holy fire

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. —Romans 8:22-23 ESV...

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. —Romans 8:16 NIV Key Thought We can believe that we are God's children. We can think it. We can desire it with all of our hearts. We can pray for it. But, the real validation happens when the Holy Spirit joins with the...

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. —Romans 8:14 NIV Key Thought Parents lead their children till they are ready for life on their own. As we cry out to God as our "Abba, Father" (Romans 8:15), God leads us. We are his young children, and we never outgrow our...

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father." —Romans 8:15 NLT Key Thought Abba! The first syllables some babies utter. The name for father in the language Jesus...

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. —Romans 8:11 ESV Key Thought The Holy Spirit brings life to our mortal bodies by bringing Jesus alive in...

And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. —Romans 8:10 NLT Key Thought Everything that lives is actually in the process of dying — everything, that is, except for those animated and...

The mind controlled by the sinful nature is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. —Romans 8:6 NIV Key Thought What do you want from your limited days on earth? Among other things, you probably want to enjoy life and have every moment of it bring joy and peace. There is...

Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. —Romans 8:5 NLT Key Thought We don't like to be controlled. However, we will be controlled either by our sinful nature or by the...

The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins...

But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. —Romans 7:6 NIV Key Thought We could not, and cannot, keep the law of God completely. Trying to be righteous when one failure...

For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God. —Romans 2:28-29 ESV Key Thought Prejudice is ungodly. It...

The Good News is about [God's] Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David's family line, and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord. —Romans 1:3-4 NLT Key Thought Jesus is the Son — David's Son...

The Scriptures tell us, "The first man, Adam, became a living person." But the last Adam — that is, Christ — is a life-giving Spirit. —1 Corinthians 15:45 NLT Key Thought Death, the immutable reality of our physical mortality, is an enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26). Yes, there are times for those...

And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain...

Who else [besides God] has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale? Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord? Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him...

No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God — his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. ... But people who...

But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life! —Jude 20-21...

[The apostles] told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God's Spirit in them. —Jude 18-19 NLT...

If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. —1 Peter 4:14 NIV Key Thought What an incredible phrase: "the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you." Jesus reminded us that we are blessed when people insult and persecute...

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. —1 Peter 3:18 NIV Key Thought I will confess that this is one of the most challenging and difficult passages in all the Bible for me...