Love one another.

So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. 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. What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. 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. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. In that case, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; 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. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do.… Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.…

Dear sisters and brothers in Messiah,

Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus - the name above all names! I hope that you and the loved ones are in good health and are getting along! Good health is such a wonderful blessing from the good Lord, our Creator Lord! How is your spirit on this glorious day that the Lord has made? I am writing to you to ask for your help. I am living in Sussex County and am looking for a place to worship the Lord at. I have come to be known by the Lord for about 25 years now, and am 63 years old (divorced multiple times, more than five children and more than three wives gone until eternity? - only the good Lord knows at this point! and now living alone without any of the little loved ones). I am of Jewish heritage and consider myself to be a Jewish Christian, or a Jew. I don't know of any Messianic congregations around here, and I don't think it would be wise to travel great distances for worship. I have in the recent past have had problems with one foot (the left one), and have recently had problems with the right shoulder, but have been feeling well praise the Lord. Also, I was on a very tight budget (and thanks to our Creator Lord for all HIS blessings!!!). I don't have much in way of assets compared to rich people (or middle class people also), but compared to those living on less than $2 a day I probably have a lot! I have been greatly blessed by the good Lord, our Creator Lord, over my entire life (one time I was labeled autistic and couldn't speak [the good Lord, the Great Physician, healed me], one time I was living out on the streets, and one time I was deeply in debt [not that I believe in the "prosperity Gospel"] - to mention only three times that I was blessed by the Lord.