Our flesh will rise up and try to take over, given the opportunity

Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...

Comments by Joan Boney:

 

Recently, I was really upset when a TV newsman said the 1921 Tulsa Massacre was the worst racial incident in the history of the United States.

 

I said, "What about the Civil War?"  (and also the horrible years of reconstruction following the Civil War?)

 

The statement made by the TV newsman caused me to "puff up" and my flesh took on a type of scoffing attitude that was not good.

 

I was reminded of this scripture:

 

Matthew 5:30   And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

 

I have found TV evening news to provoke me in a bad way so when I understood that, I deleted the daily recordings from my television DVR.

 

I have felt myself grow arrogant over some of the reports, feeling "How can you say that?"  As a result I even take on "scoffing", which is an evil fruit of the flesh.

 

If I want to keep up with those things going on in the world, I can check the written headlines on CNN International on my Kindle tablet.  I find writings do not usually provoke me to evil.

 

Also I find sometimes seeing what people are doing today is depressing and could discourage me if I allow it to do so.

 

Jesus says:  Mt. 24:12-13   And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

 

When we find ourselves in this position, we usually need to eliminate that activity from our lives.

 

Romans 13:12-14  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.  Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

 

The apostle Paul told us:  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: (Rom. 7:18)

 

So if your right hand offends you, cut it off.  Just stop doing that thing that provokes to evil.

 

The flesh never improves and it is with us as long as we live on this earth.

 

We control our flesh by walking in the Spirit, by doing that brought to our attention by the Spirit.  We also control our flesh by cutting off those things (or people) who provoke our flesh to do evil.

 

But we must not continue allowing the flesh to rise up for to do so is a type of death to us, keeping us from doing that assignment given to us by God.

 

In the end times iniquity will abound and we certainly don't need to give entrance to things that we find detrimental to our peace and unity.

 

We live in a time where we see much delusion and iniquity.

 

As we wait for the return of Jesus, our goal should be the following as expressed by the apostle Peter.

 

II Peter 3:13-14  Nevertheless we, according to HIS promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

 

(This present earth will never be made righteousness but will grow worse and worse to the end.)

14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of HIM in peace, without spot, and blameless.

 

Paul says:

 

II Tim. 3:13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

 

We keep ourselves in joy and peace of God as we go forward, focusing on HIS truth as given us by the Holy Spirit.  We can't allow ourselves to focus on that which people are doing but rather we keep ourselves focused on that which God tells us and on the good which God has done for us and the many examples in the Bible which show overcoming through believing that which God says.

 

Therefore put on the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God.

 

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