My Mind
Sunday Night I preached on How to be pure from Galatians 5:16. In my preparation I came across a familiar passage.
Romans 8:6-8
For to be carnally minded is death; buy to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law, nor can it be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
This is a theological term for a passage like this, "No Duh!" This is why we get saved. Because our mind set on the flesh is enemies with God. It cannot please God. But then God made me realize, when I try to stop sinning, to stop being depressed, stop smoking, drinking, or whatever, I am trying to do it myself. I get confused because the things that I want are not bad. I want to spend 1 hour in prayer in the morning. But when I set out to do it, I set my mind on my flesh. I say I can do this. I can stop living in sin. We somehow think that we can discipline ourselves into submission. Am I saying that we need no discipline? By No Means! But the point is that discipline does not produce love. I had dinner with Sara the other night at her house. Maybe I was having an off day, and I thought, "I am not sure that I love her today. I will go and do the dishes, because I know she wants me to, and that will make me love her." That sounds absurd, but that is what we do in our relationship with God. Maybe if I go to church and and junk and sing the latest song because I know that is what God wants us to do, fellowship and worship Him, that will make me love Him more. No! Discipline does not produce love. But love always produces discipline. Always. You can never have true love without discipline. But when I set out to do it on my own, that is setting my mind on my flesh, and I make myself enemies with God.
Help me to simply walk in you spirit Lord, and be filled with your Spirit. Thank you that I cannot do it and that I must trust on you.
Romans 8:6-8
For to be carnally minded is death; buy to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law, nor can it be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
This is a theological term for a passage like this, "No Duh!" This is why we get saved. Because our mind set on the flesh is enemies with God. It cannot please God. But then God made me realize, when I try to stop sinning, to stop being depressed, stop smoking, drinking, or whatever, I am trying to do it myself. I get confused because the things that I want are not bad. I want to spend 1 hour in prayer in the morning. But when I set out to do it, I set my mind on my flesh. I say I can do this. I can stop living in sin. We somehow think that we can discipline ourselves into submission. Am I saying that we need no discipline? By No Means! But the point is that discipline does not produce love. I had dinner with Sara the other night at her house. Maybe I was having an off day, and I thought, "I am not sure that I love her today. I will go and do the dishes, because I know she wants me to, and that will make me love her." That sounds absurd, but that is what we do in our relationship with God. Maybe if I go to church and and junk and sing the latest song because I know that is what God wants us to do, fellowship and worship Him, that will make me love Him more. No! Discipline does not produce love. But love always produces discipline. Always. You can never have true love without discipline. But when I set out to do it on my own, that is setting my mind on my flesh, and I make myself enemies with God.
Help me to simply walk in you spirit Lord, and be filled with your Spirit. Thank you that I cannot do it and that I must trust on you.
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