Get
Devotions In Your EmailHave You Accepted God's Gift of Love, Salvation through His Son Jesus Christ? Tell Me More
Battle My Nature
- Luke 9:23
People are always interested in knowing, "When was your turning point? When did you decide to become a follower of Christ? What is it that changed your life?"
I tell you, there is no day which was my turning point. Everyday is a turning point, a battle, everyday I have to declare war on my sin nature, on myself. Everyday I have to pick up my cross to follow Jesus.
When you give your life to Him, it's just the beginning, you're reborn and a new life is ahead of you. Now you acknowledge your sin and sin nature, now you have to fight it. If you acknowledged it before, the difference is that now you have Jesus on your side and that battle that you would lose, He has already won for you. The battle against Satan is already won, but the battle against your sin nature, how you lead your life and how you walk with the Lord has just begun. Jesus says deny yourself and pick up your cross (Luke 9:23), you have to deny your selfish ways, deny your sinful ways and be reborn in Him.
To deny ones self in Greek means to deny utterly, that is, disown, abstain: - deny. To forget one's self, lose sight of one's self and one's own interests. If I was to love myself, then I would become a lover of self, Paul warns against this. (2 Timothy 3:2)
I tell you, there is no single event that happened that changed my life. Every day God reveals Himself to me further, everyday my Father shows me things about His nature, His mercy (Ephesians 2:4-5), His patience (2 Peter 3:9), His love (Psalm 36:7) and His compassion (Mark 1:41) that in themselves are events that change my life. He reveals himself to me, through His word, through others and through my simple walk in this life. Every event in my life, big and small, is an event that reveals to me the nature of my King, events that change my life.
They ask "What is it that changed your life?" The only response that comes to mind is, "He changes my life everyday."
"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 16:25)
I believe you all are right about love being selfless. We as Christians have to learn how to consistently put God and others before ourselves. I know that in my walk I have learned the most about love when sacrificing time, efforts, and money to God and others. Remember we have to be focused on renewing our mind and transforming our thoughts and actions to be like HIM! Grace and Peace to you all! Remember Matthew 6:33
Jesus is always available...we are the ones who take our time. Losing ourselves is difficult at times...but when we realize we are only reinserting ourselves into our makers' plan...it becomes easier...let go and let God...peace and carrots...yo.
I agree with you. I don't think any new Christian can say that it was "one" thing that led them to come to Christ. Often times, it's a series of events, or things, that lead to the culmination point where one finally decides that one wants to be a Christian. I know for me, it was a lot of things, and like you say, there were a lot of revelations as well that led me to come to Christ!
"If I was to love myself, then I would become a lover of self"
This is incorrect. Mark 12:31 says, "And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." There is selfish love and there is selfless love, so to love oneself doesn't mean to be selfish (or conceited, prideful, etc.). It's loving ourselves the way God commands us to love (1 Co. 13, Ephesians 5:29, etc.) versus loving ourselves the way the world tells us to (which is self-interest, i.e., selfish).
Christians are too quick to conclude extremes when trying to be obedient. We need to look at things in context and know scripture so that our understanding is more whole, and therefore our obedience is whole rather than desperate, humanly attempt.
Response:
Karen, I think that you and Sam are in agreement regarding love and "loving" one's self. 1 Corinthians 13:6 tells us that love is not self-seeking, therefore the true definition of love means putting others above ones self. Of course, our highest priority should be serving God, followed by serving others, and lastly by serving ourselves. When it comes to serving God, we should utterly disown our desires, or our own personal wants to satisfy the requests of our Lord. This means loving God enough to give up anything and everything for His glory, and not our own.
The love we have for ourselves should not be because of anything we do, but rather because of what God has done through us. We should value ourselves, because God first valued us (not because of who we are, or what we do, or even what we own). As Christians, we should also understand that without God we are nothing, and that our own wants, desires, and feelings often hold us back from following and obeying Christ.
Post a Comment
In the Forums
No forum posts have been associated with this devotion
| « God's Image Reflected | More Devotions | Get Ready to Move » |
Luke 9:23
[23] And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
2 Timothy 3:2
[2] For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Ephesians 2:4-5
[4] But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, [5] Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
2 Peter 3:9
[9] The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Psalms 36:7
[7] How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
Mark 1:41
[41] And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.
Matthew 16:25
[25] For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
Devotions By Category:
Christmas (10) Dating (6) Death and Dying (7) Easter (1) Encouragement (38) End Times (1) Failure (12) Family & Relationships (15) Feeling Alone (22) Forgiveness (11) Life's Purpose for Me (11) Living like Christians (66) Maturing (38) Witnessing (6)View By Month:
April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008More Devotions:
The Daily Spurgeon The Daily Bible Story
In the Forums
Share your thoughts and opinions in the forum. Here are some of the latest posts:
- Re: Fear
Share a Devotion - Fear
Share a Devotion - Re: Extant Magazine
Christian Websites
| Add Us to Your Favorite Site: | ||
 |  | |
 |  | |
Today's Sponsor Become a Sponsor
