Forbidden Fruit

There are so many things in the world that compete for our attention. Advertisements scream for us to look and lust for what they offer. They provoke us to spend our hard earned money to consume things that are fleeting and temporary. Through psychological tactics, they tell us that we “need” this thing or we “have to have” it. The world system is constantly pulling our focus toward consumerism and attachment to earthly possessions. The Bible says in 1 John 2:15-17, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

It is the same old trick that satan used in the Garden of Eden. He tempts us to think that the forbidden fruit is good. He deceives us into thinking that we have to have this thing, which is actually going to make us miserable or possibly even destroy us. He creates an illusion of this nice shiny object and we are tempted to lust after it. Thank God for filling us with His Holy Spirit of wisdom and discernment. We don’t have to be deceived into eating the forbidden fruit. We can live in the truth of God’s Kingdom and the promises in the covenant of Christ. We have all that we need in Christ. The Lord has and will make provision for all of our needs, financially, spiritually, emotionally, physically, relationally/socially. The lie of the enemy is that we are missing out on something in this world or that we don’t have enough. The truth is that God has promised to care for us and give us what we need. He will satisfy the deepest desires of our hearts if we just surrender to His ways. Jesus said, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭31‬-‭33‬).

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for filling me with Your Holy Spirit of Truth. I no longer see things through the lust of the eyes but I now see through the eyes of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit fills and satisfies me.

Forgiving Our Enemies

Forgiving our enemies is one of the most difficult things to do as a Christian. Jesus made a point to clearly explain why we need to forgive. Jesus says, in ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭43‬-‭46‬, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?”

When we forgive our enemies, we are in alignment with our Holy Father in heaven. While on earth, Jesus’ words and actions were always in alignment with The Father. Through His sacrifice on the cross, we are made to be sons and daughters of the Most High. We are to follow the example of Christ, through the power of His Holy Spirit in us. Jesus modeled forgiveness of His enemies while He was on the cross. In spite of the soldiers mocking and tormenting Him on the cross, Jesus extended forgiveness to them. Luke 23:34 says, ‘Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.”’ The soldiers did not ask for forgiveness. They probably were not even aware that Jesus uttered those words. But Jesus had to remain true to who He was, the sinless Son of God. He could not harbor bitterness and resentment in His heart because that is sin. Jesus promised to send His Holy Spirit after He ascended to Heaven, in order for us to have the power to do what He did, forgive. We have been given the Spirit of sonship, to not only act like a child of God but to be a child of God. 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, fill me with the power of Your Holy Spirit to forgive my enemies. This kind of forgiveness does not come from my carnal flesh. It can only come from You. Thank you Jesus for filling me with Your mercy and unconditional love.

Don’t Kill The Messenger

Receiving a message of truth can be difficult sometimes, especially when it calls us to make a major life change.  We may be stuck in unhealthy, or even sinful, habits. God may use someone to speak a word of truth to us after He has made repeated attempts to get our attention. God is very fair and loving. His aim is not to shame us but to heal us. He has gone to great lengths to make a way of salvation and restoration for us but sometimes we just don't get it. When Jesus walked the earth, many people did not see Him as the Messiah, especially the religious people of that time. They found His message to be offensive. Jesus said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!" (Matthew 23:37). 

Throughout history, God had made attempts, over and over, to save Israel from being destroyed by their own sins. Every time He sent a messenger of truth, that messenger was met with resistance and sometimes even death. The prophet Zechariah is a perfect example. II Chronicles 24:20‭-‬21 says, 'Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, He also has forsaken you.” So they conspired against him, and at the command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord.' I now understand the saying "Don't kill the messenger." Our deliverance can come through a messenger of truth if we are willing to receive and have an open heart. Jesus Himself is constantly trying to get His message of truth to us but sometimes we are not willing. He may send someone to shake us up so we come to our senses. It may even feel offensive. But God is not concerned about our feelings. He is concerned about our soul and spiritual health. The temporary comforts of the flesh will not help us when we stand before God on judgment day and give an account for our lives. 

Prayer 

Heavenly Father, thank You for always correcting me in love. Your desire for my life is for good not evil. Open my ears to hear Your message of truth. 

Shut The Door

We all have weaknesses that plague us in life. The issues of the fleshly carnal nature are something we will contend with until we finally meet Jesus face to face. But we don’t have to be overcome by these weaknesses while here on earth. Jesus made a way for us to take authority over our own flesh by giving us His Holy Spirit, His Word and His blood. ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬ says, “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” When we shut the door, that implies that we mean business with God. It’s one on one with Him and we can be transparent and confess all that plagues us. 

The only way to overcome the flesh is to live in the truth. And the only way to live in the truth is through intimate time with God. Jesus said in Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” We need to open the door to Christ and accept His invitation and then shut the door to all other distractions. When we do this, we are allowing the power of God to transform us into the image of Christ. All He is asking for is a willing and yielded heart. 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me all that I need to be an overcomer in this life. I accept the invitation of Christ and I open the door of my heart so I can be transformed and renewed.

Carry Your Cross

In this day and age, we hear a lot of different preachers teaching specific themes on the Christian life. Some preach a message of prosperity and others preach a motivational message for self-improvement. The more I seek to be closer to my Savior, I realize that there is only one theme that matters, the Cross. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). But how do we carry our cross in a practical sense?
When we say no to temptation, we are carrying our cross. When we forgive others, we are carrying our cross. When we obey the voice of the Holy Spirit, we are carrying our cross. When we receive the fullness of the sacrifice of Christ, we are carrying our cross. When we do all these things, we trample on the face of the enemy and we walk boldly carrying our cross. You see, we don’t carry our cross by ourselves. Jesus Himself gives us His strength to carry our cross. Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” The power of the Cross is in us through Christ. In the process of carrying our cross, we are overcoming sinful habits and mindsets. We are ever mindful of the sacrifice that Christ made in order to set us free from bondage. 

Prayer
Heavenly Father, fill me with the desire to carry my cross for Your glory alone. My life is not my own. My one purpose is for the life of Christ to be in me.