Passage of the Day:
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. 16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh, Galatians 5:13-16.
Reflection:
One of the obstacles that you’ll see in movies and television is that most characters have inner/personal demons that often result in self-destructive acts. According to the apostle Paul, the greatest obstacle to charity is the human flesh. This is a generic term which is expanded upon in Galatians 5:19-21. These 15 sinful acts speak to the depravity of the human condition. Whenever you seek to do something charitable, these earthly desires inside of you are waging war against your soul. These are the obstacles to charity.
Prayerful Action:
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul, 1 Peter 2:11.
Learning to Love this December as God Loves You:
The apostle Paul devotes an entire chapter to this topic in Romans 7:1-25. This serves as a public confession of a flesh that was out of control. Whenever you give into these sinful desires, the next time you are tempted, the harder and harder it becomes stop. This is why addictions are so difficult to overcome. However, when you rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to intercede on your behalf, you can be victorious in overcoming these earthly desires, 1 Corinthians 10:13. Lean on the Holy Spirit to help you overcome obstacles to charity this holiday season.
Song of the Day:
Final Thoughts:
Level Head shares stories of fallen believers from God’s grace, held captive by specific fleshly desires. May today’s lyrics remind you of the obstacles to charity and God’s power to rescue you from the poor choices of your past.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 