Series: The called according to His purpose (part 1)

 

Hey there BCU Family!

Please enjoy the audio version of the study (by clicking on the icon) or read through the written version. Either way, we pray you’ll be blessed!

Before we get into our study, let’s get some foundational principals down. Romans 8:28 is a familiar passage of Scripture that reminds us “…that all things work together for good to them that love God and are the called according to His purpose”. When this is said in a church setting, while the Spirit of God is high, it usually evokes an heavy agreeance, sometimes emotional response and we leave feeling invincible!

In the days coming after that, the enemy will bring a temptation, trial, or situation where we forget the Word we were told and start going to God seeking asylum from the situation, fussing, murmuring or doubting He even cares.

It happens to the best of us, myself included, and in praying to God about that, we need to reinforce our foundation. In Luke 6:47-49, Jesus says that whoever comes to Him, hears His words and does them, he is like the man who build a house and DIGGED DEEP, AND laid the foundation on a rock. So when the flood came and the stream beat vehemently on the house it could not be shaken, because it was founded on a rock. Conversely, those that hear and do not follow the word, is like a man that built a house without a foundation—just on the soil or earth. Who the stream beat vehemently (the flood did not even get a chance to come) the house immediately fell and the run was great. Family, we have to DIG DEEP and make sure our foundation is on solid ROCK. That starts with Jesus on the inside—Acts 2:38-39 is the foundation to build on—all other ground is sinking sand!!!!

So with the Holy Ghost on the inside, in addition to attending a good Bible-believing, Spirit-filled house of prayer, we need a steady diet of prayer, the Word and application of the Word. The application is important–remember in Luke 6, Jesus said whoever… hears and does His word (James 1:22-23 says the same), that Word helps us to stand in the storms of life. This is why we need to know who God says we are and believe it. If you are ill-prepared or get caught out in a storm, the enemy presents situations where you doubt who God says you are— victorious, more than a conqueror—and are likely to make decisions based on emotions and immediate, temporary need, versus hearing what the Word of God says. If we are not careful, we get taken full advantage of! Think about how many decisions we regret because of not heeding the Word of God—not trusting on who He is, or in who He says we are?

This is where we need to dig deep—and get GROUNDED and ROOTED in who God says we are. Grounded is a builders term..meaning ATTACHED to the foundation—not propped up, securely attached forever. Rooted refers to stability—the deeper the roots the stronger the plant. This was we know who we are in the happy AND the trying times! Amen? Amen!

We really need to take the entire book of Romans into account, but for time’s sake, we’ll reference as much as we can here, and you all can read throughout the week.

Paul wrote this letter to the Christian Romans who started this church made up of a mix of Jews and Gentiles. This is important because many of the Jews still went by the law and in some of the New Testament, expected the Gentiles to do the same (eating certain foods, circumcision things like that). Chapters 1-3 speak on the facts of the gospel, chapters 3-5 on how we are justified in Christ, chapter 6 about how we are free from the power of sin. Chapter 7 speaks of being free from the law, and in chapter 8, reminds us of the love of Christ, how He frees us from sin and who we are in Him. Rather than just say we are the called, we have to see why and what else goes along with that calling. Let’s begin!

1) We are NO longer condemned

Verse 1 reminds us those who are in Christ Jesus, filled with His Spirit and walk in it– we are no longer condemned or penalized.

Let’s talk about walk—the Greek word is peri/peteo meaning conduct my life, to live, to be occupied with. Keep that in mind.

So Spirit-filled people, our penalty has been paid and we are not to feel guilty or ashamed, nor do we let people make us feel badly about who we used to be! A couple of years ago, I was reunited with old friends and one said “do you know what I remember about you? The Lord already dropped in my heart she would recall some unsavory detail about my B.C. (before Christ) days. Immediately I said something like, “oh, girl that was before I knew the Lord!” The crowd laughed and she never did tell me what it was. As far is the east is from the west, is how far my transgressions are removed from me (Psalm 103:12).

2) We walkers in the Spirit

Verses 2-4 reminds us if we are following after the Spirit, we are not practicing or sinning intentionally and over and over again. While we stumble or make mistakes, we do not use that as an excuse to continue willfully sinning. When we choose to continue to sin or walk in the flesh (lying, adultery, fornication, drunkeness, envy, idolatry, witchcraft, wrath, jealousy, lewdness Galatians 5:19-21), condemnation or punishment awaits. The condemnation is that you will NOT inherit or enter into the kingdom of God.

We are free from the law of sin, and the death it brings because of Jesus dying for us on the cross—He paid that penalty. So our mission with God’s help is to continue to walk in the Spirit so that we don’t walk in the flesh—acting out carnally rather than what Jesus would have us to do. For if we live after the flesh we will die (be eternally separated from God) but if through the Spirit we do mortify (make dead) the deeds of the body, we will live (eternally in Heaven with God).

2a) Our business is minding things after the Spirit—verse 5 is clear, there are only two sides, you either mind things of the flesh or of the Spirit. If you are Holy Ghost filled, we mind the things of the Spirit—what God says.

2b) And as a result we have life and peace (v6) rather than death. Think about the peace that comes with having Jesus on the inside and walking with Him. Mark 4:35-31 tells the story of Jesus being asleep in the back of the ship when a great storm of wind and waves beat on the ship full of disciples. After they panicked and woke Him, He just said Peace, be still. And the calm came about. That’s the God we serve—the one who wants us to lay down and sleeping peacefully, even in the midst of the storm. So while this doesn’t speak to who He says we are, because we have Him, we get these benefits. But wait, there’s more!

2c)We have power through the Spirit. In verses 7-13, Paul emphasizes that while walking/conducting your life in the flesh you cannot please God, do not have the Spirit and you are none of His. We that have the Spirit inside, so He gives us life through the Spirit and power over being dictated by the flesh. Paul repeats this several times, apparently as a warning to ensure we do not continue in sin—otherwise we die. Stay in the Spirit and live.

3) We are the sons of God

Verse 14 says we are the sons or children of God (those led by the Spirit).

We are not in bondage to fear—we’ve been grafted into the family—adopted by Christ. In the Roman culture, anyone adopted now identified with the new family, took on their ways, and had all rights, privileges, and shared in the inheritance. Similarly, we are no longer a part of the adversary’s family, and no longer practice His ways. We gave up the trick inheritance and shaky, temporary, deadly promises he offered, for the TRUE inheritance, promises, and privileges God promises. We can now say Abba Father! (translated meaning Daddy—what young children call their father). It marks a close intimate relationship where there is complete trust. As young children, we trusted our parents. That’s the way we should trust God. Also, the Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. This is significant, BCU Family!

People claim to be children of God quite a bit, but you just cannot walk in any ol’ way and label yourself as a child of God. No siree, Bob! This is a privilege reserved for those who have Jesus down on the inside. The Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD! Let the redeemed say SO!!!!!! We KNOW who OUR FATHER is!!!!

Lift up your heads, O ye gates! We know who the King of Glory is!!!! Rejoice everyone!

4) We heirs of God and joint heirs of Christ

4a) While that is wonderful, that “heir-ship” comes with a cost. Still in the royal family, looking at verses 17 and 18–we can’t expect “royal” treatment in this present world—as joint-heirs in Christ, suffering is a part of our walk, but what we go through now, pales in comparison to the glory in us!  Don’t let that situation steal your joy—what’s coming is what’s better than what’s been, verse 18 says so!

Verses 19-23 talk about how we want to be with Jesus, we just have to wait and in the meantime, The Spirit makes intercession, according to the will of God for us during the suffering times. Paul through Christ is preparing us for the fact that trials will come. All the things we’ve learned before —no condemnation, walking in the Spirit, the power we have, being part of the royal family we’ve been adopted into and the heir-ship, NONE of that goes away when tough times come. Jesus is His Word and it is true no matter what season we are in!

That brings is to our 5th point–we are THE CALLED according to His purpose!

For we know that all things work together for the good—to them that LOVE God (we love Him, and we are a doer of that by walking in the Spirit, thereby keeping His commandments), and are the called—according to His purpose.

The word called comes from the Greek word, klesis meaning invited. Purpose means deliberate, intended result. So our God called/summoned/appointed YOU out to and chose this life, situation, issue, blessing, family, friends, job, neighborhood, church, co-workers, skin tone, personality, gifts, talents, everything for a deliberate result that pleases Him! For it is God what works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). So it’s in our best interest to embrace what God has for us with His grace. It is all for a deliberate result—sometimes we see and understand it right away, other times later on, and sometimes not on this side of Heaven. Our duty….is to trust our Abba Father!

Well Family, we’ve come to the end of our study for today! I know it was getting good to you–I know it was for me! The next time we’re together, let’s plan on finishing up Romans chapter 8.

Thank you all so much for the encouragement, love, likes, thumbs up, shares and comments–that truly blesses us here at BlenCouragesU.com and the Word is blessing  and encouraging others–that’s what it’s all about!

May God bless, make His face to shine upon you and until the next time we’re together, #StayOnTheWall!

 

Love,

 

BCU