THE WAR OF FLESH.

" The War of Flesh "

Galatians 5:19-21.

  The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 

idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, 

dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. 

I warn you, as I did before, that those who live 

like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (NIVUK)

In these verses, our ‘flesh’ is not the skin and muscle of our bodies, 

but the inner desire to please ourselves. 

That self-pleasure does not accept the authority of God over us 

or consider any responsibility to other people. 

So when we allow our ‘flesh’ to take control of our minds and body, 

our actions will display no regard for anybody else. 

Indeed, we will show that we are at war with God and other people.

Paul lists sexual sins, occult activity, angry reactions, social divisiveness, 

and uncontrolled behaviour including drunkenness. 

All of these would have been seen in the 1st century; 

and nothing has changed – they are still common today. 

Of course, many people who had received Christ would have been 

those who practiced such fleshly behaviour previously. 

But now they professed to believe in Jesus Christ, they had to change. 

Paul repeated his warning that unchanged behaviour meant that they had unchanged hearts: 

how could people who loved God also love what He hates?

The Christian life starts with a change of heart. 

As people welcome the gospel message, they receive Christ and His transforming power. 

Titus 2:11-12 says,

 “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 

It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, 

upright and godly lives in this present age …”

 In other words, if there is no change of lifestyle there is no evidence of a changed heart.

 That is a spiritually dangerous place because God will not welcome 

those who love what He hates, and refuse to submit to Him. 

So let us examine our lives and see how they reflect our hearts; 

then let us ask the Lord for the courage to repent and the grace to obey.

Prayer for the day ! 

Father God ! 

Thank You for changing my heart since I have trusted in Jesus Christ, 

giving me the desire to please You and reject a fleshly way of life. 

However I am sad and sorry for those times when I have made wrong choices 

and allowed my fleshly nature to take control. 

Thank You for the Apostle’s warning that I must not keep living in a way which displeases You; 

and help me to allow Your Holy Spirit to be in command of my heart, 

to motivate me into a lifestyle which pleases You. 

In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

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CHOOSE GRACE, Not BITTERNESS.

" Choose Grace, Not Bitterness " “See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” (Hebrews 12:15 NIV) If you’re still holding on to resentment, then someone is controlling you. Have you ever said, “You make me so mad”? What you’re admitting at that point is, “You are controlling me.”  The only way you get this person out of your mind and heart and not controlling you any more is you heal it with grace — God’s grace. Hebrews 12:15 says, “See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (NIV). Have you ever known a family where a bitter mom poisoned the whole family? Have you ever known a family where a bitter dad poisoned the whole family?  Bitterness is contagious, and it can actually become generational. Somebody has to break the chain, and it better be you.  If your parents are bitter because their parents were bitter because their parents were bitter, you’re going to have to break the chain.  And there’s only one way to break it:  Heal it with His Grace. Friends, if you don’t get God’s grace in your life, life will make you bitter. Because life isn’t fair. Why? Because sin is in the world.  We live on a broken planet. This is not Heaven. Evil people get away with evil things all the time. Life is not fair. And if you don’t get grace in your heart, it’s going to make you bitter. Is forgiveness fair? Absolutely not. But it is not about fairness. It is not about justice. It’s about grace. You don’t forgive a person because it’s the fair thing to do.  You forgive a person because it’s the right thing to do,  and you don’t want your heart full of poison.  You don’t want your heart holding on to the hurt and the hate. Forgiveness is free, but it is not cheap.  It cost Jesus his life. It cost God his Son.  And as Jesus was dying on the cross, with his arms outstretched and the blood dripping down, he said, “Father, forgive them!  They don’t know what they’re doing.”  He was saying, “I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you.”  He was saying, “They don’t deserve it.  They don’t even know what they’re doing.  But Father, forgive them.” " Leave justice to God.  Heal your bitterness with His Grace ". Talk It Over! Have you experienced bitterness toward someone? What has been the result in your life? Why do you think it’s so important to us that everything is fair? *****************************************

" Failure " " Failure "

  

Failure doesn't mean - "You are a failure,"

It means - You have not succeeded.

 

Failure doesn't mean - "You accomplished nothing,"

It means - You have learned something.

 

Failure doesn't mean - "You have been a fool,"

It means - You had a lot of faith.

 

Failure doesn't mean - "You don't have it,"

It means - You were willing to try.

 

Failure doesn't mean - "You are inferior,"

It means - You are not perfect.

 

Failure doesn't mean - "You've wasted your life,"

It means - You have a reason to start afresh.

 

Failure doesn't mean - "You should give up,"

It means - "You must try harder.

 

Failure doesn't mean - "You'll never make it,"

It means - It will take a little longer.

 

Failure doesn't mean - "God has abandoned you,"

It means - God has a better way for you.

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" In the day of prosperity be joyful and in the day of adversity consider,

 yes, God has made the one side by side with the other "

" You can approach God with Confidence "

'...The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom...' Matthew 27:51

One day a year, on the Day of Atonement (at-one-ment),  the high priest could go beyond the thick curtain in the tabernacle and into the 'Holy of Holies' where God's presence was.  What qualified him to go there was the fact that the blood of a sacrificial lamb was covering the mercy seat,  under which rested the Ark of the Covenant.  God arranged it like that. You ask, 'What was in the Ark?'  The Ten Commandments-which all of us have broken.  The only way God could look at the evidence of His people's guilt was through the blood of the lamb.  Now, fast forward to the cross. Jesus 'gave up his spirit.  At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.'  Everything changed for the better that day! In spite of your failures,  you can now come into God's presence,  knowing your sins are covered by the blood of Jesus,  and confidently ask for whatever you need. 'Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.  There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most' (Hebrews 4:16 NLT).  Your acceptance with God is guaranteed when you approach Him saying,  'I come in the name of Jesus and on the merits of His shed blood.'  It works like a credit system. ' You are in Christ,' so you have a perfect credit score!  So even when you feel inadequate and undeserving,  if you ask in faith believing, God will give it to you '...for Christ's sake...' (Ephesians 4:32 KJV).

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                         "     A Story.............. "

Once upon a time a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she didn't know how she was going to make it. 

She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time. 

It seemed just as one problem was solved, another one soon followed. 

Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. 

He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire.

Once the three pots began to boil, he placed potatoes in one pot, eggs in the second pot and ground coffee beans in the third pot. 

He then let them sit and boil, without saying a word to his daughter. 

The daughter, moaned and impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing. 

After twenty minutes he turned off the burners. 

He took the potatoes out of the pot and placed them in a bowl. 

He pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. 

He then ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup.

Turning to her, he asked. “Daughter, what do you see?” “Potatoes, eggs and coffee,” she hastily replied.

“Look closer”, he said, “and touch the potatoes.” 

She did and noted that they were soft.

He then asked her to take an egg and break it. 

After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Its rich aroma brought a smile to her face.

“Father, what does this mean?” she asked.

He then explained that the potatoes, the eggs and coffee beans had each faced the same adversity-the boiling water. 

However, each one reacted differently. 

The potato went in strong, hard and unrelenting, but in boiling water, it became soft and weak. 

The egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid interior until it was put in the boiling water. 

Then the inside of the egg became hard. 

However, the ground coffee beans were unique. 

After they were exposed to the boiling water, they changed the water and created something new.

“Which one are you?” he asked his daughter. 

“When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? 

Are you a potato, an egg, or a coffee bean?”

Moral: In life, things happen around us, things happen to us, 

but the only thing that truly matters is how you choose to react to it and what you make out of it. 

Life is all about leaning, adopting and converting all the struggles that we experience into something positive.

James 1:2-4, 12-15

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 

knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 

And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, 

he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 

Let no one say when he is tempted, 

"I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, 

and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 

But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 

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                                In the day of prosperity be joyful and
                            in the day of adversity consider, God
                       has made the one side by side with the other.

                     *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
                        

" It's Time to move by Faith ".

" It's Time to move by Faith "

 Matthew 2:19-21  After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 

'Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead.' 

So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. (NIVUK) 

Egypt was not to be Jesus' home. 

It was a temporary refuge, as it had been for the children of Israel over 1800 years previously - 

until it was God’s time for them to move. 

We do not know how long Joseph had been looking after his family in exile when God spoke to him in another dream. 

King Herod and his court had gone, and with them the immediate threat to Jesus' life; it was time to leave Egypt. 

Joseph knew that God was speaking to him, and so he moved quickly in obedience; 

leading his family back to Israel with the confidence that God would open up the next chapter for them.

Moving, is the repeated narrative of the Bible: God's people kept on moving at His command – 

from Canaan to Egypt, out of Egypt, through the wilderness, into the Promised Land, 

into exile, and back from exile to await the Messiah. 

It is also the story of the Early Church: always on the move, seeking openings for the gospel or scattered through persecution. 

They were like Abraham: 

"By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, 

even though he did not know where he was going. 

By faith he made his home in the Promised Land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, 

as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 

For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God." (Hebrews 11:8-10)

Instinctively, we want to make a home and stay there. 

Often God uses that desire to enable us to be useful to Him in the place He chooses for us, as long as He wants us to be there. 

However, every earthly circumstance is only temporary. 

There is a time to stay and a time to move. 

Only God knows when the time is right. 

Because He fits everything into the pattern of His purposes, 

He has the right to command His people to stay put until the time to move on. 

So we should call no place 'home' except the place which He assigns to us, and then only for as long as He allows. 

So when God says, "Stay!", we should not move: 

when He says, "Move!", we should not stay. 

That is faith.

Prayer for the day : -

Great God of time and space.

Thank You that my times are in Your hands and that You know the right time and
place for everything and everybody.

Forgive me when I hold my home too tightly;
when I stay for my own comfort when You have told me to move;
when I move on my own impulse without Your command.

Please help me to be content in every circumstance and change which You allow,
to only push on doors in peace and never in panic,
and to learn practical faith as I obey Your commands.

In Jesus' Name. Amen.

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" Life After 60 "

�
An interesting article from The Hindu.
Life can begin at 60, it is all in your hands! Many people feel unhappy, health-wise and security-wise, after 60 years of age, owing to the diminishing importance given to them and their opinions. But, it need not be so, if only we understand the basic principles of life and follow them scrupulously. Here are ten mantras to age gracefully and make life after retirement pleasant.

1. Never say I am aged' :�
There are three ages, chronological, biological, and psychological. The first is calculated based on our date of birth; the second is determined by the health conditions; the third is how old we feel we are. While we don't have control over the first, we can take care of our health with good diet, exercise and a cheerful attitude. A positive attitude and optimistic thinking can reverse the third age.

2. Health is wealth:�
If you really love your kit and kin, taking care of your health should be your priority. Thus, you will not be a burden to them. Have an annual health check-up and take the prescribed medicines regularly. Do take health insurance coverage.

3. Money is important:�
Money is essential for meeting the basic necessities of life, keeping good health and earning family respect and security. Don't spend beyond your means even for your children. You have lived for them all through and it is time you enjoyed a harmonious life with your spouse. If your children are grateful and they take care of you, you are blessed. But, never take it for granted.

4. Relaxation and recreation:�
The most relaxing and recreating forces are a healthy religious attitude, good sleep, music and laughter. Have faith in God, learn to sleep well, love good music and see the funny side of life.

5. Time is precious:�
It is almost like holding a horses' reins. When they are in your hands, you can control them. Imagine that everyday you are born again. Yesterday is a cancelled cheque. Tomorrow is a promissory note. Today is ready cash - use it profitably. Live this moment; live it fully, now, in the present time.

6. Change is the only permanent thing: We should accept change - it is inevitable. The only way to make sense out of change is to join in the dance. Change has brought about many pleasant things. We should be happy that our children are blessed.

7. Enlightened selfishness:�
All of us are basically selfish. Whatever we do, we expect something in return. We should definitely be grateful to those who stood by us. But, our focus should be on the internal satisfaction and the happiness we derive by doing good for others, without expecting anything in return. Perform a random act of kindness daily.

8. Forget and forgive:�
Don't be bothered too much about others' mistakes. We are not spiritual enough to show our other cheek when we are slapped in one. But for the sake of our own health and happiness, let us forgive and forget them. Otherwise, we will be only increasing our blood pressure.

9. Everything has a purpose:�
Take life as it comes. Accept yourself as you are and also accept others for what they are. Everybody is unique and is right in his own way.

10. Overcome the fear of death:�
We all know that one day we have to leave this world. Still we are afraid of death. We think that our spouse and children will be unable to withstand our loss. But the truth is no one is going to die for you; they may be depressed for some time. Time heals everything and they will go on. �

Secrets of Old Age.
If you have time for one very special email today this is it.
Take the time and accept the secrets of old age.

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" Be Encouraged, Remain Blessed "