BUT the Spirit himself intercedes ( Romans 8:26)

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.
We do not know what we ought to pray for, 
BUT the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

Romans 8:26
Do you ever find it hard to pray?
Maybe you are going through a hard time and you just don't know what to say.
 Don't say nothing at all. Hey that reminds me of a song-
Alison Krauss "When you say nothing at all"

It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart
Without saying a word you can light up the dark
Try as I may I could never explain
What I hear when you don't say a thing

It wasn't written as a Christian song BUT listen to it today I believe this is how God feels towards us.
God is there- He will not let you fall- He loves us best even when we say nothing at all.

BUT I cannot carry it out (Romans 7:18)

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.

Romans 7:18
Do you find yourself starting off your morning thinking,
" I got this, I am going to treat people nice,  I'm going to have a great day".  
Then before you know it,  someone has cut you off in traffic, people at work are so demanding and no one else is being nice so why bother!
Let that be a beautiful reminder that Jesus loves you no matter what
and its only when we remember His love for us and fill ourselves up with His love
that we can fulfill that desire to do what is good.
Don't go at it alone my friend. Let Him carry your burdens.

BUT overcome (Romans 12:21)

Do not be overcome by evil,

BUT overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:21

So what did you do with yesterdays verse?

I pray you were able to let the little things go

And not feel like you need to retaliate against anyone who may have not been nice to you.

Today's challenge  to overcome that evil.

You know killim' with kindness. As the southern woman say "bless their heart".

BUT today mean it- maybe that person that is giving you a hard time is having a hard time. 

With God's help you can overcome that evil with good.

BUT be transformed (Romans 12:2)

Do not conform to the pattern of this world,

BUT be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—

his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2

 

Are you struggling my friend.

Did you have a great plan to start the year off

 BUT now you find yourself falling back into the same old routine.

STOP and really read this verse again (did you really go back and read it)

you just renewed your mind!

I know God's will for me is to turn the message of Big Buts of the Bible into a book-

this is His good, pleasing and perfect will.

BUT when I let myself conform to the pattern of this world I doubt and get confused.

So I ask for you to pray that I will stay the course!

I will be praying for  you as well my friend.

 

BUT now (Romans 7:6)

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 

 Do not be controlled by the old way of the written code. There is not a set of rules my friend. Jesus didn't come as a baby to die on the cross so that we could follow a written code! LET GO today my friend. Die to your self and serve Christ. Stop for a moment and ask yourself what you are holding on to that is preventing you from being released. Is it control, fear, selfish desires? 

BUT be transformed (Romans 12:2)

 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, BUT be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2

Do you want to know God's what pleases God, His perfect will for you? There is only one way renew your mind by spending time in His word and then thinking and acting on it. We are in this world not of this world.

 

BUT the Spirit Himself (Romans 8:26)

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.

We do not know what we ought to pray for,

BUT the Spirit himself intercedes for us

through wordless groans.

Romans 8:26

When you don't know what to pray remember the Spirit goes to the father for you! 

BUT God demostrates His own LOVE (Romans 5:8)

BUT God demonstrates His own love for us in this:

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

I am not sure what you are hoping for this Valentines day maybe flowers and card, dinner and gifts.

Don't forget how much you are loved by your Heavenly Father. These earthy gifs will fade BUT His love for you never will.  

BUT conquer evil by doing good (Romans 12:21)

Don’t let evil conquer you, 

BUT conquer evil by doing good.

Romans 12:21

This is one worth memorizing and teaching our children. It is so fun to watch
 peoples fire go out when you are genuinely kind to them.

BUT have Him up for us (Romans 8:32)

Since He did not spare even his own Son 

BUT gave Him up for us all,

 won’t he also give us everything else?

Romans 8:32

Sometimes I think we simplify that God gave up His son for 33 years for us all! as a parent who had  a child for 22 years before she went to heaven this verse means so much. God will not hold anything good back from us. Just remember He knows what is best- trust Him.

BUT rather think of yourself with sober judgement (Romans 12:3)

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you:
 Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought,
BUT rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

Romans 12:3
Sometimes we can get caught up in how good we are or even think "I'm doing okay compared to some other people I know" . Just remember any good that is in us comes from God. It is His grace that keeps us straight!

BUT... where sin increased (Romans 5:20)

 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase.

But where sin increased,

grace increased all the more,

Romans 5:20

Can't say I completely understand this verse. I have studied it and am just glad I don't have to understand everything to know that God's grace is all I need.

BUT... thanks be to God (Romans 6:17)

BUT thanks be to God that, 

though you used to be slaves to sin, 

you have come to obey from your heart 

the pattern of teaching that has now 

claimed your allegiance.

Romans 6:17

What an outstanding verse for for where our country is right now. It is good to pledge allegiance to the great USA but remember we are called to a much higher calling and our ultimate allegiance is to Jesus Christ who freed us from our selfish way of thinking. Thanks be to God.

BUT... Thank God (Romans 6:17)

BUT... thank God that although you used to be 

slaves of sin, you gave wholehearted obedience to the teaching that was handed down to you

Romans 6:17

During this time of Thanksgiving,  He has given us freedom.
 Are you wholeheartedly obeying what you have been taught by the Holy Spirit that lives within you. It is not man's law that matters. Listen carefully this holiday season and give the gift of thankfulness and obedience. 

BUT... Let God transform you (Romans 12:2)

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, BUT…

Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you,which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:2

Love love love this verse. Make this your prayer today. 

BUT...now we have been released (Romans 7:5-6)

When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death.

BUT

 now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law,

BUT

 in the new way of living in the Spirit.

Romans 7:5-6 (NLT),

The middle letter of sin is “I” that is the best way for me to remember what sin is all about. When I put more emphasis on myself and less on God or others I sin. When we die to “I” we are free to live freely and not worry about the laws because they are naturally taken care of by the Spirit.

BUT... I do it anyway (Romans 7:18 -20)

And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right,

BUT… I can’t.

I want to do what is good,

BUT… I don’t.

 I don’t want to do what is wrong,

BUT I do it anyway.

 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.  I love God’s law with all my heart.  But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
Romans 7:18 -20 (NLT)

My husband and I started the year off with the Daniel Fast and then continued with a healthy eating and exercise program for weight loss. These verses became more real to me the last couple of weeks as I know what to eat to take care of my body BUT I can’t, I want to do good BUT I don’t. This may not be very spiritual BUT maybe you are fighting the flesh too remember the answer is Jesus Christ!

BUT... be transformed! (Romans 12:2 )

And do not be conformed to this world,

BUT…

 be transformed by the renewing of your mind,

that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:2 NKJV

Do you find yourself struggling against yourself sometimes? Are you justifying your behavior because everyone is doing it?

I love the word transformed is this age of superheroes and the transformer movies. What are you transforming into? Renew your mind by spending time in God’s word and you will win these battles!

BUT...God showed His great love (Romans 5:8)

But…

God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Romans 5:8 (NLT)

BUT... I do it anyway (Romans 7:18-20)

I know what is wrong and I know that nothing good lives in me,
that is, in my sinful nature.

I want to do what is right,

 BUT I can’t.

I want to do what is good,

BUT I don’t.

 I don’t want to do what is wrong,

BUT I do it anyway.

BUT if I do what I don’t want to do,

I am not really the one doing wrong;

 It is sin living in me that does it.

I have discovered this principle of life—

That when I want to do what is right,

 I inevitably do what is wrong.

 I love God’s law with all my heart.

BUT there is another power within me that is at war with my mind.

This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.

 Oh, what a miserable person I am!

Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?

Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is:

 In my mind I really want to obey God’s law,

 BUT because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

Romans 7:18-20 (NLT)

Do you find yourself in these passages?  If you have struggled in the past in a humbling situation where you want to do what is right but inevitably you still have bad thoughts or actions please be reminded that is the old nature. Until we get to heaven this battle within will always rage, be strong my friend Jesus can concur even this battle. So often we think to pray about health, financial issues or physical needs BUT my friend the greatest pray is for Jesus to get victory over the battles within!  Please feel free to comment and share an internal battle with us.