Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

December 16
Wednesday


BECOMING
WHOLE

READ:
Romans 7:13-25
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Work out your own
salvation with fear
and trembling for it is
god who works in you
both to will and to do
for His good pleasure.
__Philppians 1:12-13
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When a friend fell off her bike and suffered a severe brain injury, doctors weren't sure she would survive. For several days she remained suspended between life and death.

The first good news came when she opened her eyes. Then she responded to simple voice commands. But with every small improvement, anxiety remained. How far would she progress?

After one difficult day of therapy, her husband was discouraged. But the very nest morning he shared these welcome words: "Sandy's back!" Psychologically, and mentally, Sandy was becoming the "self" who we knew and loved.

Sandy's fall reminds me of what theologians refer to as "the fall" of mankind (Gen. 3). And her struggle to recover parallels our struggle to overcome the brokenness of sin (Rom. 7:18). If only her body healed, recovery would be incomplete. The same would be true if her brain worked but her body didn't. Wholeness means that all parts work together for one purpose.

God is the one healing Sandy, but she has to work hard in therapy to improve. The same is true of us spiritually. After God saves us through Christ, we must "work out" our salvation (Phil. 2:12)--not to earn it but to ring our thoughts and actions into agreement with His purpose.
__Julie Ackerman Link
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``````````````````More like the Master I would ever be,````````````
``````````````````More of His meekness, more humility;```````````
````````````````More zeal to labor, more courage to be true,````````
```````````More consecration for work He bids me do. __Gabriel`````
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To become whole, keep yielding to the Holy Spirit

**************Today's Bible Reading __ Romans 7:13-25***********

13 Has then what is good
become death to me?
Certainly not! But sin, that
might appear sin, was
producing death in me
through what is good, so that
sin through the
commandment might
become exceedingly sinful.

14 For we know that the law
is spiritual, but I am carnal,
sold under sin. 15 For what I
am doing, I do not
understand. For what I will to
do, that I do not practice; but
what I hate, that I do.

16 If, then, I do what I will not
to do, I agree with the law
that it is good. 17 But now, it
is no longer I who do it, but
sin that dwells in me (that is, in
my flesh) nothing good
dwells, for to will is present
with me, but how to perform
what is good I do not find.

19 For the good that I will to
do, I do not do; but the evil I
will not to do, that I practice.

20 Now if I do what I will not
to do, it is no longer I who do
it, but sin that dwells in me.

21 I find then a law, that evil
is present with me, the one
who wills to do good.

22 For I delight in the law of
God according to the inward
man. 23 But I see another law
in my members, warring
against the law of my mind,
and bringing me into
captivity to the law of sin
which is in my members.

24 O wretched man that i am!
Who will deliver me from
this body of death? 25 I thank
God--through Jesus Christ
our Lord!

So then, with the mind I
myself serve the law of God,
but with the flesh the law
of sin.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Paul says, "I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good
dwells" (v.18). He is not literally referring to flesh and blood. Rather,
he is speaking of the principle of sin which expresses itself through
mind and body. __DENNIS FISHER

[lizzie]

Amen

Merry Christmas dear sister cimi

Love you lots and hope your holidays were and continue to be beautifully blessed.