Living in victory

DAILY BIBLE READING:

2 Chronicles 6:12–8:10 
Romans 7:14–8:8 
Psalm 18:1-15 
Proverbs 19:24-25

BIBLE VERSE(S) FOR TODAY:

2 Chronicles 7:12-14 (CSB) "Then the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him: I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple of sacrifice. If I shut the sky so there is no rain, or if I command the grasshopper to consume the land, or if I send pestilence on my people, and my people, who bear my name, humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land."

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

Recently, my family served in a mission project in Denver, Colorado. After our work was done, we headed over the Rocky Mountains into Utah. As we made that trip, it was obvious that there wasn't simply one mountaintop but many of them.

Reading God's Word is like that. Every passage moves us upward like a trip through a mountain range. 

Yet, there are some places in Scripture that are mountain peaks. They would seem to take us a little higher than others.

Second Chronicles 7 and Romans 8 are two very, very high mountain peaks. 

In 2 Chronicles 7:12-14, we read of what God told the Israelites to do when they fell into sin and out of favor with Him. They were to humbly acknowledge their failure, to reach out to God in repentant prayer, to seek God's face and favor once again, and resolutely turn from their sin and sinfulness. At that point, God would renew fellowship with them.

In Romans 8, we read of the Spirit-filled life. We read of the victory that is ours to be had if we will only comply with God's principles of Spirit-filled living.

Rather than go into a major discussion about the Spirit-filled life, I would simply encourage you to spend time at the feet of Jesus today reading and then re-reading Romans 8.

As we have passed the half-way point in our Through the Bible in a Year journey, I hope that you are enjoying this trip through the mountains.