Last week was the last week in this part of the study of Romans – Not Ashamed of the Gospel. I highly recommend the study as it was a blessing to our entire group.
The week began with reading Romans 8:1-11. Our minds are set – either to the flesh or to the Spirit:
“For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.” (verse 6, NASB)
The question that kept coming to mind was: How is my mind set?
We each get to decide that for ourselves. Where is our focus? What is it that we want our lives to be filled with?
Warren Wiersbe explains it this way:
“The law cannot condemn us … The Law cannot control us … The unsaved person does not have the Spirit of God and lives in the flesh and for the flesh. This person’s mind is centered on the things that satisfy the flesh. But the Christian has the Spirit of God within and lives in an entirely new and different sphere. This person’s mind is fixed on the things of the Spirit … It means that the bent of their lives is different.”
(Wiersbe Study Bible, page 1658)
What is your mind fixed on?
At times mine can get distracted by what is going on around me in the news. My mind can get weary of all the minutiae.
We must be intentional in fixing out minds on the Spirit so His life and peace fill our hearts and souls every day.
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We continued with reading Romans 8:18-25.
Not an easy subject – suffering.
Speaking for myself, I will go to great lengths to avoid suffering if at all possible and still, suffering finds me.
Suffering for us as people, and for creation, came full force after sin entered. There has been no avoiding it ever since.
The study suggests we look at these words, written by Paul, to see how we cope with suffering, comparing our approach to his. In so doing, I focused on three words:
- Glory. These current sufferings we experience will be nothing when the glory of God is revealed to us (verse 18).
- Wait. In the midst of our suffering, may we learn to wait eagerly, or expectantly, for God will redeem all things (verse 19).
- Hope. We wait with the hope of our salvation, knowing God is faithful and He will fulfill all He has promised (verse 20).
How have you learned to cope with suffering?
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We brought the week and the study to a close with reading Romans 8:31-39.
How to bring the study to a close? It could only be done with a few thoughts, hopefully which will bring encouragement:
- God is for us. Always. There is never a time when He is against us.
- God is always giving to us not withholding. The age old lie the enemy looks to have us believe is that God is withholding from us.
- God does not condemn us because Jesus is always interceding for us.
- There is nothing, nothing will ever be able to separate us from God.
May we never lose sight of His great love for us!
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We must keep our minds fixed on Jesus,
even in the midst of suffering,
brings the assurance of His great love for us!
Photo 1: by Julia Kicova on Unsplash
Photo 2: by nine koepfer on Unsplash
Today I am joining …
I loved this: We must be intentional in fixing our minds on the Spirit so His life and peace fill our hearts and souls every day.
By being intentional and allowing Jesus to dwell within us, He will guide us toward that focused mindset. His peace will help us to endure what comes our way. Thank you for sharing.
Joanne, I love how Warren Wiersbe put it—that as Christians, the “bent of [our] lives is different.†I hope that is true for me! Thanks for this encouraging reminder to “set my mind†on things of the Spirit.