cyrus Nelson of Gospel Light Publications copyrighted and published the song.

How Great Thou Art – Sung by George Beverly Shea
How Great Thou Art was sung by George Beverly Shea at the London Crusade of the Billy Graham evangelistic team in 1954. He later sang this song over 100 times during a revival in New York at a Billy Graham Crusade. This caused the hymn to receive new attention in Sweden and America and be published in several songbooks.

Today millions across the world continue to sing this beautiful song. Giving God all praise, glory, and honor for who He is -- the Creator of this universe.

How Great Thou Art – The Lyrics

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

Source: http://www.allaboutgod.com/how-great-thou-art.htm

HAPPY 46th BIRTHDAY MOMMA! YOU ARE TURNING MY FAV. NUMBER!!!

Just wanted to take this time to wish my mom a happy 46th birthday! One thing I love about my mom is the fact that she doesn't care a bit for folks to know her age because she says that she is soo blessed that God has given her 46 years on this earth. How true! We shouldn't be ashamed of our age. God could have taken us out of here many years ago, but He didn't because we are soo blessed. My mom has been through so much in her 46 years and I feel so much pride in my heart to know that God entrusted me to her. I could not ask for a better mother and a better best friend than my mom. Thank you precious Heavenly Father for blessing me so with a wonderful mother who gives always without ever asking for anything in return. She (and my dad as well) is such a beautiful picture of my Heavenly Father's love. I love you mom... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Happy Fourth of July and A Prayer Request

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY .... a day late! Thank you to all of our service men and women who fight or have fought for our freedom. I Pray that we, as a nation, do not take this freedom for granted. We can turn God's blessings into a curse as much of the world is doing today. Let's stand strong and not continue in that path as Christians.

Also, please Pray for my bestie Kim's little boy Lucas. He had a second seizure last night and he isn't even 3 yet. Pray that he'll be ok and not have anymore of these and that they will be able to get some answers as to why it keeps happening. And Pray for my other bestie Tina who just lost her precious, furry friend Sampson.

Such a Beautiful Statement!

Jer 32:17 "Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee." King James Version

"The voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day."—Genesis 3:8.

This was so fitting that I just had to post it. If ever there were a Prayer of my heart today, this devotion would be it.

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

This Evening's Meditation

C. H. Spurgeon

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"The voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day."—Genesis 3:8.

Y soul, now that the cool of the day has come, retire awhile and hearken to the voice of thy God. He is always ready to speak with thee when thou art prepared to hear. If there be any slowness to commune it is not on His part, but altogether on thine own, for He stands at the door and knocks, and if His people will but open He rejoices to enter. But in what state is my heart, which is my Lord's garden? May I venture to hope that it is well trimmed and watered, and is bringing forth fruit fit for Him? If not, He will have much to reprove, but still I pray Him to come unto me, for nothing can so certainly bring my heart into a right condition as the presence of the Sun of Righteousness, who brings healing in His wings. Come, therefore, O Lord, my God, my soul invites Thee earnestly, and waits for Thee eagerly. Come to me, O Jesus, my well-beloved, and plant fresh flowers in my garden, such as I see blooming in such perfection in Thy matchless character! Come, O my Father, who art the Husbandman, and deal with me in Thy tenderness and prudence! Come, O Holy Spirit, and bedew my whole nature, as the herbs are now moistened with the evening dews. O that God would speak to me. Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth! O that He would walk with me; I am ready to give up my whole heart and mind to Him, and every other thought is hushed. I am only asking what He delights to give. I am sure that He will condescend to have fellowship with me, for He has given me His Holy Spirit to abide with me for ever. Sweet is the cool twilight, when every star seems like the eye of heaven, and the cool wind is as the breath of celestial love. My Father, my elder Brother, my sweet Comforter, speak now in lovingkindness, for Thou hast opened mine ear and I am not rebellious.

Source: http://www.spurgeon.org/morn_eve/this_evening.cgi