by Pastor Cecil | Dec 29, 2020 | Romans
Romans 8:5
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”
As a young man I was often faced with a choice: Go to the library and study OR go for a walk in the park with a beautiful girl I had fallen in love with. (I usually chose the walk!)
I am always amazed at how simple the things of God are … and yet they are so difficult that it seems impossible to ever attain them. Paul expresses his own frustration with trying to fulfill God’s requirements when he agonizes, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24). His answer was, and still is, Jesus.
What we set our minds to achieve are the things that become the magnet for giving direction to our life. We will find the direction from the Lord when we choose to follow after the Lord.
Paul sets before us two ways of behaving: God’s way OR the way of the flesh. When we are honest we know the ways of the flesh lead to death, here and for eternity. God’s way leads to eternal life. I choose God’s way!
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
by Pastor Cecil | Feb 17, 2020 | Romans
Romans 12:2
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Just because we observe others acting or re-acting to a situation in a certain way does not mean that it is true. I once taught a college class and wanted to demonstrate the danger of relying on the response of others. I thoroughly washed a perfume bottle and completely purged it of any odor. I reminded the class that it was dangerous to rely on the responses of others. I was now about to catch them off guard.
I instructed the students to raise their hands the moment they could smell the perfume. Before class I had enlisted several students to assist me in the test. I asked them to sit in the front row and raise their hands after twenty to thirty seconds.
After twenty seconds the students I had enlisted to help me began to raise their hands.Soon everyone on the front row had their hands up, then the second row, and then several in the third row. I stopped the lecture and asked them what fragrance they thought it was? They finally agreed that it was floral and probably lilac.The students were stunned as I passed the bottle of pure water around and they discovered that there was no perfume and that they had responded because others had responded.
There are many religious leaders who are leading the faithful away from the pure Word by their charismatic personalities and the hoopla surrounding a polished production.We must never let this happen! There must never be a compromise with anything or anybody who deviates from the pure Word!
Blessings dear hearts! Walk with God today and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil
