Thursday, July 20, 2017

July 20 Thought for the day....stuff of the flesh, the big S and the big I


I know these next few days are sounding somewhat negative. The truth is we allow things in our lives that make us "feel" like garbage, our minds get cluttered with stuff that leads to hopelessness, we have a hard time hearing from God, and the fruit of the Spirit struggles to be evident in our lives. This is not God's plan. He wants us free, but our flesh wants us in bondage. It becomes our choice, and I hope once we understand better the battle, we will win!

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21

The word sensuality for those who have read the KJV is the word lasciviousness (there's a word you use every day) it describes an uncontrolled appetite for anything food, sex, exercise, entertainment, drugs, alcohol, fear, stress. If it is controlling you rather than you controlling it, you are losing to sensuality. Most of the things I have listed are not bad things, but they can become bad if you are trying to fill a hole in your life or heart with them. This sin is wrong mainly because God wants to be the one who fulfills you. He knows how He created you and knows what will fulfill you. Don't settle for a substitute that will only make you hungry and thirstier. Giving in to sensuality is like being very thirsty and drinking ocean water, it never satisfies so you try to drink more and it can kill you!

What do you think more of than anything else? What do you spend more time and money on? Be careful because whatever the answer is, this may be your god! Idolatry means giving your complete and undivided attention, devotion, passion, love, or commitment to a person, project, or object other than God. When something other than God takes first place in your life, you have entered into at least some version of idolatry.

Most of the things you desire have been placed in your heart by God, and He wants to fulfill you with them. Idolatry twists even good things like family, jobs, dreams, and desires, so we no longer keep God in first place and allow Him to fulfill these things. Instead, we make them first place in our lives. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:33 if we put Him first in all things, we will fulfill us in all things. When we don't, we are left with broken hearts, empty dreams, and relationships.

God wants to fulfill every dream He has placed on our hearts, and He created us each uniquely to fulfill His dream and made us so that would be the thing we would love the most. Ask Him if He is first in your life. If He shows you things, repent and deal with them and watch the joy, love and peace return to your life.


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