Friday, April 15th, 2011
Today's Passage: Galatians 5:16-6:10
Memory Verse: Galations 5:17
I was doing a Science lesson with a student the other day. The lesson for the day was the Solar System. One of the pictures in the textbook was an astronaut. "What's that?" the student asked. "An astronaut," I said. He proceeded to ask what astronauts did, so I explained it to him. Then he asked a question that got me thinking. He asked, "What does he have to wear that funny suit for?"
You know we're just pilgrims in this natural world, right? This place is not our home. We're only here to expand our Father's kingdom by duplicating ourselves in people who don't know Him. What does that have to do with the suit? I'll tell you. Because we're not at home here, just like astronauts when they go to the moon, we have to wear a suit. The difference is, whereas the astronaut's suit helps him live, ours can get us into big trouble. Found out what it is? It's the flesh. In reality, our flesh should have just as much authority over us as an astronuat's suit has over him. It shouldn't be able to control how we live, what we choose, and where we go. Why not, you say? The reason is conforming to the flesh always leads to unGodly behaviors. Its motivation is derived from what it sees, hears, feels , and tastes. Therefore, there's no opportunity for faith to be exercised. There's little motivation to tap into the supernatural things of God. And God is spirit (not flesh), so we must worship Him in spirit. From the time we were born, we were conditioned to appease our flesh. Because of that, we struggle with concepts like faith and trust.
So you see, the suit is just for uniform. It should hold no major value other than nutrition for energy and health so we can carry out the assignment of the Lord. It should not tell us who and when to love. It should not tell us when to worship. It should not tell us when and what to eat, and its selfish desires should not be our priority in life. Our spirit (the man inside the suit) should do all that. Our spirit is our connection to God. It is the place of wisdom within us. The Bible says, "Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and therefore He lives inside?" The place where He lives is in your spirit. See, the flesh produces "works" (do this, do that) because it's addicted to feeling good. However, the spirit produces fruit (character) because it's in love with God. Paul wrote in Galatians 5:17, "For the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and they are contrary to one another". That being the case, the daily challenge is to choose which entity will lead you through the day. Are you going to go with the man, or the suit?
Prayer: Father, You have made provision for us to walk in victory over our flesh and its selfish desires. We receive the sacrifice You made through Your Son Jesus. The work was finished at the cross, so all we have to do is walk it out. May our ultimate goal be to bring glory to Your Name, because only that which we accomplish for You will produce good fruit. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Today's Passage: Galatians 5:16-6:10
Memory Verse: Galations 5:17
I was doing a Science lesson with a student the other day. The lesson for the day was the Solar System. One of the pictures in the textbook was an astronaut. "What's that?" the student asked. "An astronaut," I said. He proceeded to ask what astronauts did, so I explained it to him. Then he asked a question that got me thinking. He asked, "What does he have to wear that funny suit for?"
You know we're just pilgrims in this natural world, right? This place is not our home. We're only here to expand our Father's kingdom by duplicating ourselves in people who don't know Him. What does that have to do with the suit? I'll tell you. Because we're not at home here, just like astronauts when they go to the moon, we have to wear a suit. The difference is, whereas the astronaut's suit helps him live, ours can get us into big trouble. Found out what it is? It's the flesh. In reality, our flesh should have just as much authority over us as an astronuat's suit has over him. It shouldn't be able to control how we live, what we choose, and where we go. Why not, you say? The reason is conforming to the flesh always leads to unGodly behaviors. Its motivation is derived from what it sees, hears, feels , and tastes. Therefore, there's no opportunity for faith to be exercised. There's little motivation to tap into the supernatural things of God. And God is spirit (not flesh), so we must worship Him in spirit. From the time we were born, we were conditioned to appease our flesh. Because of that, we struggle with concepts like faith and trust.
So you see, the suit is just for uniform. It should hold no major value other than nutrition for energy and health so we can carry out the assignment of the Lord. It should not tell us who and when to love. It should not tell us when to worship. It should not tell us when and what to eat, and its selfish desires should not be our priority in life. Our spirit (the man inside the suit) should do all that. Our spirit is our connection to God. It is the place of wisdom within us. The Bible says, "Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and therefore He lives inside?" The place where He lives is in your spirit. See, the flesh produces "works" (do this, do that) because it's addicted to feeling good. However, the spirit produces fruit (character) because it's in love with God. Paul wrote in Galatians 5:17, "For the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and they are contrary to one another". That being the case, the daily challenge is to choose which entity will lead you through the day. Are you going to go with the man, or the suit?
Prayer: Father, You have made provision for us to walk in victory over our flesh and its selfish desires. We receive the sacrifice You made through Your Son Jesus. The work was finished at the cross, so all we have to do is walk it out. May our ultimate goal be to bring glory to Your Name, because only that which we accomplish for You will produce good fruit. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
1 comment:
Totally never saw it that way.. Who knew the thing we thought was used to keep us alive, can actually kill us. It's like the astronaut's suit coming to life & all of a sudden the oxygen tube decides it wants to go back into the oxygen tank entirely.
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