Spiritual Life

The law. Just sounds kind of scary, doesn't it? I took Tony Jr to school today. We love to sing to music in the car. I had the top down on the car, we had the Newsboys blasting loud and this car we have demands a fast speed. I, fortunately, had the speed down when we passed our first policeman. I suddenly looked at my speedometer, foot on brake only to find I was fine - not speeding. I was not worried until I passed the cop. Why? The law. The law carries with it a constant feeling of guilt. Freedom from the law sets you free from that feeling. Is guilt a bad thing? Actually, in training up a child, for instance, it is a good thing. A child learns right and wrong from guilt and then correction then forgiveness. It's a process that trains. God tells us to" train up a child". There is a point, though, when the parent has to let the child "go" and pray the training guides their decisions. The problem is that the child and subsequent adult then has a constant struggle with the flesh. We find it is hard to stay consistent doing what we know is the right thing to do. Paul understood this in Romans 8. You should read this entire chapter. How do you stay consistent? The answer is to follow the Spirit. To "mind' the things of the Spirit. Stop fighting the flesh and follow the Spirit. What are the benefits? They are listed in Romans 8 and include life and peace (vs.6), being pleasing to God (verse7), life to the body (vs. 10, 13), a Spirit of adoption (vs.15,16), power and effectiveness in prayer (vs.26, 27), things working out for the good (vs.28), justification and glorification (vs.30), a true sense of God's love (vs. 31-36), being a conqueror (vs. 37). Okay, that's just the list in Romans 8. How do you get all this good stuff???? Go back to verse nine. "But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you." There you go. Are you Born Again? If so, you have the Spirit in you. Now begin the "mind" the things of the spirit. Go after the Spirit, which means pray in the Spirit, read God's Word, study it, talk with others about Him. You will begin to see spiritual things happen in your life. Big time!!!! My favorite scripture is Matthew 6:33 - "Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you." Everything God has given me came from time spent seeking Him first. Things have come to me that I didn't even know I needed until I looked back. The Holy Spirit knows these things. Seek Him today. His things He has for you will begin to appear.