"Who Will Deliver Me?

" a study with the book of Romans Romans 7: 14-25: This may be one of the most important, relevant, helpful, life-changing sections of the Bible. (Apart from anything every spoken by our Saviour Jesus, of course!) Paul's letter to the Romans is a great example of the openness of the Apostle - he is stating and sharing the reality of the challenges of his life and his faith. For the Romans he is also explaining, in a way they will understand, the underlying Hellenistic philosophy that is used in much theological discussion and much culture of the day. He is speaking to them in a way that they will understand, not focusing just on what he wants to say. He illustrates the idea of 2 minds - both part of who we are - but often both moving in different directions. He is also explaining the idea of Grace - that God sees our dilemma and addresses us as we truly are - God sympathizes with our human condition. Far before Self Help groups stated it - he makes the point that we can not do it on our own. We do not have the power to ght a force that is rooted in the nature of the human condition and instinct. How often have you blamed yourself for not controlling what is clearly larger than us? However, in the midst of free will - God also gives us a way to control our behavior and our lives - we need the skills to break the bondage and the freedom is in removing our own sense of control, denial, or our excuses - and seek God's help. Everything is ultimately a spiritual issue! And you are not the boss of the Spirit.

Romans 7: 14-25 14We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18For 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. 19For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to dothis I keep on doing. 20Now 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. 21So I nd this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in Gods law; 23but 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. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to Gods law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

WEEK 1 Willpower challenge 1: 1. Track your Willpower choices. Note when you have to make a choice - like what to have for dinner, or if you can take a walk rather than drive. We miss many choices and just do what we have always done. Are your choices inuenced by other habits? Do you eat while watching tv unconsciously. 2. When you are making a choice to do something you would like to change - count to 10 - then do it anyway. This trains the brain to hesitate - but it still rewards the center where the impulse resides so the brain will begin to let go of the impulse. (Do not stop the behavior! If you try to stop the behavior at this point - the brain will resist and you are training the brain to ght you.) Willpower challenge 2: Willpower meditation: 1. Sit still and stay put. Its important not to dget when you meditate thats the physical foundation of self-control. This simple act of staying still is part of what makes meditation willpower training effective. Youre learning not to automatically follow every impulse. 2. Begin to notice your breathing. Silently say in your mind inhale as you breathe in and exhale as you breathe out. When you notice your mind wandering (and it will), just bring it back to the breath. This practice of coming back to the breath, again and again, kicks the prefrontal cortex into high gear and quiets the stress and craving centers of your brain. 3. Notice how it feels to breathe, and notice how the mind wanders. After a few minutes, drop the labels inhale/ exhale. Try focusing on just the feeling of breathing. This part of the practice trains selfawareness along with self-control. Start with ve minutes a day. A short practice that you do every day is better than a long practice you keep putting off to tomorrow.

EL SHADDAI by Amy Grant (all rights reserved) El Shaddai, El Shaddai, El-Elyon na Adonai, Age to age You're still the same, By the power of the name. El Shaddai, El Shaddai, Erkahmka na Adonai, We will praise and lift You high, El Shaddai. Through your love and through the ram, You saved the son of Abraham; Through the power of your hand, Turned the sea into dry land. To the outcast on her knees, You were the God who really sees, And by Your might, You set Your children free. El Shaddai, El Shaddai, El-Elyon na Adonai, Age to age You're still the same, By the power of the name. El Shaddai, El Shaddai, Erkahmka na Adonai, We will praise and lift You high, El Shaddai.

El-Elyon na Adonai [means "God in the highest, Oh, Lord"] Erkamka na Adonai [means "We will love You, Oh, Lord"]

Willpower notes: When you think of something that requires will power - what do you think of? Is it resisting temptation? We often think of it as something to control a behavior so we can say no. That is what we call "I Won't Power" - the ability to say, I won't do something. What about the things that we say no too, but we would like to do - like exercise, cleaning the closet, getting something done. That is something where we need the power to say yes rather than no - so we'll call that "I Will Power." There is a third power - the ability to remember what it is that we WANT - what we really want - the center and foundation of our goals for ourselves and for our lives. In other words, you think you "want" the brownie, or the martini - but is that really your goal? The brownie or the martini is the impulse to temporarily and immediately meet a need. So, if you had the power to remember that what you really want, then you might be able to over ride the impulse with your true "want" or goal. That is "I Want" power. To exert self control, you are going to have to nd your motivation when it matters! Willpower is really about harnessing these three forces: I will, I won't, and I want to achieve your goals, to live a more fruitful life, and to obey God. When it comes down to it, the way you deal with these issues will determine what kind of a life you will have! It's why we need to return to God day after day, and in our obedience, we can train and master the gifts of control God offers. Why do we have willpower? What you really need to do to survive - your instincts were to: 1. Get food. 2. Reproduce. 3. Avoid danger, which also means, don't get anyone mad at you.

Community cooperation is central to survival. Not only your survival, but the survival on the tribe depend on certain rules and common goals. In modern and post-modern days, willpower and control has gone from something that distinguishes us not from the animals, but from each other! We may all have been born with the capacity for willpower. So, if we want to improve our lives, willpower is the place to start. Willpower is the product of the development of the prefrontal cortex which got bigger. The prefrontal cortex is divided into three functioning areas - and they individually deal with I will - I won't - I want. It's not all one function. All of it is based on being able to DO THE HARDER THING. What we end up with is like living with 2 minds. Just as the scripture says. If we have will power - why don't we always use it? Our brains grew - they didn't change - so our instincts are still present. It's like 2 people living in our "mind" - one who wants fattening food for efcient survival, and one who knows we need control. "Present" self wants gratication NOW. And "Future" self wants to focus on long term well being and goals. Someone is going to win. First rule of Willpower: Know Yourself! You need to recognize when youre making a choice that requires willpower; otherwise, the brain always defaults to what is easiest. Scientists have found that we make most choices on autopilot. Pay attention! Also, when you are distracted you have less brain energy for willpower or control. If you are doing math - you are more likely to snack.

Who Will Deliver Me? Will Power, Wont Power, Want Power

July 12:

I will! I won't! I want! Were you born to resist cheesecake? Too Tired? Why our will is like a muscle. Goody! Why being "good" can make us bad. Your Brain Can Lie? Why we mistake want for happiness. I Don't Care! How feeling down leads to giving up. Selling the Future Instant gratication - Now! Infected? Why willpower is contagious. The End of Our Rope! The limits of resistance and beyond.

July 19:

July 26:

August 2:

August 9:

August 16:

August 23:

August 30: