Installment #3 A NEW SERIES: Body and soul. I read something a few mornings ago that was an answer to prayer, that is to a specific prayer and it was immediate and just what I needed. And it concerned both body and soul. I had been talking to God about failures in some weak areas in my life,(pride,self,and other areas) to have victory over it and at the same time I was experiencing His touch and His anointing. I even asked the Lord, how can this be? I fail God so much and yet His presence is still with me? So I opened up a little devotional book that I read from time to time and although it had been awhile since I had used this book there on two pages, side by side and two separate entries were two scripture verses and the author’s exhortation on them.
It’s not as though I wasn’t familiar with these scriptures or that I learned some new thing about them but the two of them together and side by side as two separate thoughts (now I’m really complicating things) met my need and set me free. It settled the questions in my mind.
Firstly in 1 Cor. 6:19 it tells me that my body is a temple for the Holy Ghost to live in and that I do not belong to myself.
The second reference was to 1 Samuel 16:7 and says that man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart.
Even though I fail in this temple and fall far short of what I should be, God looks at me through the blood of His dearly beloved only begotten Son of God and when I ask for His forgiveness He does not condemn me, rather He forgives me.
“And who is he that will condemn me?” Paul asks in Romans 8:34…”it is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen , who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us,” Thank God, Jesus is praying for me that I will not fail!! And then he goes on to say, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or nakedness, or peril or sword?” That’s verse 35. Skipping down to verse 37. “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 says, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” So here I am fighting these fleshly battles (such as are common to man and putting up with them) on the one hand but still experiencing His touch on the other hand and I understand that my body is a temple of God through the Spirit and I’m having a problem reconciling these two area’s in my life when suddenly I see these two scripture verses side by side and I realize that even when I fail, He still looks at my heart and sees my real desire is for Him. I do not say that I can continue in sin that grace may abound…God forbid! But I do say that even though there are areas in m my life that needs a lot of work….He still loves me. The song written by Joel Hemphill says, “He’s still working on me”. Thank God He is!I am forever quoting the words of an old song it seems…here’s one that comes to mind, “I am determined, I’ve made up my mind, I’ll serve the Lord”. It does require a determination to serve the Lord; any old fish can float downstream, it takes a fish like our Atlantic salmon to swim upstream. But you have to swim against the current. We do not have to go with the flow.
Let us make that our supreme determination :we will serve the Lord
It’s not as though I wasn’t familiar with these scriptures or that I learned some new thing about them but the two of them together and side by side as two separate thoughts (now I’m really complicating things) met my need and set me free. It settled the questions in my mind.
Firstly in 1 Cor. 6:19 it tells me that my body is a temple for the Holy Ghost to live in and that I do not belong to myself.
The second reference was to 1 Samuel 16:7 and says that man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart.
Even though I fail in this temple and fall far short of what I should be, God looks at me through the blood of His dearly beloved only begotten Son of God and when I ask for His forgiveness He does not condemn me, rather He forgives me.
“And who is he that will condemn me?” Paul asks in Romans 8:34…”it is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen , who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us,” Thank God, Jesus is praying for me that I will not fail!! And then he goes on to say, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or nakedness, or peril or sword?” That’s verse 35. Skipping down to verse 37. “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 says, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” So here I am fighting these fleshly battles (such as are common to man and putting up with them) on the one hand but still experiencing His touch on the other hand and I understand that my body is a temple of God through the Spirit and I’m having a problem reconciling these two area’s in my life when suddenly I see these two scripture verses side by side and I realize that even when I fail, He still looks at my heart and sees my real desire is for Him. I do not say that I can continue in sin that grace may abound…God forbid! But I do say that even though there are areas in m my life that needs a lot of work….He still loves me. The song written by Joel Hemphill says, “He’s still working on me”. Thank God He is!I am forever quoting the words of an old song it seems…here’s one that comes to mind, “I am determined, I’ve made up my mind, I’ll serve the Lord”. It does require a determination to serve the Lord; any old fish can float downstream, it takes a fish like our Atlantic salmon to swim upstream. But you have to swim against the current. We do not have to go with the flow.
Let us make that our supreme determination :we will serve the Lord
posted by Randall | 5:23 a.m.
3 Comments:
Good morning Randall
What you said about what happened when you opened your devotional book ,is what happens for me with the blog.The answer to something that I need just jumps off the page.God is so faithful that when we go looking for answers to our prayers He does not look at if we failed Him that day and say no.
He looks at our heart and gives us the ansewer we need. It is offen a scripture that we know, but see it differently today.
Thank God for the Holy Spirit that is living in us,because it is Him that shows me my sin and the need I have to asked for forgiveness.
When I think about the HOLY SPIRIT
living in me I begin to doubt if I can ever live up to what God
wants
from me.Then the scripture comes
to me that said Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world .Thank God for His word were ever we find it,it will alway lift us up.
C.M.
Reading the blog at 7:05AM,you look at it with eyes,barely open,a clean heart and an uncluttered mind,and think how can I possibly comment on this blog.
I find it easy to comment on all the blogs,its just my thoughts,I read the blog,most times more than once,then I write my thoughts down on paper,read them over,and send them to you,easy,isn't it.
Know something it is not easy,not for me to express my thoughts,not only my thoughts on GOD,but on most anything.
Let me tell you about me,Iam one of those people,that everyone else knows more than I do,about everything,no Iam putting myself down although it may seem like I am.All my life I have done just exactly what it takes to get by,and nothing more,never liked spelling so I didn't do it,I never liked reading [found it boring ],so I only read when I have to,I guess I am giving you the impression that Iam stupid,no though I do many stupid things I am not stupid,Iam just me,not any different than the next guy.I think we all look at other people and say,why cann't I be as smart as him or at someone else and say, boy,glad Iam not as stupid as him.Someone is looking at you and I,saying the same things about us.
I just see GOD,after one of my many blunders,standing shaking his head and saying "stupid man,he is just going to have to try again,and again,and again,untill he gets it my way,and he says I got the time to wait,but does he? Have we got the answer to GOD'S question,do we have the time??????
It is now 8:45AM,Iam reading this over and thinking,what has any of this got to do with this blog,but these are my thoughts,so why not send them.
Coffee
You know, i often read that verse that talks about our bodies being the temple of the holy spirit. I will read it then take a long look at my life and where I have been and it makes me sick. I fail the Lord everyday and probably more that others do. This is something that I need to forget. No one is perfect and if we all took a long look at what we have done with ourselves, none of us are overly happy with ourselves. But you know what? Jesus loves us anyway! I find myself too Randall, wishing and wanting what someone else has at church. I have told this person that I want what they have with the Lord, but it seems like I just couldnt get there. Im working on that and I have seen a change and I like how my life is starting to take on a new form, but I am a work in progress. Nothing happens overnight. Im glad that its taking time because I am seeing things in a completely different light. I have felt just like coffee has and have felt like Im nobody, but to Jesus I am. He made me and I want Him to mold me into what He wants me to be!!
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