Sage Words of Wisdom
Mon, 02/15/2010 - 02:25
"We all know the things we should be doing that will make us happy, but we don't do them because we're too busy doing things that we think will make us happy. Too busy doing what?
For the most part, we're all too busy doing just about everything that means just about nothing to just about no one just about anywhere and will mean even less to anyone 100 years from now!" -- Matthew Kelly
Comments
Such is the nature of our sinful flesh, which is why God wants it to die, be crucified with Christ, so that He lives in us instead of our selfish, self-centered carnal self. I really like Paul's take in Romans 7: 14-25:
"For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing that I hate. (Yep, ughhhh!) but if I do the very thing that I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which lives in me. for I know NOTHING GOOD lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
For the good that I want to do, I do not do. I practice the evil that I do not want to do. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which lives in me. I find the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.
For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man. but I see a different law in the members of my body, WAGING WAR against the law of my mind and making me a PRISONER OF THE LAW OF SIN, which is in my members.
Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on one hand, I myself WITH MY MIND AM SERVING THE LAW OF GOD, but on the other, with my flesh, the law of sin."
Most importantly, if the Holy Spirit can help us "get it", what Jesus came to do, to set us free from our sinful nature and teach us how to live in the Spirit so we will not carry out the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16), for "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death." (Romans 8:2) We need to stop getting so angry at ourselves and wanting to beat ourselves up, and realize that God wants us to truly get how utterly sinful our sinful nature is, we can never get our sinful nature in enough control for it to do good in God's eyes. Once we finally recognize our flesh is the utmost selfish thing and will never submit to God, and seek to live by the power of Christ through the Holy Spirit, we will be able to overcome our sinful desires.
Oh Lord, open our eyes so we truly see and understand how to stop struggling in defeat over our sins and sinful nature!
I will post more later, but gotta do homeschool now. :)
"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine!...I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;...You are precious and honored in my eyes, and I love you...do not be afraid, for I am with you." (Is.43:4-5)