"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you." (Romans 8:9)

The moment we were born again, God placed His very Spirit within us—not as a visitor, but as a permanent resident. This is not a feeling to be chased or a sensation to be measured. It is a truth established by the unchanging Word of God. Whether or not we perceive His presence at any given moment, the reality remains: the Holy Spirit dwells within us.

Dr. Reb Morgan was one of the most respected cardiothoracic surgeons in the country. His hands had mended countless hearts—literally. Patients and colleagues alike admired his skill, but what truly set him apart wasn’t just his precision in the operating room; it was his peace.

"Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down in his shade with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love." — Song of Solomon 2:3-4

Many believers spend years longing for God's love, yearning to experience His presence as if He were distant. They sing hymns pleading to be drawn closer, unaware that they already dwell in Christ. The door has been opened, the feast prepared, and yet some hesitate at the threshold, desiring what is already theirs.

Paul’s words to the Corinthians remind us that the church is a beautifully designed body, each member gifted by the Spirit for a specific purpose. The Corinthians were struggling with comparison, envy, and pride—some elevating their gifts while dismissing the contributions of others. Paul corrects this mindset by emphasizing that every gift, no matter how visible or unseen, is vital for the health of the body of Christ.

Luke 5 unveils the authority and compassion of Jesus, revealing His call to follow Him, His power over sickness and sin, and His mission to bring newness to those willing to receive it. Through the miraculous catch of fish, the healing of a leper, the forgiveness of a paralyzed man, the calling of Levi, and the parable of new wine in new wineskins, we see the overwhelming sufficiency of Christ. Each encounter calls for a response—either a recognition of need and surrender or a clinging to self-righteousness and resistance to the life Jesus offers.

“The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death.” — Romans 8:2

E. Stanley Jones reminds us that the spiritual life operates according to unchanging principles, just as the natural world does. The same God who designed the laws of gravity, thermodynamics, and motion is the One who governs grace and life in Christ. There is no uncertainty in Him—no arbitrary decisions or shifting moods. Just as the sun rises each day without fail, so does His grace function with perfect reliability.

📖 Hezekiah received the envoys gladly and showed them what was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold, the spices, the fine olive oil—his entire armory and everything found among his treasures. There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.
— Isaiah 39:2

Hezekiah, a man who had once seen the power of God deliver him from enemies and illness, found himself caught in a different kind of danger—one far subtler than an advancing army. When the envoys from Babylon arrived, flattering him and recognizing his kingdom, he eagerly displayed all his wealth and defenses. It was a moment of pride, but one that blinded him to the true nature of the visitors. Babylon, the very power God had warned against, was not admiring Judah—it was assessing its treasures for future plunder.

“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10)

Paul's life was marked by relentless labor—preaching, discipling, planting churches, and writing Scripture. Yet, in all his toil, he makes an astonishing confession: "yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

There are seasons when God seems to draw a curtain over our understanding. The natural impulse in these times is to search frantically for answers—turning to others, scouring books, or voicing our confusion. But Oswald Chambers reminds us that the discipline of darkness is not about grasping for explanations but about learning to listen.

📖 “For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake.” —2 Corinthians 4:11

The cross is not just the gateway to salvation; it is the means by which we experience Christ’s life daily. God’s way is not to improve the old but to remove it entirely. He does not reform the flesh—He crucifies it (Rom. 6:6). The Christian life is not a process of making the old self better, but of yielding to the life of Christ, who alone is our source of righteousness and victory.

For six long years, Judah groaned under the rule of Athaliah, a usurper who had seized the throne and sought to destroy the royal line of David. Darkness covered the land, but God had not forgotten His promise. In secret, young Joash, the rightful king, was hidden away, awaiting the day of his coronation. When the time was right, the priest Jehoiada boldly acted. With the Levites and leaders of Judah rallying together, they removed the false ruler and enthroned the true king.

The vision given to Ezekiel in this chapter is stark and sobering. God calls forth His angelic executioners to bring judgment upon Jerusalem, but before they strike, a man clothed in linen is sent ahead with a marking tool. His role is to set a mark upon those who grieve over the abominations committed in the land—those who have not given themselves over to idolatry. Everyone else, from the eldest to the youngest, is subject to the sword of divine justice.

Many believers struggle with a significant gap in their Christian walk:

• They know that they have died with Christ and been raised with Him (Romans 6:3-5).

• They know that Christ is their life (Colossians 3:4).

• They know that sin no longer has dominion over them (Romans 6:14).

Yet, despite this knowledge, they often do not experience the fullness of these truths. Instead of joy, peace, and victory, they encounter frustration, self-effort, and inconsistency.

Right now, I’m sitting on the porch of my oceanfront hotel cabin in Belize. The sun is shining, its warmth radiating over the beautiful beach before me. I hear the waves crashing, the palm trees swaying in the breeze. I can see the ocean, I know it’s there. I don’t have to convince myself of its reality—it is unmistakably present, ready for me to step in and experience it. The only thing left for me to do is get up, walk to the shore, and dive into what is already there. This is exactly how walking in newness of life works. Christ is our life. His Spirit is within us. The reality of our union with Him is already true, just as the ocean is already before me. The question is not whether it exists—the question is whether I will step into it.

The Christian life is a supernatural life, not one lived out through human effort or mental assent to doctrinal truth. Many believers struggle with the tension between knowing biblical truth and experiencing that truth in their daily lives. Watchman Nee’s paradigm of knowing, reckoning, yielding, and walking—developed primarily from Romans 6:1-14—is a useful framework for understanding how believers live out their identity in Christ. However, this framework can sometimes be misunderstood, leading to either transactional thinking or passive waiting—both of which hinder true spiritual growth.

Zophar steps forward with sharp words, accusing Job of arrogance and hidden sin. He assumes that suffering is always a sign of guilt and that Job’s troubles are evidence that God is punishing him. He even goes so far as to claim that Job has been treated leniently by God—that Job deserves worse.

📖 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.” — Romans 8:2

We ended yesterday’s reading with the reassurance that momentary sin does not sever our relationship with Christ. Though it may cloud our awareness of His presence, His arms remain open. This is the glorious reality of living under the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus—a law that liberates rather than condemns, that lifts rather than crushes.

📖 Say to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let the god you depend on deceive you when he says, Jerusalem will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria. Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries, destroying them completely. And will you be delivered? — Isaiah 37:10-11

Fear is a cruel master, whispering threats about what could happen, leaving us restless and anxious. This was precisely the strategy of the Assyrian king, sending a letter meant to shake Hezekiah’s trust in God. The message painted a grim future—one where Judah would fall just as countless other nations had. The temptation to tremble, to strategize in human wisdom, or to surrender to despair must have been immense. But Hezekiah chose a different response.

📖 Cornelius stared at him in fear and asked, “What is it, Lord?” The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God.” — Acts 10:4 BSB

What a stunning image: prayers rising to God as a memorial, a fragrant offering stored before His throne. The angel’s words to Cornelius reveal something remarkable—prayers are not fleeting, vanishing into the air the moment they are uttered. They ascend, accumulating before God, waiting for the appointed time when they will be poured out in fulfillment.

In Day by Day by Grace, the author makes a striking claim regarding the fruit of the Spirit, particularly self-control. He suggests that self-control, as listed in Galatians 5:23, does not refer to mere human effort in restraining oneself but rather to the Holy Spirit governing a believer’s life. This contrasts with the typical assumption that self-control is about personal discipline and willpower. To evaluate this claim fully, let’s examine the Greek term for "self-control" and explore its biblical usage.