Living for Him...Romans 1

To each one of my precious daughters..Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna and Mikayla...

I am reading through Romans and spending time in Isaiah in my morning Bible time...I read up to verse 17 this morning in Romans and stopped and decided to write to you.

Paul tells us that he is a bondservant of Jesus Christ, separated unto the Gospel of God.  He says he is a debtor to all and that as much as is in him he is ready and willing to preach the gospel.  What a statement...what an example for us.  It brings to mind what he says in Philippians, "for me to live is Christ and to die is gain."  Paul had the right attitude, he lived for the right things and therefore he had peace no matter what situations he found himself in.  Living our lives unto God does that.When we live for ourselves and the things of the world our focus is always pulled in many directions...living for Christ and keeping our eyes on Him brings peace. (Isa 26:3) Romans 8:6 says to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  The more we are immersed in the things of God--the more we live for His glory and not our own--the more peace we will have...Any lack of peace we have can be directly traced to something or someone we have not surrendered to God. James says in chapter 3 of his epistle that where envy and self-seeking exist confusion and every evil thing are there.

Girls....immerse yourself in the word of God. You will have to deal with people, your own emotions and adverse circumstances all of your lives.  You have no better weapon in this world filled with evil to maintain your peace, keep your focus on the right things, and live for His glory than the word of God.  Meditate on it, memorize it....it has the answer for any and every situation you face...in its pages you will find Jesus Christ, THE WORD, WHO WILL MAKE THE CROOKED PLACES STRAIGHT...WHO WILL PERFECT WHAT CONCERNS YOU...WHO WILL BRING YOU JOY IN THE MIDST OF SORROW...WHO WILL BE YOUR STRENGTH AND YOUR SONG...Hebrews 4:12 says: For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. As you immerse yourself in it and allow it to penetrate your heart it will tell you why you do not have peace--it will be a mirror that you can gaze in and see your own heart and as you do that you will be changed/transformed into His image and that is a good deal! As you abide in Him day by day it will bear much fruit in your life...not overnight...that is not how fruit is grown..but first it will be a little then a bit more than much!

Separate yourselves unto God, surrender your will to His Spirit, live for the right things...seek the wisdom that is from above that is peacable, pure, gentle, full of mercy, willing to yield and full of good fruits and you will have peace and have it abundantly.  I will end with some of my favorite verses...

Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.



Love
Mom