But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.Romans 8:9-11 (NKJV)
"Is It In You?" Such is the question of a marketing campaign for a major sports drink company. The inference is that if their product is a part of your body and your athletic program, then you will be better apt to conquer your sporting goals and achieve the highest degree of excellence possible by your body.
It got me to thinking a little bit more about the question that they proposed, and I thought I'd use it for the next 3-devotionals, and I will propose it for some things far more valuable than a drink. Instead of pursuing the best body, or being the best athlete, I want to challenge you to pursue something far greater - the things that God wants in our life - the "Will of God." So with that said, I am ready to ask you that same question - but about those things of God - His will for your life.
Q: Is it in you?
I want to use this marketing question as a baseline for a series of 3-personal questions that I will ask. And as you answer them, I would like for you to think of a way of answering them from a biblical view. In other words, by the definition contained within the Bible. After you have determined the correct answer from using the scriptures, then ask yourself this question:
Q: "By the actions in my life, can I say clearly that, I know that it is in me?"
I want to encourage you to sincerely answer each of these questions while reflecting on your own testimony of actions. So, here's my first question for you.
In other words, "Are you saved?" We are told that if we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus and we believe in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead, we will be saved (See Rom 10:9-10). We are also told that we have been given the Holy Spirit to live within us - and that He is an earnest deposit, and a guarantee of our salvation (See 2Cor 1:22; 5:5). The Apostle Paul identified with this as he wrote to the Galatians.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20 (NKJV)
This is probably the most critically important question out of the 3-questions that will be proposed in this 3-part devotional series, because without being saved, and having a relationship with God, it is impossible to have the other 2-things of God.
Maybe you identify yourself as a Christian believer in that you've gone to church your whole life, but have never actually prayed to receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior - if this is you, then I want to give you a chance by saying a prayer.
Perhaps you said a prayer when you were young as well, but you never really understood what you were doing, or had a personal relationship with God through Jesus. Or maybe you walked away from God for a while, and lived a life that was not in His will, and would like to rededicate your life unto the Lord today in prayer.
Maybe you don't know God, and you feel like you've blown it so bad in your life, that God couldn't possible forgive you and accept you - don't believe it, because it is a lie from the Devil. Maybe you too, would like to dedicate your life to God right now.
If you can relate to one of these scenarios, or even if it is something completely different, such as never knowing what it took to be a Christian, then I want to invite you to pray with me right now.
God, I'm sorry for my sin. Forgive me Lord. I turn from it now. I acknowledge and I thank you for sending Jesus Christ to die on the cross for my sin and to be resurrected.
Jesus, I ask you to come into my heart and my life right now. Wash me - cleanse me, and make me whole. Write my name in your Book of Life. Come be my Lord, my Savior, and my friend. Empower me and fill me with Your Holy Spirit and make me new. Help me as I choose to follow you all the days of my life. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
If you've just prayed that prayer and meant it with all of your heart, then know that you are saved and are now a child of God. I want to encourage you to go buy a bible (NKJV Study Bible) and begin to spend time prayerfully reading it daily.
In part II of this devotional series, we will continue to look at the second of three questions that will challenge us all to take a introspective look at our Christian walk, as we find out if we find out if we have those things that God has told us to pursue and have.
STUDY QUESTION: According to Romans 8:9-11, how can we know that we are saved - that we belong to God?
PERSONAL INVENTORY: Do you have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ? If the answer was no, do you want one?
APPLICATION: Pray the prayer contained at the end of this devotional, just before the study question if you would like to have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.
"Is It In You?" Such is the question of a marketing campaign for a major sports drink company. The inference is that if their product is a part of your body and your athletic program, then you will be better apt to conquer your sporting goals and achieve the highest degree of excellence possible by your body.
It got me to thinking a little bit more about the question that they proposed, and I thought I'd use it for the next 3-devotionals, and I will propose it for some things far more valuable than a drink. Instead of pursuing the best body, or being the best athlete, I want to challenge you to pursue something far greater - the things that God wants in our life - the "Will of God." So with that said, I am ready to ask you that same question - but about those things of God - His will for your life.
Q: Is it in you?
I want to use this marketing question as a baseline for a series of 3-personal questions that I will ask. And as you answer them, I would like for you to think of a way of answering them from a biblical view. In other words, by the definition contained within the Bible. After you have determined the correct answer from using the scriptures, then ask yourself this question:
Q: "By the actions in my life, can I say clearly that, I know that it is in me?"
I want to encourage you to sincerely answer each of these questions while reflecting on your own testimony of actions. So, here's my first question for you.
- Is "God" in you?
In other words, "Are you saved?" We are told that if we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus and we believe in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead, we will be saved (See Rom 10:9-10). We are also told that we have been given the Holy Spirit to live within us - and that He is an earnest deposit, and a guarantee of our salvation (See 2Cor 1:22; 5:5). The Apostle Paul identified with this as he wrote to the Galatians.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20 (NKJV)
This is probably the most critically important question out of the 3-questions that will be proposed in this 3-part devotional series, because without being saved, and having a relationship with God, it is impossible to have the other 2-things of God.
Maybe you identify yourself as a Christian believer in that you've gone to church your whole life, but have never actually prayed to receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior - if this is you, then I want to give you a chance by saying a prayer.
Perhaps you said a prayer when you were young as well, but you never really understood what you were doing, or had a personal relationship with God through Jesus. Or maybe you walked away from God for a while, and lived a life that was not in His will, and would like to rededicate your life unto the Lord today in prayer.
Maybe you don't know God, and you feel like you've blown it so bad in your life, that God couldn't possible forgive you and accept you - don't believe it, because it is a lie from the Devil. Maybe you too, would like to dedicate your life to God right now.
If you can relate to one of these scenarios, or even if it is something completely different, such as never knowing what it took to be a Christian, then I want to invite you to pray with me right now.
God, I'm sorry for my sin. Forgive me Lord. I turn from it now. I acknowledge and I thank you for sending Jesus Christ to die on the cross for my sin and to be resurrected.
Jesus, I ask you to come into my heart and my life right now. Wash me - cleanse me, and make me whole. Write my name in your Book of Life. Come be my Lord, my Savior, and my friend. Empower me and fill me with Your Holy Spirit and make me new. Help me as I choose to follow you all the days of my life. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
If you've just prayed that prayer and meant it with all of your heart, then know that you are saved and are now a child of God. I want to encourage you to go buy a bible (NKJV Study Bible) and begin to spend time prayerfully reading it daily.
In part II of this devotional series, we will continue to look at the second of three questions that will challenge us all to take a introspective look at our Christian walk, as we find out if we find out if we have those things that God has told us to pursue and have.
STUDY QUESTION: According to Romans 8:9-11, how can we know that we are saved - that we belong to God?
PERSONAL INVENTORY: Do you have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ? If the answer was no, do you want one?
APPLICATION: Pray the prayer contained at the end of this devotional, just before the study question if you would like to have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.
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