JOURNAL=THE CHOICE-FLESH versus the SPIRIT
“IN the days WHEN he was in the FLESH-he offered PRAYERS and supplications........” Hebrews 5:7
In a POETIC MANNER-the BOOK of Hebrews refers to the years that Jesus lived on the earth as “DAYS when he was in the FLESH”
SINCE we are NOT God-all our days on this earth are spent in the flesh-yet we ALL-have a decision to make-ARE we going to LIVE pursuing “earthly” pleasure-or ARE WE going to live by the SPIRIT that Jesus CHRIST left behind for us-THAT same SPIRIT he walked this earth with
WE CAN do this by LIVING as a man or woman of GOD-dedicating ourselves to LOVING GOD and LOVING others-or we can do this by LOVING our family and DEDICATING our family to God-and/or BOTH
WHAT we CANNOT do is pursue earthly pleasures with NO REGARD to God and to others and just think of and PLEASURING OURSELVES-in whatever manner we choose to do so
THIS IS our ONE AND ONLY CHANCE to BUILD a life with FAITH-HOPE-and LOVE and to do GOOD WORKS-MAY we BUILD a life that is FOREVER PLEASING to God
it is a GREAT DAY to be ALIVE in GOD'S LOVE for us-and a great day to CHOOSE GOD and LIVING in the SPIRIT
THE CHOICE: FLESH VERSUS THE SPIRIT
WE all have a choice
In life
To LIVE by the flesh
Or live by the SPIRIT
“YOU were called for freedom
Brothers and sisters
But do NOT use this freedom
As an opportunity
For the flesh
Rather
SERVE one another
Through love” Galatians 5:13
So the question becomes
What does BEING FREE
Really mean
And HOW
Can we attain it
THE TRUTH IS
We are ALL a slave
To something or someone
In this world
That is WHERE addictions come in
We have
SLAVES to sex
We have slaves
To money and materialism
We have
Slaves to drugs
Slaves to alcohol
And many other forms
Of slavery in this world
In the eight chapter
Os Saint John’s Gospel
Jesus tells us:
“IF you
Hold to my teachings
You really are
My disciples
Then you will know
The truth
And the truth
Will set you free” John 8:31-32
Jesus goes on:
“I tell you the truth
Everyone who sins
Is a SLAVE to sin
NOW a slave
Has no permanent place
In the family
BUT A SON
Belongs to it FOREVER
So if the SON sets you FREE
You will be FREE indeed” John 8:34-36
There you have it
THE CHOICE
The choice
Is between GOD AND FAMILY
And being a slave
To the things of this world
CHOOSE THE SPIRIT
CHOOSE GOD
CHOOSE FAMILY
Pope John Paul II once said:
“FREEDOM consists
NOT in doing what we like
But in having THE RIGHT
To do what we ought”
So the PATHWAY
To freedom
Comes through SERVING others IN LOVE
LOVE GOD
LOVE OTHERS
LOVE OTHERS
What Jesus told us
ARE the GREATEST commandments
So-in doing this
We GROW beyond our selfishness
And serve others through our love
AND FIND LIFE
In and though God
“The mind of sinful man
Is death
But he mind controlled
BY THE SPIRIT-IS LIFE AND PEACE” Romans 8:6
Choose the SPIRIT
Choose GOD
Choose FAMILY
CHOOSE LIFE
Robert P. Wallman
7-21-13
Ps Inspired by LIVING FAITH magazine 6-30-13
Mark Neilsen
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