| Death Penalty Jan. 18, 2006 |
Rom. 8:13 NKJV 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. God has commanded us to execute our flesh in order to live. He gave us this order because our flesh has tendencies to draw us into things that are harmful to our spiritual and natural lives. And when we live according to our own lusts, our judgements becomes cloudy and prevent us from seeing the trouble that is right before us. First, we have to understand that God doesn't ask us to deny ourselves only because He wants us to live dull and eventless lives. Its actually the opposite. He wants us to live full and rich lives. He wants us to love one another and enjoy the world around us. That is why He is trying to protect us from such things that will kill us spiritually and naturally. For example, think about what happened to Adam and Eve. God gave them the world but He also gave them boundaries for their own protection. However, they decided to cross those boundaries and indulge their own lusts. As a result, they lost fellowship with God and all of the luxuries that they took for granted. They and the rest of us are still paying for that one. Secondly, we have to understand that the execution process is long and painful but it is also necessary because His Light cannot dwell with darkness. When we give ourselves the death penalty, we allow God to fellowship with us more and more. As we read the bible, we can also learn more about dying to self and arising into a new life with Jesus. For "..if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." Rom 8:13 I hope you enjoyed reading the word of God in a new light. Have a Happy Wednesday! God Bless, Min. Tommy & Sis. Shatika Gray |