HEAVENSREEF

MAY THE LORD EMPOWER US DAILY WITH HIS HOLY SPIRIT! Oh how we need this now more than ever!  Our world is in turmoil and all our institutions are on shaky ground.  GOD is our only strength in the midst of all we experience around us.

PSALM 43: 3  “SEND YOUR LIGHT AND YOUR TRUTH; LET THEM LEAD ME.”

Our sinfulness is ever before us – our spiritual self is at war with our flesh.  Do you feel it?  How often do we do what we don’t want to do, and what we should do, we don’t!  Paul understood this, the consistent battle within.  He said it like this:

GALATIANS 5: 17  “FOR THE FLESH DESIRES WHAT IS AGAINST THE SPIRIT, AND THE SPIRIT DESIRES WHAT IS AGAINST THE FLESH; THESE ARE OPPOSED TO EACH OTHER SO THAT YOU DON’T DO WHAT YOU WANT.”

Abiding closer with CHRIST makes us evermore aware of our sinfulness.  Any response that is ungodly will get us into trouble, such as envy, jealousy, anger, lying, self-centeredness and pride.  Paul warned the Galatians of these works of the flesh too:

GALATIANS 5: 19-21  “NOW THE WORKS OF THE FLESH ARE OBVIOUS: SEXUAL IMMORALITY, MORAL IMPURITY, PROMISCUITY, IDOLATRY, SORCERY, HATREDS, STRIFE, JEALOUSY, OUTBURSTS OF ANGER, SELFISH AMBITIONS, DISSENSIONS, FACTIONS, ENVY, DRUNKENNESS, CAROUSING, AND ANYTHING SIMILAR.  I AM WARNING YOU ABOUT THESE THINGS – AS I WARNED YOU BEFORE – THAT THOSE WHO PRACTICE SUCH THINGS WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.”

Paul warned in his day, and we are warned as well.  We cannot control our flesh……ever.  Our ever present help is only in the LORD and the Spirit.  Our battle GOD knows and is well aware of.  HE knows our plight and works ever so gently on our heart transformation, which in turn produces in us a way of being and responding in a Godly manner.  Only the LORD can empower us!

I will admit here that now more than ever before in my life, has the world pressed upon me and overwhelmed me.  But when I look away and look only upon the LORD, HE empowers me to see what is truly important and to know that HE is there for me, now and into eternity.  CHRIST, my Savior, is exactly that!  My SAVIOR is strong when I am so very weak.  HE is my one and only SAVIOR today.  No one else on this earth does this for me.  How about you?  Is CHRIST empowering you to move forward in the midst of all our current chaos?

Responding through HIS empowerment looks like this:

GALATIANS 5: 22-23  “BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL.”

May we live in our spheres of influence with a godly manner of response to those around us.  May HIS spiritual love pour out of us for others so that the world will see and glorify GOD.   It is a true surrendering of the will……we believe HIS will prevails, not ours right?  Surrender today your flesh for HIS Spirit that will empower.

JESUS said this in the Garden of Gethsemane…….

“MATTHEW 26: 41  “STAY AWAKE AND PRAY, SO THAT YOU WON’T ENTER INTO TEMPTATION.  THE SPIRIT IS WILLING, BUT THE FLESH IS WEAK.”

Such truth for us here!  Every time we fail and sin, it is proof that we are responding in the flesh and not the Spirit.  Like the above scripture says, may we be more conscious and pray for the Spirit’s ever present help.  Let’s be keenly aware of our weak flesh and pray for a fruitful response in our daily behavior knowing that only GOD alone can empower us!

ACTS 2: 17  “IN THE LAST DAYS, GOD SAYS, I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT ON ALL PEOPLE.”