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JELLY FISH FLESH
In the year 2002, we can look forward to many improvements through the increase of knowledge. We see in Daniel 12:4, this increase is even prophesized. All sorts of knowledge in every thinkable area in life will increase. One of the more alluring areas is that of our own flesh. Yes, a full market strategy has been preyed upon and enforced by the moneymaking geniuses behind the scenes for years in this ego enticing area. Notice the increase that is so evident in these consumer markets; personal health trainers, cosmetologist, weight loss, life expectancy products, plastic surgery, personal hygiene and all products that effect the human body in one fashion or another. Surely God is not against these pursuits in and of themselves, but the Christian consumer should remind themselves on occasion that there is a Spirit that seeks to magnify the importance of the flesh. The Spirit is the warranty of our salvation -flesh cannot be saved.
Submitted to About-Him by Michael Lesueur mlesueur@mindspring.com The views expressed by our guest writers are not necessarily endorsed by About-Him.Com Notice the way of the world consistently leads one not to deny the reality of the sins of the flesh. Conversely the Spirit of God leads one away from the focus on the flesh. In Romans 8:5, we see that those overly concerned with the flesh, which is a dominant mode of thinking which sets the mind in strength because of allowed focus in a chosen area, are according too the flesh. According means you agree with or have conceded to the impulse or the act. You have suitably granted yourself harmony with the desire. Conversely so it is with the Spirit. Yet notice the difference offered in verse six. The mind set on flesh is death. This then renders spiritual importance to how we pacify ourselves. All sin or deception, every temptation we encounter is at its core - a leading away from God. What better way to do that than by involving something we like very much; our own bodies, or the flesh of another? Flesh is a billion-dollar industry. It is also a demonic vehicle used to capture your affections. In 1 John 2:16 for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and eyes and the boastful pride of life - is not from God. Be careful not to let your selfish affections be drawn away and enticed. We have a nature that wants to play around with sin. We do want to be good but still play with bad things. This is understandably from our youth. The demonic trap is set there. In essence everything physical is going to eventually fail. The lure is to lead one to keep the days of our youth as long as we can. The days of no responsibility or fault. No trouble was permanent. We did not know what sin was and felt no pressure toward perfection only the time to play. We were pretty and strong .The seduction then is to lure one into association with old as ugly or boring, and young as the opposite. From there it takes on a magnifying twist. Remember the deception is at its base to lure you away from God. Over the next developing years of your life the trick is to get you more and more interested in your self. You’re young irresponsible self. Can you be tempted unknowingly? Well those are the greatest of seductions. Have you noticed how the world is always striving to get somewhere? Striving to get ahead, trying to get the upper hand and get this and get that. The servants of God must be cautious not to strive in the wrong direction - the ever-narrowing world of self. Love more inward than outward. When the devil draws one inward, the focus on their bodies or their desires is then easier to become a part of his will instead of God’s. Why? Because the true nature of pure love is an outgoing concern for others, which is desire away from self. The focus is on others. This is the example Christ set in his life; it was lived for you. He had no selfish desires. Self is a captivating mindset, because it is easy for us to love ourselves. 2 Timothy 2:26 is part of the trap. Enslave our senses, if it feels or looks good, then it is. Remember the same old Garden of Eden trick - if it looks good it is not forbidden fruit. Okay then do it, start running away like children, (which also means not to consistently work on the solving of the problem) avoid God and hide the sin under the rug. Then the flesh just sits there and begins to float under the rug like a jellyfish floating in water. Jellyfish have three interesting characteristics. 1. They have no backbone. They don’t stand for anything. They can be easily squashed. These are the mirror images of Christians with no conviction. 2. Prevailing currents carry them. All they can do is float. They just lay there, fitting in with the water society. A few can swoosh every now and then. Preacher followers instead of 2 Timothy 2:15 followers. Not knowing a good teacher from a good wind of doctrine. 3. Their only defense is their sting. They know how to hurt others, even their own bodies of Christ. What’s more interesting is that jellyfish have no spine. They are all flesh. Spineless wonders. Most seem to just wash up on the beach. They kind of ruin it for everyone wanting to learn how to swim. Being lead by the flesh is very dangerous to Spiritual living, it makes you float. It then makes sense that a floater can hardly help another floater because their foundation is self-satisfaction, hard to reach outside of your own problems. Love is helping, but more importantly being in Spiritual condition and position to help. Help is an outgoing exercise. When a brother or sister is in the flesh, the way to help them is not to wade right in with them, then you both are out of sink. You throw them a rope and pull them out. Keeping yourself unspotted from the water of the world. Flesh without God is just floating. Obedience to God in the right Spirit gives you a mental structure that supports your life with an eternal mindset that is not floating, but has direction that is original. Although you cannot figure everything out you sense a destiny that seems to guide you away from hopelessness and floating in your flesh. Overcoming your fleshly desires offers energetic strength, a pure temple for the Holy Spirit to operate within you - to come outward. You become less passive toward problems no more jellyfish but violent fish. As in Matthew 11:12, violent actions take you toward the shore and end the aimless years of floating. The violent, the energetic, the motivated or the doers of the word, these take to the shores of the kingdom of God. The Spirit of God will then be the wind that carries us out of the float; it’s strong violent push of strength. In John 3:8, it is speaking of origins and destinations. Like the wind the world does not know where we are being called from or going too. Almighty God is setting us on a course of destiny that will leave the pleasures of flesh far behind, we will know true pure pleasure. As you pull away from the flesh remember this simple formula, “whatever it is you are trying not to do, don’t do it for 30 days”. Then build forward, it will get easier from there. Compromise begins the beginning over and over again. Ask God to change the DNA of your flesh - to love for him and his ways. Always be interested in spiritual movement. Study God’s word; don’t let that thought just float in your mind. Don’t be a jellyfish.
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