2 Timothy 2:1; 13-17; 21-26
Is your character strong, teachable or weak? Don’t know. Let’s take some inventory, now this is not going to hit every area. However you should be able to get the idea.
- Do I have great courage, firmness & moral power in the LORD?
- Do I operate in my own power or in the power of GOD?
- Do I listen or do I hear only? Do I read books that will help me to grow and stretch as a person positively or academically?
- Do I hear only or read only the instructions and advice that is given to me in the Bible yet I don’t put action to this great awesome advice that will create in me a new heart and will renew my mind?
Look we are incased in flesh and because we are ever growing in our learning to the character of JESUS we are going to sin.
When your mommy birthed you, you did not immediately sin. Likewise when you were born again you did not immediately stop sinning. Most humans don’t commit the act of their first sin until they are between the ages of 2-5. Can’t accept that can you? Well let me ask you a question.
Do you remember when you told your first lie or stole something?
The first sin that I committed was before I became school age. There was a time when moms used to have cookie jars filled with cookies. I remember being told that I could not have any and I climbed up on a chair and got the cookie jar and ate a cookie. The thing is though I did not get caught the first time on the chair, I was caught with crumbs around my mouth or the smell of Oreo’s on my breath. (Darn those Oreo’s) My mother asked me if I had been eating cookies and I said “no”.
What did I just show you with my own story, I disobeyed a commandment, I stole and I lied.
There are those who are born again who sin on purpose (they have fire insurance).
CHRISTians who through ignorance or rebellion will not learn how to live the living Word of GOD. Either no one has taken the babe in CHRIST and encouraged him/her to continue attending church and reading their Bible. The renewed spirit is willing but the flesh wins out to keep the babe in CHRIST from attending church, reading their Bible and attending Bible study.
There are those who abide (live) in JESUS who try to not sin consciously. Then there are those who live in JESUS and have the Holy Spirit dwelling on the inside of them who are determined that they are not going to sin and will adhere to the warning that they are about to sin. Or you sin because you are not aware that you are sinning. In other words it is difficult for you to sin willingly everyday because your character is becoming less like you and more like JESUS.
You will have moments of having a character flaw that will tap you on the shoulder to let you know that this is an area that will need to be worked on. There is no faith here. However, you tell your flesh “ok, I need help in this area of my life and I need the help of the Holy Spirit. When we are faithless, GOD is faithful.
In an earlier statement, I wrote that most humans commit their first sin between the ages of 2-5. Good news it does not take that long to stop sinning. We have to learn to stop sinning because this is not the nature of flesh. Flesh wants what it wants and we have to continue to stomp its desires into the ground and bury them.
Our soul is what has been saved. Our mind, will and emotions.
Our spirit has been re-born, returned back to GOD to adhere to the will of our heavenly FATHER. To reap the rewards of obedience that will cause us to ever prosper.
Unlike the enemy who was our father spiritually. When we obeyed him it was fun for awhile. Then he begins to snatch the thrill from us that we once experienced. He places on us sickness and disease, anxiety, depression and so on.
Well, I hope you liked today’s reading. As always continue to write those questions or comments in my FB inbox. It does me good to know that I am helping you to understand by keeping it simple and plain.