More thoughts against the flesh

I think it's amazing how God can use different circumstances in my life to make a point. SO many times I've heard the same idea coming from different sources/people. How kind of Him to so patiently teach me and grow me in knowing Him!

I'm sure it is pretty obvious from what I've been writing lately that I've been thinking a lot about the Christian walk and God's call for my life and His will. He's been really gracious in answering my questions one by one. His promises really are true and more specifically, the one in Matt 7:7-8 : "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened."

So anyway, the other day, Diana Anselmo was telling me about a book she's been reading. It's called "Living Water" and it's written by Brother Yun. He's a Chinese guy who got saved and became a pastor. He's been persecuted by the Chinese government and tortured and asked to denounce his faith, but he didn't. I thought it was interesting that he was writing about a lot of the things that have been on my mind. Diana shared this quote with me :

"People can become controlled by their lusts, which causes them to make ignorant and wrong decisions. They ultimately pay a very high price for their indiscretion. Many people have told me how they wish they would have known the consequences of an action they took, which destroyed their marriages, broke their families and brought untold misery to their lives.

Thankfully, God has provided a way for his children so we don't have to be overcome by fleshly temptations. One of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control. This doesn't mean that we control ourselves but it means we must submit to the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us and who helps us to fear God and hate sin. [emphasis added]

There is an important truth that I think many Christians have not properly grasped: it is only the grace of God that can help and train us to overcome temptation. Paul told Titus that "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,"(Titus 2:11-13)

Some Christians think they can conquer their fleshly desires and temptations by their own willpower and strength. Some are even willing to go to great lengths in that battle, but if your struggle does not draw its strength from the grace of God. it will likely be in vain. Note when the apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Colossae : "If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch" referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh." (Col 2:20-23)"

(to be continued)