"Because it´s only when you´re tested that you truly discover who you are. And it´s only when you´re tested that you discover who you can be. The person that you want to be does exist, somewhere in the other side of hard work and faith, and belief and beyond the HEARTACHE and fear of what life has."
This semester, I have been learning what it means for our God to be an EVERYDAY God. Whenever I hear the word every day, I think of Aaron Bevers saying, “All day err day!” Makes me giggle. Anyways, this has been the simplest yet most radical thing that I think I have ever learned in my faith. As Christians, so often, we can quote some scripture, debate theology, or plan some big event with a big band for Jesus’ name to be proclaimed. While these things may not be bad, I think it can be troublesome if we forget that we have a God who is not just in the churchy stuff, but we have a God who sits with us in our classes, basketball games, movie nights, restaurants, etc. It is a constant battle between our flesh and His spirit. What does it mean for His spirit to be living and active in our lives? The answer is the fruits of the SPIRIT: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Living a life for Christ means living a life of the Spirit. It is this very Spirit which guides and directs our thoughts and actions. Imagine what our days would look like if the fruits of the Spirit were the things that we embraced each day. You see God is either Lord of ALL or he is not Lord at all. He wants us `all day err day’. Texas Tech, do you want to know how to start a revival? Start living in the Spirit. Sure have your worship services, bible studies, etc. Those things are all good and such… However, let us not forget that we have a God who is not just in the great/big times or the not so great/tragic times, but we have a God who is over, under, everywhere, and in between. When our flesh is threatening to seep out, remember that we must die to ourselves each day. Romans 6:6 says, “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” Our flesh, our sin, died with Christ so that we may LIVE with Him! His Spirit is alive in us. Our God is living and active. Who has your heart today? What has control of your actions? Is it selfishness, lust, and pride, or is it love, joy, and patience? Jesus already put our flesh to death when he died on the cross for our sins.
This semester, I have been learning what it means for our God to be an EVERYDAY God. Whenever I hear the word every day, I think of Aaron Bevers saying, “All day err day!” Makes me giggle. Anyways, this has been the simplest yet most radical thing that I think I have ever learned in my faith. As Christians, so often, we can quote some scripture, debate theology, or plan some big event with a big band for Jesus’ name to be proclaimed. While these things may not be bad, I think it can be troublesome if we forget that we have a God who is not just in the churchy stuff, but we have a God who sits with us in our classes, basketball games, movie nights, restaurants, etc. It is a constant battle between our flesh and His spirit. What does it mean for His spirit to be living and active in our lives? The answer is the fruits of the SPIRIT: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Living a life for Christ means living a life of the Spirit. It is this very Spirit which guides and directs our thoughts and actions. Imagine what our days would look like if the fruits of the Spirit were the things that we embraced each day. You see God is either Lord of ALL or he is not Lord at all. He wants us `all day err day’. Texas Tech, do you want to know how to start a revival? Start living in the Spirit. Sure have your worship services, bible studies, etc. Those things are all good and such… However, let us not forget that we have a God who is not just in the great/big times or the not so great/tragic times, but we have a God who is over, under, everywhere, and in between. When our flesh is threatening to seep out, remember that we must die to ourselves each day. Romans 6:6 says, “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” Our flesh, our sin, died with Christ so that we may LIVE with Him! His Spirit is alive in us. Our God is living and active. Who has your heart today? What has control of your actions? Is it selfishness, lust, and pride, or is it love, joy, and patience? Jesus already put our flesh to death when he died on the cross for our sins.
Okay, real talk…. It is funny how the Lord has been impressing this lesson upon me starting about three months ago, yet I feel as if I have been failing miserably at it ever since. So first and foremost, I want to just remember that I am not perfect. That is a hard one for me to comprehend, because if it were my choice, I would be perfect. Secondly, sometimes our sin/flesh does get the best of us. In 2nd Corinthians 12:9, it states, “My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in your weakness.” Isn’t that cool? Living in the Spirit is not about what WE choose to do, but rather how the Lord sustains himself with grace in and through us. It is about how his Spirit overcomes places where our flesh is craving to be let out. Thirdly, we need to remember that we should not continue to sin just so His grace may increase. When He forgives us, we are new creations; the old has gone and the new has come! Lastly, as his mercies are new for us each day, the EVERYDAY God himself is our only source of true strength. “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26
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