Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of images and lyrics from Nichole Nordeman singing … Finally Free … poignantly expressing the reality of finding freedom from self in the Savior.
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Highlight Verse[s]: Romans 7:14-15 [NLT] …
14 So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.
… Paul states his constant struggle to break free from his bondage to his sin nature and to be set free by the completed word of his Savior.
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Highlight Passage [context]: Romans 7:14-25 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …
… Paul writing of his own struggle with the human sin in himself, …
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Reference Passage #1 [NKJV] : … John 8:31-32 [NLT] …
31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
… Jesus declares that our freedom comes when we become slaves to our obedience to the truth, Who is Jesus Himself.
Reference Passage #2 [NKJV] : … Romans 8:1-2 [NLT] …
1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
… We find our freedom from self when we become slaves to Christ.
Reference Passage #3 [NKJV] : … Galatians 5:13 [NLT] …
13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
… We are called to live in the freedom which Christ won for us on the cross.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Tim Gustafson, uses the Apostle Paul’s description of his own struggle with his sin nature as a Christian in the highlight passage linked above [see Romans 7:14-25]. And I believe Paul wrote about this tug-o-war with self [see photo] so that his readers would identify, as Christians, with the struggle to break free from selfishness and to live in the freedom of Christlikeness, which is so gloriously described in Romans, Chapter 8.
The Apostle Paul was like any Christian who seeks what Nichole Nordeman sings about in today’s linked song … to finally be free from the bondage of sin. And in Christ, He promises that freedom (see John 8:32) when, … and only when, … we’re willing to be faithful in living out our Lord’s teaching, which give us the power to become who we are in Christ … freedom from self by being a slave to the Savior.
So, today we must ask ourselves:… Do we want to live in Romans 7 or in Romans 8? As Christians, it’s our choice [see 2nd Cor. 5:17]… !!
Personally, I choose the latter!
My Prayer Today: Heavenly Father, … I walk free from my self by being chained to Your truth and Your love. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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