Walking in Flesh

Obligation vs True Passion Part Two.

So why is it so very easy, even for me, to return to the thinking we had before we were Saved? It may happen so subtly you do not even realize it. So gradually, you don't see it. Things that you use to be on fire for, excited about, things you knew were the things to do, become chores and obligations.

Can't we just skip Church this week? I'll read the Word later. Don't have time right now. OK, maybe I'll just drop a twenty in the bucket this week. You know, we have that unexpected expense pop up. Wait...Talk to WHO?? Talk to THEM about Salvation and the Gospel?? I'm sure someone else is far better qualified than I to talk to THEM.

So what happened? Why the change? One possible and most likely reason, is the answer to this one question. Are you walking in the Spirit or the Flesh? No.. I'm NOT talking about Sunday morning. I'm not talking about your Bible Study group on Wednesday Nights. I'm not talking about when your Righteous and Zealot Church friend stops by to "Pray for little Suzy because she heard from Samantha, who heard from Jenny, that Suzy may be sleeping with the Postman." No. No. No. I'm talking about daily.. When no one is around. When the lights go out, the crowd goes home. How are you walking?

You see, it's so easy to fall back to what we know. What we have always known. The desires of the flesh. Problem is, you cannot do both. You cannot serve the flesh, and God, at the same time. The Word declares..

{Galatians 5:16-17}

"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."

Paul, writing to the Church in Rome, made it crystal clear when he wrote this..

{Romans 8:1-2}

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."

He goes on to explain...

{Romans 8:5-8}

"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."

"So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God" Why? "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." They are not only total opposites, they are totally opposed to each other.

Think about this, why has Saturday become Sinday? No seriously.. Why does it seem that we live for Saturday. We use Saturday as the day to plan Parties, go and do things that feed our flesh. One, most people are off on Saturday. Two, most pick Saturday so you can have Sunday as a day to recover from the partying on Saturday, before Monday comes and you go back to work. But is there a deeper, maybe even subconscious, reason?

What is Saturday? What does Saturday even mean? Saturday, is now, and has always been the Sabbath Day. It is the seventh day of the week, known as Shabbat or Sabbath, which stretches from Sundown Friday to Sundown Saturday and is the day of rest. Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches distinguish between Saturday the Sabbath Day and what they call the Lord's Day which is Sunday.

Even though Jesus was Crucified on Friday, He did not Raise from the tomb until Sunday. Some say this is because He rested on the Sabbath from all the work He did here on Earth and raised to continue His work on Sunday, or the first day of the Week.

The Word declares in Genesis that after God created all things, He rested on the Seventh Day and made it Holy. In His Ten Commandments, God again made it clear that Saturday was a Holy Day, and that He gave it to man for a day of Rest..

{Exodus 20:8-11}

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."

It is the Forth Commandment.I think God is pretty serious about it. Yet, since we are of the flesh, we do the opposite. Instead of keeping it Holy, we turn it into a day of flesh. A day of Sin. Instead of resting, and filling our Spirit, we spend the day, feeding our flesh.

So how do we avoid this? How do we get our fire back? How do we stop seeing Spiritual things as obligations instead of opportunities? How do we get true passion for God? It is really not that difficult. We have to simply remember..

{Colossians 3:2}

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."

You have to get your mind in the right place. Forget what the World tells you is right and wrong, grey, or acceptable. Start learning, or relearning, what God says. The World is a world of flesh, and the things therein are for the flesh. It is opposed to God or anything Spiritual. So?

{Romans 12:2}

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

You must learn how to " walk by faith, not by sight." {2 Corinthians 5:7} To listen to God, To trust in God. To understand His Word. If you claim that you are a follower of Jesus, then should you not be following Jesus? John puts it this way..

{1 John 2:3-6}

"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked."

We will talk more about this next time. But think about this. The God of the Universe. The Creator of all that is, was, or ever will be, chose YOU. He brought YOU out of your Sin and death, and brought you to Jesus. Who, while you were in the middle of your Sin, lay down His life for YOU. You should be excited about this. You should have true Passion about this.

It is NOT an obligation to follow Jesus. It is not an obligation to follow God. It is not an obligation to go to Church, read His Word. It is an opportunity. An opportunity to be blessed in supernatural ways. An opportunity to live in Love, Hope, and Peace. It is an opportunity to share this good news, with others. Especially those you love.

The only way you can truly walk in the Spirit, is to have the Spirit in you. The only way you can have the Spirit in you, is to accept Jesus as Lord. To ask Him into your Life. Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

Until next time, be Blessed, be a Blessing, and Jesus IS Lord..