Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Walking and living
Galatians 5:16 - “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh”
In my opinion and observation, there is a stark difference between Living in the Spirit and Walking in the Spirit. Now don’t get me wrong, walking vs. living in the Spirit isn’t a gauge to measure salvation, but rather a measure of obedience and maturity.
Walking in the Spirit puts our relationship with God, the gifts he has given us and the indwelling nature of the Holy Spirit into action. Think of it this way; there’s a Christian brother or sister that you always see in the same pew each Sunday…always there…never misses Sunday morning service. But when it comes to ministries of the church: outreach, teaching, leading a study group or just helping around the building, they are never there…or if asked, they disappear like a puff of smoke. Now Jesus was quite clear in Mathew 28: 18-20 that we are to be out spreading His word and leading people to the cross. Jesus was all about getting involved and putting our belief, our faith if you will, into action. What I’d like to know is, how can you do that from the pew? Walking in the Spirit nurtures our relationship with God through His continual revealing of Himself to us and through our reliance on Him for all things. I’m here to tell you that when the going gets tough and you are struggling to see even the slightest flicker of light at the end of the dark tunnel of life, you start to crave that reliance in the Lord because sometimes that all you have left…all that you can count on. Walking in the Spirit helps us develop and rely on the unique gifts and talents God provides each of us. Again, you might be penniless, you might be emotionally bankrupt, but no one except God Himself can repossess the gifts He has given you. Walking in the Spirit also provides two other vital benefits: In Galatians 5, Paul writes that the solution for defeating the flesh is to walk in the Spirit. And the evidence of the effectiveness of that walk are the fruits of the Spirit “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
For the love of Amy - V
In my opinion and observation, there is a stark difference between Living in the Spirit and Walking in the Spirit. Now don’t get me wrong, walking vs. living in the Spirit isn’t a gauge to measure salvation, but rather a measure of obedience and maturity.
Walking in the Spirit puts our relationship with God, the gifts he has given us and the indwelling nature of the Holy Spirit into action. Think of it this way; there’s a Christian brother or sister that you always see in the same pew each Sunday…always there…never misses Sunday morning service. But when it comes to ministries of the church: outreach, teaching, leading a study group or just helping around the building, they are never there…or if asked, they disappear like a puff of smoke. Now Jesus was quite clear in Mathew 28: 18-20 that we are to be out spreading His word and leading people to the cross. Jesus was all about getting involved and putting our belief, our faith if you will, into action. What I’d like to know is, how can you do that from the pew? Walking in the Spirit nurtures our relationship with God through His continual revealing of Himself to us and through our reliance on Him for all things. I’m here to tell you that when the going gets tough and you are struggling to see even the slightest flicker of light at the end of the dark tunnel of life, you start to crave that reliance in the Lord because sometimes that all you have left…all that you can count on. Walking in the Spirit helps us develop and rely on the unique gifts and talents God provides each of us. Again, you might be penniless, you might be emotionally bankrupt, but no one except God Himself can repossess the gifts He has given you. Walking in the Spirit also provides two other vital benefits: In Galatians 5, Paul writes that the solution for defeating the flesh is to walk in the Spirit. And the evidence of the effectiveness of that walk are the fruits of the Spirit “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
For the love of Amy - V
# posted by Vince @ 11:26 PM 
