Psalms 123:1-2, 16:2, and 8:1

My Shepherd met me in His green pastures and laid me down in Romans 6. The Mind of the Spirit engaged the spirit of my mind in the first two verses:

Romans 6:1 ¶ What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

Romans 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Being justified before God by the death of His Son rather than by the life we live, by grace, through faith, and not by fleshly works, knowing that where sin abounded, grace did much more, the Spirit is looking at hearts and sees those who will say, “Well then, let us relax in this flesh, and continue in sin that grace may abound.” At the same time, He is rebuking the vain self-righteous spirit that mocks the Spirit’s doctrine, the truth to which He attempts to guide those who cannot fathom a system that imputes righteousness undeserved in the place of the condemnation earned: “Well then, let us continue in sin that grace may abound,” said with sneering mockery.

Paul’s answer is revealing: “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” That’s how the true saints feel about this. We who are baptized into Jesus Christ are baptized into His death. Like Christ died and arose by the glory of the Father, “even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-5).

It is evident that not all who are baptized into Christ’s death walk in the new life He has given, else there would be no need to exhort: put off the old man (Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:9), walk worthy (Colossians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:12), and “in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16, 25). So our translators faithfully included the word “should”: “even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4b).

Along the still waters, I reflected on the mindset of the sincere follower of Christ, and the fake, the imposter, the ingrate, the unfaithful. The sincere believer loves His Saviour and desires to please Him. When confronted with such an outlandish notion: “let us continue in sin,” their being exclaims: “God forbid”! The ingrate shrugs his or her spiritual shoulders and says, “Cool. Relax! It’s all good. Jesus has this! Let’s continue as we were before and ride His grace to glory.” You see it, right? A very different mindset.

God knows hearts; we don’t. But I don’t understand those who evince no desire in their hearts to please their Saviour.

In the valley, kneeling in the shadow of His Cross, I invited the searching eyes of Him Who died for me: “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalms 139:23-24). It’s passover season, and as I wrote this, I thought of the faithful Jewish mother scrubbing her house of all leaven, but leaving a few (sometimes as many as ten) crumbs for Papa to find with a candle’s light, to show the children the seriousness of this symbolic purging of sin from home and heart. The Spirit, through Paul, exhorted us: “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7). We need not purpose to leave any leaven behind for Christ, our Head, to find. When I think I have got it all, He moves through my heart with His eyes as a flame and spies a “spot,” and in vanishes the moment He touches it with His cleansing blood (Revelation 1:14; 1 John 1:7-10; Ephesians 5:27).

Satisfied, for the moment, that the heart was pure and the hands clean, He spoke: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

At the table, He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Off into the harvest we strode, goodness and mercy following.

Praying for revival! 🙏

Going live this afternoon after I arrive and settle into my room after arriving in Bend, Oregon, for the Northwest Regional Intercessor Conference with Pastor Piel and Dr. Beckum.

Liink will be sent when I’m ready to go live!