As long as we give most of our attention and strength to the material world it is impossible for us to please God.

The Lord Jesus Christ came to the earth and portrayed how man is supposed to conduct himself. Christ did not live "in the flesh" but in the Spirit of God.

While the disciples were concerned about food Christ was busy doing the will of the Father. He knew the food would be provided.

While the disciples were concerned about the temple tax Christ told them to go catch a fish and the temple tax would be in its mouth.

While the disciples were concerned about drowning Christ was walking on the water.

While the disciples were getting their much needed rest Christ was in the mountains praying.

I understand we all can't leave our family and job and live like Sundar Singh. The life of complete separation to God is given only to a few.

But every one of us can choose to begin to bend our life toward more prayer, more reading of the Word, more fellowshiping with the saints.

This is why I inveigh against spending endless hours watching professional sports. While the sport may not be sin of itself it is just one more material distraction, occupying time that could be spent living in His Presence. The reader will have to apply this thought to his own life, asking the Lord's guidance.

Often we hear believers asking, "Can I drink wine? Can I smoke cigarettes? Can I spend time at the beach? Can I go to the movies?" and so forth.

The victorious saints do not ask these questions. They are not trying to find out how close they can walk to the Lake of Fire without toppling in. Rather they are looking for ways to draw closer to the Lord. It is a whole different approach to Christianity.

Praying can be a lot of fun, but not at first. When you first determine to spend time in prayer each day you had better settle for ten minutes. It will seem like hours. Prayer is like a muscle. You don't start off trying to lift 300 pounds over your head.

After a month or two you can bump the prayer to fifteen minutes, and then twenty. Somewhere along the line you will get hooked on prayer. Maybe the Lord will appear to you or something. In any case, once you get hooked on prayer, listening to the Lord, you will look forward to this part of the day (instead of dreading it) and an hour will be all too short.

I wonder what Jesus saw in the mountains. Maybe Moses and Elijah talked to Him. I wouldn't mind spending all night in the mountains with Moses and Elijah. How about you?

John was on the Isle of Patmos. He was handed a video cassette from Heaven. Boy, what I wouldn't give to see that one!

Are you getting interested? Can you smell the coffee?

This too is part of the resolution of Paul's dilemma.

To rehearse where we are in the study of Romans:

Chapters Three through Five tell us we are not to try to gain righteousness by adherence to the Law of Moses but by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Chapter Six informs us that even though faith in Jesus Christ brings righteousness to us we still are not to continue in sin. If we do we will die spiritually.

Chapter Seven portrays the dilemma of the person who desires to keep the Law of God but who finds sinful tendencies in his or her flesh.

Chapter Eight presents the resolution of the dilemma. We are righteous with the righteousness of Christ provided we move each day from a life occupied with the things of the world to a life occupied with the things of the Spirit of God.