Good day and give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, yes He is good. We must be faithful because He is faithful. I heard one of my friend’s preach about flesh a little while back and I’m urged in my spirit to share a little something on the subject.
Today’s Prayer
Father, I have prayed this prayer a number of times in the last few weeks because the need keeps surfacing. Remind us that as Corrie ten Boom once said, “God does not hold me responsible for success but for faithfulness — You said, ‘Well done you good and faithful servant,’ not ‘well done you good and successful servant.’” Help us , Lord, as we strive to be faithful; sometimes it’s not easy, sometimes it’s not convenient, sometimes it means standing against criticism and ridicule, threats and attacks. It may take more courage than we have, but then You have promised not to leave us alone, and that Your strength will be sufficient. Help us endure to the end, and to learn to praise You in all things! In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Let’s eat.
The Works of the Flesh
You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” – Deuteronomy 8:17
Here I go again, stirring up good spiritual thought that convicts me and then I have to share with all of you. We’ve all heard someone or possibly our own selves say, “He’s a self-made man.” What are they/we saying in this statement? Are they/we saying that this individual achieved success by his hard work and sweat? Many a person has achieved success through honest hard work. There is a danger for any of us who may have achieved significance through our work. That danger is the belief that we achieved it through our own efforts apart from GOD’s grace and mercy. When we live in this belief, we assert that we are entitled to certain rights and privileges because of the position we have earned and feel we deserve.
In the bible, the prodigal son’s brother who refused to celebrate the wayward son’s return was a man who felt he was entitled to certain rights. He saw himself as one who had been faithful to his responsibilities and deserving of more attention. He could not appreciate his brother’s failure and the pain of falling into a sinful life because, in his mind, he had never failed. This pride kept him from experiencing GOD’s real grace. This is how legalism develops in believers. It grows into a cold heart and an insensitive attitude toward others who may have stumbled in their lives. This same brother did not truly understand the love of his father apart from works; for he felt he gained acceptance only by doing his job.
Do you feel accepted by GOD, regardless of what you do?
Have you wrongfully viewed your works as something you alone have achieved?
These are the minefields of which each of us must be aware. GOD has gifted us to accomplish anything through His grace, not by our works.
Quote of the Day
Truth revealed must enter into the fires of testing, this is the only way that truth can be confirmed in the soul. ~Anonymous~