Verse of the Day 8/14

Verse of the Day 8/14

Romans 8:5-6

English Standard Version

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

What you set your mind on will determine the paths that you choose in life. If your mind is set on "stuff", the things of this world, your world will revolve around obtaining that stuff.  If it is set on Christ, the Spirit will guide you every day of your life, "and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace".

The heading for this passage in Romans 8 in my study Bible is "Life in the Spirit".  The Spirit was mentioned only 1 time in the first 7 chapters of Romans, now, Paul turns attention to the concept referring to it nearly 20 times in this chapter.  Do you think we should stop and pay attention to what Paul is telling us?  He has set us free from sin and death and enables us to fulfill the law by allowing the Lord to direct our steps.  He changes our nature, giving us grace, giving us victory over our past.  He adopts us as children and promises to bring us to glory (Romans 8:17-30).

Where is your focus today, on accumulating "stuff" that will rust, rot or fade away, or life and peace which come from living by the Spirit?

The old hymn "Living for Jesus" came to mind, the first line of the refrain states "O, Jesus Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee", that is what setting our mind on the Spirit is all about.  May our minds and hearts  be set towards living for Jesus each day.

1. Living for Jesus, a life that is true,
   Striving to please Him in all that I do;
   Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free,
   This is the pathway of blessing for me.
   • Refrain:
     O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,
     For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me;
     I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne;
     My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.
2. Living for Jesus Who died in my place,
   Bearing on Calv'ry my sin and disgrace;
   Such love constrains me to answer His call,
   Follow His leading and give Him my all.
3. Living for Jesus, wherever I am,
   Doing each duty in His holy Name;
   Willing to suffer affliction and loss,
   Deeming each trial a part of my cross.
4. Living for Jesus through earth's little while,
   My dearest treasure, the light of His smile;
   Seeking the lost ones He died to redeem,
   Bringing the weary to find rest in Him.

Blessings,

Mike

Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV

Romans 8:1-11

English Standard Version

Life in the Spirit

8 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.[a] 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you[b] free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin,[c] he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.