Lusts of the Flesh

 

The lusts of our flesh conflict with the desires of the Spirit of God in our spirit (Galatians 5:17; Colossians 1:8-9; Romans 13:14; Galatians 5:24; Ephesians 2:3; 1 Peter 2:11). As we mature, the Holy Spirit births more and more holiness in our soul (Galatians 4:19).

Paul lays out the entire purification process for us in Romans 6-8. Our soul leans toward sin during our initial walk with the Lord (Romans 7:17-18, 20-21, 23). As the Word of God quickens His Truth to our soul, these sinful habits start grieving our spirit as much as they do the Spirit of God (Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19).

We see the work of Christ in us as He dwells in us and gives us His hope of glory (Colossians 1:27; 2 Corinthians 13:5). We no longer live our life, but Christ lives in and through us (Galatians 2:20).

Jesus Christ is our whole life and we live in union with Him (Colossians 3:4; 1 Corinthians 6:17). We enjoy other relationships; however, if they are stripped from us for some reason, we can trust in God's purpose and wisdom.

Satan uses our circumstances and fishes in our desires in order to catch us off guard and to hook us into choosing to listen to his evil suggestions. He attempts to employ our carnal character and selfish habits to cause us to sin.

However, as we present our self to God, He makes us holy and uses us as an instrument of His righteousness (Romans 5:19; 6:13). He calls us during our lifetime to love, nurture, witness to, and influence those He brings into our life.

Prayer:

Father God, free us from the lusts of our flesh. Lead and guide us to be in the right place at the right time to affect Your plan for us in this world. Drench us with Your peace and joy in the midst of all of the sorrow and devastation we experience in the earth in which we live. Draw us close to You and never ever let us go.

Use us for Your purposes and help us to make an impact on the earth for Your Kingdom and glory. Use us to fill heaven with the humble and upright in heart whom You are calling to Yourself. Maybe we cannot meet them or talk to them, but we can pray for unreached people groups and the persecuted church every day as You lift up Jesus and draw humanity to You.

Thought for the Day:

We never lose faith in God's faithfulness regardless of what someone does to us, against us, or fails to do for us; we do not trust in people, because everyone is fickle and easily tempted to sin against us; but we continually trust in Christ who is our solid Rock. - 1 Corinthians 10:4

Nursing Negative Emotions

When we nurse a negative emotion, we amplify it in our mind, cement it in our thinking and establish the roots of it in our soul. Yet, this only ends up hurting, rather than helping us.

Paul recommends that we think and meditate on only positive thoughts and emotions. He even gives us a list of acceptable ideas to consider and contemplate, and on which to focus.

This verse suggests that we think only on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). If it does not meet these requirements, we ask God to help us to change our focus about the issue.

Grudges, depression, jealousy, anger, hurt feelings, suspicion, frustration, shame, grief, etc. usually come from lies, which Satan whispers in our ear. However, if they are founded in fact, we can use the Serenity Prayer to resolve them.

We either change the circumstance or give it to God to deal with; but whatever we do, we change our attitude about it to keep our soul encouraged by the positive that is going on in and around us.

Paul goes one step further and encourages us to rejoice in our tribulation. I never could figure out how to do that, until I realized that God plants the seed for a miracle within every trial.

Now, I simply praise our Father God with gratitude and faith in His faithfulness through tribulation, and I look at it as an adventure in Christ rather than as just another negative encounter with life.

Our attitude during trials is the greatest witness to the world around us of the Christ within us (1 Peter 2:12). We can "preach" to them until we are blue in the face, but what we "say" with our actions and attitude speaks more about the love of Christ than our words.

Prayer:

Father God, remind us that the result of us maintaining positive thoughts and attitudes is Your peace within us (Philippians 4:7). Your peace is the precursor for all of our thoughts, words and actions; and our thoughts, words and actions can disturb Your peace within us quicker than anything. We often imagine the worse-case scenario, which rarely happens, and this slides us right down into the pit of worry and depression. 

You give us Your wisdom to deal with each moment of life, which we encounter. Your wisdom is pure, filled with peace, loving, considerate, easily surrendered to, full of mercy and grace, produces good fruit in and through us, and is impartial and sincere (James 3:17). Help us to stay focused on Your blessings and provision in our life.

Thought for the Day:

There is more potential power in gratitude and praise than in nursing negative emotions.

A Faithful Life

At times, we make poor choices and allow them to define who we are, causing us to live in a downward spiral with one destructive choice after another.

God calls us to gain our self-image and fulfillment from His presence in our life and to follow His will for our career, relationships and all of our decisions (Ephesians 2:10; Romans 12:2).

We often worry about what others will think of us, especially those significant others in our life; however, God's opinion of us is all that really matters.

There is no need to covet what this world has to offer, because this will cause us to stray from the truth and bring us many trials and sorrows (1 Timothy 6:10).

Clinging to Christ allows us to hold fast to our faith in His faithfulness with a clear conscience (1 Timothy 1:19, 3:9, 4:1). We obtain eternal life both now and in eternity by entering an intimate relationship now with God and Jesus Christ whom He sent (John 17:3; 1 Timothy 6:12).

As a good example of an authentic Believer, we traverse the issues of life with love, patience, meekness, holiness, purpose and moderation in all things (1 Timothy 2:15, 4:12, 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:22, 3:10).

We teach God's Word to our children and live a Godly example before them (2 Timothy 3:15). Showing our humanity as well as our growing maturity in our faith; so they will know it is possible for them to walk in the Lord all the days of their life as well.

Prayer:

Father God, give us Your love and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ and toward all of Your Saints (Philemon 1:5). We acknowledge that our faith is effective, because every good thing we are and possess come from You (Philemon 1:6). We want to inherit Your Kingdom through the faith and promises You teach us during our lifetime (Hebrews 6:12; 2 Peter 1:4).

We draw ever closer to You with a true heart full of the assurance of faith, which You give us when You cleanse our conscience and desires with the pure water of Your Word (Hebrews 10:22-23; Ephesians 5:26). Help us to live by the faith and the example of the great cloud of witnesses who went on before us (Hebrews 11:1-39, 12:1-3).

Thought for the Day:

Our goal in life is to utter these words with our final breath: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished my race and I have kept my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ." - 2 Timothy 4:7