April 17, 2013
What happened? What went wrong? You started out running a good race. What changed? What caused you to add things to the very clear words of Christ? It isn't enough to believe in Christ and then add your own spin on it. You must be a Christ follower. Being a follower means setting your own desires, wants, and wishes aside, and committing yourself to following Him wherever He leads and whatever He asks. It means following His words ONLY and not adding anything to it or taking anything away from it. You started out that way. What happened? Christ made us free, but that doesn't mean you use your freedom as an excuse to do whatever you please! We are to serve each other, not manipulate others as a way to fulfill our selfish desires. We are to die to self and surrender to God. That is our freedom.
Selfish desires and surrendering to God don't mix. It is like oil and water. You cannot live by following the Spirit (Christ) while following your selfish sinful self at the same time. CANNOT! If you follow the Spirit, "... Then you will not do what your sinful selves want." (Galatians 5:16) You just can't have it both ways. Galatians 5:17 - "Our sinful selves want what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against our sinful selves. The two are against each other, so you cannot do just what you please." No wonder there is conflict in this world and among people. One side is pursuing their own selfish desires, and the other side is pursuing the desires of the Spirit. This is why you should not be unequally yoked in close friendships, marriage, business, etc. You are pursuing opposite goals and there will be conflict.
There is no middle ground here. You can't be in the middle of the road or sitting on a fence. You are either going to do what your sinful self wants—OR—you are going to commit yourself to doing what the Spirit wants. Believing in Christ but living how you want won't cut it. You must be a committed follower of Christ.
Paul compares the actions of the followers of "self" to the followers of Christ. One list is "the wrong things the sinful self does," and the other is what following the Spirit produces.
Sinful Self Results:
Psalm 1
Happy are those who don't listen to the wicked
who don't go where sinners go,
who don't do what evil people do.
They love the Lord's teachings,
and they think about those teachings day and night.
They are strong, like a tree planted by the river.
The tree produces fruit in season,
and its leaves don't die.
Everything they do will succeed.
But wicked people are not like that.
They are like the chaff that the wind blows away.
So the wicked will not escape God' punishment.
Sinners will not worship with God's people.
This is because the LORD takes care of his people,
but the wicked will be destroyed.
Stand strong. Christ has made you free, so you are free indeed.
Addendum: April 2016 ~ It has been eight years since Jane (Her Name Was Jane) spoke her last God-given words to us—"Jeremiah 33." My husband and I will read that chapter together again today. God's last promise of protection through the lips of Jane. The day is coming. The day is coming when God will set us completely free from "the storm."
Early this morning the song Give Me Jesus played over and over in my mind. In the morning when I arise—give me Jesus. When I am alone—give me Jesus. When I come to die—give me Jesus. You can have all this world—just give me Jesus. That is my heart's desire. In ALL things—just give me Jesus.
Next Entry: Galatians 6:1–18
What happened? What went wrong? You started out running a good race. What changed? What caused you to add things to the very clear words of Christ? It isn't enough to believe in Christ and then add your own spin on it. You must be a Christ follower. Being a follower means setting your own desires, wants, and wishes aside, and committing yourself to following Him wherever He leads and whatever He asks. It means following His words ONLY and not adding anything to it or taking anything away from it. You started out that way. What happened? Christ made us free, but that doesn't mean you use your freedom as an excuse to do whatever you please! We are to serve each other, not manipulate others as a way to fulfill our selfish desires. We are to die to self and surrender to God. That is our freedom.
Selfish desires and surrendering to God don't mix. It is like oil and water. You cannot live by following the Spirit (Christ) while following your selfish sinful self at the same time. CANNOT! If you follow the Spirit, "... Then you will not do what your sinful selves want." (Galatians 5:16) You just can't have it both ways. Galatians 5:17 - "Our sinful selves want what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against our sinful selves. The two are against each other, so you cannot do just what you please." No wonder there is conflict in this world and among people. One side is pursuing their own selfish desires, and the other side is pursuing the desires of the Spirit. This is why you should not be unequally yoked in close friendships, marriage, business, etc. You are pursuing opposite goals and there will be conflict.
There is no middle ground here. You can't be in the middle of the road or sitting on a fence. You are either going to do what your sinful self wants—OR—you are going to commit yourself to doing what the Spirit wants. Believing in Christ but living how you want won't cut it. You must be a committed follower of Christ.
Paul compares the actions of the followers of "self" to the followers of Christ. One list is "the wrong things the sinful self does," and the other is what following the Spirit produces.
Sinful Self Results:
- Sexually unfaithful
- Not being pure
- Taking part in sexual sins
- Worshiping gods
- Doing witchcraft
- Hating
- Making trouble
- Jealousy
- Anger
- Selfishness
- Making people angry with each other
- Causing divisions among people
- Feeling envy
- Being drunk
- Having wild and wasteful parties
- Doing other things like this
- Produces the fruit of love
- Joy
- Peace
- Patience
- Kindness
- Goodness
- Faithfulness
- Gentleness
- Self-control
- Die to self
- Give up old selfish feelings and evil things "self" wanted
- Have new life
- Is not proud
- Does not make trouble with each other
- Is not jealous of others
Psalm 1
Happy are those who don't listen to the wicked
who don't go where sinners go,
who don't do what evil people do.
They love the Lord's teachings,
and they think about those teachings day and night.
They are strong, like a tree planted by the river.
The tree produces fruit in season,
and its leaves don't die.
Everything they do will succeed.
But wicked people are not like that.
They are like the chaff that the wind blows away.
So the wicked will not escape God' punishment.
Sinners will not worship with God's people.
This is because the LORD takes care of his people,
but the wicked will be destroyed.
Stand strong. Christ has made you free, so you are free indeed.
Addendum: April 2016 ~ It has been eight years since Jane (Her Name Was Jane) spoke her last God-given words to us—"Jeremiah 33." My husband and I will read that chapter together again today. God's last promise of protection through the lips of Jane. The day is coming. The day is coming when God will set us completely free from "the storm."
Early this morning the song Give Me Jesus played over and over in my mind. In the morning when I arise—give me Jesus. When I am alone—give me Jesus. When I come to die—give me Jesus. You can have all this world—just give me Jesus. That is my heart's desire. In ALL things—just give me Jesus.
Next Entry: Galatians 6:1–18
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