20090707 The Spirit of Life; Day195

Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has freed me from the law of sin and of death.

Back in college (Cebu Day’s), 1984 in particular, I came across the self defense art called Aikido (Talamban).  I’ve trained for almost 5 years, read all the books I can find in the bookstore, practice the philosophy to the max. I love Aikido and I love the history of it and how the founder Ueshiba came about to create the most gentle of all self defense art (imho).  Aikido in Cebu at that time was still in the infancy, there were only a handful of us that time and it became a way of life for us; as what the master Ueshiba wants his students to be, Aikido is a way of life and it became my way of life.  I had peace, experienced peace and practice peace everyday.  I used to do KI breathing and meditation for 15-30 minutes and come out so relaxed and so peaceful and ready to take on the world.  In short, my life at that time was almost perfect. (Not quite in God’s eyes!).  In parallel with Aikido, I also had cycling as my other diversion activities. Imagine Aikido and Cycling together, it was all perfect for the body.  Aikido for the mind and body and cycling for the body.  This has been going on for years and  was able to maintain the routines diligently. Then one day, I had a bike accident, I hit a person on the side of the road while cycling at 20 miles an hour, almost instantly, aikido training sets in, did the aikido roll and in no time I was safe.  Months passed, with the same lifestyle, another accident again, this time it was terrible. A jeepney (passenger car) heading for Opon hit me from behind, this time I almost died.  So two accidents in my life, first was a warning and second was “another warning” prompts me to further my search of something greater than Aikido.  I had sixth sense at that time, I can discern, I can feel an angry person by just the look at his eyes, I can calm down myself in a stressful situation,  I can disarm an enemy,  I can subdue an opponent and make him submit to me but I could not avoid an accident (intervention).  OK, story is too long already, so what is my point…

My main point is Romans 8:2. The spirit of life. 

When I found my new faith, when I gave my life to Christ, when I started reading the Bible, when I started to pray, when I started to believe in God, my whole life changed. I have true peace, true joy, true freedom, true life.  For some reason, The Spirit of Life can only be found in Christ.  Beginning today, start your search, start your quest for the true joy and peace. Question everything about the world, question God, question your situation and then listen to what the Spirit has to say. 

I am not here to sell Christianity and my faith, (what would it profits me) I am here to share what I found and I hope that we can travel through this journey together. It is such an interesting way to live a life. 

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Romans 8:2 (Deep thoughts but informative, he wrote this sometime in the 1800)
Rom 8:1-9 –
Believers may be chastened of the Lord, but will not be condemned with the world. By their union with Christ through faith, they are thus secured. What is the principle of their walk; the flesh or the Spirit, the old or the new nature, corruption or grace? For which of these do we make provision, by which are we governed? The unrenewed will is unable to keep any commandment fully. And the law, besides outward duties, requires inward obedience. God showed abhorrence of sin by the sufferings of his Son in the flesh, that the believer’s person might be pardoned and justified. Thus satisfaction was made to Divine justice, and the way of salvation opened for the sinner. By the Spirit the law of love is written upon the heart, and though the righteousness of the law is not fulfilled by us, yet, blessed be God, it is fulfilled in us; there is that in all true believers, which answers the intention of the law. The favour of God, the welfare of the soul, the concerns of eternity, are the things of the Spirit, which those that are after the Spirit do mind. Which way do our thoughts move with most pleasure? Which way go our plans and contrivances? Are we most wise for the world, or for our souls? Those that live in pleasure are dead, 1Ti_5:6. A sanctified soul is a living soul; and that life is peace. The carnal mind is not only an enemy to God, but enmity itself. The carnal man may, by the power of Divine grace, be made subject to the law of God, but the carnal mind never can; that must be broken and driven out. We may know our real state and character by inquiring whether we have the Spirit of God and Christ, or not, 1Ti_5:9. Ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. Having the Spirit of Christ, means having a turn of mind in some degree like the mind that was in Christ Jesus, and is to be shown by a life and conversation suitable to his precepts and example.

MIT (Most Important Task)
1. 2.4 Mile Swim
2. Call Lon Smith roofing and schedule the roof replacement
3. Call mortgage company

Greetings:
Astrid, enjoyed the full coverage of the homecoming.  Imagine ….. if you were not there to patiently take those candid pictures. Great job.  A picture do really paint a thousand words.
Gina D, been having to play IM tag, I kept missing your messages, I am not ignoring you.

Day195
0000, Sleep
0100, Sleep
0200, Sleep
0300, Sleep
0400, Sleep
0500, Sleep
0600, Sleep
0700, Breakfast; journal;
0800,
0900,
1000, 2.4 Mile Swim
1100, 2.4 Mile Swim
1200,
1300,
1400,
1500,
1600,
1700,
1800, Backup Hyper-V and Sharepoint Server
1900,
2000,
2100,
2200,
2300,
2400, Sleep