I did not give my life to Christ.
He took my sin/death, and gave me His life in exchange
Monday 26 August 2013
Tuesday 13 August 2013
Friday 9 August 2013
Rubber: "Hello Road"
The bible shows us, every now and again, that God will either put us in (or allow us to be in) a pressured situation in order for our real beliefs to rise to the surface.
In the beginning, God did this with the tree if good & evil, and the temptation of the serpent to rebel.
With Abraham it was to sacrifice Isaac (along with many others).
With Jesus, it was the temptations in the wilderness (and Gethsemane).
With us, it's the various things we encounter as we work out our salvation.
The bible tells us that we should count it all joy when our faith is tested, because the end result is for our good.
But what if the testing of our faith shows that we don't really believe as we say we do?
What if the testing shows that when push comes to shove, we throw off Christ and are happy to walk according to our flesh?
Every now and again, you'll read a news article or witness for yourself a Christian responding to a situation in a way that is "out of character" to what people around them would expect.
For some, it could be a death of a loved one completely "destroying" their "faith" in Christ.
For others it could be not being able to get employment for a long time.
Whatever the situation is, it has caused some ungodly characteristics to rise to the surface.
Sometimes it can even be bad habits we thought have long since be killed and buried for years rear their heads... and we aren't prepared to deal with them.
What do we do when the rubber has met the road only to find out that we have a puncture, loose nuts, or in some cases... no rubber at all?
You would think that we would be quick to fix whatever the problem is.
You would think that our first reactions would be shock and shame.
You would think that we'd be quick to get on our knees before our King and beg for His forgiveness.
But sadly, the majority of the time it seems we make excuses for our ungodly behaviour and thoughts.
This, of course, is nothing new.
When Adam was confronted, he blamed eve. When Abraham was confronted, he blamed the foreign land.
So, is this then the fault of our flesh? Is our flesh causing us to do these things?
So again, can we lay the blame at our flesh, that old man of sin?
Fortunately for us... the answer is a resounding NO.
The reason why I say we are fortunate is because if it weren't the case, we would have no incentive to change.
There would be no need to deal with ourselves if all the blame could be placed on our flesh.
You see, one of the reasons God puts and allows us to be in these types if situations is so that we can see what's in us that needs dealing with, or at least gaurd against if we aren't able to remove it.
Often times, we start to think about ourselves much more highly than we should.
It may not even be that we think we're better than anyone else, but simply that we believe we are doing everything right and that we have everything together. We completely forget our continuous great need for saviour.
We start to believe that we are self sufficient in our walk with God.
In actuality, we start to believe the lie of the enemy. The devil? No. The flesh.
Remember, the flesh is active. The flesh is willing and ready at a moments time to have you walk and live like you once did... on your own merit, without the guidance of God.
We get fooled into thinking that going to church, reading our bible once a day, and praying in the morning and evening is all that it takes to follow God.
We forget that we are wretched sinners in constant need of the mercy and grace of our master.
We forget that the Holy Spirit dwells in us and is constantly regenerating and sanctifying us.
When we look to God, we don't say 'woe is me for I'm undone'. We don't consider ourselves as wretched.
So, in order to give us a glimpse of who we are allowed and made to go through these things.
---
Now, when the result of the test is negative (of the flesh), we should own up to what we have done. We should take responsibility and stop making excuses... because we're to blame.
The first is that God won't allow us to be tempted with more than we can bear.
You hear a lot of Christians say things like, 'i can't bear to go through this' or 'i can't take anymore', etc.
But that's not true. God has promised us that He wouldn't allow us to be tempted wit more than we can bear.
The problem is that outside of Christ, we can not bear them. In other words, when you walk according to the Spirit, you will be able to endure and do what is right during that time.
Many of us though, walk according to the flesh when things get hard. They will pay lip service to God while doing whatever they want.
The second promise is that even in the temptation... even in the testing... God will provide a way out for us so as not to fulfil the will of the flesh.
Many of us don't even bother to look for God's exit signs as we've already placed the flesh in the drivers seat.
There is also a third promise...
This is found in Romans 6 and 7... the entire chapters to get a full and in-depth picture.
I ask that you take the time to read it please. Look at what the promise of God is towards those He has saved.
In essence, it's that we are no longer slaves to sin. The flesh is no longer our task master. Through Christ, we are able to say no to our old man of sin.
Sin has no dominion over us because we've been crucified with Christ.
This is the promise... that we can put to death the deeds of the flesh.
But we must know that those deeds are present in order to put then to death. And it's through these experiences that shows us.
God, because of His love towards us, does not want us to be ignorant if our state. He wants us to be conscious and aware of who we are. He doesn't want us to walk around blissfully unaware of the unruly state of old man within us.
And He certainly doesn't want us to give excuses.
So we must realise that we have willingly made the decision to behave contrary to Christ. After all, if Christ has purchased our freedom from sin, that means that we can now choose to do what's right - and when the undesired elements are exposed it's because we have chosen not to walk according to the Spirit.
So let's be quick to repent and endeavour to put to death the deeds of the flesh.
Family, let's be determined to give our Lord and Saviour glory with everything within us. Let's be endeavour to be living sacrifices unto our God.
In the beginning, God did this with the tree if good & evil, and the temptation of the serpent to rebel.
With Abraham it was to sacrifice Isaac (along with many others).
With Jesus, it was the temptations in the wilderness (and Gethsemane).
With us, it's the various things we encounter as we work out our salvation.
James 1:2-3
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
The bible tells us that we should count it all joy when our faith is tested, because the end result is for our good.
But what if the testing of our faith shows that we don't really believe as we say we do?
What if the testing shows that when push comes to shove, we throw off Christ and are happy to walk according to our flesh?
Every now and again, you'll read a news article or witness for yourself a Christian responding to a situation in a way that is "out of character" to what people around them would expect.
For some, it could be a death of a loved one completely "destroying" their "faith" in Christ.
For others it could be not being able to get employment for a long time.
Whatever the situation is, it has caused some ungodly characteristics to rise to the surface.
Sometimes it can even be bad habits we thought have long since be killed and buried for years rear their heads... and we aren't prepared to deal with them.
What do we do when the rubber has met the road only to find out that we have a puncture, loose nuts, or in some cases... no rubber at all?
You would think that we would be quick to fix whatever the problem is.
You would think that our first reactions would be shock and shame.
You would think that we'd be quick to get on our knees before our King and beg for His forgiveness.
But sadly, the majority of the time it seems we make excuses for our ungodly behaviour and thoughts.
This, of course, is nothing new.
When Adam was confronted, he blamed eve. When Abraham was confronted, he blamed the foreign land.
So, is this then the fault of our flesh? Is our flesh causing us to do these things?
We're told that when we are tempted, it's not because of an external force but an internal desire. It's what we desire inwardly that causes us to be tempted.James 1:14-15
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
So again, can we lay the blame at our flesh, that old man of sin?
Fortunately for us... the answer is a resounding NO.
The reason why I say we are fortunate is because if it weren't the case, we would have no incentive to change.
There would be no need to deal with ourselves if all the blame could be placed on our flesh.
You see, one of the reasons God puts and allows us to be in these types if situations is so that we can see what's in us that needs dealing with, or at least gaurd against if we aren't able to remove it.
Often times, we start to think about ourselves much more highly than we should.
It may not even be that we think we're better than anyone else, but simply that we believe we are doing everything right and that we have everything together. We completely forget our continuous great need for saviour.
We start to believe that we are self sufficient in our walk with God.
In actuality, we start to believe the lie of the enemy. The devil? No. The flesh.
Remember, the flesh is active. The flesh is willing and ready at a moments time to have you walk and live like you once did... on your own merit, without the guidance of God.
We get fooled into thinking that going to church, reading our bible once a day, and praying in the morning and evening is all that it takes to follow God.
We forget that we are wretched sinners in constant need of the mercy and grace of our master.
We forget that the Holy Spirit dwells in us and is constantly regenerating and sanctifying us.
When we look to God, we don't say 'woe is me for I'm undone'. We don't consider ourselves as wretched.
So, in order to give us a glimpse of who we are allowed and made to go through these things.
---
Now, when the result of the test is negative (of the flesh), we should own up to what we have done. We should take responsibility and stop making excuses... because we're to blame.
1 Corinthians 10:13We are told that God has given us two promises regarding these times.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
The first is that God won't allow us to be tempted with more than we can bear.
You hear a lot of Christians say things like, 'i can't bear to go through this' or 'i can't take anymore', etc.
But that's not true. God has promised us that He wouldn't allow us to be tempted wit more than we can bear.
The problem is that outside of Christ, we can not bear them. In other words, when you walk according to the Spirit, you will be able to endure and do what is right during that time.
Many of us though, walk according to the flesh when things get hard. They will pay lip service to God while doing whatever they want.
The second promise is that even in the temptation... even in the testing... God will provide a way out for us so as not to fulfil the will of the flesh.
Many of us don't even bother to look for God's exit signs as we've already placed the flesh in the drivers seat.
There is also a third promise...
This is found in Romans 6 and 7... the entire chapters to get a full and in-depth picture.
I ask that you take the time to read it please. Look at what the promise of God is towards those He has saved.
In essence, it's that we are no longer slaves to sin. The flesh is no longer our task master. Through Christ, we are able to say no to our old man of sin.
Sin has no dominion over us because we've been crucified with Christ.
This is the promise... that we can put to death the deeds of the flesh.
But we must know that those deeds are present in order to put then to death. And it's through these experiences that shows us.
God, because of His love towards us, does not want us to be ignorant if our state. He wants us to be conscious and aware of who we are. He doesn't want us to walk around blissfully unaware of the unruly state of old man within us.
And He certainly doesn't want us to give excuses.
So we must realise that we have willingly made the decision to behave contrary to Christ. After all, if Christ has purchased our freedom from sin, that means that we can now choose to do what's right - and when the undesired elements are exposed it's because we have chosen not to walk according to the Spirit.
Revelation 3:19Even so, we should rejoice when we go through these times. Because even when we flesh out, it's a demonstration that God loves us in that He is willing to show us our weaknesses so that we can change.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
So let's be quick to repent and endeavour to put to death the deeds of the flesh.
Family, let's be determined to give our Lord and Saviour glory with everything within us. Let's be endeavour to be living sacrifices unto our God.
Romans 13:14
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Tuesday 6 August 2013
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