Good morning Jesus, I seek you power this morning as it is the only key that will allow me to live today free of sin.
“For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.... For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me…For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.” (Romans 7:14-25)
Jesus, you know Paul’s words are my words as well, “for I am not practicing the want I like to do, but I practice the very thing I hate” (v.15). There are at times thoughts, attitudes, desires that creep into my mind that I have to rebuke and say “why am I doing that?” There are times in a conversation my flesh takes over and I have repent and say “Why did I say that?”
In my flesh; my heart and mind, thoughts and actions, I am weak and drawn to sin. Who can free me from this, change my heart and give me strength to not sin? As Paul asks the same question, “Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (v.24-25). Yes Only Jesus! Jesus is the key to unlock me from the chains of sin. But like any key, it has to be taken out and and used. It does not work sitting in a bowl on a shelf.
Yes I was saved from sin and death when I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior and fell in love with Him. However, just as I could not on my own initially save myself from sin and death but had to rely on the power of the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, daily I cannot free myself from sin unless I daily rely on the power on the Holy Spirit. Jesus was the key needed for my initial Salvation, and Jesus is my key to live daily in that Salvation. If I did not use that key initially I would be eternally doomed by sin, and if I do not use that key daily, I will be daily doomed to sin.
That is why I spend this time in the Word. That is why I write these devotions every morning, to embrace the key of life and encourage those who read this to do the same. Time spent daily reading and searching your Bible, time spent daily in extended times of prayer is how you grasp the key, grasp and hang on to Jesus. If your Bible sits unopened for a day, week, or month; if your hands have not been lifted for and extend time of pray for a day, week, or month, you are not embracing the key, not embracing Jesus, dooming yourself to sin. Jesus, even told His disciples, “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41) That watching and praying is looking and seeking God in Scriptures and in deep prayer. Even Jesus says if you do not, you will enter into temptation.
My family, yesterday was Ash Wednesday and we are now in the 40 day season of Lent. I pray you will use these next 40 days to recommit to grasping the key, grasping Jesus in extended daily times in The Word and prayer. I pray you will seek the power of the Holy Spirit in you life so you can live in your salvation today. In Jesus’s name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
I never intended this morning Blog to be a one way conversation, but one that encourages responses and reflection from those reading to bless me and others as well. I encourage you to share your reflections and prayers with us on this blog in the comment box below on this page.
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