Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Live By The Spirit – No Selfish Ambition

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another. Galatians 5:19-26 NLT

From yesterday’s blog…"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Galatians 2:20. Those “sinful desires and passions” including selfish ambition have been nailed to the cross…today. And tomorrow they’ll still be nailed there as I take up my cross and follow Jesus, walking with Him. Passion is what we desire most in life…our reason for living, the factor that motivates us to do what we do. My passion is now to live like Christ. Does that sound too conceited or a holier than thou attitude? That is not at all what I feel—I just want to live a life doing the right thing and helping others. That is what Jesus Christ did—He lived for others—to please His Heavenly Father. Can we do any less? 

Training Tip – Kids love to hammer nails into boards. Have them write some “sins” or mistakes they have made on a paper—or draw a picture of what they have done that must be forgiven by God. Then give your kids a board, a couple of nails and a hammer and let them go at it, nailing their sins to the board. For the younger ones you may want to pre-drill a hole. For older children have them make a cross shape with two boards before nailing their sins to it. Discuss that Christ was sinless. He never sinned. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15. 

Lord Jesus, help my children and grandchildren to see and appreciate what You did taking our sins upon yourself on the cross. Now as I walk with You, fill me with the fruit of the Holy Spirit…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.
© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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