Thirsting Souls Bible Teaching

 (Rom 8:28) “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”    God has a purpose – a plan. That plan includes the lives lived of those who seek to live that life for Him. Have you lived your life for Him? 

(Rom 8:28) “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”   All things would include even the judgment – natural or divine – of my sins if, and only if, they are repented of – forsaken. Note that to be reprimanded of the Lord is a good thing if the result is that it makes me grow in grace and draws me closer to Him.  

(Rom 8:28) “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”  It seems any time a bad thing happens, believers quote this verse as applying to themselves. It doesn’t “unless” they love Him. Love for Him means He, His work, His desires for us comes first: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul;…” (Matt 22:37a) In what ways have you demonstrated “love” for God?

Rom 8:27) “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”   The fact that one is interceding implies that there is a reason He is needed. The text says it is because of the “infirmity” of our flesh.  Our flesh holds back our understanding to both our own needs and God’s will.  “Lord, thank you for your Intercession. Please help me to grow in the understanding of your will, and, a greater understanding of my need before Thee.”

(Rom 8:27) “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”  Because of our sinful nature, we reason the will of God many times to the wrong conclusion. Thank God for the Holy Spirit’s intercession. Consider how we have things backwards: in our minds it is me, me; meeting my needs; answering my prayers; blessing me. Yet, it is to be the opposite: “What is Your desire, Lord”; “How can I glorify you?”; “Glory to you and help others.” It begins and ends with Him, not us.

(Rom 8:27) “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”  I have often struggled with prayer, whether this or that is right to pray. Is it according to God’s will or could I be praying against God’s will? As the years have gone by I have become more and more careful regarding this. Praise God, the Holy Spirit within me gets it right every time!

  (Rom 8:26) “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”  We are to a great degree, in reality, blinded to self. Then how can we know our true needs? We pray, “Lord I need….” and the Spirit of God says, “No, LORD, this is really what they need.” Praise Him for His constant help and care while we are in this weak, blinded position!

 (Rom 8:25) “But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”  Because we live in time and space, it is hard for us to wait upon the Lord. He is not and has a plan of which we only have pieces revealed through His Word. We know this: He cannot lie nor can He fail. So, believe His Word, seek to grow more and more faithful, “…for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” (Rom 13:11c)  

(Rom 8:24) “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?”  This is not speaking of  “hope” as desire for something that might or might not come to pass. It is speaking of “hope” as that which accompanies “faith”. “Faith”: believing what God says and acting upon it. “Hope”: a looking for a sure coming event. 

(Rom 8:23) “And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.’  As a saved person who obeys the process of renewing our minds (our thinking) through faithful eating and drinking at the table of the Lord (His Word the Bible), we are drawn in heart upward. The wrestling with our flesh increases, thus filling us with a longing for our resurrected bodies!