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HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart:
Romans 8:14, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
The way to live a life inwardly applying the cross is by stimulating your spirit.
This is the way to renew the vision of your sonship continuously in order to execute the cross over yourself.
This is exactly what Paul is saying in Romans 8.
Let us consider verses 13-15 together, looking first at their structure.
Verse 13 is the result of verse 14.
That is, the putting to death of the practices of our body is the result of the leading of the Spirit.
Verses 14-17 actually reveal to us what precedes the putting to death in verse 13.
Paul says in verses 14-15, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”
In our experience verse 15 brings in verse 13.
Verse 15 is the stimulation of our spirit by crying, “Abba, Father.”
You just consider–we have received a spirit of sonship in which we cry, “Abba, Father.”
And when we do something with our spirit, immediately “the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (v. 16).
By the stimulation of your spirit, you freshly renew the vision of who you are.
Because this is a continuous experience, Paul uses present-tense verbs to describe it.
We are crying”Abba, Father,” and the Spirit Himself is witnessing with our spirit (vv. 15-16).
Notice, the witness is that we are the children of God.
And then in verse 17 Paul quickly adds, “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
This is vision coming to you instantly when you stimulate your spirit.
And it is vision with a consciousness–“What am I doing here arguing? What am I doing vindicating myself? What am I doing living out this flesh again? What am I doing here? O Lord Jesus! Abba, Father!”
You begin to activate your spirit and get out of your reasoning mind and your fickle emotions.
As you cry “Abba! Father!” out of that crying comes the sensation that you are a child of God.
Then from that initial sensation comes a deeper sensation that you are an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ.
The vision of God’s economy over your life rises within you simply by stimulating your spirit to have contact with God.
Until Tomorrow
With a Shepherd’s Love
Pastor
TODAY’S PRAYER LIST
Nancy Brown In Passing of her Daughter
Bill Lawhead – Hospice
Charlene Shiflett
Darlene Thaxton – Improving
Richard Blount
The Graham Family – Brandon’s Friends
Amy Garner’s Mother/Dad
Ashley Burn’s Sisters
Barbara Shed’s Family
Bill Moody
Carol Lawhead’s Brother
Charles Rambles
Charlie Sessom – Waiting
Colby/Connor – Allison’s G’sons
Denise Stubbs – Kim Allison’s Mom
Greg Payne – Lisa’s Brother
Hanna Hall – Pray for Grace
James Garner’s Brother, G’Son, & Daughter
Kimberly – Dustin’s Sister
Larry Barker
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Vickie – Nancy Brown’s Daughter
Mary Sims
Marynell Ford
Michael Stanley
Nora Allison – Dustin’s Mom
Paula Ferus’ Missionary Friend
Ricky Stubbs
Rod Gustafson – Cancer
Roseleigh Osborn
Scott Lanier – Linda’s Son
Shaelyn – Jill’s Friend
Sheila Simmons Cousin
Tom Witchers