Emma Marie

This has been an event filled week for Teresa and me. Monday we started the week with the training conference with Troy which will last for a total of 2 weeks. This is an awesome conference, a great opportunity to dig deep into God’s word. Then Tuesday morning around 3 AM Jason calls us on the phone to tell us little Emma Marie was on the way. Only she wasn’t really until Wednesday (He was giving us a trial run). She did arrive at 7:56 PM our time, almost noon Wednesday in KC.
We have been blessed to live during a time when you are 8 time zones away and can still see the newest arrival only seconds after anyone who is in the waiting room can email a picture. We really are thankful for that, as well as cheap phone calls and live video. I have never been big on pictures, they only give you an idea of how someone really is, they are not like being there.
Anyway, back to class; on Thursday we take pictures of little Emma Marie. During class Troy was talking about the law and about grace. And I got it! The picture of Emma Marie is like the law, from the law I know the way I should live my life, just like I now know what Emma Marie looks like (by looking at her picture) . But when I finally meet her I will no longer need the picture, for I will know her and she will be forever in me. But the picture will still be useful to show others who do not know her that she is beautiful, sweet, loving, and looks just like her father. That is the way it is with Jesus. Once you meet Him and he holds you, you no longer need the law because you know how your life is suppose to look. You no longer live in fear of breaking the law because you love Jesus Christ and he lives in you.
Rom 8:9 But you do not live as your human nature tells you to; instead, you live as the Spirit tells you to---if, in fact, God's Spirit lives in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

But if Christ lives in you, the Spirit is life for you because you have been put right with God, even though your bodies are going to die because of sin.
If the Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from death, lives in you, then he who raised Christ from death will also give life to your mortal bodies by the presence of his Spirit in you. So then, my friends, we have an obligation, but it is not to live as our human nature wants us to.For if you live according to your human nature, you are going to die; but if by the Spirit you put to death your sinful actions, you will live. Those who are led by God's Spirit are God's children. Rom 8:10-14