ICS Daily Devotions
Pursue peace and love
Romans 8:1-2 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
Jesus did not abolish the law but He came to fulfil it. Jesus empowered us to overcome temptation while the law is there to guide us what is right and wrong. Jesus has placed the Holy Spirit in us to empower us and infuse strength into our spirit being.
We may have struggled with habitual sin, filthiness or wickedness and we feel miserable and condemned under the slavery of sin. We may try to break away but cannot do so because of the sin nature in us and we were in bondage. We attempt to live by the law of sin and death but were made weak by our flesh and the law was powerless and it does not have the ability to cleanse us except reveal that we are sinful.
However, we are free from the law of sin and death when we are in the Kingdom of God. We are free from the bondage of sin. We need not live in condemnation because we are seen to be in Christ with all the spiritual blessings and we are able to live in the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus! We live in a new Kingdom!
“ John 8:32,34-36 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”33. Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
The truth is we are a new creation and the Holy Spirit lives in us! We begin to walk in the newness of life and we are free from the dominion and slavery of sin the moment we accepted Christ into our life!
The devil may lie to you that you are not really free, he may even tell you that you are not good enough for God. The good news is God gives us free will and we can choose not to fall into temptation. It is a matter of choice whether we would want to succumb to the temptation and sin against God or to choose to yield to the Holy Spirit’s prompting and enablement to walk uprightly, in love and forgiveness.
1 Cor 3:1-3 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
Paul expects us not to behave like mere men, carnal in our actions and thinking but he expects us to be spiritual. Those who are taught, have taken solid meat of the word of God is able to rightly divide what is right and wrong.
We have been commanded to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and all our strength. We are to also love our neighbours as ourselves. We pursue peace and love by walking in love and acceptance. We walk the extra mile for our neighbours even though it is not convenient and is burdensome. Therefore, those who create strife, are envious and cause divisions in the church have sinned against the brothers! They are carnal in their ways and behaviours and it hinders the word from producing fruits in their lives. It does not matter who preaches or teaches in Church because the word itself has life and power. Spiritual Christians are to walk in love, unity, submission and obedience.
John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
The word of God is the perfect law of liberty which shows us the truth. It tells us that we are no longer slaves to sin but slaves to righteousness. The entire law is summed up in the greatest commandment that is to love the Lord with all our heart, our mind, all our soul and to love our neighbours as ourselves. As we walk in this new commandment Jesus has given us, all will recognise that we are His disciples and our Heavenly Father will be glorified!
Sermon Series: There Is Power In The Seed
