Thursday, April 22, 2010
1 Peter 3:18
"For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit."
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Flesh Versus Spirit
Dear much neglected blog readers! Forgive me for not posting in such a long time! I have been so busy with life, but God has been teaching me so many things that I want to share with you. O, to have all the time in the world! I have some exciting changes happening in my life right now that I will be able to share in the weeks ahead.
Once a month, the young ladies at our church meet together, along with many of our moms, to learn how we can better live the set-apart life as set-apart girls! I truly love those times of fellowship together. This past time we were learning about how we as Christians can know how to reflect Christ's glory in our lives. This is a difficult subject because it goes back to the basis of Christianity: surrender. Remembering that Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice by giving His life. Now we must deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him in all areas of our lives.
This can be really, really hard because of one thing: our flesh.
Our flesh could be defined as the part of us that reflects our sin nature. Each one of us was born separate from God and going our own way. When God, by His amazing grace, choose to save us, He sent His Holy Spirit to dwell within us. Our bodies are now temples of the living God. However, we are not yet perfect. (That will happen at glorification, when we are made like Him.) In the mean time, we live in a constant battle between our flesh and the Spirit of God. Our desire is to be like Christ, but often, sad to say, our flesh gets in the way and we choose to feed it by going our own way.
In Mark 8:31-38, Jesus is giving His disciples some final words before He prepares to go to the Cross. The passage says, "And (Jesus) began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, 'Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's.' And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, 'If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for His soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.'"
Jesus knew He had to die. He knew it was the Father's plan for the salvation of mankind that His life would be given. We must remember that Jesus was fully man and fully God. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said, "My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death." The burden of what was about to be laid upon Him was immense. He knew the wrath of God and the sin of the world was to be laid upon Him. Yet in His despair, He fixed His eyes on His calling, saying, "Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will." (Mark 14) In John 10:17-18, we see Jesus relationship with the Father and His desire to do His will with a willing spirit, "For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father."
As Jesus wept and prayed in deep distress at Gethsemane, Peter, James, and John were with Him. In verse 37 of Mark 14, Jesus comes to them and finds them asleep. He says to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
How often is it that we come to a point of decision during our walk of life? The answer is every hour of every day. It is at these hourly crossroads that we must choose whether to feed the flesh or yield to the Spirit of God.
When we choose to feed our flesh, we are choosing to do three things: 1.) serve ourselves, 2.) love ourselves, and 3.) make irresponsible decisions. Most of the time, when we choose to feed our flesh, we do it because it is the easier choice. It brings immediate but temporary satisfaction, and each time we make the decision to disobey, it becomes easier. This is because we are searing our consciences. However, though we may feel like we are enjoying ourselves, we are actually beginning a downward spiral into dishonoring behavior patterns that displease God. And if we truly our His children, He will disciple us, because He loves us.
Instead of choosing to feed our flesh, we have the second option, which is to please God by yielding to His Spirit. This is a decision that shows love to others, honor to God, and results in responsible choices. It is harder and without God's guiding hand, it is impossible! Yet it moves us heavenward in our sanctification, the process of becoming like Jesus Christ! And how much better that is than pleasing ourselves.
If you are ever tempted to sin or are discouraged by its presence in your life, remember the words of the hymn, "Before the Throne of God" and more importantly, remember Jesus, your Savior, "who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." He pleads for us before the throne of heaven. He is our God.
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin
Once a month, the young ladies at our church meet together, along with many of our moms, to learn how we can better live the set-apart life as set-apart girls! I truly love those times of fellowship together. This past time we were learning about how we as Christians can know how to reflect Christ's glory in our lives. This is a difficult subject because it goes back to the basis of Christianity: surrender. Remembering that Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice by giving His life. Now we must deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him in all areas of our lives.
This can be really, really hard because of one thing: our flesh.
Our flesh could be defined as the part of us that reflects our sin nature. Each one of us was born separate from God and going our own way. When God, by His amazing grace, choose to save us, He sent His Holy Spirit to dwell within us. Our bodies are now temples of the living God. However, we are not yet perfect. (That will happen at glorification, when we are made like Him.) In the mean time, we live in a constant battle between our flesh and the Spirit of God. Our desire is to be like Christ, but often, sad to say, our flesh gets in the way and we choose to feed it by going our own way.
In Mark 8:31-38, Jesus is giving His disciples some final words before He prepares to go to the Cross. The passage says, "And (Jesus) began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, 'Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's.' And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, 'If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for His soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.'"
Jesus knew He had to die. He knew it was the Father's plan for the salvation of mankind that His life would be given. We must remember that Jesus was fully man and fully God. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said, "My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death." The burden of what was about to be laid upon Him was immense. He knew the wrath of God and the sin of the world was to be laid upon Him. Yet in His despair, He fixed His eyes on His calling, saying, "Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will." (Mark 14) In John 10:17-18, we see Jesus relationship with the Father and His desire to do His will with a willing spirit, "For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father."
As Jesus wept and prayed in deep distress at Gethsemane, Peter, James, and John were with Him. In verse 37 of Mark 14, Jesus comes to them and finds them asleep. He says to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
How often is it that we come to a point of decision during our walk of life? The answer is every hour of every day. It is at these hourly crossroads that we must choose whether to feed the flesh or yield to the Spirit of God.
When we choose to feed our flesh, we are choosing to do three things: 1.) serve ourselves, 2.) love ourselves, and 3.) make irresponsible decisions. Most of the time, when we choose to feed our flesh, we do it because it is the easier choice. It brings immediate but temporary satisfaction, and each time we make the decision to disobey, it becomes easier. This is because we are searing our consciences. However, though we may feel like we are enjoying ourselves, we are actually beginning a downward spiral into dishonoring behavior patterns that displease God. And if we truly our His children, He will disciple us, because He loves us.
Instead of choosing to feed our flesh, we have the second option, which is to please God by yielding to His Spirit. This is a decision that shows love to others, honor to God, and results in responsible choices. It is harder and without God's guiding hand, it is impossible! Yet it moves us heavenward in our sanctification, the process of becoming like Jesus Christ! And how much better that is than pleasing ourselves.
If you are ever tempted to sin or are discouraged by its presence in your life, remember the words of the hymn, "Before the Throne of God" and more importantly, remember Jesus, your Savior, "who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." He pleads for us before the throne of heaven. He is our God.
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
My sinful soul is counted free
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!
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