Sinful Nature

 

    In the womb you were created perfect for a purpose.  Somewhere between being created and born the sinful nature becomes a part of you.  Sinning comes natural.  It feels right.  It takes having an encounter with God to really see sin for what it is.  It takes a relationship with God to really change the sinful nature.  It is not something you can do without God.

    No one had to reach you how to have a rebellious spirit.  It comes in different degrees with people, but everyone has a rebellious spirit that drives you toward sin.  It can be as simple as wanting things your way to the extreme in not believing in God at all.  

    Sin always comes with consequences.  It will always take more than you want to pay.  You can know what the consequences will be and allow that to keep your actions in check, but that doesn't change your heart.  God sees the heart.  Unless you make your heart right with God, you will never be free from your sinful nature.

    Unbelief leads to rebellion.  If you don't believe that God will do what He says He will do then why would you obey?  Walking in faith requires holy fear.  This fear is knowing the consequences and wanting to do right to be holy and not hurt the Holy Spirit.  It is not fear of the consequences like humanity faces fear.  

    Faith requires trust.  It is the opposite of sin.  Sin wants you to feed your pride while faith wants you to surrender to God's control.  The more you give control over to God the more freedom you have from the bondage of sin.  It no longer is a habit.  You are able to use your free will to do good instead of being tied to your selfish behavior.

    Sin is anything that goes against God's will or design.  That includes how you think, what you do, and the words you use that dishonor God.  It is choosing yourself over God.  In a way you make yourself your own God even if you never would admit it.  The more you hold onto control the more sin has a hold on you.

    Humanity will always struggle with the sinful nature, but it doesn't have to control you.  You can stop gossiping, crush your pride, work through obsessions or addictions, stop caring about other people's opinions, and a slew of other things that become sinful habits.  Put to death your sinful ways before they kill you.  

    Satan cast doubt into your mind.  If you feed that doubt it will push you further away from God.  If you go to scripture to fight doubt, then your faith becomes stronger and you find ways to avoid sinning.  His desire is to steal, kill, and destroy your life.  The closer you move toward God the harder Satan pursues you, but God is stronger than Satan.  If you give God control, then He can fight Satan on your behalf.  Most things that you get hit with are small in comparison to what Satan would do if he was able.

    Sin is serious.  It is choosing evil and wickedness over righteousness.  It affects every aspect of your life.  You will never be able to imagine a life that is not affected by sin until you enter Heaven.  In Heaven all these struggles disappear.  When it gets hard remember God's promises and what you are working toward: eternity.  

    Sin separates you from God.  Faith brings you closer.  Faith takes time and work, but it is stronger than the sinful nature.  Sin leads to a hard dysfunctional heart.  Faith leads to love that heals all emotional and spiritual wounds.  Sin leads to havoc, condemnation, and death.  Faith leads to love, transparent righteousness, innocence, and eternal perfection.  You are always moving more into your sinful nature or your faith.  You never stay stagnant.  It has always been your choice which you put your energy into.

Genesis 3, Psalm 51:1-6, Romans 3:23-26, 5:12-19, 6:20-23, Hebrews 12:1-4

Created Identity

 

    God created people as man and woman.  There has only ever been two sexes.  Each sex is a miracle.  You are a beautiful masterpiece made by God.  God made woman from man.  Women are made to compliment, help, and support men.  Neither sex is better than the other.  We each have our own roles, strengths, and weaknesses.  We are both stronger and better when together versus working against each other or yourself.

    Creation designed you in His likeness.  To change God's designis a sin against His masterpiece that is you.  His designing you gave your purpose in the role of your sex.  God could have created any number of sexes, but He chose two.  He could have made Eve in any way of His choosing like speaking her into existence like Adam.  However, He chose to make woman from man.  God chose to make man before woman, so the order matters too.  God can meet both male and female needs best when they are together. 

    Male and Female are distinctly different and that is a wonderful thing.  Through God's design of male and female He also designed marriage.  It is not about hierarchy or who is better.  It is about holy love.  God loves each sex equally.  Marriage was designed to serve a purpose (children), but it also is a gift.  It makes aspects of life easier.  People are the ones that complicate things.  God's design is perfect on so many levels.  God's way may not be easy, but it is simple.  

    Men were built to be strong and be able to make decisive decisions.  They are meant to lead without manipulation, bullying, or abuse of any kind.  The job of the man is to protect this world, all life, and women.  His strength does not always have to be muscles.  It can be intellect, character and other ways that show love and protection.  

    Women, it is okay to be a tomboy, tough, and strong.  Just understand that men are stronger and they can still take care of you.  Women your job is to take care of the family however that may look.  You support your man and allow him to lead.  You can give him wise wisdom, but he is the leader.  You were created to be his life partner not his mother (unless he is your child or mentally unable to be the man).  You are your man's helper.  This is an important and valuable role.  It does not demean you, but compliments your strong character and submission to God.  It takes strength to submit and not have the last word.

    Mothers, once your boy grows up, then let him go to be the man for his wife.  Father, teach your daughters on how to be led by men properly.  Parents, teach your children how to be men and women for marriage.  If that is not possible, then trust God to lead them on how to be a husband or wife.  Marriage is loving sacrificially like Jesus did for the church.  It is also okay if you stay single.  God has a purpose for you.  Singleness does not devalue at all.  It just means you have different struggles than married people.

Genesis 1:26-2:25, 5:1-2, Psalm 121: 1-2, Matthew 19:4-6, Mark 10:5-9, 1 Corinthians 15:45-49, & Ephesian 5:21-33

Self Worth

 

    God created everything.  He created the heavens and earth.  He created everything that brings beauty into this world.  He created all life including you.  Humans are God's masterpiece.  You are made in the likeness of God.  

    Male and female are different in almost every aspect except that they were made by God and both hold worth in different ways.  Everyone holds a likeness to God in some way.  You are a physical representative of God in this world.  Nothing else is able to communicate and have a relationship with God like people.

    Every person matters.  Every person has a purpose.  How you treat others matters to God.  He cares if you chose abortion, prejudice, genocide, murder, or other forms of hateful acts that harms His creations.  He cares enough to forgive you and forget any past mistake, but He does want you to repent.  No one is without fault of hurting someone in some way.  He can use acts of hate to change people's hearts including your heart.

    A person is a body, a soul, and a complex mind.  You have a personality that is all your own.  You have the ability to reason.  You build your morality and what direction you take spiritually.  Your freewill directs your life and how you invest your time with the life God gave to you.  

    God created and loves each person.  You are not clumped into a group with Him.  You are precious, valued, and important to God.  You have dignity because you are His creation.  You are an eternal being.  You decide where you end up in life.  

    God commands you to love everyone, so when it is hard to love people pray for them.  Pray over your own heart to see them the way God sees them.  Pray to see their value in this world.  Sin can cloud your perspective.  Sin can make some people very hard to love.  Like you, your enemy is a workmanship, a masterpiece, of God.  No matter how far they stray from Him that truth never changes.

    No matter what people tell you, you are worth the effort.  You are crafted by God.  You are a piece of art, uniquely made and can never be fully copied.  You are worthy of love, dignity, and bare minimum of respect as God's image bearer.  Your nationality, race, sex, language, intellect, personality, or anything else does not matter because God made you exactly the beautiful image that you are.  You don't need to try to change or improve the appearance.  Grow in your relationship with Him and everything else will sort itself out.  God's signature is on your DNA.

Genesis 1:26-31, Romans 8:26-30, 2 Corinthians 3:16-18, Ephesian 2:8-10, & Revelations 7:9-14

Holy Spirit's Work Part 2

 

    The Holy Spirit has always been the same, but He held different roles before and after Jesus came to save the world.  He was a part of creation. He hovered over the world almost like He was blessing it's creation or held it all together for God to give it form.  As people entered the world his role got more active.

    The Holy Spirit has always been a guide and mentor.  In the Old Testament He led the prophets and authors of God's Word.  He moved people's hearts to trust and obey God even people who did not follow God.  He directed people to serve God's purpose even if they were not aware.  He gave divine wisdom to judges and then kings.  He gave some supernatural abilities to be able to serve God in their timeline.

    God went silent for about 400 years and so did the Holy Spirit.  It does not mean that they were not working, but the work was not in the forefront for people to notice.  The silence was broken with the beginning of the New Testament with a lot of excitement.  The Holy Spirit muted Zechariah, made his senior wife Elizabeth pregnant with John the Baptist, and performed the miracle of impregnating a virgin with Jesus.  The Holy Spirit has been very active since the New Testament began, but not it is more noticeable.  He had a part in Jesus' ministry and post resurrection.  

    The Holy Spirit now lives in the transformed souls of all who faithfully follow Jesus.  He reveals the truth of scriptures in God's Word.  He convicts you of your sin.  He shows you how to trust God and love like Jesus.  He empowers you to do good and build the church in Jesus' name.  He comforts your and will intercede on your behalf with God.  He is your companion for the rest of your life until you enter Heaven and all is perfect.

Genesis 1:1-2, Numbers 11:29-30, 27:18-21, Judges 3:9-11, 6:33-35, 1 Samuel 10:9-11, 2 Samuel 23:2-4, Matthew 1:18-19, 3:13-4:11, Luke 1:35-37, 2:25-35, Acts 10:34-38, Romans 8:9-11, & 2 Peter 1:19-21

Holy Spirit Fruit

 

        

    The Holy Spirit gives out gifts to people upon salvation.  He also cultivates them into your character and way of life as you mature in your relationship with God.  He gives you what you need and helps you learn how to use them, but you have to do your part to remove the roots of everything that would suffocate or steal from your growth.  If you don't invest into your own growth it will not happen.  

    You can look churchy, but that doesn't mean you are actually following Jesus.  If you want to grow and have the fruits of the Spirit apparent in your life, then you need to be in God's Word and prayer.  You can be the Christian that gives Christianity a good reputation and becomes a light in the world to draw people to God.

    Holy Spirit fruit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.   His love teaches you how to love like Jesus.  Joy is finding excitement or purpose in life no matter the circumstances.  Peace is being able to mentally and emotionally stay calm.  Patience is stopping to enjoy life instead of always rushing or focusing on what needs to be done.  Kindness is treating people with empathy.  Goodness is doing things God's way.  Faithfulness is being steadfast in your relationship with God.  Gentleness is caring about others and their pain.  Self-control is being able to put aside your desires to do things God's way.

    The fruits of the Spirit give you spiritual freedom to be right with God instead of trying to earn His love.  You obey Him out of love and desire instead of human fear.  You are no longer a slave to sin, but it doesn't give you the freedom to keep sinning.  You have been set apart to be like Jesus  Don't willingly go put yourself back into filth.  You don't lose your salvation, but it serves no purpose here and now.  The world can't see a difference in you from them.

    Allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life.  He will produce growth in you.  You may stumble from time to time, but you can always repent and get back on track.  Allow your heart to change.  Salvation circumcises your heart to be able to embrace the truth.

Genesis 17:9-14, John 15:5-8, & Galatians 5

Life Giving Spirit

 

    You are dead to your sins until you meet Jesus, believe, and start living a new life.  It is the Holy Spirit that makes your new life possible.  When you live without Jesus your mind is on worldly things.  You can't change on your own.  You need the Holy Spirit living in your heart and talking to your mind to be a different person.

    When you are a person of the world you are an enemy of God.  When you live by the Spirit your mindset changes from death focused to what brings forth life and peace.  Life is unpredictable, hard, and lonely at times.  When you have the Holy Spirit you never face anything alone.  He counsels you.  He comforts you.  He knows your mind and heart, so He knows how to reach you if you will let Him.  

    If you are Christian, then world will overwhelm and break you in suffering until you reject your sinful nature and face God.  Christians were never meant to fit into Satan's environment.  You belong to God.  If you follow Satan, then life may coast.  Why would Satan get in your way?  He already has you.  He wants to stop Christians.  Endure this world because you will find your reward in Heaven.  You will get to spend eternity worshipping God as the first fruits.

    First fruits is your faith in action.  In gardening it is the first and the best.  In the church it means you are living out your spiritual gifts to serve Jesus.  In eternity it means you get the full reward from God.  You sacrifice your sinful nature to experience life with the the Holy Spirit who promises to give you a future close to God.

    The Holy Spirit is your spokes person.  When life is too much and you can't even find the words to pray, He reads your heart and speaks to God on your behalf.  He is there with you in it and He loves you enough to go to God to ask to make things better.  No matter how bad things get they won't stay that way forever if you belong to God.  Do not live like you are still in bondage to sin.  Live free to do good in the world.

Leviticus 23:9-14, Job 33:1-7, & Romans 8

Holy Spirit Seal

 

    When you put your faith in Jesus the Holy Spirit comes to live within you.  His presence is the seal of salvation.  It is not something you deserve.  It is done because you chose to believe and God keeps His Word.  You have the seal that can't be broken because God loves you.  It is a guarantee that when you die your soul will live eternally in Heaven with the Trinity.  Nothing can ever take that away from you.

    The seal of the Holy Spirit means you get to live freely for and with God now.  He is God's signature on your heart from now to eternity.  Things will change and be better once eternity begins, but you can live with peace and freedom now.  

    When you are sealed by the Holy Spirit, then there should be a difference in you.  People should be able to see that you belong to God even if they don't understand what the change is about.  This is not a signet ring, tattoo, or regular seal of authority or importance.  The seal of the Holy Spirit is God imbedding Himself as a part of your soul.  It is the missing piece of your soul that makes you complete and sustains you.  

    No matter what people do, you do, or anything that happens when you have the seal of the Holy Spirit you belong to God.  He protects His own.  That doesn't mean that life wont happen.  It does not mean that people will not make life difficult.  It does not mean that you will not die one day.  It means that you have protect of God.  He will allow things to happen to serve a purpose, but it doesn't change the fact that your eternity is guaranteed. The truth always comes out eventually.

    The Holy Spirit seal is irrevocable.  Once you are adopted into God's family, you can never be kicked out or removed.  You can live life with humble assurance because you are loved, favored, protected, and secure.  You never have to doubt your relationship with God even if you don't hear or feel Him close to you all the time.  Know that He is still there watching and protecting you.  You can ask Him all your heart questions and not worry about annoying Him or being rejected.  He loves it when you come to Him.

    The seal of the Holy Spirit enables you to walk in authority to do God's work.  You are not walking into anything alone.  When you seek to obey doors of opportunity open up.  The Holy Spirit will give your stillness, peace, quiet, and rest when you need it.  He will also be with you when you need to move, act, or respond instantly.  All you have to do is believe, repent, and trust in God to have salvation (the Holy Spirit's seal).  It can never be taken away or revoked.

Esther 8:1-8, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, Ephesians 1:3-8, 4:20-30, 2 Peter 1:10-11