If people, positions, or possessions do not offer freedom or the solution for enjoying a complete life, what is the solution? Galatians 5:16 (NIV) supplies the answer: “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” We are to conduct our lives “by the Spirit.” This requires a relationship with God’s Spirit in which we dependently trust Him with all our needs. This is an astonishing assertion, “. . . you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” (NASB). In the Greek text the double negative construction emphasizes, “there is no way on earth, you can ever” carry out the desires of the flesh if you are living by the Spirit. Do you like the sound of that? The catch is that brokenness is a prerequisite: we cannot depend on God without first giving up our willfulness. We must give up the right to want what we want and trade it for wanting what God wants. “But I don’t want to give up what I want,” you may whine. Then you are not ready for a desperately dependent relationship on God that results in a life that is divinely enabled. This relationship begins by giving up our self-centered lives in exchange for Christ-centered lives that result from the forgiveness of sin. Without giving up our willfulness, we cannot know the heart of God and want what He wants.
BIBLE TRUTH
“We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:4–5 NLT).
HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO ME?
If we are to be a picture of Christ, a Christian, then we are to live as He lived—desperately dependent on God for divine enablement for personal empowerment. Thus, holiness is true healthiness—to be complete in Christ. How is this possible? We tear down strongholds through obedience to Christ.
PRAYER
Father, know my heart and renew a right spirit within me. (Ps. 51:10)
(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)
Monday, February 25, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
Trapped!
We fall into a trap if we believe a person, position, or possession other than Jesus can complete our lives. In our daily struggles we search for ways to stimulate our emotions or sedate our emotions in order to feel good. But that which makes me feel good enslaves me. The end result is bondage. What a cunning ploy Satan has devised! “This is what you need to feel good about yourself,” he asserts as he lays the net to ensnare you. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death” (Prov. 14:12; 16:25 NIV). “An evil man is held captive by his own sins; they are ropes that catch and hold him” (Prov. 5:22 NLT). These strongholds are fortifications that keep us imprisoned.
But if you really want something, who is going to stop you? The natural desire of the heart is self-indulgence: I want what I want! The end of all self-indulgence is bondage. The very thing we want will destroy us. Our self-centered choices lead to strongholds that result in relationship problems, emotional difficulties, physical challenges, and even a crisis of faith. And so we sit, looking at life through the portholes of our own strongholds that have imprisoned us.
BIBLE TRUTH
“Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death” (James 1:14–15 NLT).
HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO ME?
The Galatians were struggling with similar issues. Paul poses this question to them: “After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?” (Gal. 3:3 NLT). They had fallen into the deception that by practicing religious rites they could be made right with God. They had arrived at the solution that a relationship with Christ was not enough; they needed more. Paul pleads with them: “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law” (Gal. 5:1 NLT).
PRAYER
My Lord, please bring me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the mud and the mire. Please set my feet on solid ground and steady me as I walk along. (Ps. 40:2)
(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)
But if you really want something, who is going to stop you? The natural desire of the heart is self-indulgence: I want what I want! The end of all self-indulgence is bondage. The very thing we want will destroy us. Our self-centered choices lead to strongholds that result in relationship problems, emotional difficulties, physical challenges, and even a crisis of faith. And so we sit, looking at life through the portholes of our own strongholds that have imprisoned us.
BIBLE TRUTH
“Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death” (James 1:14–15 NLT).
HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO ME?
The Galatians were struggling with similar issues. Paul poses this question to them: “After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?” (Gal. 3:3 NLT). They had fallen into the deception that by practicing religious rites they could be made right with God. They had arrived at the solution that a relationship with Christ was not enough; they needed more. Paul pleads with them: “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law” (Gal. 5:1 NLT).
PRAYER
My Lord, please bring me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the mud and the mire. Please set my feet on solid ground and steady me as I walk along. (Ps. 40:2)
(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)
Monday, February 11, 2013
What's Missing in the Masterpiece?
Repeatedly we come to the conclusion that something is missing. We struggle in our search as others around us exclaim, “I know! I know! I know!” and lead us on one fruitless chase after another. In an attempt to not appear stupid, we create our own design to fill in the emptiness. But no matter how creative we are, our ultimate creation never matches the design our Creator planned unless we allow Him to complete the picture.
God is the Master Designer. In His mind’s eye He can see the completed masterpiece of our lives. The vastness of the task does not overwhelm Him. He delights in His creation. Knowing from the beginning to the ending His desired results, He patiently fashions the portrait. It is His self-portrait.
Unfortunately, the design we are sketching is our self-portrait. We are looking for happiness, fulfillment, meaning, control, freedom, belonging, relationships, money, contentment, satisfaction, and the list could go on and on. Foolishly we attempt to complete what the Master designed. Disappointment results when a novice attempts to complete a masterpiece independent of the Master.
God’s design requires us to be dependent on Him. Because we believe Satan’s lie that we are capable on our own, we seek to fill the void to our own satisfaction. All the while God replies, “I know!” He patiently waits for us to come to the Master Designer for our picture to be perfectly complete.
BIBLE TRUTH
“So you also are complete through your union with Christ” (Col. 2:10 NLT).
HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO ME?
Consider these two questions: What do I really want? How will I attain it? Apart from a relevant relationship with Jesus Christ we will look to people, positions, and possessions to empower and complete our lives. The sin nature motivates us to be desperate individuals, and we choose influences other than Christ.
PRAYER
My Lord, I am waiting patiently for You. Please turn to me and hear my cry. (Ps. 40:1)
(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)
God is the Master Designer. In His mind’s eye He can see the completed masterpiece of our lives. The vastness of the task does not overwhelm Him. He delights in His creation. Knowing from the beginning to the ending His desired results, He patiently fashions the portrait. It is His self-portrait.
Unfortunately, the design we are sketching is our self-portrait. We are looking for happiness, fulfillment, meaning, control, freedom, belonging, relationships, money, contentment, satisfaction, and the list could go on and on. Foolishly we attempt to complete what the Master designed. Disappointment results when a novice attempts to complete a masterpiece independent of the Master.
God’s design requires us to be dependent on Him. Because we believe Satan’s lie that we are capable on our own, we seek to fill the void to our own satisfaction. All the while God replies, “I know!” He patiently waits for us to come to the Master Designer for our picture to be perfectly complete.
BIBLE TRUTH
“So you also are complete through your union with Christ” (Col. 2:10 NLT).
HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO ME?
Consider these two questions: What do I really want? How will I attain it? Apart from a relevant relationship with Jesus Christ we will look to people, positions, and possessions to empower and complete our lives. The sin nature motivates us to be desperate individuals, and we choose influences other than Christ.
PRAYER
My Lord, I am waiting patiently for You. Please turn to me and hear my cry. (Ps. 40:1)
(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)
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