Living by Faith

Blogspot, take II. It's been a little over a month. Apparently I make a pretty sub par blog-ite....haha...I'll have to work on posting more. See how that works for me. : )

But yeah, my life over the past month...At the risk of sounding cliche' I think it has gone well. The change of weather and the transitioning of the seasons in itself has really served to lift my spirits. Of course, Fishing has also commenced, so as per usual, so has the renewed focus on life that comes along with that...maybe that's why I'm not catching them too well....yeah, I'll go with that. haha..Easter has also come and gone and, like a lot of folks, I found it to be really nice time to be able to catch up with people and see what God's been doing in their lives on one of the most important commemorative Holidays of the year.

As far as God's word, I've been reading through Romans lately, trying to really take my time to dwell on the words spoken by the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul. A lot of good stuff there. It's caused me to ponder things - really analyze myself through the prismatic view of the mature Christian man that the Apostle Paul speaks of: A man, so steeped in faith, so convinced in the power of the resurrected Lord, so yearning for a more fulfilling life, that he offers his life - his everyday, nose to the grindstone work life, home life, thought life - to the Lord as a sacrifice.. How I want to be that man!..I feel that, in so many ways, my life is such an imperfect sacrifice - Many times ignoring the advice that Paul gave in II Timothy, I get caught up in this temporal life, not paying attention to the real life that has so much more to offer. I am so thankful that God doesn't give up on me, that He pursues me, longs for my heart, desires that my life be a sacrifice to Him even though that sacrifice is, at best, so far from perfection.....So yes, it's been a real encouragement and impetus for me to continually give heart my to God, submit my will to His, live by faith, and walk by the Spirit on a daily basis...It's been an great book to really go through and study - if u get the chance it's something I'd definitely recommend. At any rate, I'll leave you with one of my favorite passages - Romans 8:9-17

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ""Abba," Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Have a good one!

God bless,

Wayne H