It’s been a couple of days since I posted, but God continues to do miraculous things in our life. Last night with some brothers and sisters from our church, my wife and I were blessed to be able to minister at a homeless shelter. We were able to pray for many of the people there and to share the Gospel of hope in Jesus Christ. The Lord never ceases to amaze me on how He works. Last night as I was talking to a gentleman, the Lord led me to use three little packages of crackers; you know the kind that you get in a vending machine, to explain the importance of walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh. The picture I included here is something that I drew up this morning to represent the crackers, but I wanted to share what the Lord was teaching me and whoever might listen. Most times the dominant characteristic in our life is the flesh. The thing about the flesh is we really don’t need much training. We are able to eat, drink, reproduce, and basically satisfy ourselves without a lot of training. When we let the flesh rule, it undoubtedly influences our emotional being and usually with a negative effect. Just take a look at the anxiety and depression that are so prevalent. Suicide continues to climb. When we walk in the flesh we will suffer the consequences. As the flesh pushes down and influences our emotions it really minimizes our spirit. (See Man’s Way). But we need to turn our lives, not upside down, because upside down is where most of us are, but turn it right side up which is to walk in the Spirit (See God's Way). The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Galatia and to each of us beginning in Chapter 5 verse 16 on through verse 26.“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another”.
God wants’ us to walk in the Spirit. The proof of that walk is the fruit that it produces. May each of us look at our life to see if there is any fruit. Better yet ask someone else to look at your life to see if there is any fruit. If the fruit is lacking, maybe it is time to ask God to prune your life, to identify and help you remove those things that are detrimental to how God wants’ our Daily Walk to be.
Grace and Peace
I struggle regularly with my frustrations. Often they lead to anger. I do believe that there are times that the anger is justified. Such as when the frustration is brought about by an individual not following God's law. How does one know that difference between the flesh and righteous anger?
ReplyDeleteIf we were angry at everyone that did not follow God's law we would be angry at everyone. "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God". The bible teaches us cleary that we are to love the sinner and hate the sin. If your anger is directed toward the individual and not the sin, it is probably the flesh. We all need to direct our anger as Jesus did toward the sin and not toward the sinner. Jesus has taught us that it is possible to be angry at sin and angry at the unsavory fruit that sin produces and to still love the offender, the sinner. If you are talking about a specific individual, and not individuals in general I would suggest that you make it a point to pray for that person specifically everyday, pray that you can maintain your testimony even in the face of your anger. Thirdly, give your frustrations over to the Lord. Anger rightly directed is rightious, anything else is from the flesh. Grace and Peace
ReplyDeleteThanks. That helps.
ReplyDelete