Tag Archives: sinful nature

The Scoundrel

by

0


He sits with you while you do your work, waiting patiently for praise.

When you go out to play he comes along with you, bringing all kinds of competitive violence.

When you go to buy what you need, he’s the one who suggests the frivolous.

When you sit in church, he’s the one who pays attention to everything but the sermon.

While you are in prayer, he’s the one who draws your attention to leave.

When you try to love someone in Christ, he’s the one who points out why the man is not worthy.

Who is this scoundrel?  He is the mind of flesh.  He is the one you are commanded to overcome.  He is the one who stands outside your door desiring to have you.  He is the one you must murder.

War and Peace

by

0


Peace, peace?

All my days are thankfully rude; that they may keep alive in me the necessity for holy conversion.

Go seek peace, if that is your desire.  I will rather to enter the war of Christ against myself.  That He may bestow upon me (come that immeasurable day) PEACE which escapes me now.

By His Grace

VICTORY!

by

0


In the midst of prayer I saw that my mind had wandered to the things of this earth, even while I spoke the appropriate words of God.  I thought, “These are not the marks of an earnest prayer.” After apology and return to earnest prayer, I asked the Lord to teach me what is victory.

He showed me that victory is not only at the end of the race.  She hovers over the runners from start to finish.  With meticulous and unblinking eye, she watches with wisdom as men run.

-Ingenious attire escapes her view.  She watches not but actions.

-Baubles and trinkets, which divert a man’s attention, are not even visible to victory.

-She pays not the slightest attention to those who refuse to run.

-Words spoken are not heard; the doing is observed.  For victory hears only the words of the Holy One.

-Then she kisses her children with a welcoming kiss at the end of their faithful and earnest run.

-Make no mistake, her kiss is a certifying seal.
————-

He also showed me a man kneeling.  He was before a brilliant and never ending light.  The light shone directly at him and I looked to see how the light shredded behind him as if brilliant silver threads.

“Those are not threads of light.”  I heard my understanding say.  Then I peered more closely at what trailed behind the man.  They were tethers brilliantly shining in the light of God.

As the man stood to raise his arms in praise I watched as the tethers on his back break loose.  But now that I knew what they were, I studied his form more closely.  Almost imperceptibly, his right heel was tethered by a rather large thread.

God sees all these things.  Victory takes note of them.  He who is victorious wins the prize.   Those who compete in error finish in error.

Then I heard, “Fight with vicious intent!  Those who coddle the sinful nature remain tethered to it.  What do you think?  Does victory take note of them?”

My sinful nature

by

0


I would hate to be my sinful nature.  Nothing he desires is right, so he is always wrong.  And if by chance he comes close to something decent, he cannot be praised.  For He desires to spend it on his pleasure.

The only reason patience covers him is to wait slyly for an opportunity.  So even while he appears somewhat godly, an animal lurks behind his skin.

He is always in turmoil.  Not knowing his left hand from his right, he does not know what to do next.  Yet pride will not let him admit his weakness.  And if given a choice between one or another, he will always choose the wrong.

The only time he is right, by any sense at all, is when he is heard fretting over his imminent death.  But even in this he has no understanding.  He must die so that the one he carries will live.

If he is tired and hears his soul speak of taking time for prayer, he begins a multitude of complaint and reasoning.  It is not that he hates God.  He simply loves himself.  God is no more a consideration to him than the rings on his fingers.

Yes, I would hate to be my sinful nature.  But isn’t that what I was before the Lord Jesus released me from his shackles?  Yes!  The only value I had before the Lord Jesus released me was to be fuel for the fire of hell.

Praise be to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  For we who are learning to love the Lord are free from the law of sin and death.  Grace has come but the sinful nature hasn’t even noticed.

By His Grace

A Righteous Murder

by

0


Blazing Fire

Blazing Fire (Photo credit: Poe Tatum)

I registered a complaint to the One who could accomplish.  “I am yoked with a fool who will not obey!  Help me in my plight for he detains me from coming to You!”

The One who could accomplish heard my words and drove me into a wilderness of brilliant fire.  The flames reached to the stars.  Without fear I walked, driven by the Love of He who lives forever.  And as I went, the fool dragged along behind.

I reached a place far from prying eyes.  Joy filled my heart as I felt new release.  Then the fool spoke with whining complaint, “Go back!  This place is not comfort!”

My joy was interrupted by his whining, raspy, irritating voice.  And with violent anger I turned to look at him.  Hatred blazed from my eyes, yet he stood so proud and confident of his words.  I looked down at my hands.  They had become as the fire around us.  And with great delight I put my hands of holy fire around his sinful neck.  “I will leave you where I find you!”  And with that said, the sinful nature died.

A vision of conquest is granted to my heart.  I will not be shackled to this fool of fools forever.  There is a place of release!

He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’ 28 “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”  (Luke 13)