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Slaves to Sin

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orion77:
Hello Marie,

Great post, that CEV version in Eph.4:17-28 are some good words.  I need to read them over and over again until they are sunk in this thick skull of mine.   ;D

All of the apostles were constantly working and fighting against that ole carnal nature.  We all do.  I think while we are still physically alive, we are still working to achieve perfection.  With faith and the Spirit of Christ, along with our obedience, molding us more and more into His nature.

God bless,

Gary

Andy_MI:
Marie,

That was beautiful! What a wonderful way to start my day in reading your post. Thank you for the encouragement. I feel a little more strength now.

Joe,

Thank you for your words of encouragement. It's such a blessing to have the loving members of the body of Christ in times of need.

Peace,

Andy

Deborah-Leigh:
Hi Marie

This post also sheds light on my questions regarding backsliding! I have to re-study this!

Thank you

Arcturus :)

hillsbororiver:
Excellent post Marie,

Often I find myself having stumbled over stupid, small, insignificant stuff.

A car following too close behind me.

A rude, oblivious person in at work, or a store or some public place.

A phone call at an inopportune time.

A redundant (my perspective) question.

A slow, inattentive (again, my perspective) clerk, waiter or waitress.

These are but a few of the things that will sometimes give new life to the beast within me, it is painful to look back and see how easily my faith in Him can be distracted and detoured back to the "old man." Especially over the "small things" in this life. Getting caught up in the daily grind of appointments, meetings, one problem after another having to be dealt with and rectified during the course of the workday, some of these unguarded moments when it has become obvious I have not put on the "whole armor of God."

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Yes, the big temptations come and go, they can be agonizing trials but I find that they are much more easily recognized for what they are and even though they are absolutely no fun to experience, that feeling of being drawn to or even thinking about things my spirit has come to hate, my flesh is attracted like a moth to a flame. Then after a little while His Spirit will lead mine to a quiet place where time slows down and I get a new glimpse of how utterly corrupt my flesh is and how weak I am without Him in the forefront of my heart and mind, then I will get a small dose or a taste (this is most assuredly because it is all I am presently able to bear) of His Love and His Glory and His Peace will fill my soul.

It is an incredible experience, one I would love to really describe. Many times revelations or emotions that I feel at the time I truly want to put on paper, put into words, but then it fades along with my memory of the revelations and emotions, I mostly just remember it as a truly awesome and powerfully beautiful, yet very humbling.

I thank you all for your comments and fellowship.

His Peace and Wisdom to you,

Joe


   

hillsbororiver:
Earlier today this verse kept coming to mind, I thought it would be appropriate here;

Mat 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.3126

 G3126
μαμμωνᾶς
mammōnas
mam-mo-nas'
Of Chaldee origin (confidence, that is, figuratively wealth, personified); mammonas, that is, avarice (deified): - mammon.

The Amplified Translation reads;

 Matthew 6:24 (Amplified Bible)
   
24No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be [a]against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, or [c]whatever is trusted in).

I don't believe we can ever truly separate ourselves from this dual mindset while we are in the flesh, the churches teach the impossible, that we are either/or, one or the other, I think this verse is saying that (once we are called) we ARE subject to both, but we will hate one or the other, when we are tempted to sin and we lust after the object of our desire we hate the voice of His Spirit that admonishes us, but when we submit to His admonitions we hate the voice of the temptor. When we were only natural, carnal unbelievers this conflict did not exist. .

Even though victory has been established through His death and resurrection and our spirit is married to His Spirit, we are still subject to the weakness of the flesh, which we despise more and more as His Spirit increases and we decrease.

Does this make sense to anyone else?

His Peace and Wisdom to you,

Joe

     

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