Monday, January 28, 2008
The Hope of Salvation
My life is fast paced.
I wake in the morning and trust the Holy Spirit to lead me to read the part of the Bible that will apply to my life today.
Sometimes I get off balance. I pick the scriptures, I think I know what I need to read. There are no bad parts of the Bible but there are ways to take it out of context to fit what I want it to say. However , I can sense when I am starting to quench the Spirit, or grieve the Spirit or deny the power of the Holy Spirit. I want to quit it just as soon as I start doing that. The Lord is my shepherd, He leads me, I do not lead Him.
What prompts this, " following of my flesh " is this oh so huge desire : to see my flesh stop responding to life situations the way it does.
I want to reform my flesh and push the word of God down it's throat.
Somehow I think I am missing the point of being transformed by the renewing of our minds.
At the same time , I know there is a battle going on. I really don't want to pay attention to it.
That my friends is exactly the problem.
I want to think that I am going to wake up in the morning and read the word the Holy Spirit leads me to . Follow my Shepherd and there are no lions or wolves in this land. There are no cute bunny rabbits to chase either. I think I may have a problem of paying attention.
What is it I need to do ? Besides learn to bring all my thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ ?
I Thess. 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
Now I am of the day, because I have been exposed to the light of Jesus Christ my Savior the Son of God .
I wonder if I am sober ? Would that indicate paying attention ?
The breastplate of faith and love, I think are gifts that we as Christ's followers are able to have if we are willing to receive.
And for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
It may seem like a small thing but it is exactly what I throw off when I try to fix myself.
Salvation is our gift . It is attainable by receiving the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Not by our works but by receiving His sacrifice that He made for us.
I wake in the morning and trust the Holy Spirit to lead me to read the part of the Bible that will apply to my life today.
Sometimes I get off balance. I pick the scriptures, I think I know what I need to read. There are no bad parts of the Bible but there are ways to take it out of context to fit what I want it to say. However , I can sense when I am starting to quench the Spirit, or grieve the Spirit or deny the power of the Holy Spirit. I want to quit it just as soon as I start doing that. The Lord is my shepherd, He leads me, I do not lead Him.
What prompts this, " following of my flesh " is this oh so huge desire : to see my flesh stop responding to life situations the way it does.
I want to reform my flesh and push the word of God down it's throat.
Somehow I think I am missing the point of being transformed by the renewing of our minds.
At the same time , I know there is a battle going on. I really don't want to pay attention to it.
That my friends is exactly the problem.
I want to think that I am going to wake up in the morning and read the word the Holy Spirit leads me to . Follow my Shepherd and there are no lions or wolves in this land. There are no cute bunny rabbits to chase either. I think I may have a problem of paying attention.
What is it I need to do ? Besides learn to bring all my thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ ?
I Thess. 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
Now I am of the day, because I have been exposed to the light of Jesus Christ my Savior the Son of God .
I wonder if I am sober ? Would that indicate paying attention ?
The breastplate of faith and love, I think are gifts that we as Christ's followers are able to have if we are willing to receive.
And for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
It may seem like a small thing but it is exactly what I throw off when I try to fix myself.
Salvation is our gift . It is attainable by receiving the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Not by our works but by receiving His sacrifice that He made for us.
