Recently I went out early one morning to walk our puppy.  While this is a morning ritual which our family does something unusual happened on this particular day which is a great lesson for each of us.  Let me set the scene.  If you are not familiar with our yard, our house sits on a lot which in places is quite hilly.  Our lawn is quite plush in most places and is very attractive to me but that morning the beauty of the rolling hills coupled with the plush carpet of grass and heavy morning dew created a slippery slope.  As I exited the house in a hurry I grab an old pair of flip flops which had virtually no tread on the bottom.  Since our little Bella likes to cover the entire yard sniffing where the deer have roamed before taking care of her morning necessity we traversed flatland and hills.  As we started down a particular hill in my front yard, I suddenly found myself lying on the ground.  This was never my intent, my desire, or my aspirations that morning.  Yet the wet grass and the lack of tread on my flip flops created a dangerous combination.  The very thing I did not want to do, I did.  In fact, I am certain that if my humiliation were seen by any of my neighbors that morning, they enjoyed seeing a grown man take a tumble down the hill sliding along the wet grass.  (By the way, I jumped up quickly and acted like I planned it the whole time!)

Paul shares some very personal information in Romans 7 about some things in his life that he did not want to do but in the end did.  Within the latter part of this chapter Paul talks about the conflict/battle that takes place in his heart.  The crutch of the chapter falls in verse 15 where Paul states, “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”  Can you relate with Paul?  I can.  How many times have I said why did I do that?  Why did I say that?  Why did I act that way?  Those words, actions, and deeds were not what I wanted to do!   

These actions are a slippery slope on which we tread created by a conflict within each us.  I recently read some statistical data which I found quite interesting.  It said, “A group of academics and historians has compiled this startling information: Since 3600 B.C., the world has known only 292 years of peace!”  Now from this bit of trivia we might assess that whenever there are at least two people there is the possibility of conflict.  However, the scripture gives us a different view.  In fact, according to the Word of God all that has to take place for conflict to exist is “one” person.  That is what Paul is describing in the previously mentioned passage.  We are at conflict with a force within us.  For the believer in Christ, we find that the new creation is in conflict with the old nature.  Why is this?  Paul aptly phrases the answer in Romans 7:24, “Wretched man that I am!”  The implication is that we are all deprived by our flesh and human nature but we do not have to stay that way.  He goes on to ask in the next sentence, “Who will deliver me from this body of death?”  He is asking the very question to which we all want to know the answer.  He is asking, “How can I win this battle?” The great part is that he does not leave us hanging very long for in the next verse Paul gives the answer, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” 

Our answer is Jesus Christ.  Unfortunately we are too closely akin to what happened to an elderly lady who became a victim to a scam artist taking nearly all her life savings.  When she called the Better Business Bureau afterwards to complain the organization asked why she did not call before giving her life savings to the individual.  Her response was, “I did not call you first because I was afraid you would tell me not to do it.”  Therein are too many Christians who fall victim to the allurement of the old nature.  We do not seek God’s advice or aid because we are afraid he will tell us not to follow the old nature. 

Jesus admonished us in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.”  Before we give in to the old nature seek God.  Before we lose the battle of wills seek God.  Before we do that thing we really do not want to do seek God. 

 Have a blessed day,

 

Pastor Ric

Gal 5:16 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”