Tough Stuff

Romans 8  

⁵ For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, ⁷ because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, ⁸ and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Isaiah 40

⁵ Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
And all flesh will see it together;
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
⁶ A voice says, “Call out.”
Then he answered, “What shall I call out?”
All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
⁷ The grass withers, the flower fades,
When the breath of the LORD blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.
⁸ The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.

1 Peter 2

 ¹ Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, ² like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, ³ if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. . . 

 ¹¹ Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. ¹² Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Sin is comfortable. It's easy. It requires no real effort, no sacrifice, no thought, and no courage. Sin is what happens when we give up, don't care, become bitter or angry, or allow ourselves to just be and not choose. We don't realize that we're falling into a pattern, establishing a way of life. All we think about is here, now, this is what I want to do. We live so far from righteousness that we can not see it clearly; we do not know what it is. But, everything can change, if we stop, turn around, and seek God. It's far more than changing behaviors; it's about changing our hearts.

Consider this: I don't think about what I eat. Whatever is convenient, whatever is cheap, whatever I am accustomed to is what I eat. I never exercise because that requires planning and work. What happens? I get fat. My health suffers. It's a slow process; I come to live in fat . The moment I eat the doughnut I may feel momentary guilt (or maybe not) but there's no clear indicator that my health or weight is changing. What happens is a day comes when I look in the mirror and see a fat, disgusting person who is not who I wanted to be. Healthy is so far away I don't know how to reach it or maybe I don't think it's possible. But everything can change, if I stop, turn around, and seek a healthy life. I can't just adjust my behavior until I feel better though. I have to change my focus, my way of thinking, my desires.

            Either that or I die. 

Acts 2

³⁸ Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5

 ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

New American Standard Bible (NASB) from http://www.biblegateway.com/