When The Door Slams
The mind of the flesh [with its sinful pursuits] is actively hostile to God. It does not submit itself to God's law, since it cannot, and those who are in the flesh [living a lift that caters to sinful appetites and impulses] cannot please God. However, you are not [living] in the flesh [controlled by the sinful nature] but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God lives in you [directing and guiding you]. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him [and is not a child of God. [see Rom 8:14-16] Romans 8:7-9
When we fail-and we will-we will likely embrace the idea of trying harder. We remind ourselves that we know right from wrong, so all we need to do is control ourselves and double our efforts. After all, God gave us His laws, so shouldn't it be easier to obey them?
Who are we trying to fool? We tag an extra five to ten miles per hour onto the speed limit and somehow feel law enforcement should allow a little discretion. We are masters at riding the edge of sin and hoping we don't fall off the edge.
All the self-discipline, extra effort, and good intentions have never been successful in keeping us away from sin, because it is never been enough.
God sent a Helper called the Holy Spirit to be both a spiritual Companion and a living Guide. We tend to ignore His influence and grow deaf to His advice. God wants to help us avoid sin, but we need to be willing to accept the help. We must ask God to open our heart to the Spirit's leading, and ask the Holy Spirit what He would show you today.
Think about this: First things first." these words are easy to speak but hard to put into practice. If you are having trouble prioritizing your day, perhaps you are been trying to organize your life according to your own plans, not God's. A better strategy, of course, is to take your daily obligations and place them in the hands of the One who created you.
To do so, you must prioritize your day according to God's commandments, and you must seek His will and His wisdom in all matters. Then, you can face the day with assurance that the same God who created our universe out of nothingness will help you place first things first in your life.
Do you feel anxious, overwhelmed, or confused? If so turn the concerns of this day over to God-prayerfully, earnestly, and often. Then listen for His answer, and trust the answer He gives. Put first things first and we get second things thrown in, but if we put second things first we lose both first and second things.
Renewal: Since I call on the Father who judges each man's work impartially, may I conduct myself in fear during the time of my sojourn on earth (1 Peter 1:17). May I keep the commandments of the Lord my God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. May I follow the Lord my God and fear Him; may I keep Your commandments, hear Your voice, serve You, and hold fast to You (Deuteronomy 8:6;13:4).
Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Never Rest Ministries
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