Spirit-led

6/16/2009

Colossians 2:23 23 These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence. New American Standard Bible

As humans we are hard-wired by God to worship…but because of sin and selfishness we are corrupted and fallen. The original equipment is present but the operating system has been corrupted and so with all that God has blessed us with as humans, sin has ruined. In order then to try to fix it, humans came up with self-made religion, self-abasement and severe treatment of the body just to show others we truly have our act together. But these things have no value in true spiritual warfare and conduct; are dreadfully lacking and only mask destruction. In other words – they are a total waste of time.

I am called and hard-wired in Christ to be Spirit-led. I am to commune and cooperate with to the Holy Spirit who will lead me to where He desires me to go and show me what I am to do. He and only He can withstand fleshly, corrupt indulgence because He and only He brings true life and wisdom to the child of God who battles against the world, the flesh and the devil.

Father in Heaven,

You and only You are true. You original intent for mankind is true and though You’ve blessed us with freewill You never intended for us to go our own way. Help me to avoid the uselessness of the appearance of wisdom in my attempts at self-made religion, self-abasement and severe treatment of my body in order to put on a show for others humans to witness and be somehow impressed. Father I pray to be Spirit-led – I ask in Jesus’ Name, amen.

A Present Heart

A Present Heart

6/1/2009

Proverbs 21:27 27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, 

How much more when he brings it with evil intent! NASB

I looked up the references for ‘abomination’ and ‘abominable’ this morning and found 131 different places in the Old Testament where these words were used. From just from my casual glimpse, I found the overwhelming majority of times the words were used were when referencing idolatry or idols. Idolatry is an abomination to the Lord. Trying to manipulate the Lord by using religious expression is also abominable. As I thought about this I thought probably the closest thing to this in our human experience is rape or child molestation – the taking of forceful or manipulative sexual advantage of someone against their will. Why try to manipulate the Lord if there is no other reason that that of self-gratification? 

My heart must be in my worship of the Lord and my heart must be a sanctuary of the Lord – anything less than that is tantamount to abomination. Sometimes it is easy to fake it, or fake it until you make it, but these also are very serious breaches of relational trust with God. My heart must be with the Lord and must be a place where He dwells – alone with no competition; either motives, preferences or fear.

The sacrifice of the wicked is indeed abominable because his heart is not with the Lord and he’s only attempting to manipulate God and get God to cave to his demands – the sacrifice of the redeemed with an empty or absent heart or with the intent to manipulate is also a very serious thing. Be careful what you ask for and how you ask…

Father in Heaven,

You have called me to be Your own and to be Yours with my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. I pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit this morning and the fellowship of Christ as I go about my day that I may keep my heart as a fitting abode for You and keep my motives, intentions and preferences pure before You – I pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.