Feed the fire. Lord be my one desire. Fan the flame, in my heart. Light the spark. Lead me on through the dark, and feed the fire in my heart.
One of the things that I have been learning about allot lately is the importance of feeding the fire, the holy spirit. Doing so serves two very important purposes. The first being that it kills the flesh, a.k.a. the sinful nature. So often have I tried to do battle against my flesh and have failed. I know the scriptures and what they say, but that doesn't seem to be enough. I know in my mind what I need to do, and can talk all about it, but I still fall flat on my face time and time again. I even try to fill my mind with other things to avoid thinking and doing things to please the flesh, but it just doesn't work. I even ask God for strength to fight the flesh, but that doesn't work.
So how can I kill this thing called the flesh? Simple: by feeding the spirit. When I feed the spirit, the flesh is not being fed. So has the spirit grows stronger, the flesh becomes weaker and weaker until it all but goes away.
How do I go about feeding the spirit? Simple: pray. In prayer, the attention and focus shifts to God and away from the self. In prayer, the promises presented in the scriptures are recognized. In prayer, it becomes clear that I cannot do this thing called life on my own, and I am in desperate need of God's grace, mercy, love, guidance, and spirit. In prayer, I recognize my sin for what it is; humbly acknowledging that I cannot repay the sin debt I owe him; humbly acknowledging my need for forgiveness; humbly accepting that my sin has been forgiven and forgotten; and humbly accepting that forgiveness is not something I deserve, but that it is because of God's infinite grace, mercy, and love. Another great way to feed the spirit is to meditate on scripture. Scripture is the living word from the living God. It is the truth. If we want to know how the spirit works, then we need to be in scripture. If we want to know the promises God has for us, we need to be in scripture. If we want to know the truth about who God really is, we need to be in scripture. If we want to grow in the spirit, we need to be in scripture.
Feeding the fire, the holy spirit, serves another very important purpose. It gives us the power to carry out God's will for our lives. One of the things I really struggled with was the uncertainly of knowing whether or not I was doing something with the right motives. I would see what would appear to be an opportunity to reach out to someone for Christ, and sometimes I would act on it, but I never knew if that was just me doing it because it was something I had to do because that's what the bible says to do, or if it was done out of a real love for the person. The truth is, how can I really show love to that person if the father, son, and holy spirit are not present in my life? "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:22-23. One cannot cultivate these fruits by oneself. These fruits only come as a result of the holy spirit at work in one's life. So if I am growing in the spirit, and the spirit is present in my life, then I will bear these fruits. These things will come naturally. I won't do good things because I have to, but because I will naturally want to.
Galatians 5:16-26:
"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did
before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of
God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
Feed the fire. Lord be my one desire. Fan the flame, in my heart. Light
the spark. Lead me on through the dark, and feed the fire in my heart.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
A kiss without any shame
A kiss without any shame. Something I've never experienced in previous relationships. It almost always seemed forbidden. Something that I shouldn't do. Something that would lead me to wanting to do more. I would feel the urge to kiss, but it felt wrong. It felt wrong and I felt really ashamed of the feelings. But other times I gave into the feelings. I pushed aside the shame and lost myself in those moments. I let myself get carried away. I let myself loose control. And when kissing wasn't enough, I would want more. I wasn't satisfied. So I did more. And when that wasn't enough, I would want even more. I wasn't satisfied, so I did even more. And the vicious cycle repeated itself until I realized I had gone to far and needed to stop.
A kiss without any shame. Something I've been beginning to experience that I didn't think was possible. And what an amazing experience! A kiss not based on emotions; a kiss not based on erotic passion; a kiss not based on a cheep, fake, imitation of love; but a kiss with substance. A kiss as an expression of real love. A kiss expressed with kindness and gentleness. A kiss with careful consideration and respect for the others boundaries. A kiss where I am not loosing myself in the moment, and losing control. Make no mistake, kissing can and is certainly grounds where the devil has ample opportunity to strike and cause great temptation. When I am alert and focused on God, even when kissing, I am prepared and ready for Satan's attack. And when it does come, by God's grace and through the power of the holy spirit, I can and have overcome those attacks. Thank you Lord, for your grace! Thank you Lord, for your holy spirit! Thank you Lord, for this beautiful experience! Thank you Lord, for this amazing, wonderful, inspiring, encouraging, challenging, wise, beautiful woman that you have placed in my life! Thank you Lord!
A kiss without any shame. Something Beautiful.
~~~Newsboys - Something Beautiful~~~
I wanna start it over
I wanna start again
I want a new a new beginning
One without any end
I feel it inside
Calling out to me
CHORUS
It's a voice that whispers my name
It's a kiss without any shame
Something beautiful
Like a song that stirs in my head
Singing love will take us where
Something's beautiful
I've heard it in the silence
Seen it on a face
I've felt it in a long hour
Like a sweet embrace
I know this is true
It's calling out to me
CHORUS
It's a voice that whispers my name
It's a kiss without any shame
Something beautiful
Like a song that stirs in my head
Singing love will take us where
Something's beautiful
It's the child on her wedding day
It's the daddy that gives her away--Father
Something beautiful
When we laugh so hard we cry
It's the love between you and I
Something beautiful
A kiss without any shame. Something I've been beginning to experience that I didn't think was possible. And what an amazing experience! A kiss not based on emotions; a kiss not based on erotic passion; a kiss not based on a cheep, fake, imitation of love; but a kiss with substance. A kiss as an expression of real love. A kiss expressed with kindness and gentleness. A kiss with careful consideration and respect for the others boundaries. A kiss where I am not loosing myself in the moment, and losing control. Make no mistake, kissing can and is certainly grounds where the devil has ample opportunity to strike and cause great temptation. When I am alert and focused on God, even when kissing, I am prepared and ready for Satan's attack. And when it does come, by God's grace and through the power of the holy spirit, I can and have overcome those attacks. Thank you Lord, for your grace! Thank you Lord, for your holy spirit! Thank you Lord, for this beautiful experience! Thank you Lord, for this amazing, wonderful, inspiring, encouraging, challenging, wise, beautiful woman that you have placed in my life! Thank you Lord!
A kiss without any shame. Something Beautiful.
~~~Newsboys - Something Beautiful~~~
I wanna start it over
I wanna start again
I want a new a new beginning
One without any end
I feel it inside
Calling out to me
CHORUS
It's a voice that whispers my name
It's a kiss without any shame
Something beautiful
Like a song that stirs in my head
Singing love will take us where
Something's beautiful
I've heard it in the silence
Seen it on a face
I've felt it in a long hour
Like a sweet embrace
I know this is true
It's calling out to me
CHORUS
It's a voice that whispers my name
It's a kiss without any shame
Something beautiful
Like a song that stirs in my head
Singing love will take us where
Something's beautiful
It's the child on her wedding day
It's the daddy that gives her away--Father
Something beautiful
When we laugh so hard we cry
It's the love between you and I
Something beautiful
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
The Apple Tree
Three kinds of apple trees: a dead tree, which bears no fruit; a bad tree, which bears bad fruit; and a good tree, which bears good fruit. A dead tree is just that. Dead. It is chopped down and thrown into the fire. A bad tree is a tree that only bears bad fruit. It cannot bear good fruit. A good tree is the opposite. It only bears good fruit. So an apple tree is determined by it's fruit.
What kind of apple tree are you? A dead tree is one who claims to be a Christian but their faith doesn't spur them to action. They are the ones who stay in their "Christian bubble" hanging out with their "Christian" friends but never reach out to those who are lost. This might be because they are afraid. They have some fear that is holding them back. Or perhaps they are comfortable. They are comfortable with where they are in life and just don't want to change. Or perhaps they are too busy. To busy and wrapped in everything that they are doing and just don't have time. Or whatever it may be. But if that is you, if that is me, then we are dead. We are dead trees and we are not bearing any fruit. And we are certainly in trouble. If we remain in this state, on judgment day, we will be cut down and cast into the fire. John 15:5-6 "I am the vine; you are the branches... If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned."
What kind of apple tree are you? A bad tree is one who claims to be a Christian and does "good" deeds, but these deeds are not done out of faith. These deeds are done out of impure motives. These deeds are done by those who want to be noticed by others. Those who want to receive praise from others for what they have done. These deeds are done by those who want to feel good about themselves. Those who want to consider themselves to be a good person because of the things they are doing. These deeds are done by those who feel it it something they have to do. Those who feel it is a list of do's and don'ts and have to do it because it's in the bible or so and so told them to do it. Whatever the case may be. But we are missing the point. We cannot please God without faith. God knows our hearts and motives. We cannot fool him. If this is you, if this is me, then we are also in trouble. For even the bad trees are cast into the fire on the day of judgment. Matthew 7:19 "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
What kind of apple tree are you? A good tree is one who is truly a Christian. One who truly understands that they can do nothing good on their own. One who truly understands that their own righteous acts are like filthy rags before God and cannot please him. One who truly understands that it is all about surrendering their life to Christ and allowing him to work through them. Those who know what it means to live life to the full. Those who truly know Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord. Those who know the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. These are the good trees that bear good fruit. These are the good and faithful servants. These are the ones who will inherit eternal life. Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Matthew 16:24-25 "Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." Acts 20:24 "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace."
Thee kinds of apple trees. What kind are you?
What kind of apple tree are you? A dead tree is one who claims to be a Christian but their faith doesn't spur them to action. They are the ones who stay in their "Christian bubble" hanging out with their "Christian" friends but never reach out to those who are lost. This might be because they are afraid. They have some fear that is holding them back. Or perhaps they are comfortable. They are comfortable with where they are in life and just don't want to change. Or perhaps they are too busy. To busy and wrapped in everything that they are doing and just don't have time. Or whatever it may be. But if that is you, if that is me, then we are dead. We are dead trees and we are not bearing any fruit. And we are certainly in trouble. If we remain in this state, on judgment day, we will be cut down and cast into the fire. John 15:5-6 "I am the vine; you are the branches... If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned."
What kind of apple tree are you? A bad tree is one who claims to be a Christian and does "good" deeds, but these deeds are not done out of faith. These deeds are done out of impure motives. These deeds are done by those who want to be noticed by others. Those who want to receive praise from others for what they have done. These deeds are done by those who want to feel good about themselves. Those who want to consider themselves to be a good person because of the things they are doing. These deeds are done by those who feel it it something they have to do. Those who feel it is a list of do's and don'ts and have to do it because it's in the bible or so and so told them to do it. Whatever the case may be. But we are missing the point. We cannot please God without faith. God knows our hearts and motives. We cannot fool him. If this is you, if this is me, then we are also in trouble. For even the bad trees are cast into the fire on the day of judgment. Matthew 7:19 "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
What kind of apple tree are you? A good tree is one who is truly a Christian. One who truly understands that they can do nothing good on their own. One who truly understands that their own righteous acts are like filthy rags before God and cannot please him. One who truly understands that it is all about surrendering their life to Christ and allowing him to work through them. Those who know what it means to live life to the full. Those who truly know Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord. Those who know the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. These are the good trees that bear good fruit. These are the good and faithful servants. These are the ones who will inherit eternal life. Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Matthew 16:24-25 "Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." Acts 20:24 "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace."
Thee kinds of apple trees. What kind are you?
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