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Romans 8:6 - HOLY SPIRIT LIVING!!!Romans 8:6 (NIV) The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;Romans 8:6 (NLT) So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. Romans 8:6 (ERV) If your thinking is controlled by your sinful self, there is spiritual death. But if your thinking is controlled by the Spirit, there is life and peace. Romans 8:6 (EAV) To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. INTRODUCTION Paul divides people into two categories - those who let themselves be controlled by their sinful natures, and those who follow after the Holy Spirit. All of us would be in the first category if Jesus hadn't offered us a way out. Once we have said yes to Jesus, we will want to continue following him, because his way brings life and peace. Daily we must consciously choose to center our lives on God. Use the Bible to discover God's guidelines, and then follow them. In every perplexing situation ask yourself, "What would Jesus want me to do?" When the Holy Spirit points out what is right, do it eagerly. [Life Application SB] COMMENTARY PEARL It is impossible for us, of ourselves, to escape from the pit of sin in which we are sunken. Our hearts are evil, and we cannot change them. "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one." "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Job 14:4; Romans 8:7. Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all have their proper sphere, but here they are powerless. They may produce an outward correctness of behavior, but they cannot change the heart; they cannot purify the springs of life. There must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before men can be changed from sin to holiness. That power is Christ. His grace alone can quicken the lifeless faculties of the soul, and attract it to God, to holiness. The Saviour said, "Except a man be born from above," unless he shall receive a new heart, new desires, purposes, and motives, leading to a new life, "he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3, margin. {SC 18} COMMENTARY Sins of the flesh "In times of peace, prepare for war:" said ancient Roman writer Publius Vegetius Renatus. However cynical, his words reflect a profound reality about a planet that has not had a single year in known history without a war. That is, not a year with peace. But not just for nations. What do we see all around us: men and women at peace with themselves, with each other, and with the world? It doesn't seem that way. And no wonder. Read the text for today: "To be carnally minded is death: The word for "carnally" is from the Greek sarks, "flesh," and out of it comes "sarcophagus." These were the tombs in the ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman world. Death, indeed. Our world is consumed by the flesh. And though, unlike the ancient Greeks, who deemed the flesh itself as bad, as evil - that's not the biblical view. God created humans as fleshly bodies, and those fleshly bodies were part of a creation deemed "very good" (Genesis 1:31). It was only since the fall that our flesh has been used for evil, which leads to suffering, guilt, and death. But through faith in Jesus, you have the promise that you don't need to be dominated by the flesh - and then by the guilt, the turmoil, and the pain that inevitably follows. Jesus won the victory over the flesh, and you can have that victory for yourself, as well as the peace that comes from not being "carnally minded." And, also, because of what Jesus did at the cross, you can rest in the peace that arises from not being condemned when, at times, you do fall into sin (1 John 2:1). No wonder it's called "the Good News." Lord Jesus, keep my mind on things of the Spirit, and not on the flesh. [The Most Amazing Bible Promises by Amazing Facts] Adopted, Welcomed, Loved God wants His Spirit to permeate every area of your life: your thought life, your relationships, your work, and everything that you do. The apostle Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, "Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18 NLT). Another translation of the word "filled" speaks of the wind filling the sails of a boat. Imagine being out on a lake, bobbing around in a sailboat without any wind. But then a gust comes along, you hoist your sail, and you pick up speed. In the same way, how much better our lives are when we let the Holy Spirit fill our sails and give us the strength to live the life God calls us to live. This isn't about trying harder. It's about asking God to help us, because we can't do it on our own. This is not works-based righteousness; it's working righteousness. If you don't want to go backward, then go forward. The best way not to walk in the flesh is to walk in the Spirit and take practical steps to do that every day. As believers, we should start each day by asking God to fill us with the Holy Spirit. Spirit-led people are spiritually minded people. Romans 8:5 tells us, "Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit" (NLT). In other words, be preoccupied with things that preoccupy the Holy Spirit. And what are those things? The rest of Romans 8 answers that question. For instance, verse 14 says, "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God" (NLT). Verses 15-16 tell us that God removes the fear of rejection and assures us that we are His children. Also, verses 26-27 tell us that the Holy Spirit gives us confidence to approach God in prayer. Therefore, God wants us to think about the fact that He adopted us, He loves us, and He welcomes us. As a child of God, you're adopted. I got my last name, Laurie, from a man named Oscar Laurie, one of my mother's many husbands. He adopted me and treated me as his son. He's in Heaven now, but I still feel a great love for him. God loves you, and He welcomes you in prayer. This is important when you're going through something that causes you to worry. Remember, you're God's adopted child. He welcomes you. He wants to hear from you. He wants you to think about Him. That is what it means to be spiritually minded and have the Holy Spirit dominate your mind. In contrast, when the sinful nature dominates us, we "think about sinful things" (Romans 8:5). A lot can fall into this category, including lust, anger, and hatred. But it also can include empty things such as fame and fortune. Let's fill our minds with the things of God. [Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com] LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY Romans 8:6 - HOLY SPIRIT LIVING ! ! ! https://www.abible.com/devotions/2023/20230331-0855.html http://www.abible.com/devotions/2023/20230212-0908.html http://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220613-1114.html Psalm 119:165 - A Formula For Peace. https://www.abible.com/devotions/2024/20240623-1041.html Romans 5:1, 2 - Peace Beyond Human Understanding. https://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20201201-1130.html Colossians 3:15 - Let the Peace of God Rule in Your Hearts. https://www.abible.com/devotions/2024/20240408-0826.html LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT https://abible.com/links/ |