The Challenge Of Keeping Our Old Nature In Check

“Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:5-7

<Journal Entry 10 Sep 2011> The crews from Alabama and Calvary Chapel (California)  are working well. Had to pay $500 to get tin for the rooves moved from Port au Prince yesterday. A tradeoff between work stoppage with the volunteers and the chance that the rooves would not be finished on time.  That is the rub – do we trust God to provide or do we act – is our action done in our own strength or is it God’s power in us. I think it is a heart issue. I talked to the Alabama team today about the Experiencing God – the fourth realities (God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes) I think they are a little put out with me -that’s OK – I want them to be safe & not lose their witness because they are tired and their flesh rises up. I was starting to see that in a couple of them – the leadership – hate using the shotgun approach to addressing problems with teams, but I thought it was appropriate this time.<End of Entry>

Whether we were in Mississippi, Haiti, or Texas, I always showed respect for the personal sacrifice people made to volunteer with us.  That meant making certain that they were busy helping people. It meant that the work was planned and resourced with materials and tools. I make it a point to keep the spiritual nature of what they were doing in focus. People underestimate what a spiritual, physical and emotional toll is taken when you serve on missions in another country – particular a 3^rd world country. I could see that serving in Haiti would quickly wear through the veneer and get to the hearts of the volunteers. Stress does that. It weakens our ability to hide our true selves and feelings. For Christians, it should be like a claxon on a ship in the fog – it should get our attention that something is amiss.  Something spiritual. Something that reveals the condition of our hearts. This temple of the Holy Spirit has feet of clay.

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

That means that we will struggle with our countenance, our attitudes, our witness.  Our flesh will want to rise up to dominate and often does. It should be a reminder that our new life is totally dependent upon the Spirit in us and not our ability to be good people.  We should not put any confidence in the flesh, our old nature, but we do. And when it does and the Spirit brings conviction which He will, we should not resist but confess and seek forgiveness – from God and from those we have offended. We should not respond with indignation and move on as if nothing happened.

“For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” – 2 Corinthians 5:14-19

When I write these devotions, I never know who reads them and I never know who they are for – for one – for many – or just for me. It matters not. I write them because I feel compelled to do so. Perhaps, as someone once said, I do it for an audience of One.

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?” – Micha 6:8

Shine Bright my friend and give God the glorify He is due.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone