Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Led by the Spirit
Romans 8:12-17

Elizabeth Philip
St. John’s MTC, New York
12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— 13 for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God .
 
As a child of God, our greatest enemy in life is sin. Sin has the capacity to consume a being, not just superficially but from deep within. We become so engrossed within it and so consumed, that it is so unbelievably difficult to become pure again. It is self-destructing in nature and ultimately, finds the opportunity to grow. We can see the character of the “flesh” in Galatians 5:17 as written by Paul the apostle. It reads, “For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” In other words, the flesh and spirit are not compatible. One aims to help find the glory of God while the other aims to destroy every effort made in the process of finding the glory of God.
    As loyal servants of our Lord and Savior, it is our duty to overcome any evil desires that may be lingering within us in order to build and strengthen our relationship with the Lord. In Matthew 6:22-23, Jesus gave us a crystal clear teaching as to how to conquer and defeat our greatest enemy, the flesh.  We can see in these verses that 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
    As we were growing up, we were taught right from wrong. With every decision that is made, we know what the possible consequences may be. Often, we forget the good judgment that was instilled within us when we were young and continue to partake in our sinful nature. As humans, sin is inevitable. However, with Christ, our darkness is filled with light and we are able to have “healthy eyes”.  If we allow the spirit to lead our lives, our Father embodies us with His unfathomable, everlasting love. We are protected by the shield and covered in the armor of God and when we are under His wings, we will soar through life with the grace that God has given us.

PRAYER

Dear Father, we humbly ask that You guide us through our decisions. Help us to grow in faith and do what is right according to Your will. We ask that You continue to be our light in the midst of darkness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I'm found, was blind, but now, I see. " John Newton 

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