Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Opening Scripture

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:4-7

Opening Prayer

Most Merciful God, blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed are those whose sins you do not count against them. When we confess our sin to you, you are faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness, so we give you praise for your unfailing love. Your mercies are new every morning, and our hearts are glad. May your face shine upon us this day. Help us to walk in your way. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

Romans 8:1-8

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

Reflection  

Today’s passage introduces us to Chapter 8 of Romans, considered by some biblical scholars to be the greatest chapter in the Bible. Notably, the Holy Spirit occupies a prominent place in these verses. Practically, the Spirit of God indwelling followers of Jesus is the source of divine power for victorious Christian living.

Paul opens today’s text by referring to the Holy Spirit as the “Spirit of life.” In the last verse of Chapter 7, Paul declared: “Thanks be to God (who delivers us) through Jesus Christ our Lord!” He then draws the conclusion that, since our deliverance and salvation have come through Jesus, there is now no condemnation for those who are identified with Him. Paul contrasts the “law” of the Spirit, who gives life to the “law” of sin, which brings death.

The Christian is entirely free from the law of sin and death, and from the condemnation that it entails. That freedom is ratified by the presence and power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, who confirms our glorious position in Christ. As such, we now have a completely different orientation and identity. “Thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin…you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18).

God’s law “is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good” (Romans 7:12), but the law can only convict and condemn. The Ten Commandments reveal God’s holy, righteous, and good standard, but those laws cannot save us because we are sinful “law breakers” by nature. God’s law shows us how far we are from His perfect character and the true righteousness He desires.

“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” (Romans 3:20-22).

What the law was powerless to do because of our sinful nature, God did by sending Jesus to die on our behalf. The righteous requirements of the law are fully met in Him, so now “because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4-5).

“For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (Romans 3:28). Jesus fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law on our behalf, if we receive His atoning sacrifice by grace through faith. However, experiencing the blessing and benefit of that deliverance requires continually setting our minds on what the Holy Spirit desires, and therein lies the challenge.

When our minds are controlled by our sinful nature, we pull away from God and indulge our passions. When our minds are controlled by the Holy Spirit, we draw close to God and seek to do His will. Life is a series of choices that determine not just what we do, but who we become.

Flourishing Habit

Flourishing Christians

What are you focused on most of the time?

“Flourishing” starts in the mind. As such, the key to transformation is to stop and… think about what you think about!

In Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer offers these insights.

“Picking up your phone first thing upon waking and checking social media isn’t just a bad habit – it’s a choice to let yourself become formed into a certain kind of person. Spending more time reading the news than reading Scripture isn’t just ‘wrong’ – it’s a choice to become more like your favorite news commentators than like Jesus. Spending your money on yet another thing you don’t need isn’t just playing around with ‘disposable income’ – it’s feeding an appetite within you that will grow only more ravenous.”

Comer quotes John Ortberg: “Following Jesus is kind of like playing golf. The easy part is to get a vision of what you need to do – the perfect swing, the right body stance, the correct angle of approach – and, of course, make par. The hard part is getting that vision into your muscle memory, so it just naturally comes out of you without even thinking about it.”

Comer suggests creating a “Rule of Life” that provides the structure needed to follow Jesus in a way that transforms you. “For a vine to ‘bear much fruit,’ what does it need? A trellis – a support structure to lift it off the ground and index it toward the light, give it room to breathe, and guide its growth in the desired direction.

“A Rule of Life is a schedule and set of practices and relational rhythms that create space for us to be with Jesus, become like him, and do as he did, as we live in alignment with our deepest desires. Put simply, a Rule of Life is a plan to follow Jesus. To stay true to one’s commitment to apprentice under him.

“You already have a Rule of Life. You have a way in which you live: a morning routine, a typical workday, a network of relationships, a budget, activities you spend your free time on, and so on. Your system is perfectly designed to give you the results you are getting.

“A Rule is self-generated from your internal desires, it has a ton of flexibility, it’s relationship based, and it’s designed to index you toward your vision of the good life. The good news is that transformation is possible, if we are willing to arrange (or rearrange) our lives around the practices, rhythms, and truths that Jesus himself did.”

If you’re committed to intentional discipleship, then your Rule of Life should include spiritual practices as an active response to God’s amazing love for you. Here are some practices to consider incorporating into your day.

Solitude and Silence. You need to regularly create space away from human interaction to be alone with God, shutting out the “noise” and distraction of technology and people to be fully attentive to God.

Reading and Reflection. Your thoughts need to be shaped and informed by the Word of God under the guidance of the Spirit of God. Research shows that regular reading and reflecting on Scripture has the highest connection to spiritual maturity in a person’s life.

Prayer and Worship. Talk to God. Listen to God. We were created to worship, and everyone worships something. When we worship God, it heals and restores us. When we worship God, it reminds us of who He is and who we are. Worshipping puts our lives in proper perspective. Climb into His lap or stand amazed in His presence.

Service and Sacrifice. One manifestation of spiritual maturity is love-motivated, God-honoring, giving of one’s self. Followers of Jesus serve others first and foremost out of love for Him. They’re also inspired to serve by the realization that they have been truly blessed – and blessed people bless people.

What kind of “trellis” are you growing your life on?

What spiritual practices or “rules of life” are you actively and intentionally pursuing?

Life is a series of choices that determine not just what we do, but who we become.

Remember: Nothing changes until something changes!