JOURNAL=THE CHOICE: SPIRIT versus the FLESH

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

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