Live like Christ

".....but I am forgiven! I can live my life the way that I want to...."

God's response.... "No you can't"

If your faith is real and your passion for the Lord is genuine, you simply cannot do whatever you want.

I could rant about this subject, but Galatians 5 explains it better than I ever could.

Life by the Spirit

"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other." Galatians 5: 16-26

Challenge for the day: Prayerfully consider which category your thoughts, words and actions have been falling into recently? Have you been filled with things such as jealously and anger? Or has your love for the Lord, the lost and other people been increasing? Have you been going out and getting drunk or chasing after a wordly relationship? Or have you been practicing faithfulness and being kind to others even when they aren't kind to you?

Remember God wants you to be hot or cold... falling somewhere "in between" makes you lukewarm which God sees as worse than being cold. (Revelation 3:15-16)