READ, LINGER, PROCESS…
Paul welcomed exhaustion, suffering, poverty, dangers, and death because they helped him to grow into the image of Christ.
The important task before each of us is to be truthful to ourselves first, so we can be truthful with God. We need to be the person God wants us to be and allow Him to reign over our soul.
Understand this – God knows all about our thinking habits. It is all the negative thinking, the self-thinking we all do that He knows, and has always known, since before the foundations of life were extended from God in creation. God loves us so much, but He hates our fleshly sin nature, so He offers to help us overcome… ourselves.
God Himself filled His creation, then He had to withdraw, to separate from us. We yearn for God. God yearns for us as we were – in full relationship without sin. God loves us so much that He died to restore us to Himself. Think on these things.
Truth is what is in harmony with the nature and will of God. In truth is in Christ. Truth is that which is aligned with God. The believer may worship God, fellowship with God, talk with God, and listen to God any time and any place. How can people, especially believers, not want to be occupied with Christ?
Flesh has no future – it will die when the soul departs. So why are we so consumed by the flesh? Answer: Mankind is born spiritually dead, so we must be born-again spiritually (reborn, new birth). Fill the absence of God in your life by faith, and be refilled with God.
Christ set the standard for resisting temptation and sin, and for living life. He lived by the power of the Holy Spirit. We as believers have the same Holy Spirit dwelling in us. Unbelievers do not have a spirit, and won’t have a spirit without receiving the Holy Spirit by faith in Christ.
All quotes are by C. S. Craig unless otherwise indicated.