Unashamed Reading Plan
Check out all the previous Unashamed readings here.
Unashamed Reading Plan | Week 7 | Day 2
Prayer
Allow some silence for your soul to catch up with your body. Thank God for time to spend with Him and ask Him to meet with you.
Bible Reading: Romans 7:14-20
Read these verses three times slowly.
We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
Reflection & Questions
By Heather Lee
Have you ever noticed how kids caught lying often say, “I don’t know,” when asked why? It’s usually because they fear the consequences or don’t know the reasoning behind the impulse. Regardless of the reason as believers, we can relate.
Paul describes every believer’s internal conflict: the struggle between living out our new life in Christ and falling back into our old sinful habits. We want to do what is right but often fail, and we hate doing wrong but end up doing it anyway. This struggle is why Paul says, “there is nothing good in me, that is, in my flesh.”
Last weekend, Pastor Jimmy reminded us, “Nothing changes until something changes”. We struggle to control our sinful tendencies and the temptations of sin on our own. With the power of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome these struggles and live according to God’s will. But this victory requires something of us: a surrender life that allows the Holy Spirit to work in you and through you.
- What specific struggles do you face between wanting to do what is right and giving into the temptations of sin?
- Ask God to show you where you need to surrender to the Holy Spirit and rely on His strength to overcome your struggles.
- Considering “nothing changes until something changes,” what practical steps will you take to fully surrender to Jesus?
Prayer
Talk to God in response to today’s reading.
Worship Song
You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:
Bible Reading: Romans 7:18b-20
Read these verses three times slowly.
For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
Reflection & Questions
Have you ever been caught lying? When you were asked why you did it, did you know? Or did you just say, “I don’t know.” Usually, when we are trying to avoid a consequence for lying or when we don’t always know why we did it, that is our answer – I don’t know!
When you accept the salvation that comes from Jesus, you start to live that new fresh life, but it is difficult to stay living that way, right? There is a struggle inside between this new life in Christ and falling back into our old sinful habits. We want to do what is right, but we often fail. Even though we hate doing wrong, we sometimes do it anyway. This is why Paul says, “there is nothing good in me, that is, in my flesh.” When he is talking about his flesh, he means the part of him that is human and prone to do sinful things. And this is why we sometimes have that “I don’t know why” attitude when we choose to do sinful things.
We struggle to control our sinful habits and the temptations that sin sends our way all on our own. With the power of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome those habits and temptations and live as God has asked of us. But to do this, we also need to do something: give our lives to God and allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us.
- Can you think of a bad and sinful habit that you have that you struggle with? What is one way that you can fight that sin?
Pray
Ask God to show you where you need help from the Holy Spirit and ask for the strength to do the right thing.
Check out more Bible Reading Plans here.
Questions?
Ed Applegate
