Category Archives: Romans

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Big “C” Christianity

Acknowledging Jesus As Lord With Our Lips and By Our Lives Is Required

UNSHAKEABLE: Since Jesus Christ is God, therefore, he has every right to rule over our lives as Lord. We are to obey what he says, do what he commands, serve his purposes through our lives, extend his renown throughout the world, and love him with our whole hearts. That’s what it means to be Christian—big “C”!

In America, our national documents guarantee us the right of religious freedom, to believe what we want — but our national rights don’t guarantee that what we believe will be spiritually right.—Ray Noah

Unshakeable Living // Romans 9:5

Christ is over all, the eternally blessed God.

On a fairly regular basis, surveys are released to the public revealing the current state of spirituality of American “christians.” No, “christian” is not a typo. I have used the lowercase “c” deliberately.

A 2008 survey, conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life,

“The fact that most Americans are not exclusive or dogmatic about their religion is a fascinating finding,” said Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum. “Most people will be surprised that a majority of adherents in nearly all religious traditions, including a majority of evangelical Protestants, say that there isn’t just one way to salvation or to interpret the teachings of their own faith.” (https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/about/news-room/press-releases-and-statements/2008/06/23/new-report-from-the-pew-forum-on-religion-public-life-finds-religion-in-us-is-nondogmatic-diverse-and-politically-relevant)

That can either be taken as a positive sign of growing religious tolerance or more likely, that a high percentage of evangelical Americans dismiss or don’t know the fundamental teachings of their own faiths

In America, our national documents guarantee us the right of religious freedom, to believe what we want — but our national rights don’t guarantee that what we believe will be spiritually right.

People who claim Christianity as their faith have the right to believe that there are many ways to salvation and eternal life, but at least they ought to be intellectually honest enough to admit that their opinion is neither what the Bible teaches nor even what Jesus claimed about himself. It is not even close.

A lot of people may say they follow Jesus Christ, but they are not truly following the way Jesus called them to follow: “If anyone wants to follow me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily.” (Mat 16:24) Likewise, he said, “if you love me, you will do what I say.” (John 14:15) Furthermore, he made the astounding claim in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Sounds pretty intolerant, exclusive, and narrow-minded, wouldn’t you say?

Clearly, from Jesus’ own teaching and from the teaching of Scripture, only those who have fully surrendered their lives to his Lordship are truly Christian.

A great majority of those who say they follow Jesus are simply self-deceived or misled — or both. Their “christianity” is perhaps a cultural one and not a spiritual Christianity. Some believe themselves to be “christian” by virtue of being born in America or having been raised by parents who took them to a Christian church twice a year — Christmas and Easter. But going to church or being born to a Christian family or growing up in a “christian” culture doesn’t make you a Christian any more than stepping onto a dance floor makes you Fred Astaire or Ginger Rogers.

A great majority of those who claim Evangelical faith might even be sincere. But sincerity is not an indicator of truth. There are a lot a sincere people in the world, but they are sincerely wrong.

Being a Christian means recognizing that Jesus himself claimed to be God. Not just a god, or one of God’s offspring; not just a good moral teacher or an influential spiritual director. No, Jesus is, was, and forevermore shall be God. In fact, that’s what got him crucified — his claim to Godship. We are called to recognize, accept and surrender to him as God.

That’s what it means to be Christian — big “C”!

Since he is God, therefore, he has every right to rule over our lives as Lord. We are to obey what he says, do what he commands, serve his purposes through our lives, extend his renown throughout the world, and love him with our whole hearts.

That’s what it means to be Christian — big “C”!

And he is to receive praise from our lips and from our lives. Everything we think, say, and do is to bring glory and honor to him. Our whole existence, our everyday, walking around lives, are to be an offering of praise that brings eternal glory to Jesus Christ.

That’s what it means to be Christian — big “C”!

That’s the kind of Christian I want to be!

Get Rooted: Read Romans 9:1-33. Memorize Romans 9:33, “As it is written: ‘See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” For Your Consideration: Ponder the difference between “Big C” and “Small c” Christianity — and honestly evaluate your own faith? Obviously, God desires us to be fully on board with our Christian faith. In reality, maybe you are not 100% there. On a scale of 1to 10, with 10 being “fully devoted to God,” rate yourself in the following areas—and then ask yourself how you can take strategic growth steps toward full devotion: 1) My Moral Life, 2) My Relationships, 3) My Finances, 4) My Service to God, 5) My Personal and Daily Relationship with Jesus Christ

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Inseparable!

Nothing Can Come Between Me and God’s Love

UNSHAKEABLE: While the work of God to redeem and remake you is inexorably marching toward a glorious conclusion, we are still trapped in the sinful flesh, living in the sin-infested world, under the assault of the king of sin, Satan. And often our sense of reality is that sin — our sin, the world’s sin, the unrelenting pressure of the sin-maker — is dragging us in the opposite direction of our redemption. But the greater reality is that while that may seem to be true, God is at work in us, working out His eternal purposes. And here is the good news: His work is unstoppable! Moreover, while we are living in that dual reality between the awful pull of sin and the unstoppable work of redemption, we are inseparable from the stubborn, persistent, irrevocable love of God.

God’s effort to redeem us from sin, remake us into the image of Jesus, and ready us to fit into His eternal purposes is unstoppable! —Ray Noah

Unshakeable Living // Romans 8:35, 38-39

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? … For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Thank God for Romans 8. It is chock full of encouraging theology that reminds us of the great and unstoppable effort God exerted to redeem us from sin, remake us into the image of Jesus, and ready us to fit into His eternal purposes. Among many other reasons, this is so encouraging because often, on the surface of things, it seems as if precisely the opposite of redeeming, remaking, and readying us for glory both in this life and especially in the next is the farthest thing from what is actually happening.

You see, we live in a dual reality. While the work of God mentioned above is inexorably marching toward a glorious conclusion, we are still trapped in the sinful flesh, living in the sin-infested world, under the assault of the king of sin, Satan. And often our sense of reality is that sin — our sin, the world’s sin, the unrelenting pressure of the sin-maker — is dragging us in the opposite direction of our redemption.

But the greater reality is that while that may seem to be true, God is at work in you, working out His eternal purposes. And here is the good news: His work is unstoppable! Moreover, while you are living in that dual reality between the awful pull of sin and the unstoppable work of redemption, you are inseparable from the stubborn, persistent, irrevocable love of God.

Did you catch that twice in these verses Paul reminds us of this glorious truth — that between you and God’s love, the only thing that stands is the word “inseparable”? What is it that can separate you from God’s ever-abiding, redeeming, providing, sustaining love? Nothing!

Within the category of “nothing” is an exhaustive list of things that cannot come between you and God’s love: trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, the sword; not even death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation. I think that pretty much covers it, don’t you?

Yes, not even your sin — past, present, and future — can come between you and God’s love. Christ Jesus made sure of that on the cross.

Inseparable!

Get Rooted: Re-read Romans 8:1-39, then memorize Romans 8:32, “Since God did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all—won’t God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?” Meditate on how this verse is to be understood in light of your sinful past (Romans 8:1), your moral weaknesses (Romans 8:5-13), your spiritual identity (Romans 8:14-17), your circumstances, past and present (Romans 8:28), and Satan’s attempts to separate you from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39).

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What Else Could He Do?

Let Jesus’s Death and Resurrection Settle the Issue of Your Confidence in God

UNSHAKEABLE: The grand prize in the cosmic conflict between God and Satan is you! And that battle is most fiercely waged on the field of your trust in the goodness and sovereignty of God. And whoever lays claim to your confidence will command your emotions, capture your thoughts, color your behavior, and very likely, control your destiny — in this life, for sure, and very possibly, in the next. One of the most potent weapons Satan unleashes in the fight is to get you to doubt God’s love and sufficiency. But why would you ever doubt God’s care and competence and unstoppable love when he didn’t even spare his own Son for you? Let Jesus’s death and resurrection settle the issue of your trust and confidence in God.

whoever lays claim to your confidence will command your emotions, capture your thoughts, color your behavior, and very likely, control your destiny — in this life, for sure, and very possibly, in the next. —Ray Noah

Unshakeable Living // Romans 8:32, 35

Since God did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all — won’t God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?

The great thinker C.S. Lewis made a profound observation:

There is no neutral ground in the universe: every square inch, every split second is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan.

From what I understand of God’s Word, Lewis was right. And the grand prize in this cosmic conflict is you! The battle is most fiercely waged on the field of your trust in the goodness and sovereignty of God. And whoever lays claim to your confidence will command your emotions, capture your thoughts, color your behavior, and very likely, control your destiny—in this life, for sure, and very possibly, in the next.

One of the most potent weapons Satan unleashes in the fight is to get you to doubt God’s love and sufficiency. If Satan can get you to question God’s commitment to you, to go wobbly on your steadfast belief in God’s care for you and waver in your belief in God’s competence to perfect everything that concerns you, you will live in something far less than the abundance that God desires for you. (John 10:10)

But why would you ever doubt God’s care and competence? How could you ever doubt His unconditional, immeasurable love for you? How could you be anything less than confident in His power to perfect His flawless plan in your life, no matter what your circumstances might be at the moment? What more could He do to prove to you that He’s got you covered?

If God didn’t spare His very own Son from death; if He allowed Jesus to hang for six torturous hours on the cross, receiving the wrath that was rightly meant for you, what more could He do to demonstrate beyond any shadow of doubt His all-sufficient grace and more than enough provision for you? I would submit to you that nothing will convince you if that doesn’t!

Hopefully, if you are in any way doubting God right now — about your past, your future, your sins, your hurts, your circumstances, your finances, your relationships, your place in God’s kingdom — this will be a powerful reminder to reject doubt and recommit yourself at the very core of what you believe to this inalterable truth: God loves you and has an incredible plan for your life! Period.

Get Rooted: Re-read Romans 8:1-39, then memorize Romans 8:32, “Since God did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all—won’t God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?” Meditate on how this verse is to be understood in light of your sinful past (Romans 8:1), your moral weaknesses (Romans 8:5-13), your spiritual identity (Romans 8:14-17), your circumstances, past and present (Romans 8:28), and Satan’s attempts to separate you from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39).

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We Win!

Our Victory Has Been Secured

UNSHAKEABLE: I am not sure what I would do without this theology: God causes everything that happens to me, both good and bad, to work to my good and His glory. Now understand that Paul isn’t saying God causes all things, but that He causes all things that occur in my life to work toward his purpose for me. He sovereignly orchestrates every single event in my life — suffering, sickness, and yes, even my sin, along with my successes and accomplishments — for my good in this world and for his glorious life for me in the world to come.

While God works all things for my good, keep in mind that He gets to define what is beneficial for me. After all, He is God and I am not. —Ray Noah

Unshakeable Living // Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8 has to be one of the most encouraging chapters in the entire Bible. And this section, Romans 8:28-39, is the summit of encouragement. I hope you will read all twelve verses in it today — and perhaps every day for the rest of the week.

I am not sure what I would do without this theology — that God causes everything that happens to me, both good and bad, to work to my good and His glory. Now understand that Paul isn’t saying God causes all things, but that He causes all things that occur in my life to work toward his purpose for me. He sovereignly orchestrates every single event in my life — suffering, sickness, and yes, even my sin, along with my successes and accomplishments — to my benefit in this world and for the glorious life he has prepared for me in the world to come.

But keep in mind that He gets to define what is beneficial and good for me. After all, He is God and I am not. And what He has defined as good for me is found in the very next verse, Romans 8:29,

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

For the time being, put aside your questions about predestination and focus on the word “conform.” The word in the Greek text is the same from which we get our word, “morph,” or “metamorphosis.” What is the good that all things are being divinely leveraged in your life? Simple, yet profoundly this: That you are being chiseled by circumstances and events and interactions each and every day into the very likeness of Jesus Christ. And that is the highest good possible, my friend, because that lasts for both time and eternity.

That is God’s great and unstoppable purpose for you. He is committed to that as much as He is committed to anything in this universe. And therefore, “if God is for you, who can be against you?” (Rom 8:31) If God was willing for His Son to die such a horrible death on the cross just to morph you into that which was worthy of eternal life, what else could prove His both the depth of His indescribable love and the irresistibility of His divine purpose for you? (Rom 8:32) Is there anything in all of creation that can stop God’s love or thwart God’s purpose in remaking you into the image and likeness of Jesus? Nothing … nada … zero … zilch … zip! (Rom 8:33-39) The fact is, “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Rom 8:37)

Bottom line: We win! I mean, really win in the only way that counts — which is looking, thinking, acting and being just like Jesus!

You are a winner! Go with it!

Get Rooted: Read Romans 8:1-39 and meditate on Romans 8:38-39, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

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Guess Who’s Praying For You

Your Unceasing Prayer Partner

UNSHAKEABLE: The Holy Spirit is actively engaged, even at this very moment, interceding within you and through you, taking your case before the throne of the Heavenly Father and praying the Father’s perfect will for your life. God, who knows all things, knows exactly what you’re up against in this world, which from a human perspective, looks pretty overwhelming much of the time. But God knows his plans for you (“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jer 29:11), and both Father and Spirit are in continual dialogue, strategizing how to turn the circumstances of your life, both good and bad, into that which will bring the greatest glory to Him and produce the greatest good in you.

Father, Son, and Spirit are in a continual dialogue, strategizing how to turn your circumstances, both good and bad, into that which will glorify God and produce good in you. —Ray Noah

Unshakeable Living // Romans 8:26-27

We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

Need some encouraging news today? How about this: You’ve got quite a team praying for you!

Paul says the Holy Spirit is actively engaged, even at this very moment, interceding within you and through you, taking your case before the throne of the Heavenly Father and praying the Father’s perfect will for your life. God, who knows all things, knows exactly what you’re up against in this world, which from a human perspective, looks pretty overwhelming much of the time (just read the context of this verse, Romans 8:17-27 and you’ll see what I mean). But God knows his plans for you (a perfect plan by the way, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future,” according to Jeremiah 29:11), and both Father and Spirit are in continual dialogue, strategizing how to turn the circumstances of your life, both good and bad, into that which will bring the greatest glory to Him and produce the greatest good in you.

The best part of God’s plan, Paul says, is that through those very circumstances, God is working to conform you to the image of the Son, Jesus Christ our Lord: “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son.” (Rom 8:28-29)

But that’s not all. Not only are Father and Spirit in a constant conversation about you, the Son is in on the discussion as well. Paul writes in Romans 8:34, “Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” Hebrews 7:24-25 tells us that “Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.”

Did you catch that? Jesus’ job description now that he is the resurrected Lord is to be your personal high priest. That means he stands night and day before the Father representing your case. And he intends not just to help you get through whatever you are going through, his mission is to save you completely! Of course, you are already saved if you have placed faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior—that part of your salvation is complete. What Jesus is also doing is bringing to bear all of heaven’s resources to enable your salvation to be practical and powerful in your moment-by-moment life right here and right now!

Furthermore, The Triune God is willing and able to then bring both your positional salvation (when you received Christ) and your practical salvation (your daily walk with Christ) to the finish line in glorious fashion (Philippians 1:6, Jude 24) in the next life. In other words, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are actively engaged on your behalf at this very moment, and they won’t stop until they see that the Father’s perfect plan is fully worked out in you, for you, and through you both in time and for eternity.

That’s quite a prayer team you got, isn’t it? And I’ll bet you had even realized that. So dwell on that a little bit, and you’ll walk through this day with a lot more confidence and purpose, knowing that the eternal God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—has invaded your gritty reality with the best of heaven.

Get Rooted: Read Romans 8:1-39 then memorize verses 38-39, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

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Royal Family Kids

You Are A Prince … A Princess! Now Walk Like One.

UNSHAKEABLE: You and I are now heirs of all the same promises God made to the children of Israel. We are not second-class citizens to the Jewish nation — we have been given a ticket that has a first-class seating assignment! And to seal the deal, God even sent his Holy Spirit to dwell within us (Eph 1:13-14) to guarantee our spot in his royal family for both time and eternity. That sense of family is what the presence of the Holy Spirit causes in you; that’s what his indwelling work produces in the deepest parts of your being: An expectant reaching out to God as your very own Father. You are a prince…a princess, now walk like one!

Royal Family Kids

Unshakeable Living // Romans 8:14

Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

“You are a princess—now walk like one!” So goes the story of the queen, whispering to her daughter as the young lady is about to make a public appearance.

In essence, that’s what the Apostle Paul is saying to you and me: You are a prince…a princess — a kid in the royal family of God — now walk like one! We have been adopted (spiritually, a legal reality — Eph 2:5, and internally, a sense of identity, intimacy, and security is produced by the indwelling Holy Spirit — Rom 8:15-16). We are in the family of God — no if’s, and’s, or but’s about it. By Christ’s redeeming work, we who were once far from God have been brought near to God and firmly, fully, and forever implanted in his family. (Eph 2:13-14)

You are a prince…a princess, now walk like one! Get this: You and I are now heirs of all the same promises God made to the children of Israel. We are not second-class citizens to the Jewish nation — we have been given a ticket that has a first-class seating assignment! And to seal the deal, God even sent his Holy Spirit to dwell within us (Eph 1:13-14) to guarantee our spot for both time and eternity.

That sense of family is what the presence of the Holy Spirit causes in you; that’s what his indwelling work produces in the deepest parts of your being: An expectant reaching out to God as your very own Father. I love how the Messages renders Romans 8:15-17,

This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance!

That is not just something you naturally do. It’s not how you normally think. It is not a usual human instinct to act that way. However, once the Spirit gets a hold of you, you begin to live with a sense of royal family. You can’t help it when he is there reminding you of your true identity and your eternal destiny.

So now that you have been reminded of your new and true identity, walk like the prince or princess you are. Act like the royal family kid that you really are. That’s why Paul begins this section by reminding us of the obligation we now have: “Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation — but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.” (Rom 8:12) Rather, we are to say no to the old family identity (the sinful nature — Rom 8:13) and yield to the moment-by-moment leading of the Holy Spirit who dwells within. (Rom 8:14)

You are a princess…a prince, now walk like one! Yield to the Spirit — it proves you are a royal child of God. Be led by the Spirit—it is what God’s true children do. How? Look for the Spirit’s direction in your circumstances. Submit to the Spirit’s sanctifying work in your daily life (Gal 5:16,17,25). And primarily, saturate yourself in God’s Word, allowing the Holy Spirit to illumine your spirit with Divine truth and empower your will to obey it. (Eph 5:17-19, Phil 2:12-13).

You are fully and forever in God’s royal family — now walk like it!

Get Rooted: Read Romans 8:1-39. Meditate on Romans 8:1-2, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” Memorize Romans 8:38-39, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

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Sin Doesn’t Stand A Chance

We Are Not Alone in the Fight

UNSHAKEABLE: We are not alone in our struggle with sin. We do not have to be disheartened by the overwhelming nature of the spiritual contest we are in. For sure, we experience a strong pull back into the slavery from which our sinful natures were freed. However, we have an infinitely stronger, incomparably more powerful, indefatigable Person who is dwelling within us. The Holy Spirit. With God’s Spirit residing in us and working for us, we cannot lose — if we will cooperate with him.

Unshakeable Living // Romans 8:11

If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

I have heard this particular verse quoted most of my life — usually in the context of praying for the healing power of the Holy Spirit for a physical malady. I have received prayers, and I have offered prayers using this verse as a faith builder — that the same Spirit of God who raised the body of Jesus from death is dwelling in us, and we can expect that same resurrection power to bring divine life to our physical bodies as well. And to be sure, I believe that to be true.

What never hit me until this moment is the larger context in which we find this verse. Up to this point in Romans, Paul has been extensively contrasting the bondage to sin we experienced while living under the law with the freedom from sin we have living under the lordship of the resurrected Christ. Paul has shared his own struggle with sin — of doing what he shouldn’t and not doing what he should. And he has been quite realistic about this back-and-forth wrestling match that goes on in our lives between sin-bondage and Spirit-freedom.

Then he drops this truth on us: We are not alone in this struggle with sin. We do not have to be disheartened by the overwhelming nature of the spiritual contest we are in. For sure, we experience a strong pull back into the slavery from which our sinful natures were freed. However, we have an infinitely stronger, incomparably more powerful, indefatigable Person who is dwelling within us and is fighting for us. And that Person is the Holy Spirit, who is helping us to overcome sin.

With God’s Spirit residing in us and working for us, we cannot lose — if we will cooperate with him. If we work with and walk with the Holy Spirit, we then can tap into the same force he exerted in the lifeless body of Jesus to reconstitute each dead cell and catalyze life in his breathless spirit to produce something that had never happened before, something that the master of sin, the devil, never counted on: The first fully resurrected man.

Not only that, this first fully resurrected man was just the beginning. Now, we who accept Jesus by faith enter into that same resurrection life by that same indwelling resurrection Spirit. And the indwelling Spirit enables us to live in that same resurrection power that will not only heal our sick bodies, and not only guarantee our immortality but will empower us each and every day to resist the pull of sin and live the victorious, overcoming Christian life.

Think about that! On this day, at this very moment, the same Holy Spirit that coursed through the body of our Lord and brought him back to life again is coursing through you.

Wow! Suffering, sickness, and sin — especially sin — doesn’t stand a chance!

Get Rooted: Read Romans 8:1-39. Meditate on Romans 8:1-2, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” And memorize Romans 8:38-39, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be.”