Led of the Spirit

Spirit Led

In Galatians 5:16-18, Paul wrote,

how exactly are you spirit led

How exactly are you spirit led?

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

I have serious doubts as to whether Paul is contrasting the lust of the flesh with the Holy Spirit. I realize the word “Spirit,” is capitalized, which alludes to the Holy Spirit, but I also realize that this is nothing more than an opinion of translators, and they have been incorrect a time or two. Rather, I believe the context dictates that Paul is discussing the conflict between one’s flesh (the outer man) and one’s spirit (the inner man). We are a dual-natured person (2 Cor. 4:16); as such, Satan seeks to use one’s flesh as a means of dominating his mind and spirit by doing what the flesh craves instead of his spirit, instructed by the word of God, controlling his flesh.

For example, when Paul said, “I buffet my body” (1 Cor. 9:27 ASV), he was alluding to himself personally as a Christian whose flesh was constantly struggling to gain the advantage so that he wanted to do what the flesh wants and not what his spirit knew best as guided by the gospel. Thus, when one allows his inward man to control him, then he does not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

In fact, the denominational concept is that the Holy Spirit dominates and controls one’s life. If the Holy Spirit controlled the flesh personally, then how could one ever sin? The Holy Spirit would be guilty of falling down on His job and allowing one to sin! Yet, one sins whenever the flesh affects and controls the inward self—heart and mind (cf. 2 Cor. 1:12). The flesh influences his mind and thinking to the degree that it controls the way that he acts. Thus, one must be sure that he does not allow the flesh to get the upper hand and control him so that he does whatever the flesh desires instead of what the mind, directed and influenced by the gospel of Christ, tells him what to do. Therefore, the influence of the gospel in one’s mind and heart should dominate and control one’s life.

In fact, the ever-growing danger in the church today is that brethren are talking about the personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit helping people overcome sin. Some say it helps them overcome carnality. I heard of one man who enumerated six or seven things that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit enabled him to do. As a result, it is only a matter of time before they end up accepting the impossibility of apostasy. That is a strange development! How did people in the Old Testament live holy lives without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit? How did they manage to live and serve God faithfully? They did so through the teaching of the law, the prophets and the instructions of God (Ps. 119:11). Why do we think it is any different today?

What did Paul mean when he said, “I die daily” (1 Cor. 15:31)? There is a battle that is ongoing, seeking to keep the flesh in check by the continual study of the Bible and by filling our minds and hearts with it (Ps. 119:11). If one keeps his mind and thoughts filled with the word of God, then he keeps the flesh in check. When he does not, then the flesh gets the upper hand and leads him into sin by fulfilling the lust of the flesh.

In Romans 7:7-20, Paul even said that they fought this same battle under the Old Testament. Today, as we are living under the new covenant, it is only through being in Christ and the provisions that God made for everyone in Him that one is able to do what he ought to do. One’s own spirit is to be in control of his flesh, leading him. This is why “the works of the flesh” (Gal. 5:19-21) are serious matters. This is what it means when Paul says that we are “led of the Spirit.”

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Living with Pain

Living with Pain

do you live with pain

Do You Live with Pain?

When there are those in pain around us, we feel helpless.  We may stand beside them, hug them, tell them that we love them as we observe their tears, listen to their cries and realize that there is a huge gulf between us.  It seems that we cannot penetrate their suffering, but to watch.  We feel weak.  Sometimes in these situations, there is even unexpected anger against God.  Some even ask, “God, why us?” as we see the beauty of our loved ones go through the shadow of death (Psa. 23:4).

There are some who believe that when this happens, that God is displeased with our life.  Faith healers believe we don’t have enough faith.  Others claim that it is God’s will to make us suffer like this.  In all these words, many have little advice to give people.  Why do people have to suffer?  Where is God when it hurts?

For those who have not suffered with the loss of a loved one, they have an inadequate view of suffering.  People speak and ask how can a God say He loves us and then allow His people to die from a holocaust, from diseases like leukemia, cancer and allow over a billion people each night to go to bed hungry with no food.  What does it all mean?  I think it is interesting that we do not gather around and discuss what it means to smell or what it mean to taste.  Why do we have these sensations?  No one debates these ideas, but people react so differently against the sensations of pain when it happens.

The problems of pain and suffering seems to never fade away, never seems to really be answered.  The problem of pain is like a big mystery.  Nevertheless, pain certainly alerts our body that something is wrong and we focus on that area.  Pain certainly is not an afterthought from God, it is part of His marvelous design for the body.  Even though things happen through life, the pain we feel, makes our lives miserable.

Pain will have no real solution while on earth.  But, we can sustain ourselves by faith in God and faith in His Son who is the great Physician (Gal. 2:20).  He has the ability to remove our pain.  God knows why we hurt and when we think on God, our pain can melt away (Job 38-41).  To know that God gives us joy and love, happiness and goodness (Gal. 5:22).  To know that in the middle of our confusion and frustrations of life, we find our Lord who is worthy of our trust (Rev. 4:11).  We need to know in times like this that God has been here from the beginning (Gen. 1:1; Rev. 1:8) and He allows pain so that we will turn to Him focusing on a time when there will be no more pain.  He allows us to cry like Job (Job 14) knowing that God comforts the poor and suffering, that He nourishes our souls and that when we are hurting, crying out, we may go to Him, casting our cares on Him (1 Pet. 5:7), having an intimate relationship with Him (Jn. 17:20-22).  He is always with us and so are the members of the Lord’s body who are commanded to bear up those who hurt to relieve them in their suffering (Gal. 6:2; 1 Thess. 5:11).

Be comforted to know that God is waiting for you and I, knowing that one day there will be victory over the world where God will take us with Him to a new home where He will wipe away our tears and where there will be no more pain (Rev. 21:1-4).  Death is swallowed up in victory and our faith overcomes the world (1 Cor. 15:54; 1 Jn. 5:4).  Remember that Jesus said, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.  In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (Jn. 14:1-3).  Comfort one another with these words as we live through the pains in life.

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Are You Ignorant?

Knowledge is Power

dont be ignorant knowledge is power

Don’t Be Ignorant! Knowledge is Power!

Francis Bacon once said, “Knowledge is power,” which is a true statement. In the Bible, God had already declared such as true (Hos. 4:6; Luke 1:76-77; 1 Cor. 15:34; 1 Tim. 2:3-4). Thus, knowledge is important. For this reason, Paul instructed his readers with his writings to know certain things, cued in by the phrase “I would not have you to be ignorant” or something associated to it. Let us notice some of his statements more closely, as I believe that these things are also things that we need to know today.

Paul wanted his readers in Rome to know that he was interested in their spiritual growth:

Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles (Rom. 1:13).

In his mission of converting Gentiles (cf. Acts 26:16- 18), he was not only interested in the Gentiles of Asia Minor using Antioch as his base of operations, but he was also interested in the Gentiles of Rome (cf. Rom. 15:23-24). Nevertheless, he was interested in the spiritual growth of all of his converts (1 Cor. 1:4-8; Eph. 1:15-16; Phil. 4:17; Col. 1:3-10).

Paul wanted his readers in Rome to know of the revelation of the gospel:

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in (Rom. 11:25).

Paul often called this the “mystery,” in that God fully revealed His plan of redemption for Jews and Gentiles alike to the apostles through the Holy Spirit (cf. Eph. 3:1-7). This was something very difficult for the Jews to handle, and Paul had to deal with Judaizing teachers everywhere he went. Thus, to his readers in Rome, he uses an analogy of grafting branches into an olive tree in an effort to educate them concerning this wonderful news of salvation for all.

Paul wanted his readers in Corinth to know of the need of temperance in the Christian life:

Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea…(1 Cor. 10:1).

The first word in this verse shows the connection that he had with his previous thoughts of personal temperance (1 Cor. 9:26-27), and in the beginning of First Corinthians 10, Paul uses the examples of the Israelites to show their need to add self-control to their spiritual lives in an effort to resist temptation (1 Cor. 10:1-14).

Paul wanted his readers in Corinth to know the proper teaching concerning spiritual gifts: “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant” (1 Cor. 12:1). In fact, he spends the next three chapters discussing the proper use and approach Page 2 The Southwesterner February 22, 2015 to the spiritual gifts that they had by the Holy Spirit. In a divided church as Corinth, they were using these gifts to create animosity rather than using them as God intended.

Paul wanted his readers in Thessalonica to know the proper understanding of the resurrection:

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope (1 Thess. 4:13).

In the verses that follow in that chapter, he discusses what will happen at the resurrection in an effort to provide hope and qualm their fears and concerns for their loved ones who have preceded them in death (1 Thess. 4:13-18). Nevertheless, because God, the Holy Spirit, is the author of these all, then He would like for us today who read these priceless preserved treasures to know something about spiritual growth, the universal gospel of redemption, the need for temperance in Christianity, the proper understanding of spiritual gifts and the hope and comfort in the resurrection yet to come. In such, we appreciate the candor of the apostle Paul in providing for us this necessary knowledge! Indeed, a knowledge of the will and word of God is power!

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Spiritual Decoys

Spiritual Decoys

We are all familiar with the term “ decoys. ” Merriam-Webster defines a “ decoy ” in part as: “…someone or something used to lure or lead another into a trap; especially: an artificial bird used to attract live birds within shot.”

are you being fooled by decoys

Are you being fooled by Decoys?

Go into almost any outdoor or sporting goods store that caters to hunters and fishermen and you will find them – decoys of almost any imaginable sort, shape, and size. Everything from duck, to deer, to pheasant, to turkey, and oh so much more. In fact, many countless thousands upon thousands of artificial fishing lures would also fit into this category as well. This mesmerizing myriad of mostly plastic, truly life-like and look-alike creations of men, designed to deceive and draw the living within range of the death-dealing forces of their own destruction, can all be classified as “ decoys. ”

It is quite interesting to note how this is all-too-true and applies in the spiritual realm as well. In the first chapter of the Apostle Peter’s second epistle, he tells everyone exactly how to make sure that they are never spiritually deceived and drawn in by artificial decoys and false doctrines to their own destruction; this, by loving, learning and living God’s word, without exception, exemption, addition, subtraction, substitution or interpretation (2 Peter 1:16-21)!

And then he says this: But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber (2 Peter 2:1-3).

The phrase in verse three, which reads “By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words,” actually translates an incredibly telling Greek word for “deceptive,” which occurs only once in the entire New Testament. It is the Greek word “plastos,” the very word from which we derive the English word, “plastic.” And what exactly is “plastic?” It is an artificial, man-made substance God never spoke into existence, and which therefore never naturally occurs in God’s creation like wood or stone. It can be shaped and molded into all sorts of things, including the aforementioned artificial lures and deadly decoys, all designed to look like the real thing in order to attract and kill those deceived by them! And those deceptive (plastos) man-made doctrines never, ever found in Scripture, are every inch as spiritually and eternally deadly as well, and more!

Jesus Himself warned about the many false teachers and false Christs that would arise and mislead many to their deaths in the days leading up to the siege and destruction of Jerusalem (Matthew 24:1-14). The apostles Peter, Paul, and John also took up and echoed the very same warning cries in the decades to come (2 Peter 2 and 3; 2 Corinthians 11:15; 1 John 2:18-27, 4:1-6).

The fact is that there are many deadly and deceptive (“plastos”), fatal and false doctrines that are being put out in the spiritual field (Matthew 13:36-40) by Satan and his Scripture-denying servants, to deceive and call people in to their doom. These tantalizing and ear-tickling teachings are nothing more or less than empty decoys designed to deceive (1 Timothy 4:1-5; 2 Timothy 4:3-4). Like the Pharisees, these doctrines of demons may look and sound religiously pious and convincing on the surface, but are empty and more full of death and destruction than a “Trojan Horse” on the inside (Matthew 23:25-28). Examples of these deadly decoys would include saying the so-called “sinner’s prayer” for salvation; “attending the church of your choice” instead of the one God died to provide; and/or any and every other biblically foreign or contrary teaching known to man, designed to confuse and contradict the clear-cut commandments of God (Mark 7:5-13).

Don’t be deceived! Don’t be blindsided! Test the spirits! It may look like a duck and sound like a duck, but be nothing more than a deceptively deadly false doctrine, made out of spiritually-pliable and poison plastic, designed to draw seekers of the one true God in, while completely “ducking” His commandments in the process!

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Big Problem?

How Big is Your Problem?

do your problems seem to big to handle

Do Your Problems Seem Too Big to Handle?

No one ever said that life would be easy. From infancy nothing seems to go right. We are seemingly placed in a crib where we must cry endlessly, awaiting someone to notice that we are hungry, lonely or need our diapers changed. Later, there is that horrible task of learning to walk with the incessant tumbling and falling that is part of the process. Add to that the great “injustice” brought into our lives by parents and siblings. Life is not easy. Little do we realize that this just the beginning of a life filled with problems.

As we reach maturity, those first problems become insignificant with the problems which surround us. Look around you right now and think of what is happening. Life is not easy. It is characterized by insurmountable problems.

However, there is something a Christian has which makes life vastly different from those in the world. It does not matter what is happening, for the eyes of our God are over us, His ears are open to our prayers and His face is against those who trouble us (1 Pet. 3:12). Our problems often seem far greater than our abilities to deal with them, but we must remember that our God is greater than our problems.

Paul described the limitless power of God in his letter to Ephesus. “He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Eph. 3:20). Read that passage slowly and notice the character of God. God is able. He is able to do what we ask. He is able to do what we ask or think. He is able to do more than we ask or think. He is able to do abundantly more than we ask or think. He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.

The emphasis this year at Palm Beach Lakes is, “With God We Can.” The emphasis this month is “With God We Can Anchor Our Hope in Christ.” That hope is the anchor of our soul (Heb. 6:19) in the midst of adversity. Paul said we are saved by this hope (Rom. 8:24). Hope is not a wish that we might overcome, it is an expectation. It is not an expectation because of our ability, but because of His!

When Paul was traveling to Rome, his ship was caught in a tempestuous storm. For two weeks, they were driven by the ferocious winds and no one knew where they were. Luke described the situation as, “All hope was lost.” Yet, read Acts 27:21-25 carefully and see the hope Paul had in this situation. God was greater than his problems! That same God is your God, and He is greater than your problems!

The next time you look at what is happening in your life just remember that the question is not, “How big is your problem?” The question is, “How big is your God?”

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