Sin Nature vs. Spirit Living

Galatians 5:17-18, 25 "The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives."

Mankind's natural tendency is to live for ourselves.  Our flesh doesn't want to submit to the Spirit.  

Every person who has, does, or ever will live on this earth has a built in need to know and serve the Creator. When we acknowledge that need and accept Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us.  Our spirit man comes alive.  This begins a life long battle: Sin Nature vs. Spirit Living.

Paul tells us that our sinful nature will always long to do those things that are in direct opposition to the desires of the Holy Spirit.  These two forces are in constant battle within each of us.

When we are living by the Spirit, crucifying the flesh and dying to self, we are not under the law.  Mark 7:20-23 And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.” However, when we choose to live for self and fulfill the lusts of the flesh and our evil desires we are bound by the law.  Choosing not to live by the Spirit means we are choosing to live under the law.

Many people justify their sin by the fact that they are obedient in almost all areas of their life.  They feel that being mostly "good" is enough. James 2:10-11 For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws. For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law. 

Can God really require complete and total obedience? Galatians 5:25 says, "Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives." 

While walking by the Spirit is not an easy path, it is the best path.  The benefits of obedience (everlasting life, peace, joy, blessings, etc) far out way the rewards for disobedience (death, eternal separation for God, hell).  Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."

God does require complete obedience, however, He doesn't leave us to walk this path alone.  He has sent the Holy Spirit to convict, strengthen, and encourage us to walk in obedience in every area.  

John 14:26 "But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you."

Romans 8:2 "And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death."

Which will we choose? Sin Nature or Spirit Living

Law or Grace?

Galatians 2:21

We see the laws of God stated in Exodus 20 and then the restating of the law throughout the Old Testament.  We observe the Israelites trying to fulfill all that God asked of them.  As we read we quickly realize that even those Israelites who had seen first hand the power of God release them from the bondage of slavery in Egypt, could not keep God's laws fully - no matter how hard they tired. 

Like the Israelites, we cannot keep the law.  God knew this.  He put the law in place to show us that we could never live up to the requirements of a Holy (perfect, without fault or defect) God.  We needed a Savior.  God promised the Israelites a Messiah.

When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, they brought God's judgement on all mankind.  The Israelites offered animal sacrifices to cover their sin so that God could still dwell in their midst. God, in His holiness, cannot co-exist with sin.  He cannot be where sin resides. 

The blood of those sacrifices could not and did not remove the sin.  It covered it up.  God knew that our sins needed to be removed.  We could never pay for our sins.  We could never fulfill the demands of the law.  We needed a Savior.

Jesus came as the perfect sacrifice for our sins.  His death paid, once for all, the price demanded for our pardon.  His resurrection from the dead gave Him the right to Lordship in our life. He not only paid the price, but He rose from the dead to show us that He is truly King of Kings.  He paid it all so you and I don't have to live in sin, separated from the holy, faithful, loving, Father who not only created all that we can see, but who, by His infinite mercy sustains it. 

We must never treat God's grace as meaningless.  We could not redeem ourselves.  We needed a Savior!

Worship or Waste?

Mark 14:3-9

While Jesus was visiting at Simon's home a woman came in and poured costly perfume on him.  John 12:1-11 tells us that she wiped Jesus feet with her hair.

Many at the table began to criticize her for the great waste.  That perfume was worth an entire years wages.  They said the money could have been used to provide for the poor.

Jesus said that they would always have the poor but that they would not always have Him.  It was not that Jesus had no concern for the poor, He came to help the lowest of the low and the poorest of the poor.

Jesus defended the woman's actions by pointing out that what she had done for Him was an act of worship.  She was preparing Him for burial.  She was giving her very best to the one who gave her the very most.  She demonstrated that much love accompanies much forgiveness.

When I worship am I just going through the motions? Am I as grateful and in love with Jesus as this woman was? Do I genuinely feel overwhelmed by the total and complete forgiveness Jesus paid for on my behalf?  Am I giving my very best to the one who gave it all for me?

Jealous God

Deuteronomy 4:24

God is a jealous God.  Webster's dictionary defines jealous as intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness.

Throughout the Bible God describes Himself as a jealous God.  As we read about the Israelites, we see that they turned away from God many times.  They chose to build a golden calf while Moses was on the mountain getting the Law of God.  They followed after the religions of the nations around them.  They grumbled against God constantly.

God warns the people, through Moses, in Deuteronomy chapter 4 to maintain a right relationship with Him.  He tells them that God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. 

We see also throughout the Old Testament that when the Israelites chose to be unfaithful, God allowed them to be hurt by their choices.  They were killed by their enemies, taken captive, died in the wilderness from pestilence and snake bite, were swallowed up when the ground opened up, etc.  God will not tolerated unfaithfulness!

What do I allow in my life that cause God to be jealous of my time with Him?  T.V., movies, friends, work, shopping, video games....

We must remove anything from our lives that comes between us and Christ.  The above things are not bad as long as they are done in moderation.  We need to be sure that Christ comes first before anyone or anything else.

Drive Out and Destroy

Numbers 33:51-56 (NLT)

God commanded the Israelites to completely drive out the people living in the land He was giving them.  He told them to completely destroy their carved and molten images and to demolish their pagan shrines.

They were not to leave anyone or anything that had been there before they took possession.  God told them that if they failed to drive the people out that the people would cause pain and trouble for them.  They would lead them astray from God's commands and then God would visit the punishment on the Israelites the He had intended to visit on the people of the land.

In our lives today, most of us can see areas where we have compromised our standards so that they no longer align with God's standards.  We have chosen to live according to our own plans and desires.  God commands us to put to death our old lives.  Paul tells us in Romans 6:6-7 that our lives were crucified with Christ. 

Like the Israelites, when they drove out the inhabitants and destroyed their shrines and idols became free from the bondage of the sin of idolatry, we are free from the power of sin when we choose to crucify our flesh.  By accepting the sacrifice of Christ and yielding our will to His, we have, by the Spirit, the power to walk in victory over sin.

However, if we choose to allow sin and compromise to rule our lives by not yielding our will and very being to Christ's Lordship, we will suffer like the Israelites suffered. 

Judges 2:10-15 tells us that because they did not drive out the inhabitants of the land, that the next generation who had not fought for the land and seen God's power, were led astray to worship other gods.  God's anger burned against the Israelites and He turned them over to raiders and to all their enemies.  Whenever they went to battle God fought for their enemies, against the Israelites. 

Romans 1:18-32 tells us that when we know the truth about Christ, yet choose to live in sin, God abandons us to our sinful ways.  As is seen in Romans 1, the path we may end up following is not one I want to find myself on. 

To live victorious, godly lives, we must crucify the flesh and yield to Christ.

God's Food

Numbers 28:1 (NLT)

God told Moses that the offerings the people presented to Him as special gifts were a pleasing aroma to Him.  They were His food.

What feeds God? What feeds our soul?  I think the answers to these two questions might be more closely related then we might think at first glance.

Let's begin with what feeds us.  While each of our lists may contain some different things, I think many of the items would be the same.  Below I've listed some things I think might be on all of our lists.

1) Love
2) Affection
3) Being treated with kindness
4) Respect
5) When others give us their time.

What feeds God? 

1) God created man for fellowship.  We know that He wanted fellowship with man because Genesis 38 tells us that God came to walk in the garden in the cool of the evening.  He looked for Adam and Eve.

God longs to spend time with us.  He desires to have conversations with His people.  Genesis 24:9-11 tells us that Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders of Israel went up the mountain to meet with God.  They even ate a meal together with God, in His presence.

While Jesus was on earth He had fellowship with men.  He chose twelve men to be in His inner circle of friends. 

We are encouraged in 1 John 2:27 to remain in fellowship with Christ.

2) God wants our love.  Jesus said the first and greatest commandment was to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind," Matthew 22:37.  David wrote, "I love you Lord; you are my strength." Psalm 18:1.

Is my life feeding God? Is yours?

Choosing and Equipping Leaders

Numbers 27:12-23

When the time came for Moses to die, he asked God to appoint a new leader for the people.  God told Moses to anoint Joshua.  He was to present Joshua to Eleazer the priest, in front of the entire community.  He was supposed to transfere some of the authority he had onto Joshua.

Moses commissioned Joshua in front of all the people to show them that he had the authority to lead them.

Why Joshua? I believe for a few reasons.
     1) Joshua had a deep spirit of worship.  He stayed in the Tent of Meeting before
         the Lord (Exodus 33:11).
     2) Joshua had faith in God.  He trusted God to take them into the promise land even against the
         arguments of ten of the other spies.
     3) Joshua had been trained under Moses.  He had heard God speak to Moses.  Joshua knew
         what he was facing in leading the Israelites.  Other then Caleb, Joshua was the only person
         who had been alive when the Israelites walked out of Egypt.

God equips those who He calls.  Moses was not an eloquent speaker, but God used him to speak to the King of Egypt.  Joshua  had grown up as a slave - now God was using him to lead the entire nation.

If God can use them, He can and will use us.  He equipped them for what they needed to do and face, and He is the same God today.  Yield yourself to God totally and completely and see how He can use you to reach this lost, dying world.

When Donkeys Talk

Numbers 22

Balaam was a servant of the Most High.  He obviously had been used by God because he had a reputation for blessing and cursing people.

Balak was a wicked Moabite king.  Balak had seen with his own eyes what God had done to the Amorites through the Israelites and he wanted no part of it.

Balak had heard of Balaam's reputation and determined to tap into that resource.  He wanted Balaam to curse the Israelites, for he feared they would destroy his land and people like they had the Amorites.

Balak sent a party of his leaders, along with a payment, to ask Balaam to come to his aide.

Balaam prayed and asked God if he was to go.  God told him NO!  He was not to curse the people because God had blessed them.  Balaam refused to go to Balak.

A second time Balak sent messengers.  A second time Balaam prayed.  This time God said go but only speak what I tell you to speak.

Along the road Balaam's donkey saw an angel coming to kill Balaam.  Three times the donkey tried to save Balaam.  Three times Balaam grew angry and beat the donkey.  After the third time, God opened the donkey's mouth so she could speak.  She spoke and asked Balaam why he had beaten her.  He was surprisingly not surprised that a donkey was talking to him.  He told her she had made him look like a fool. 

Following this conversation, God opened Balaam's eyes to see the angel.  The angel of the Lord spoke to Balaam and told him that he had come to kill him. 

Why had God wanted to kill Balaam? How many times do we ask God for something, get an answer (no), then ask again, as if He will change His mind?

God told Balaam no, then Balaam asked again.  God did allow him to go with strict orders to speak only what God told him. God however, was not pleased with Balaam's choice to go or to ask again once he had the answer.

God loves us and sometimes He has to answer, "NO" for our good.  When we feel like we can bully or badger God into giving us what we want, we need to remember that it will cost us something, maybe even our very lives.

Anger: To Sin or Not To Sin

Numbers 20:1-13

Moses and Aaron had to put up with a lot of complaining, grumbling, rebellion, and abuse from the Israelites.  The people were never satisfied with what they had or what God gave them. 

Moses and Aaron stood between the people and God on many occasions.  They fell on their faces and asked God not to wipe out the entire nation.  Each time God answered their prayers.  He punished the guilty in that instant, but did not destroy the entire population.

By the time they got to Kades, Moses was fed up.  The people again grumbled because of lack of water.  They said they should have died with the rebels at God's hand rather then die of thirst in the wilderness.

Again, Moses and Aaron went before the Lord on behalf of the people.  God once again answered.  He told Moses and Aaron to speak to a rock and command it to bring forth enough water to satisfy the people and their cattle.

In his anger, Moses disobeyed and hit the rock.  The water still flowed and the people were satisfied, however, Moses and Aaron were sentenced to die in the wilderness, rather then to enter the promised land. 

To our minds this seems pretty harsh!  Moses had not chosen to lead the Israelites. He had not asked for this assignment.  As a matter of fact, he had done his best, used every excuse in book to get out of leading them.

Why then would a loving God punish him for a momentary laps in judgement? Why, after convincing Moses to take on the daunting assignment and after Moses' faithfulness to stand in the gap for the people on numerous occasions, would God sentence him to miss the "Big Event"?  Why? Because Moses sinned.  He acted on his anger by disobeying God's command.  While speaking to the rock and striking it may not seem so different. Water come out anyway.  In God's eyes they were different because to be HOLY we must be OBEDIENT even in the smallest areas.

No one can fault Moses for being angry enough to hit just about anything or anyone.  Moses was human just as we are.  He faced hardship just as we do. But sin is sin and our HOLY God cannot over look it.

How often do we become angry and sin?  Anger is not the sin.  The sin comes from how we handle the anger.  In Ephesians 4:26, we are admonished not to sin by letting anger control us.  Anger is a natural emotion God has placed within all of us.  We must learn how to rely on the Holy Spirit for strength and grace to handle our anger without sinning. 

All Revealed

Mark 4:21-25

Our life is like a lamp.  When the power is on, we give light to all who come near us.  When the power is off our deeds cannot be seen, however, the power will come back on either by the Holy Spirit convicting us and our repentance or on judgement day when we stand before All Mighty God.

We may live secret lives and commit secret sins and think that no one knows or sees.  We may feel empowered by "getting away" with our sin.  Often getting "away with it" causes us to be more reckless and careless.  Often it takes us deeper into a life we will one day regret.

Someday we will stand at a cross road and be given a choice.  Choose life or choose death.  Our decision will determine our destiny.  If we decide to follow Christ, lay down our life, and turn from our sin, we will have life and that more abundantly.  We will see the fulfillment of God's promises in our lives.

If we choose to love our life and live for ourselves, we will lose the intimacy with Christ.  We will be facing all the garbage the enemy throws at us alone.  By choosing to follow our flesh, we are in essence saying we don't care about God's plan for our lives and we don't care what He thinks.

The created telling the creator how to run things is a pretty dumb plan, yet how many times do we do just that by our actions?  We act like we know better then God how to run our lives and often never even take His will into consideration. 

Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has plans for our life.  Plans to prosper us and not to harm us.  Plans to give us a hope and a future.  God's way is the best way!

Walking By Faith

Numbers 13-14

Moses sent out twelve spies to check out the Promise Land.  They should have all seen the same things.  But their spiritual condition caused ten of them to only focus on the fortified cities, the giant people, and their relative size in comparison.

Two men, Joshua and Caleb, were focusing on the "milk and honey."  Their spiritual condition allowed them to look past the giants and fortified cities and see the promises God had made.

God's Word never returns void. It always accomplishes what He sent it out to do.

We have a choice! What are we going to listen to? Who's report will be believe?

Sadly, in our culture we tend to be like the Israelites.  When the spies returned, they ignored the good report of the two and chose to listen (believe) the report of the ten.

Not only did they believe the bad report, they grumbled against God.  Foolish!   They decided to appoint a new leader and return to Egypt.  Things got so ugly that God had to physically show His glory to prevent the people from stoning Moses, Aaron, Joshua, and Caleb.

God grew so angry with the Israelites that He wanted to destroy them with pestilence.  Moses prayed and reminded the Lord that He had brought them out and it was His reputation on the line. 

Numbers 14:18 - "God is slow to anger, but abundant in mercy. He will forgive sin, but will not let the guilty go free.  He will visit the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.  (Generational curses)

We have to make a choice - Are we going to follow the sin nature and the garbage passed on through sinful ancestry? Or are we going to take a stand and say, NO  MORE - NOT IN MY LIFE OR THE LIVES OF MY CHILDREN? 

There are giants in all of our lives.  In our heritage we can almost all find areas of stronghold and if no one before us took a stand and made a choice to break that, we must decide, do I want to live and struggle with this or is my faith in God and my relationship with Him more important and worth the battle?

Numbers 14:24

Joshua and Caleb were the only ones from their generation who were allowed to enter the Promise Land. Because their hearts were right toward God and they believed His promises, they were given an inheritance in the Promise Land. 

Numbers 14:26

All the Israelites twenty years and older were going to die in the wilderness.  All the things they had complained about to Moses were going to happen to them because of their attitudes. 

Sadly the children of the whiners were made to suffer for the sins of their parents.  Our sin effects those we love, even when we don't mean for it to.

Following Christ

Mark 2:14

Jesus was passing by and saw Matthew.  He called out to him to follow.  Matthew got up and followed him. 

When Jesus called the other disciples their response was the same, instant obedience. 

Do I follow His leading as quickly as those early disciples did?  I sing, "Where you lead me, I will follow."  Do I really mean it?

The Wilderness

Mark 1:12-13

Jesus was compelled by the Spirit to go into the wilderness.  While he was there, Satan tempted him. He was in that wilderness for forty days.

I don't believe God was trying to show Jesus how strong he was, but to show the devil how strong Jesus was.

We are often taken through desert experiences in our lives.  Unlike Jesus, we don't know how strong we are through Christ, until we have to face hard times.

Life doesn't always play fair.  We are often faced with things which have the potential of destroying our lives.  We must daily decide to put our faith, trust, and hope in Christ and his strength.  In so doing, and dying to our self, we can stand under the pressures of this life and the schemes of the enemy.

Royal Priesthood

Numbers 8:7-16

Just as Moses and Aaron set apart the Levites for God's service; so God wants to set us apart for His service. 

God told Moses to cleanse the priests (shaving their head, washing in purified water, and cleaning their clothes).  We also need this type of cleansing. 
      - Our mind must be renewed daily through the Word.
      - We must be cleansed daily by confession and repentance.
      - We must be sure our rob is white and spotless everyday.  We must guard our thoughts and our words. 

The Levites had to have a bull sacrificed to cleanse them and cover their sin.  We have the Blood of the Lamb to cleanse us and to forgive (remove) our sin.

The Levites had to be holy to work and stand before God.  This was made possible through their obedience to the law and the death and blood of an animal.  We too must walk in holiness.  We must be cleansed daily by the Blood of Christ.  We have a perfect sacrifice that only had to be made once for all.

We are called to be a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people. (1 Peter 2:9)

To fulfill that call we must walk in holiness.  The only way we can do this is by falling on the rock and allowing Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, to take the lead in our lives.

No amount of trying on our part can produce the level of holiness (total and complete) that it takes to be a priest of God.

The priests were to be the carriers of the anointing of God.  How can we carry the anointing if we are living lives of sin?  Because all sin is equal, we must deal equally with all sin.  There are no small sins and big sins!  All sin will diminish the anointing of God in our lives and will minimize our impact on our world, our generation.

We must be HOLY because HE IS HOLY!!!!!