[phone camera shot -- not the clearest thing ever]
Day 2
[Out of order --oops --: see below for Day 3 and here for Day 1 (which will explain this study).]
Passage: Galatians 5:16-26
6 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.
19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.
Prompt: What does this passage teach about God? about the author? about who I am in Christ?
Thoughts: The passage teaches us about God in that He (Holy Spirit) is filled with the fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control), and He longs for us to be; He wants us to follow the Spirit's leading in EVERY PART of our lives, not just on Sunday or at Bible studies, but even when you're sitting your toddler in time-out or spanking your four-year-old for lying (with a little of His mercy and grace for her finally admitting the truth), even when your house is a wreck because your week's been filled with fun, but chaotic busyness, even when every T.V. or toy is blaring and you can't hear yourself think. God wants us to remain in Him each tiny fraction of every second of every day. Hide in the shadow of His wings, so to speak. How hard is this? It takes superhuman ability, truly -- something WE don't have, but only God can provide, but as we pray to abide in Him and He in us (John 15:5 -- my memory verse from my Experiencing God study this week), we will bear much fruit; apart from Him we can do N-O-T-H-I-N-G, nada. I dare say, apart from Him, we wreak havoc on everything. I know I do. I say things and do things I didn't pray about or ask Him about, and BOOM, I find I've failed...because it was from me (what I thought God wanted me to say or do), not Him or maybe not the right timing.
About the author? Paul? He identifies with us. He knew full well how easy it is to fall back on the sinful nature, or he wouldn't have been able to so clearly define each sin. Not that he had to have committed every sin, but he wrestled with his own skeletons. How do I know? He told us in Romans 7:14-24. On top of that, he was human, like the rest of us. Yes, he was a great man of God, used mightily by the Holy Spirit, but he was human nonetheless.
In Christ, I am a NEW creation. I am to be directed and guided, molded, by the Holy Spirit, each and every second of the day. Pray and ask forgiveness for the moments I yield to my sinful nature (because I do!). Seek Him first, His kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:32-34), trust Him with all of my heart, lean not on my own understanding (ouch, I do this too much), in all my ways acknowledge Him, ask Him to direct my paths (pray.every.second.because.I.need.to.), and He promises to make His path clear to me (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Lord, do it. Use me. Fill me with you and remove the me that's still there. Be glorified in my humble life.
1 comments:
I love it! Thanks for sharing your observations.
So fun to know that "sisters" in the Lord are studying these passages. I grew up in the High Desert, and went to High School with Katie.
Excited to see all the Lord is going to do in our hearts through this study!
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