So have you seen the show Undercover Boss? It's a gamble but so far in two seasons it's been pretty good. We just watched one last night that we had on the DVR where this guy owned a timeshare resort company and boy was this guy "larger than life". He looked and lived like he was trying to compete with Donald Trump. (here's his show) So anyway, this guy really knew how to throw around money. Usually what these guys get (or what you hope they do) is that its not always about making money but its about people and they get a change of perspective and a change of heart about how they run the company and see their employees. I really like it when that happens. Well, on this episode this guy has a huge ego and wanted to go undercover to see how his company was doing. If you ask me he did the show to promote his business (of course). He works undercover with several of his employees all around the country in which he uses his private jet to get around. At the end he invites these employees to one of his private beach houses to go over everything he saw and experienced. With each one of them he threw around a lot of money, I mean a lot of money. He even paid off one guy's mortgage.
Well one young lady that he met with came away from this meeting and described it as "beyond life changing." That statement struck me. Now I know, she was young and still in college, therefore prone to exaggerate. But beyond life changing? The guy gave her a load of cash. Beyond life changing?
Maybe it just challenged me. Are we in ministry really trying to change people's lives? I'm not all about shock and awe at church, and I know that discipleship is a process, but when I read in the Bible about people's interactions with Christ, they were life changing events/conversations. I guess a real "beyond life changing" experience would be one that changes eternity. God can definitely handle that.
Lord, help me to have "beyond life changing" interactions with people.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Useless
1 Corinthians 15:58
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
As I read this verse this morning, one work jumped out at me: useless. It is the very last word in the verse, but carries with it a lot of weight. Surely there have been things I have done in the name of ministry that felt very useless. In retrospect, I realize that anything that has ever felt useless afterwards, I have done some with vigor and some with just an ounce of energy.
You see, that last phrase, "...nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." can be hard to believe. Of course we want everything we do for the Lord to be the best, but in our imperfect and busy world, a lot of the times He gets the short end of the stick. We look back at our work and think, "it wasn't my best but I tried on what fuel and time I had. Next time will be the best!" only to find ourselves in the same predicament later on. Let's look at 2 options:
1. That last statement depends on the one just previous to it. The previous phrase from the same sentence says "Always work enthusiastically for the Lord". True enthusiasm requires a belief in what you are doing, that it really matters and the cause is worthwhile. Too many times we have labored in vain "for the Lord", that is, our efforts are done from a mindset of unbelief. We are simply going through the motions. We are putting in the "work" so we can check the box on a list of chores that we perform begrudgingly. By the way, the Lord never gave us a list of chores. That whole thought process is legalism and it kills any kind of enthusiasm we may have in what we do for the Lord. When we believe that we can make a difference and that the Lord will do great things in people's lives, our enthusiasm goes through the roof! Then it doesn't matter what our talents or skills are. It doesn't matter if we are short on time, which brings me to the second point:
2. You don't work as if the results depend on you. Of course anything we do for the Lord is never useless! When we join our faith in Him with the work of our hands, we release the power of God (not the power of work or ourselves) and great things do happen. It doesn't even matter if we see the results. It is not useless. That's the kind of thought that the enemy attacks us with. You need to hear God say, "I wish you could see what I see!" The result could happen immediately on the inside of someone's heart or it could happen a year from now when we are removed from the circumstance. God will use anything and everything He can to reach His lost children and save them and heal them. It is true that faith without works is dead (James 2:14-24) and vice versa. It may be a good work, but imagine the life that you can attach to your work when you apply your faith in God to move mountains! You may not be able to move a mountain on your own, but you and God working together? All things are possible to him that believes (Matthew 19:26)! Remember, when God is involved it is never useless.
So don't let the Devil use that against you. Don't let him have your enthusiasm. Be encouraged by this scripture and work enthusiastically today for the Lord, it makes an eternal difference!
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
As I read this verse this morning, one work jumped out at me: useless. It is the very last word in the verse, but carries with it a lot of weight. Surely there have been things I have done in the name of ministry that felt very useless. In retrospect, I realize that anything that has ever felt useless afterwards, I have done some with vigor and some with just an ounce of energy.
You see, that last phrase, "...nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." can be hard to believe. Of course we want everything we do for the Lord to be the best, but in our imperfect and busy world, a lot of the times He gets the short end of the stick. We look back at our work and think, "it wasn't my best but I tried on what fuel and time I had. Next time will be the best!" only to find ourselves in the same predicament later on. Let's look at 2 options:
1. That last statement depends on the one just previous to it. The previous phrase from the same sentence says "Always work enthusiastically for the Lord". True enthusiasm requires a belief in what you are doing, that it really matters and the cause is worthwhile. Too many times we have labored in vain "for the Lord", that is, our efforts are done from a mindset of unbelief. We are simply going through the motions. We are putting in the "work" so we can check the box on a list of chores that we perform begrudgingly. By the way, the Lord never gave us a list of chores. That whole thought process is legalism and it kills any kind of enthusiasm we may have in what we do for the Lord. When we believe that we can make a difference and that the Lord will do great things in people's lives, our enthusiasm goes through the roof! Then it doesn't matter what our talents or skills are. It doesn't matter if we are short on time, which brings me to the second point:
2. You don't work as if the results depend on you. Of course anything we do for the Lord is never useless! When we join our faith in Him with the work of our hands, we release the power of God (not the power of work or ourselves) and great things do happen. It doesn't even matter if we see the results. It is not useless. That's the kind of thought that the enemy attacks us with. You need to hear God say, "I wish you could see what I see!" The result could happen immediately on the inside of someone's heart or it could happen a year from now when we are removed from the circumstance. God will use anything and everything He can to reach His lost children and save them and heal them. It is true that faith without works is dead (James 2:14-24) and vice versa. It may be a good work, but imagine the life that you can attach to your work when you apply your faith in God to move mountains! You may not be able to move a mountain on your own, but you and God working together? All things are possible to him that believes (Matthew 19:26)! Remember, when God is involved it is never useless.
So don't let the Devil use that against you. Don't let him have your enthusiasm. Be encouraged by this scripture and work enthusiastically today for the Lord, it makes an eternal difference!
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Run Your Race
When I was in 7th grade I decided to run track. I tried football, but my small school in the sticks of South Arkansas did not have pads and helmets small enough to fit me. That made for a terrible football experience. I remember specifically one practice where the coach told me to run out 15 yards and then turn quickly and catch the ball. As I ran out and counted off 15 yards I turned my head to see the oncoming ball. The helmet was so big on my head that it did not turn all the way with my head. So since I could not see anything I most certainly did not see the football coming at me. Like I said, not a good experience.
I tried out basketball. Skinny white kid of average height. I know, I know, get to know the fundamentals. Learn to dribble the ball, pass, and shoot the ball. Well, no excuses. I just wasn't a good basketball player. I had plenty of time "riding the pine". The only time I actually got any playing time was when our team was either ahead by 50 points or behind by 50 points and the game was almost over. At that point there really wasn't anything I could do to influence the game in a negative way. Oh yeah? Well I made it my mission to leave my mark. Once there was only a minute left on the clock and my name was called up by the coach, I was in. My mission was clear; It wasn't to score 100 points to win the game, or to assist the guy that could. No, mine was much more sinister. I was going to foul out in a minute or less. Sometimes it worked and sometimes I only made the other players mad. Oh well, I gotta be me.
But you see, the problem was, I wasn't being me!
Let me explain. My brother, older than me by 4 years, was great at every sport he played. I grew up with my father telling me I had more natural talent than my brother. God bless my dad, he was great at encouraging me and speaking good and positive things into me, but more natural talent? Surely he was mistaken. I had plotted my course to follow in my brother's footsteps and do what he did well. You read previously how football and basketball went - not good. In our small school the only thing left was to run track. How hard could this be? All you had to do was run. Run! I was a younger brother - of course I knew how to run! I had been training for this my whole life running from an older brother! Now, what I haven't told you is that my brother was great at running the 800 meter, or for the layman, the half mile. In fact, the last 3 years of high school he made it to the state track meet and placed either 1st or 2nd each time! It occurred to me and the other coaches that Kevin Morrison's younger brother would be great at the half mile also.
I hated it. It was two full laps around the track and they were murder. I started running that race every year starting in 7th grade all the way through my sophomore year. Each year was terrible. I never did any good in that stupid race.
Fast forward to my junior year in High School. As a family we had moved to a new state and therefore a new school. Of course when track season came around I joined the team and guess what race I told the coach I wanted to run? Yep, the 800 meter. Why? That was all I knew, all I had ever run. I wasn't good at it but it was familiar and I had become comfortable being less than mediocre. Well this year all my friends were sprinters and after I would do my 800 workout I would join up with them and run the sprint workouts just for fun. After all, it was just a short distance. I also practiced with them the hand-offs for the relay when one of their team members had to be out or do something else.
I will never forget the track meet in Branson that season. It was probably about the 3rd meet of the season and I had been bugging coach to let me change races so that I could run with my friends and do sprints. He'd told me no because we had all the sprinters we needed and he wanted me to run the 800. Anyway, we were at the Branson meet and one of the sprinters on the relay team sprained his ankle. All my friends looked at me and asked me to replace him. We would obviously have to clear this with coach. We ran up the bleachers and begged him to let me run with the relay team. He was resistant at first, but realizing that he did not want the team to have to forfeit all of the relay races that night, he gave in and told me I could fill in on the second leg of the relay but just for that night. We ran down to the field and did a last minute practice run with our hand-offs to make sure we could pull it off. When it cam time for the race we all lined up and the butterflies went crazy in my stomach. I was totally used to track meets but this was different. I was excited to run. I didn't have that feeling of dread, knowing that I was going to be terrible and lose. I had something to prove here, something to win for. Well the gun went off that the race begin. I remember standing on the other side of the field watching our first leg runner race around the corner coming towards me to hand off the baton. This was real. This was really happening and I was going to have to take off in a matter of seconds. It all comes down to this. I had to concentrate, take off at just the right time and give it my all. The runner hit the mark I had established and I turned to face down the track and took off. Half a second later I heard him shout "Hand!" and I shot out my left hand behind my back to receive the baton as he handed the race to me. I grabbed it and ran on my toes as hard as I could for 100 yards. The whole time there was no one beside me - we were winning! I handed off the baton perfectly and then watched the remaining two legs of our relay team as they brought us a first place. What was this? We won? We won! I had been part of this and we won! I ran across the field to the finish line and rejoiced with my teammates. When I found out our times I learned that I had run a faster time that the sprinter I replaced! What was this?! I was actually good at something, and a sporting event at that! I ran up to the bleachers, looked at my coach who had been watching and said, "Can I run sprints now?!" He slowly nodded his head with a sly grin and said yes.
Now, you've read through that whole story just so I could tell you this - The whole time up until then, for the previous 4 years, I had been running someone else's race. I had not been running my race. I had not searched out where I was supposed to be. I had just assumed that what someone else had done before me was exactly what I was supposed to do. And because of that I had not reached my potential. I had become comfortable with being less that mediocre and accepted that as my fate. It wasn't until I had stepped into my own race and actually started running it did I realize what my race was. Then I was able to find joy and a sense of accomplishment in the race that I ran.
Let me ask you: Are you running someone else's race? Have you settled for less than mediocre? Do you need to start running your own race today?
I tried out basketball. Skinny white kid of average height. I know, I know, get to know the fundamentals. Learn to dribble the ball, pass, and shoot the ball. Well, no excuses. I just wasn't a good basketball player. I had plenty of time "riding the pine". The only time I actually got any playing time was when our team was either ahead by 50 points or behind by 50 points and the game was almost over. At that point there really wasn't anything I could do to influence the game in a negative way. Oh yeah? Well I made it my mission to leave my mark. Once there was only a minute left on the clock and my name was called up by the coach, I was in. My mission was clear; It wasn't to score 100 points to win the game, or to assist the guy that could. No, mine was much more sinister. I was going to foul out in a minute or less. Sometimes it worked and sometimes I only made the other players mad. Oh well, I gotta be me.
But you see, the problem was, I wasn't being me!
Let me explain. My brother, older than me by 4 years, was great at every sport he played. I grew up with my father telling me I had more natural talent than my brother. God bless my dad, he was great at encouraging me and speaking good and positive things into me, but more natural talent? Surely he was mistaken. I had plotted my course to follow in my brother's footsteps and do what he did well. You read previously how football and basketball went - not good. In our small school the only thing left was to run track. How hard could this be? All you had to do was run. Run! I was a younger brother - of course I knew how to run! I had been training for this my whole life running from an older brother! Now, what I haven't told you is that my brother was great at running the 800 meter, or for the layman, the half mile. In fact, the last 3 years of high school he made it to the state track meet and placed either 1st or 2nd each time! It occurred to me and the other coaches that Kevin Morrison's younger brother would be great at the half mile also.
I hated it. It was two full laps around the track and they were murder. I started running that race every year starting in 7th grade all the way through my sophomore year. Each year was terrible. I never did any good in that stupid race.
Fast forward to my junior year in High School. As a family we had moved to a new state and therefore a new school. Of course when track season came around I joined the team and guess what race I told the coach I wanted to run? Yep, the 800 meter. Why? That was all I knew, all I had ever run. I wasn't good at it but it was familiar and I had become comfortable being less than mediocre. Well this year all my friends were sprinters and after I would do my 800 workout I would join up with them and run the sprint workouts just for fun. After all, it was just a short distance. I also practiced with them the hand-offs for the relay when one of their team members had to be out or do something else.
I will never forget the track meet in Branson that season. It was probably about the 3rd meet of the season and I had been bugging coach to let me change races so that I could run with my friends and do sprints. He'd told me no because we had all the sprinters we needed and he wanted me to run the 800. Anyway, we were at the Branson meet and one of the sprinters on the relay team sprained his ankle. All my friends looked at me and asked me to replace him. We would obviously have to clear this with coach. We ran up the bleachers and begged him to let me run with the relay team. He was resistant at first, but realizing that he did not want the team to have to forfeit all of the relay races that night, he gave in and told me I could fill in on the second leg of the relay but just for that night. We ran down to the field and did a last minute practice run with our hand-offs to make sure we could pull it off. When it cam time for the race we all lined up and the butterflies went crazy in my stomach. I was totally used to track meets but this was different. I was excited to run. I didn't have that feeling of dread, knowing that I was going to be terrible and lose. I had something to prove here, something to win for. Well the gun went off that the race begin. I remember standing on the other side of the field watching our first leg runner race around the corner coming towards me to hand off the baton. This was real. This was really happening and I was going to have to take off in a matter of seconds. It all comes down to this. I had to concentrate, take off at just the right time and give it my all. The runner hit the mark I had established and I turned to face down the track and took off. Half a second later I heard him shout "Hand!" and I shot out my left hand behind my back to receive the baton as he handed the race to me. I grabbed it and ran on my toes as hard as I could for 100 yards. The whole time there was no one beside me - we were winning! I handed off the baton perfectly and then watched the remaining two legs of our relay team as they brought us a first place. What was this? We won? We won! I had been part of this and we won! I ran across the field to the finish line and rejoiced with my teammates. When I found out our times I learned that I had run a faster time that the sprinter I replaced! What was this?! I was actually good at something, and a sporting event at that! I ran up to the bleachers, looked at my coach who had been watching and said, "Can I run sprints now?!" He slowly nodded his head with a sly grin and said yes.
Now, you've read through that whole story just so I could tell you this - The whole time up until then, for the previous 4 years, I had been running someone else's race. I had not been running my race. I had not searched out where I was supposed to be. I had just assumed that what someone else had done before me was exactly what I was supposed to do. And because of that I had not reached my potential. I had become comfortable with being less that mediocre and accepted that as my fate. It wasn't until I had stepped into my own race and actually started running it did I realize what my race was. Then I was able to find joy and a sense of accomplishment in the race that I ran.
Let me ask you: Are you running someone else's race? Have you settled for less than mediocre? Do you need to start running your own race today?
Monday, October 3, 2011
Be still
Have you ever had a parent or a teacher tell you to be still? It used to happen to me on a daily basis when I was growing up. I just hated to not be moving around doing something. There was always something to do or look at or break or take apart or see how it works or find out what kind of sound it made. Something. Or how about sitting? I hated to sit somewhere with nothing to do!
Sometimes that's how life treats us. It never seems to leave well enough alone. If things are going easy and well, then just wait a minute and somehow it can get all turned upside down.It seems that life can be just like I was as a little kid. It wants to break or take apart or see how we work or even what kind of sound we can make when we get squeezed or stressed out. Life never seems to leave us alone. That's good and, well, not necessarily bad, but can be a little scary sometimes. That's the thing about life, always moving whether we want it to or not, good and bad.
Mark 4:35-41
35 As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” 36 So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 37 But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.
38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”
39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”
Notice a couple of things here:
Jesus doesn't get scared (verse 38). When things get hectic and scary in your life, Jesus ain't scared. He is always in control.
Jesus told the weather to be still (verse 39). Different translations of the Bible say Hush, Quiet, Silence, but my favorite version says "Peace, be still."
Do you need Jesus to declare peace in your life and tell it to be still? Do you know someone else that needs peace? Take a moment and pray that Jesus would call that out over your life or someone else you may know that needs peace.
Sometimes that's how life treats us. It never seems to leave well enough alone. If things are going easy and well, then just wait a minute and somehow it can get all turned upside down.It seems that life can be just like I was as a little kid. It wants to break or take apart or see how we work or even what kind of sound we can make when we get squeezed or stressed out. Life never seems to leave us alone. That's good and, well, not necessarily bad, but can be a little scary sometimes. That's the thing about life, always moving whether we want it to or not, good and bad.
Mark 4:35-41
35 As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” 36 So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). 37 But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.
38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”
39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”
Notice a couple of things here:
Jesus doesn't get scared (verse 38). When things get hectic and scary in your life, Jesus ain't scared. He is always in control.
Jesus told the weather to be still (verse 39). Different translations of the Bible say Hush, Quiet, Silence, but my favorite version says "Peace, be still."
Do you need Jesus to declare peace in your life and tell it to be still? Do you know someone else that needs peace? Take a moment and pray that Jesus would call that out over your life or someone else you may know that needs peace.
Friday, September 30, 2011
What's your job?
Did you know we all have a job? Your job is in your home, where you live, to keep order and to serve. After all, isn’t that all of our jobs? So what is expected of you? What are some of your chores? Do you get paid for your chores?
Growing up I had to clean my room, help put away the dishes, I didn’t have to do my own laundry but I did have to put it away. And then I had to cut the grass.
In Ephesians 6:1-3 it says, "Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”
It says that if you honor your parents (and what they say and obey) then things will go well for you. I’m not gonna ask because we all want things to go well for us. Nobody likes to have bad days.
Notice that it also says to obey "because you belong to the Lord." You don't belong to yourself anymore.
Luke 9:23-24
23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
Take up your cross and get rid of selfishness. Selfishness has no place in the Kingdom, and in your heart. This is something I have been convicted of lately. When you have selfish motives and selfish ways, the Lord really can’t use you.
Take some time to meditate on these scriptures and if this has been an area where you mess up then ask the Lord for forgiveness. Think about the commitment you made to Him when you got saved and give up your selfishness to Him. Die to your own selfish desires and as it says, carry your cross not just today, but everyday.
Growing up I had to clean my room, help put away the dishes, I didn’t have to do my own laundry but I did have to put it away. And then I had to cut the grass.
In Ephesians 6:1-3 it says, "Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”
It says that if you honor your parents (and what they say and obey) then things will go well for you. I’m not gonna ask because we all want things to go well for us. Nobody likes to have bad days.
Notice that it also says to obey "because you belong to the Lord." You don't belong to yourself anymore.
Luke 9:23-24
23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
Take up your cross and get rid of selfishness. Selfishness has no place in the Kingdom, and in your heart. This is something I have been convicted of lately. When you have selfish motives and selfish ways, the Lord really can’t use you.
Take some time to meditate on these scriptures and if this has been an area where you mess up then ask the Lord for forgiveness. Think about the commitment you made to Him when you got saved and give up your selfishness to Him. Die to your own selfish desires and as it says, carry your cross not just today, but everyday.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Art Work
I have 2 young children and they love to create "art work" for me and my wife. Sometimes it's really cool and sometimes it's just scribbles. But we are all very proud of it and I am especially proud to get the art that is made specifically for me. It will probably never bring millions of dollars and not be appreciated by anyone else other than me and their mom.
Did you know that you are the art work of God? Did you know that as your father in heaven (Matt 6:26) God is the one that appreciates you the most?
Psalm 139:14 says, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."
Yes, God sees you as wonderful and beautiful! After all, He made you in His image! God's image! You are a work of art fashioned after God.
Genesis 1:26a, 27
26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.
27 So God created human beings in his own image.
In the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
Today, stop believing any lie that says you are ugly or that God made a mistake when He made you. He knew exactly what He was doing when He created and fashioned you. Maybe others can't appreciate your beauty, but He is amazed by you and is so proud of you. Spend time thinking about these scriptures and asking God what He loves most about you today.
Did you know that you are the art work of God? Did you know that as your father in heaven (Matt 6:26) God is the one that appreciates you the most?
Psalm 139:14 says, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."
Yes, God sees you as wonderful and beautiful! After all, He made you in His image! God's image! You are a work of art fashioned after God.
Genesis 1:26a, 27
26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.
27 So God created human beings in his own image.
In the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
Today, stop believing any lie that says you are ugly or that God made a mistake when He made you. He knew exactly what He was doing when He created and fashioned you. Maybe others can't appreciate your beauty, but He is amazed by you and is so proud of you. Spend time thinking about these scriptures and asking God what He loves most about you today.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Selfish
Confession time: I am a selfish person. Now, if you know me, depending on how well you know me, you might be saying "Well duh, I could'a told ya that!". Some that think they know me very well might be saying, "No. Now come on you're just being hard on yourself." Truth is, if you were inside my head, you'd be shaking yours. Why? Because as I said, I'm a selfish person. I asked the Lord tonight why I'm so selfish and He gave a quick and honest reply; "You need to die to self. You're saved, but you need to die to your self, daily." That means every day. That also means that there are days, seasons even when I've died to my 'self', but it does not seem to me that this is one of those seasons. Galatians puts it bluntly and beautifully:
"So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" (Galatians 5:16, 17, 19-23 NLT)
Wow. Convicting. Ask yourself the hard question right now (it slapped me in the face!), on the inside of you, which nature is predominant? Which one needs to be?
Lord, I choose today, right now to die to my 'self' and to live unselfishly, to live according to your Spirit. I ask that the fruit of the Spirit would grow more and more each day in my life so that it is so evident as I serve others for the sake of your kingdom. Christ Jesus I belong to you so I crucify the sinful nature in my life, and choose to live by your Spirit. Amen.
"So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" (Galatians 5:16, 17, 19-23 NLT)
Wow. Convicting. Ask yourself the hard question right now (it slapped me in the face!), on the inside of you, which nature is predominant? Which one needs to be?
Lord, I choose today, right now to die to my 'self' and to live unselfishly, to live according to your Spirit. I ask that the fruit of the Spirit would grow more and more each day in my life so that it is so evident as I serve others for the sake of your kingdom. Christ Jesus I belong to you so I crucify the sinful nature in my life, and choose to live by your Spirit. Amen.
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