True reflections!

(Galatians 5:19) “Now the works of the flesh are evident:”

In order for us to qualify as those fit for the masters use, as those who wish to serve God with any amount of success, those who will work well and triumphantly must all hinge on the sense of our own weakness. There is a new tainted voice that speaks like this, “I” always hinging on our own abilities and not acknowledging things for what they actual are and it is a lie; a sense of false security the order of the day or should I say the lie of the day. Pretending all is well, when in fact some are blind and in need of eye salve. We often need to be reminded by a stern warning, which helps us take note of our current situation. It is true we have no need to fear if we walk circumspectly before our Holy Father. But if we say all is well with my soul, I shall not fear when I eat and drink with the drunkards, woe would be the warning. It is better to acknowledge our faults before our Heavenly Father than to pretend we have none.

Do what you want, when you want if it allows us a license to sin is a lot of garbage, it is a snare from Satan himself. Our attitude must be one of humility and not arrogance; for a man to pretend that he is no longer a liar, if all he does is tells lies proves the point, who’s fooling who? We have been summoned to be honest and real before God and with ourselves.

Here then is the stern warning; But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16): - But if I say I walk by the Spirit and I practise things such as these; “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)

Therefore if I excuse any of the above as acceptable I fool myself and should therefore fear. Fear what? That my efforts of making it to heaven would have been in vain; “An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.” (2Timothy 2:5-7)   

 

It is true we have not been given a spirit of fear but if all we do is use our liberty in Christ as a license to live like we once did, as slaves, we fool ourselves and not another; “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:15-17)

How do we suffer with Him? We no longer live the way we once did! “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” (Colossians 3:1-10)

We are at war, we have not entered into our rest, not yet anyway, as that day is still coming and how I long for it. But until then we must acknowledge our need of our High Priest, the Lord Jesus and constantly look to Him to overcome and not to live like we once did.

“When God’s warrior marches forth to battle, strong in his own might, when he boasts, “I know that I shall conquer, my own right arm and my conquering sword shall get unto me the victory,” defeat is not far distant. God will not go forth with that man who marches in his own strength. He who reckoneth on victory thus has reckoned wrongly, for “it is not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” They who go forth to fight, boasting of their prowess, shall return with their gay banners trailed in the dust, and their armour stained with disgrace. Those who serve God must serve him in his own way, and in his strength, or he will never accept their service. That which man doth, unaided by divine strength, God can never own. The mere fruits of the earth he casteth away; he will only reap that corn, the seed of which was sown from heaven, watered by grace, and ripened by the sun of divine love. God will empty out all that thou hast before he will put his own into thee; he will first clean out thy granaries before he will fill them with the finest of the wheat. The river of God is full of water; but not one drop of it flows from earthly springs. God will have no strength used in his battles but the strength which he himself imparts. Are you mourning over your own weakness? Take courage, for there must be a consciousness of weakness before the Lord will give thee victory. Your emptiness is but the preparation for your being filled, and your casting down is but the making ready for your lifting up.” (C.H.Spurgeon)

“When I am weak then am I strong, Grace is my shield and Christ my song.”

That then is my pray for all, but we must see the “wood form the trees” or “the chaff from the wheat” and be honest with ourselves. God give us strength to be opened faced before you as you see and know all things.

Signing off

Tyrone