Walking in Love/the Spirit- is the answer to the flesh and is the highest calling...
Galatians 5 >> "For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence:Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom...For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatable with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don't you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erractic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?"
It has been so exciting to me to know that I do not have to try and be good or deal with my flesh and it's besetting sins..because it is a losing battle anyway! Have any of you found this to be true too? Thank God that if we are convinced that taking the focus off of ourselves (...which is where our focus is when we are trying to control our carnal natures...) and put it on to others (Love) then our besetting sins will naturally begin to disappear...because you cannot love and continue to sin (harm) at the same time. The two are at odds with each other and cannot coexist! They are light and darkness. Hurray!
Galatians 3 >> Trying to follow rules and be good by our own efforts does not work...we cannot control our own flesh...it has to be done by faith, in God's way. Therefore we have to be convinced and understand God has a better way that benefits both the lover and the lovee.
God IS love...therefore, since God is all powerful, then that love is all powerful as well. It is a transforming love...not a worldly-fluff kind of love...but a God kind of love. SO, if we will take our eyes off of ourselves and put them outside of ourselves onto the welfare of the people and God's creation all around us...then we will naturally begin transforming...as well as serve God in a powerful way as we are walking in HIS love, everyday and around every corner as Christ did.
Are there things in your life that you do without barely a thought...because you are convinced they are the way things are done? This is how convinced you need to be...otherwise living this way will be burdensome and will be something that will feel just like rule keeping and will defeat the purpose. This type of life takes faith...working thru love. This is the victory!
However, the flesh will be tempted to put the focus back on self (legalism does this)...out of anxiousness and fear and self-will...but it is God's way to deal with the flesh in a much different way...the way of the Spirit...which the fruits are-love, peace, and etc...
Thank you for taking the time to read this...
Galatians 5 >> "For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence:Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom...For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatable with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don't you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erractic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?"
It has been so exciting to me to know that I do not have to try and be good or deal with my flesh and it's besetting sins..because it is a losing battle anyway! Have any of you found this to be true too? Thank God that if we are convinced that taking the focus off of ourselves (...which is where our focus is when we are trying to control our carnal natures...) and put it on to others (Love) then our besetting sins will naturally begin to disappear...because you cannot love and continue to sin (harm) at the same time. The two are at odds with each other and cannot coexist! They are light and darkness. Hurray!
Galatians 3 >> Trying to follow rules and be good by our own efforts does not work...we cannot control our own flesh...it has to be done by faith, in God's way. Therefore we have to be convinced and understand God has a better way that benefits both the lover and the lovee.
God IS love...therefore, since God is all powerful, then that love is all powerful as well. It is a transforming love...not a worldly-fluff kind of love...but a God kind of love. SO, if we will take our eyes off of ourselves and put them outside of ourselves onto the welfare of the people and God's creation all around us...then we will naturally begin transforming...as well as serve God in a powerful way as we are walking in HIS love, everyday and around every corner as Christ did.
Are there things in your life that you do without barely a thought...because you are convinced they are the way things are done? This is how convinced you need to be...otherwise living this way will be burdensome and will be something that will feel just like rule keeping and will defeat the purpose. This type of life takes faith...working thru love. This is the victory!
However, the flesh will be tempted to put the focus back on self (legalism does this)...out of anxiousness and fear and self-will...but it is God's way to deal with the flesh in a much different way...the way of the Spirit...which the fruits are-love, peace, and etc...
Thank you for taking the time to read this...