Part One:

Romans 8,The Message
The Solution Is Life on God’s Terms
8 1-2 With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.

3-4 God went for the jugular when he sent his own Son. He didn’t deal with the problem as something remote and unimportant. In his Son, Jesus, he personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity in order to set it right once and for all. The law code, weakened as it always was by fractured human nature, could never have done that.

The law always ended up being used as a Band-Aid on sin instead of a deep healing of it. And now what the law code asked for but we couldn’t deliver is accomplished as we, instead of redoubling our own efforts, simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us.

What do we learn?
God’s Law guides us to behavior that is pleasing to Him and helps us to live well. Jesus gives us the power of His Spirit, living in those who believe, to behave for all the right reasons, in ways that please God. Jesus extends grace, more love followed by more teaching when we mess up. Done. Believe, embrace His Holy Spirit working in us, then behave with the Power that lives in all of us!

But wait, there’s more, much more…tomorrow!

Dear Heavenly Father, I repent of behavior not pleasing to You, and ask forgiveness. I fully embrace what Your Holy Spirit is doing in me and will live expectantly, looking for You around every corner of this day. In Jesus Name, Amen! And Thank You, Lord!