EXPAND TO READ: ROMANS 13 (HCSB)
PERSONAL JOURNAL:
SIN (verses 13-14): I have lived my whole life failing at this pretty horribly, Father, even since coming to faith. I have struggled so much with walking with decency in this life, Father. I have walked in drunkenness, sexual impurity, promiscuity, as well as quarreling and jealous behaviors. I have struggled with all of these things you tell us not to do. I have definitely lived a life attempting to satisfy my fleshly desires, but never truly feeling fulfilled or complete as they are empty and extremely short-lived satisfactions. Please forgive me for my transgressions, Father. Although I am FAR better than I once was, I still struggle. Help me to continue to be better for Your kingdom, Father. Help me to no longer feel the need to satisfy my fleshly desires and instead be truly filled and satisfied with the blessings that Jesus brings to my life.
PROMISE (verse 10): In this verse You actually give us an example that’s also a promise. Through all of the commandments, You promise us that if we live our lives in Your loving way, always showing love to others and in all situations, that we will have fulfilled the law. Love is the way as it does no wrong. All of the other items do wrong because they lack love. Help me to both live in and be proof of this promise, Father, by living my life in a more loving way. Help me to accept Your love in my heart so much that it constantly overflows out of me to others.
ATTITUDE (verse 8): I want to have a loving attitude towards everyone, but I do struggle with this often as things are not going my way or people do things that go against how I think they should be done. Help me to live in love, Father. I have often lived my life in anger, judgment, and irritability, which is definitely not Your way of living. Help me to embrace the attitude and spirit of love in my life fully so that these petty and fleshly ways that I’ve been living with in my life slowly but surely diminish to nothing.
COMMAND (verse 14): In this verse You tell us to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires.” Oh what a massive command this is. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, gives us such an amazing embrace and way of living our lives, but at the same time it’s so difficult for me to release many of my fleshly desires. Help me to be better at following this command, Father. When I do regress and feel the need to satisfy my fleshly desires, help me to remember that Jesus is there with me to guide me through those moments the right way instead of my way.
EXAMPLE (verses 3-4): The example You give us here of the government and how we should act/react towards it is absolutely amazing. You say that the governments we fall under are only there because You allow them to be and that the only people that should fear them are those doing wrong. How so true is this! I should not have a fear for the Police, for example, if I am never breaking any laws. I should not fear the legal system if I am truly innocent of all wrongdoing. I should not fear changes the government is making if I am an upstanding citizen of Your kingdom, because You are always in control and Your kingdom matters far more than anything this earth and this life could ever come up with. Thank You, Father, for such a powerful example here.
*DAILY NOTE: How can I have love for the Spirit and for You when I still struggle at times with love for my fleshly desires? I can’t love two things at the same time, so I need to be better at going to You for strength and willpower when those fleshly desires creep up on me again. I will continue to be tempted by my flesh, I’m sure, but I know that as I lean on You more in my spiritual journey, that those temptations will become easier and easier to resist. Please continue reminding me of Your direction for my life and things I must avoid in this life, Father. I know I am weak by myself, but with You by my side providing strength, direction, and wisdom I know I can take on anything this world and my flesh try to throw at me.
EXPAND TO READ: GENERAL NOTE FOR MY QUIET TIMES
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