Trying Harder Just Doesn't Work

My Utmost For His Highest

…that you may know what is the hope of His calling… —Ephesians 1:18

“Remember that you have been saved so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in your body (see 2 Corinthians 4:10). Direct the total energy of your powers so that you may achieve everything your election as a child of God provides; rise every time to whatever occasion may come your way. You did not do anything to achieve your salvation, but you must do something to exhibit it. You must “work out your own salvation” which God has worked in you already (Philippians 2:12). Are your speech, your thinking, and your emotions evidence that you are working it “out”? If you are still the same miserable, grouchy person, set on having your own way, then it is a lie to say that God has saved and sanctified you.” CHAMBERS

Have you ever thought about why God saves us the way He does.  He is the creator God.  He could do anything – anyway that He wanted to do, yet He chose to put His Spirit in us and to let us live this mortal life out.  He did not take our ability to choose away from us. Even as Christians, we can choose to go our own way .. to sin against Him.  The New Testament is full of encouragement from the disciples to die to the flesh and its desires and to live by the Spirit to the glory of God. So there you have it.  We were created in His image, higher than all creation … with the ability to obey or not … to live for Him or live for ourselves.  If you are like me … and we are all the same … we have feet of clay … our spirit is willing but our flesh is weak.  Living a life that brings glory to God is a result of drawing close to God .. not trying harder … Hertz car rental had an ad campaign that said “We try harder”.  That doesn’t work in our new life in Christ.  We need more faith and less personal effort.  Flesh only produces flesh and Spirit produces spirit.  ELGIN

Galatians 5:13-18 “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)