Daily Devotion: August 9th 2013

Continuing on my journey through the book of Romans, I read chapter 7 this morning, and it completely tore me apart in the best way.
I loved reading Romans 7 today, but so many things Paul writes about confuse me, or I am not able to understand them, so I ended up reading Romans 7 about 3 times. I love that Paul goes through the every day struggle of the Christian faith in verses 13-25. He has just finished explaining in chapter 6 and the beginning of chapter 7 how we are dead to sin, and the law has no power to condemn those who are in Christ, and now we are free to live by the Spirit. He explains that the law has just proved our need of a savior.
 We see the law, and the commandments seem impossible to keep because they are. There is not a day in my life that will pass that I won't covet something, or whore my heart out to idols of this world that won't satisfy me. The law does not make me sin, but sin has taken a hold of the law and made disobeying it look enticing, fun, or and pleasurable. I am hopeless against the temptation of sin on my own. This proves my need for grace, and sacrifice in my place. There is nothing in my heart that is able to save itself, but Jesus came and stood firm against the temptation on the devil himself and took my place on the cross, suffering the worst form of death penalty for my shameless acts of treason against a righteous God.
I am praying today that the facts stated above, would begin to change my heart, and my desires. I pray that the act of Jesus coming to die for my sin would captivate my heart, and motivate and empower me to live for him, as one who has died to my sin. I want Christ's death, burial, and resurrection to change my behavior for the glory of God.
Paul goes on to further explain in Romans 7 that we can desire so strongly in our hearts to glorify God, and serve Him, but our flesh is unable to carry it out. He says, "For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate...For I have the desire in me to do what s right, but not the ability to carry it out." This is typical of every follower of Jesus. The truth is, Jesus is constantly changing our desires as we seek Him, to desire to do things that will glorify him. But the gospel says my flesh is selfish, weak, and unwilling to do what God wants. In my own power I am unable to serve God, even though I may have the intentions to. It will take Jesus showing up in my life to change me, and empower me to do the good things he wants me to do to glorify Him. I'm praying for just that, in this time of quiet and still in my life. One, of many areas in my life where I am lacking is being still, and resting in Christ. I enjoy running about, doing things at 100mph with people all the time. But God has given me this time, for whatever reason to grow in him without distractions, to find out something that I couldn't see while I wasn't so focused on Him. Please pray that my desire for Christ, and my desire to lift His name high in my life would grow from my heart into my actions. That through Christ, I would be able to do the things my heart wants to do.
John3:30
-Daniel