Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever].
—Romans 8:6 AMPC
People hesitate to follow their desires, because they don’t know how to divide their soul from their spirit. If they can’t discern the difference between the desires of their flesh and Spirit-led desires, then they don’t know when God is truly leading them to do something.
But you can learn to know if God is leading you or not. When God gives you a desire for something, He will give you peace along with it. You may not be excited, but you will have peace, if the thing you desire is from God. Wait for peace today.
God Helps Those Who Help Others
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.”
Luke 14:12–14
Many people like to cite Bible “verses” that aren’t actually in the Bible. According to several surveys, ones of the most often quoted of these “verses” is this: “God helps those who help themselves.” But while the Bible does teach individual responsibility and the importance of our effort and hard work in whatever we do, it does not teach that God is impressed with our work on our own behalf. Instead, it repeatedly teaches, as Jesus does in the above passage, that God is looking for those who are committed to helping and meeting the needs of others.
The Christian life is not meant to be self-focused. Our natural sinful tendency is to worry only about what we can get for ourselves, but the Divine tendency is to sacrifice for the needs of others. “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). The example that Jesus left for us was of compassion and ministry to those who were without value in the eyes of the world. The Lord could have chosen to be born in a palace, but instead was born in a stable. Rather than living among the elite of Jerusalem, he grew up in the despised town of Nazareth. And his ministry—like our lives should be—was focused on others.
Luke 14:12–14
Many people like to cite Bible “verses” that aren’t actually in the Bible. According to several surveys, ones of the most often quoted of these “verses” is this: “God helps those who help themselves.” But while the Bible does teach individual responsibility and the importance of our effort and hard work in whatever we do, it does not teach that God is impressed with our work on our own behalf. Instead, it repeatedly teaches, as Jesus does in the above passage, that God is looking for those who are committed to helping and meeting the needs of others.
The Christian life is not meant to be self-focused. Our natural sinful tendency is to worry only about what we can get for ourselves, but the Divine tendency is to sacrifice for the needs of others. “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). The example that Jesus left for us was of compassion and ministry to those who were without value in the eyes of the world. The Lord could have chosen to be born in a palace, but instead was born in a stable. Rather than living among the elite of Jerusalem, he grew up in the despised town of Nazareth. And his ministry—like our lives should be—was focused on others.
Today’s Growth Principle:
If we are to truly live as Jesus did, then we must care about those that others overlook and discount.
Follow Peace
by Joyce Meyer - posted June 14, 2016Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever].
—Romans 8:6 AMPC
People hesitate to follow their desires, because they don’t know how to divide their soul from their spirit. If they can’t discern the difference between the desires of their flesh and Spirit-led desires, then they don’t know when God is truly leading them to do something.
But you can learn to know if God is leading you or not. When God gives you a desire for something, He will give you peace along with it. You may not be excited, but you will have peace, if the thing you desire is from God. Wait for peace today.
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