Season 1

Episode 79: Romans 15

Today's meditation is based on Romans 15 from The Passion Translation
I am mature in my faith and do not live to please myself but have learned to patiently embrace others in their immaturity. My goal is to empower others to do what is right and good for them, and to bring them into spiritual maturity. For not even the most powerful one of all, the Anointed One, lived to please himself. He allowed all of the insults of those who insulted me fall upon him.
I know that Scriptures are meant to instruct me in how to live. They impart encouragement and inspiration to me so that I can live in hope and endure all things.
God, the source of great endurance and comfort, graces me with unity among my fellow believers. This unity flows from my relationship with Jesus, the Anointed One. With a unanimous rush of passion, I glorify God, the Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, with one voice along with my fellow believers. I bring God glory when I accept and welcome them as my partners, just as the Anointed One has fully accepted me and received me as his partner.
I am convinced that Jesus, the Messiah, was sent as a servant to fulfill the promises God made and to prove God’s faithfulness. And now, because of Jesus, even I, a non-Jewish person, can glorify God for his kindness to me, fulfilling the prophecy of Scripture that God will be proclaimed among all the nations and they will sing praises to his name. And that the non-Jewish would celebrate life right alongside his Jewish people.
I praise the Lord and raise my voice in praise to him. All my hopes have been met in Jesus.
Now God, the fountain of hope, fills me to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as I trust in him. And the power of the Holy Spirit continually surrounds my life with his super-abundance and I radiate with hope!
My spirituality is genuine. I am stuffed full of God’s goodness, and richly supplied with all kinds of revelation-knowledge, and I am empowered to effectively instruct others. Because of the outpouring of God’s grace on my life I am a servant of the gospel of God, constantly doing the work of a priest, for I endeavor to present an acceptable offering to God. I am set apart and made holy by the Spirit of holiness.
It is through my union with Jesus Christ, that I enjoy an enthusiasm and confidence in my ministry for God. And I will not be presumptuous to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me. It is my honor and constant passion to spread the Good News, so that those who know nothing about him will clearly see him, and those who have not heard will understand.
I partner with my fellow believers -- especially those who are missionaries -- because of our union with Jesus Christ. I intercede for them in my prayers to God. With the love we share in the Holy Spirit, I fight alongside them in prayer. I ask the Father to deliver them from the danger they face from unbelievers. 
The God who gives me his peace and wholeness is with me. 
Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing.
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Episode 78: Romans 14

Today's meditation is based on Romans 14 from The Passion Translation
I offer an open hand of fellowship to welcome every true believer, even though their faith may be weak and immature. And I refuse to engage in debates with them concerning nothing more than opinions.
One believer has no problem with eating all kinds of food, but another with weaker faith will eat only vegetables. The one who eats freely shouldn’t judge and look down on the one who eats only vegetables. And the vegetarian must not judge and look down on the one who eats everything. God has welcomed both and taken them as his partners.
I am not so foolish as to sit in judgment of someone else. God alone can evaluate whether he succeeds or fails. And God’s servants will succeed, for God’s power supports them and enables them to stand.
In the same way, one person regards a certain day as more sacred than another, and another person regards them all alike. There is nothing wrong with having different personal convictions about such matters. For the person who observes one day as especially sacred does it to honor the Lord. And the same is true regarding what a person eats. The one who eats everything eats to honor the Lord, because he gives thanks to God, and the one who has a special diet does it to honor the Lord, and he also gives thanks to God.
While I live, I must live for my Master, and in death I must bring honor to him. So dead or alive I belong to my Master. For this very reason the Anointed One died and was brought back to life again, so that he would become the Lord God over both the dead and the living.
Why would I judge my brothers or sisters because of their diet, despising them for what they eat or don’t eat? For we each will have our turn to stand before God’s judgment seat. Every knee will bow before him and every tongue will confess the truth and glorify him. 
Therefore, I must answer for myself and give a personal account of my own life before God.
So I am not critical and do not condemn other believers, but instead I am determined to never deliberately cause a brother or sister to stumble and fall because of my actions.
I know and am convinced that there is nothing wrong with eating any food. But to the one who considers it to be unclean, it is unacceptable. If my brother or sister is offended because I insist on eating what I want, it is no longer love that rules my conduct. I do not want to wound someone for whom the Messiah gave his life, just so I can eat what I want. I don’t give people the opportunity to slander what I know to be good. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of rules about food and drink, but is in the realm of the Holy Spirit, filled with righteousness, peace, and joy. When I serve the Anointed One by walking in these kingdom realities it pleases God and earns the respect of others.
I have made it my top priority to live a life of peace with harmony in my relationships, eagerly seeking to strengthen and encourage others. I do not ruin the work of God by insisting on my own opinions about food. I can eat anything I want, but I realize it is wrong to deliberately cause someone to be offended over what I eat. So I consider it an act of love to refrain from eating meat or drinking wine or doing anything else that might cause a fellow believer to be offended or tempted to be weakened in his faith. I keep the convictions I have about these matters between me and God, and don’t impose them upon others. I'm happy when you don’t judge myself in doing what my conscience approves. For anything I do that doesn’t spring from faith is, by definition, sinful.
Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing.
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Episode 77: Romans 13

Today's meditation is based on Romans 13 from The Passion Translation
I submit to and support the authorities over me. For there can be no authority in the universe except by God’s appointment, which means that every authority that exists has been instituted by God. To resist authority is to resist the divine order of God, which results in severe consequences. For civil authorities don’t intimidate those who are doing good, but those who are doing evil. So I do what is right and I never need to fear those in authority. They will commend me for my good citizenship.
Those in authority are God’s servants for the good of society. But if I break the law, I have reason to be alarmed, for they are God’s agents of punishment to bring criminals to justice. I am compelled to obey them, not just to avoid punishment, but because I want to live with a clean conscience.
This is also the reason I pay my taxes, for governmental authorities are God’s officials who oversee these things. So it is my duty to pay all the taxes and fees that they require and to respect those who are worthy of respect, honoring them accordingly.
I don’t owe anything to anyone, except my outstanding debt to continually love them, for if I have learned to love, I have fulfilled every requirement of the law. For the commandments, “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet,” and every other commandment can be summed up in these words:
“Love and value others the same way you love and value yourself.”
Love makes it impossible for me to harm another, so love fulfills all that the law requires.
To live like this is all the more urgent, for time is running out and I know it is a strategic hour in human history. It is not time for me to sleep, but to remain fully awake, because my salvation is nearer now than when I first believed.
Night’s darkness is dissolving away as a new day of destiny dawns. So I strip away what is done in the shadows of darkness, removing it like filthy clothes. And once and for all I clothe myself with the radiance of light as my weapon. I live honorably, surrounded by the light of this new day, not in the darkness of drunkenness and debauchery, not in promiscuity and sensuality, not being argumentative or jealous of others.
Instead I fully immerse myself into the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, and I don’t waste even a moment’s thought on my former identity.
Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing.
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Episode 76: Romans 12

Today's meditation is based on Romans 12 from The Passion Translation
I surrender myself to God as a sacred, living sacrifice. This is the proper response to God’s marvelous mercies. And I live in holiness, experiencing all that delights his heart. This is my genuine expression of worship.
I do not imitate the ideals and opinions of the culture around me, but I am inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how I think. This empowers me to discern God’s will as I live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.
I empty myself of self-proclamation and do not create a false image of my importance. Instead, I honestly assess my worth by using my God-given faith as the standard of measurement, and I see my true value with an appropriate self-esteem.
My physical body has many parts and organs, each with a unique function. The same is true of the body of Christ. I am one of many, and we have all been mingled into one body in Christ. I am a vital part of the body of Christ, and contribute to the other members as they also contribute to me.
God’s marvelous grace has imparted gifts to all. And I activate my gift by using the proportion of faith I have. I serve and encourage others through the specific gift God has given me. I prosper in my generosity without any fanfare and flourish in my cheerful display of compassion.
The inner movement of my heart is always to love others, and never play the role of an actor wearing a mask. I despise evil and embrace everything that is good and virtuous.
I am devoted to tenderly loving my fellow believers as members of one family. And continually try to outdo myself in respecting and honoring others.
I enthusiastically serve the Lord, keeping my passion toward him boiling hot! I radiate with the glow of the Holy Spirit and let him fill me with excitement as I serve him.
This hope bursts forth within me, releasing a continual joy. I do not give up in times of trouble, but commune with God at all times.
I take a constant interest in the needs of God’s beloved people and respond by helping them. And eagerly welcome people as guests into my home.
I speak blessing, not cursing, over those who reject and persecute me.
I celebrate with those who celebrate, and weep with those who grieve. I live in a spirit of harmony, and am as mindful of another’s worth as I am of my own. I don't live with a lofty mind-set, thinking I am too important to serve others, but I am always willing to do menial tasks and identify with those who are humble minded. I am not smug and don't think even for a moment that I know it all.
I never hold a grudge or try to get even, but plan my life around the noblest way to benefit others. I do my best to live as everybody’s friend.
I'm not obsessed with taking revenge, but leave that to God’s righteous justice. For the Scriptures say:
“Vengeance is mine, and I will repay,” says the Lord.
If my enemy is hungry, I buy him lunch! and win him over with kindness. For my surprising generosity will awaken his conscience, and God will reward me with favor.
I never let evil defeat me, but I defeat evil with good.
Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing.
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Episode 75: Romans 11

Today's meditation is based on Romans 11, from the Passion Translation
God didn't push aside and reject his chosen, destined people, but he preserved a remnant for himself. And in this age of fulfillment, God’s grace empowers his chosen remnant. Since it is by God’s grace, it can’t be a matter of good works; otherwise, it wouldn’t be a gift of grace, but earned by human effort.
Salvation now extends to all the non-Jewish people. The gifts of God have been  freely given to me. I am greatly enriched, and great spiritual wealth is given to me.
The temporary rejection of God by his chosen people released the reconciling power of grace into the world, so what will happen when Israel is reinstated and reconciled to God? It will unleash resurrection power throughout the whole earth! If the roots of a tree are holy and set apart for God, so too will be the branches.
I was once nothing more than a wild olive branch, but God has grafted me in — inserting me among the remaining branches as a joint partner to share in the wonderful richness of the cultivated olive stem. So I am not so arrogant as to believe that I am superior to the natural branches. There’s no reason to boast, for the new branches don’t support the root, but I owe my life to the root that supports me!
I do not dare to think that some branches were pruned or broken off just to make room for me. They were removed because of their unbelief. But I am only attached by my faith. So I am not presumptuous, but stand in awe and reverence. I know that if the natural branches that fell into unbelief were pruned, I would be as well because of unbelief.
I fix my gaze on the simultaneous kindness and strict justice of God. How tender and kind is his relationship with me. Yet, how severely will he treat those who fall into unbelief! So I keep on trusting in his kindness; so that I will not be cut off.
God is more than ready to graft back in the natural branches when they turn from clinging to their unbelief to embracing faith. If God grafted me in, even though I was taken from what is by nature a wild olive tree, how much more can he reconnect the natural branches by inserting them back into their own cultivated olive tree!
A partial and temporary hardening to the gospel has come over Israel, which will last until the full number of non-Jews has come into God’s family. And then God will bring all of Israel to salvation! This was prophesied. It was his covenant promise with Israel.
Their opposition opened the door of the gospel to me, a non-Jew. Yet they are still greatly loved by God because their ancestors were divinely chosen to be his. And when God chooses someone and graciously imparts gifts to him, they are never rescinded.
I was once a rebel against God, but now, I have experienced God’s tender mercies. And because of God’s tender mercies to me, I can open the door to them to share in and enjoy what God has made available to everyone who believes!
God considers all of humanity to be prisoners of their unbelief. He longs to unlock our hearts and show his tender mercies to all who come to him.
I cannot even wrap my mind around the riches of God, the depth of his wisdom, and the marvel of his perfect knowledge. I could never explain the wonder of his decisions or search out the mysterious way he carries out his plans.
It would be impossible for me to give something to God that would obligate God to owe me something in return.
For out of him, the sustainer of everything, came everything, and now everything finds fulfillment in him. I give all praise and honor to him alone forever.
Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing.
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Episode 74: Romans 10

Today's meditation is based on Romans 10 from the Passion Translation
The passionate desire of my heart and constant prayer to God is for others to experience salvation. Although they may be deeply devoted to God, many ignore the righteousness God gives. I used to want to be acceptable to God because of my own works. I refused to submit to God’s faith-righteousness. But Christ is the end of the law. And because of him, God has transferred his perfect righteousness to all who believe.
Under the law of Moses, every part of the law had to be obeyed in order to be declared right with God. But now I have received the faith-righteousness that speaks an entirely different message. I don't need to climb into the heavens to find the Messiah and bring him down, or descend into the underworld to bring him up from the dead. Because God’s living message is very close to me, as close as my own heart beating in my chest and as near as the tongue in my mouth.
God’s “living message” is the revelation of faith for salvation, which is the message I now preach. I have publicly declared with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in my heart that God raised him from the dead, and I have experienced salvation. My heart received the gift of the righteousness of God — and my mouth confessed it, resulting in salvation. Because I believe in him, I will never be disappointed.
Faith eliminates the distinction between Jew and non-Jew. God is the same Lord for all people. And he has enough treasures to lavish generously upon all who call on him. I called on the Lord’s name and experience new life.
But how can people call on him for help if they’ve not yet believed? And how can they believe in one they’ve not yet heard of? And how can they hear the message of life if there is no one there to proclaim it? And how can the message be proclaimed if messengers have yet to be sent? 
That's who I have become. The messenger of the Good News and I am welcomed when I arrive proclaiming the joyful news of peace and of good things to come!
Faith was birthed in my heart when I responded to God’s anointed utterance of the Anointed One. The voice has been heard throughout the world, and its message has gone to the ends of the earth!
When I wasn't even seeking him, he manifested himself before me -- before I even knew enough to ask to know him. With love, he held out his hands day after day, offering himself to me. 
God’s message was not just for Israel, his chosen people, but for others as well. It was meant for me.
Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing.
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Episode 73: Romans 9

Today's meditation is based on Romans 9 from the Passion Translation
My conscience will not let me speak anything but the truth. Clearly, God has not failed to fulfill his promises. That will never happen! And although I did not descend directly from Israel, I still belong to Israel. It is not merely the natural offspring of Abraham who are considered the children of God. Because I was born of God’s promise, I am counted as a descendant. 
God did not call me on the basis of my good or bad works, but according to his divine purpose. God’s choice doesn’t depend on how badly I want it or try to earn it, but it depends on God’s kindness and mercy. 
It is entirely up to God to show mercy or to harden the heart of whomever he chooses.
Who am I to second-guess God? How could I, a human being molded out of clay, say to the one who molded me, “Why in the world did you make me this way?” I cannot deny the right of the potter to make out of clay whatever he wants. The potter has the right to make from the same lump of clay an elegant vase or an ordinary pot.
In the same way, although God has every right to unleash his anger and demonstrate his power, he is extremely patient with those who deserve wrath — vessels prepared for destruction. He also has the right to release the revelation of the wealth of his glory to his vessels of mercy. And he prepared me beforehand to receive his glory. So, although I am not a Jew, I have been called to experience his glory. 
I was rejected, but God said, "You are mine."I was unloved, and he said, "You are my darling."
Where I was told, "You are nobody," I have been renamed "Child of the living God."
I wasn't even pursuing righteousness, yet when I became aware of it, I seized it — a perfect righteousness that is transferred by faith. Not a legal righteousness, which can't be obtained. This righteousness can only be found on the path of faith not by works. If I tried to seize it another way, I would be offended by the means of obtaining it and stumble over the stumbling stone. 
But because I believe in Jesus, my redeemer, I will not stumble or fall, and I will not experience shame. 
Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing. 
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Episode 72: Romans 8

Today's meditation is based on Romans 8 from the Passion Translation
The case is closed. There remains no accusing voice of condemnation against me because I am joined in life-union with Jesus, the Anointed One. For the “law” of the Spirit of life flowing through the anointing of Jesus has liberated me from the “law” of sin and death. God achieved what the law was unable to accomplish, because the law was limited by the weakness of human nature.
Yet God sent me his Son in human form to identify with my human weakness. Clothed with humanity, God’s Son gave his body to be the sin-offering so that God could once and for all condemn the guilt and power of sin. So now every righteous requirement of the law can be fulfilled through the Anointed One living his life in me. And I am free to live, not according to my flesh, but by the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit!
I am no longer motivated by the flesh to pursue whatever seems to benefit me. I now live by the impulses of the Holy Spirit and am motivated to pursue spiritual realities. For the sense and reason of the flesh is death, but the mind-set controlled by the Spirit finds life and peace.
In fact, the mind-set focused on the flesh fights God’s plan and refuses to submit to his direction, because it cannot! No matter how hard I might try, if I am controlled by the flesh, God finds no pleasure with me. So I allow the Spirit of Christ to empower my life. I am not dominated by the flesh but by the Spirit. I am of the Spirit and joined to the Spirit of the Anointed One.
Christ lives his life in me. And even though my body may be dead because of the effects of sin, his life-giving Spirit imparts life to me because I am fully accepted by God. God raised Jesus to life! And since God’s Spirit of Resurrection lives in me, he will also raise my dying body to life by the same Spirit that breathes life into me!
The flesh has no claims on me at all, and I have no further obligation to live in obedience to it. When I lived controlled by the flesh, I was about to die. But the life of the Spirit put to death the corrupt ways of the flesh, and I have tasted his abundant life.
I am a mature child of God, moved by the impulses of the Holy Spirit. I did not receive the “spirit of religious duty,” leading me back into the fear of never being good enough. But I have received the “Spirit of full acceptance,” enfolding me into the family of God. I will never feel orphaned, for as he rises up within me, my spirit joins him in saying the words of tender affection, “Beloved Abba Father!” For the Holy Spirit makes God’s fatherhood real to me as he whispers into my innermost being, “You are God’s beloved child!”
And since I am his true child, I qualify to share all his treasures, for indeed, I am an heir of God himself. And since I am joined to Christ, I also inherit all that he is and all that he has. I will experience being co-glorified with him because I have accepted his suffferings as my own.
I am convinced that any suffering I endure is less than nothing compared to the magnitude of glory that is about to be unveiled within me. The entire universe is standing on tiptoe, yearning to see the unveiling of God’s glorious sons and daughters! For against its will the universe itself has had to endure the empty futility resulting from the consequences of human sin. But now, with eager expectation, all creation longs for freedom from its slavery to decay and to experience with us the wonderful freedom coming to God’s children. I am aware of the universal agony and groaning of creation, as if it were in the contractions of labor for childbirth. And it’s not just creation. Having already experienced the firstfruits of the Spirit, I also inwardly groan as I passionately long to experience my full status as God’s child—including my physical body being transformed. For this is the hope of my salvation.
But hope means that I must trust and wait for what is still unseen. For why would I need to hope for something I already have? Because my hope is set on what is yet to be seen, I patiently keep on waiting for its fulfillment.
And in a similar way, the Holy Spirit takes hold of me in my human frailty to empower me in my weakness. At times I don’t even know how to pray, or know the best things to ask for. But the Holy Spirit rises up within me to super-intercede on my behalf, pleading to God with emotional sighs too deep for words.
God, the searcher of the heart, fully knows my longings, yet he also understands the desires of the Spirit, because the Holy Spirit passionately pleads before God for me, his holy one, in perfect harmony with God’s plan and my destiny.
So I am convinced that every detail of my life is continually woven together for good, for I am his lover who has been called to fulfill his designed purpose. He knew all about me before I was born and he destined me from the beginning to share the likeness of his Son. This means the Son is the oldest among a vast family of brothers and sisters who will become just like him.
Having determined my destiny ahead of time, he called me to himself and transferred his perfect righteousness to me. And now that I possess his perfect righteousness, he has co-glorified me with his Son!
If God has determined to stand with me, who then could ever stand against me? God has proved his love by giving me his greatest treasure, the gift of his Son. And since God freely offered him up as the sacrifice for me, he certainly won’t withhold from me anything else he has to give.
Who then would dare to accuse me when God has chosen me in love to be his? God himself is the judge who has issued his final verdict over me — “Not guilty!”
Who then is left to condemn me? Certainly not Jesus, the Anointed One! For he gave his life for me, and even more than that, he has conquered death and is now risen, exalted, and enthroned by God at his right hand. So how could he possibly condemn me since he is continually praying for my triumph?
Who could ever divorce me from the endless love of God’s Anointed One? Absolutely no one! For nothing in the universe has the power to diminish his love toward me. Troubles, pressures, and problems are unable to come between me and heaven’s love. Persecutions, deprivations, dangers, and death threats are all impotent to hinder omnipotent love.
Even in the midst of all these things, I triumph over them all, for God has made me to be more than a conqueror, and his demonstrated love is my glorious victory over everything!
So now I live with the confidence that there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate me from God’s love. I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in my present or future circumstances that can weaken his love. There is no power above or beneath me - no power that could ever be found in the universe that can distance me from God’s passionate love, which is lavished upon me through my Lord Jesus, the Anointed One!
Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing.
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Episode 71: Romans 7

Today's Meditation is based on Romans 7 from the Passion Translation
In the physical realm, when a person dies, it ends his obligation to the law. The same principle applies to my relationship with God. For I died to my first husband, the law, by being co-crucified with the body of the Messiah. So now I'm free to “marry” another — the one who was raised from the dead so that I may now bear spiritual fruit for God.
When I was merely living a natural life, the law, through defining sin, actually awakened sinful desires within me, which resulted in bearing the fruit of death. But now that I have been fully released from the power of the law, I am dead to what once controlled me. And my life is no longer motivated by the obsolete way of following the written code, so that now I may serve God by living in the freshness of a new life in the power of the Holy Spirit.
This doesn't mean the law was sinful. In fact, it was the law that gave me a clear definition of sin. When it said, “Do not covet,” it became the catalyst to see how wrong it was for me to crave what belongs to someone else. It was through God’s commandment that sin was awakened in me and built its base of operation within me to stir up every kind of wrong desire. For in the absence of the law, sin hides dormant.
I once lived without a clear understanding of the law, but when I heard God’s commandments, sin sprang to life and brought with it a death sentence. The commandment that was intended to bring life brought me death instead. Sin, by means of the commandment, built a base of operation within me, to overpower me and put me to death. So then, I have to conclude that the problem is not with the law itself, for the law is holy and its commandments are correct and for my good.
It isn't that something meant to be good become death for me. It wassn't the law but sin unmasked that produced my spiritual death. The sacred commandment merely uncovered the evil of sin so it could be seen for what it is. For I know that the law is divinely inspired and comes from the spiritual realm, but I am a human being made of flesh and trafficked as a slave under sin’s authority.
Sometimes I’m a mystery even to myself when I want to do what is right, but end up doing what my moral instincts condemn. But if my behavior is not in line with my desire, my conscience still confirms the excellence of the law.  I realize now that it's no longer my true self doing it, but the unwelcome intruder of sin in my humanity. I know that nothing good lives within the flesh of my fallen humanity. The longings to do what is right are within me, but willpower is not enough to accomplish it. My lofty desires to do what is good are dashed when I do the things I want to avoid. So if my behavior contradicts my desires to do good, I must conclude that it’s not my true identity doing it, but the unwelcome intruder of sin hindering me from being who I really am.
Through my experience of this principle, I discover that even when I want to do good, evil is ready to sabotage me. Truly, deep within my true identity, I love to do what pleases God. But I discern another power operating in my humanity, waging a war against the moral principles of my conscience trying to bring me back into captivity as a prisoner to the “law” of sin.  What an agonizing situation I am in! So who has the power to rescue me from the unwelcome intruder of sin and death? I give all my thanks to God, for his mighty power has finally provided a way out through my Lord Jesus, the Anointed One! Left to myself, my flesh is aligned with the law of sin, but now my renewed mind is fixed on and submitted to God’s righteous principles.
Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing.
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Episode 70: Romans 6

Today's meditation is based on Romans 6 from The Passion Translation
I do not persist in sin so that God’s kindness and grace will increase. What a terrible thought that would be! I have died to sin once and for all, as a dead man passes away from this life. So how could I live under sin’s rule a moment longer? I was immersed into union with Jesus, the Anointed One, so I was also immersed into union with his death.
Sharing in his death by my baptism means that I was co-buried with him, so that when the Father’s glory raised Christ from the dead, I was also raised with him. I have been co-resurrected with him so that I could be empowered to walk in the freshness of new life. For since I am permanently grafted into him to experience a death like his, then I am permanently grafted into him to experience a resurrection like his and the new life that it imparts.
It couldn't be any clearer that my former identity is now and forever deprived of its power. For I was co-crucified with him to dismantle the stronghold of sin within me, so that I would not continue to live one moment longer submitted to sin’s power.
Obviously, a dead person is incapable of sinning. And if I was co-crucified with the Anointed One, I know that I will also share in the fullness of his life. And I know that since the Anointed One has been raised from the dead to die no more, his resurrection life has vanquished death and its power over him is finished. For by his sacrifice he died to sin’s power once and for all, but he now lives continuously for the Father’s pleasure. So let it be the same way with me! Since I am now joined with him, I continually view myself as dead and unresponsive to sin’s appeal while living daily for God’s pleasure in union with Jesus, the Anointed One.
Sin is a dethroned monarch; so I no longer give it an opportunity to rule over my life, controlling how I live and compelling me to obey its desires and cravings. I refuse to answer its call to surrender my body as a tool for wickedness. Instead, I passionately answer God’s call to keep yielding my body to him as one who has now experienced resurrection life! I live now for his pleasure, ready to be used for his noble purpose. Sin will not conquer me, for God already has! I am not governed by law but governed by the reign of the grace of God.
This doesn't mean I can sin to my heart's content since there’s no law to condemn me anymore. What a terrible thought! I realize that grace frees me to choose my own master. I choose carefully, and have surrendered myself to become a servant — bound to the one I choose to obey. I reject sin, knowing that it's reward is death. Instead I choose to love and obey God, and he will lead me into perfect righteousness.
Thanks be to God, for in the past I was a servant of sin, but now my obedience is heart deep, and my life is being molded by truth through the teaching I am devoted to. I celebrate my freedom from my former master, sin. I’ve left its bondage, and now God’s perfect righteousness holds power over me as his loving servant. When I was bound as a servant to sin, I lived my life free from any obligation to righteousness.
Just as I once surrendered my body and soul to impurity and lawlessness, which only brought more lawlessness into my life, so now I have surrendered myself as a servant of righteousness, which brings me deeper into true holiness. 
There was no benefit from doing those things that I'm now ashamed of. It left me with nothing but a legacy of shame and death. But now, as God’s loving servant, I live in joyous freedom from the power of sin. I consider the benefits that I now enjoy. I am brought deeper into the experience of true holiness that ends with eternal life! For sin’s meager wages is death, but God’s lavish gift is eternal  life, found in my union with Lord Jesus, the Anointed One.
Until next time, be blessed and be a blessing.
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