This morning for devotions I read Romans 8.
Romans 8 us such a great challenge to live a Spirit filled life. It clearly states in more than one way, "Those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (v.8). It is only through the death and resurrection of Christ that we have life with the Father, so why would we expect to live in the flesh we needed saving from, and expect to have life? The hope provided in the Gospel for us is given a fresh perspective in verse 15, "For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons.."
I find myself wanting to know God as Paul did, in verse 18 he disregards his current sufferings because he knows that the glory of God in his sufferings is worth it. I see in my own life that I constantly pray for God to deliver me from sufferings, or keep me from them altogether, but rarely pray for God's name to be lifted high in the midst of my suffering. Even while I'm in Kansas, still waiting to make friends, nervous about finding a new church, and unsure about completely how long I will be here I pray and ask God to change things to make me more comfortable, instead of praising God for the things he has done to get me here and trusting in his plan. As one of my good friends, Isaac, once told me, "It's hard to carry your cross when comfort is your god." I'm praying for God's name to be lifted high in my life regardless of my circumstances. I want to be able to rejoice in my sufferings because I know God is with me, and as verse 28 says, "and we know that for those who love God all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose." God's promise to be with me is clear here, as well as in verse 31b, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" I have the promise of the presence of the creator of the universe who says that nothing in this world can come against him, and he promises to sanctify me in my sufferings if I hold onto him. I pray earnestly this morning to be made more like Christ, who relies on the strength of the Father and seeks to glorify him with whatever he does.
Please continue to pray for me as I am in this time of transition. I visited two churches this weekend, and I will probably revisit both of them over the next month. Unfortunately I am still looking for a friend group to plug into, but God has been showing me during this time where I have lack of fellowship and community that he is all I really need. I don't have any one else's passion to ride off of, or anyone to make me want to have a stronger relationship with Christ. It has to come from my heart, and it has to be sincere. Please continue to pray that I would have a burning desire for God's word, to read it and understand it, to memorize it, and to share it. Please pray for God to keep working in my heart, and to change my will, my affections, and my priorities to reflect his heart.
My prayers go out to the Downs family today, who have just parted ways with TMP and are moving back to Florida. I know that whatever God calls them to do, they will excel at, and I believe heaven will be a more crowded place one day because of the work they will do where the Lord calls them.
My prayers also go out to Christian Campus Fellowship at Florida State University as they prepare for Go week, and another year of campus ministry in a place that is so dark, and whose heart has turned away from God. I am praying that they would be bold as an organization, and as individual members. I pray that God would do a mighty work in the midst of the students at FSU and CCF, and that the name of Christ would be glorified in everything they say and do.
Sorry for any grammatical/spelling errors today; I did not get much sleep this weekend. Please pray for me when you think about it, I miss everyone in Florida will all of my heart, and I pray for you daily.
John 3:30
-Daniel
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