Just Let The Dead Dog Lie!

Romans 8! I love Romans 8! Been looking forward to this for, well, eight weeks.

Scripture: Romans 8:7 "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be."

Observation: Many Christians go through a constant cycle of frustration (I did frequently until the Spirit showed me this point a few years ago) because they are trying to bring good out of the sinful nature. They think the Lord saved them so that they could change their flesh - their tendency toward sin - into something good and useful. As though it is something that we are expected to master and God's purpose for sending Christ was so that we could...

Wrong! God sent Jesus because it is impossible for us to do so! The flesh cannot be redeemed. It is a sick, contaminated well and the only thing that can be drawn from it is rebellion, selfishness, disobedience, and self-centeredness. That is why God said in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that anyone that is in Christ is a new creation. He had to give us a new nature if we are to please Him and live, good, worthwhile lives.

That wrong way of thinking about the our sinful nature is the primary source of most frustrations in a Christian's life. If I try to get victory over sin by overpowering it or standing strong against it I will fail every time. That's why Paul wrote that when every time we deal with a temptation God has "made a way of escape" for us to take so that we may be able to bear the temptation. But if we ignore the way out of temptation and try to fight sin... sorry, Charlie. Then "you have chosen the way of pain."

Application:
Recognize the battle.
Don't strive to do good in my own power or will.
Strive to live in the Spirit, in obedience and by the leading of the Spirit.

Prayer: Lord, please give me eyes to see. I'll waste my life if I keep trying to turn garbage into gold for You. I'm not supposed to be playing alchemy here. I'm supposed to be seeking the gold that You have prepared for me.
Thank You for rescuing me from a life of futility and bringing me alive to a place where I can do lasting things and bring You glory daily. I love You. Amen.