ETERNAL OVER TEMPORARY

Dining with Jesus Christian Episodes

PASTOR RYAN LADEN – DEVOTIONALS

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The Apostle Paul had this to say about our connection to the things of this world:

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

(Galatians 5:16-17 NIV11)

Do you believe this to be true in your walk with God?

The Apostle Paul said that if we are paying attention to the leadership of the Holy Spirit that we will find ourselves less in love with the things of the world. He also said that the desires of our flesh are in direct competition / opposition with the things of God. 

How does that sound to you? 

Experience?

Has this been your experience as you have put your faith in Jesus Christ and submitted your heart and soul into his authority? 

Have you lost that loving feeling for the sins of your past as you have made it a habit to turn to Jesus and walk in faith with the dawning of each new day?

In our continued reading of 1 John we can hear this same truth presented to us in a way that powerfully calls us away from the flesh so that we can become better friends with Jesus. 

Listen to how this message is given: 

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

(1 John 2:15-17 NIV11)

Two Sides

Here we have two options laid bare before us. 

·  We can embrace the eternal or we can embrace the temporary. 

·  We cannot live with both as the driving force of our lives. 

·  We cannot serve two masters. 

·  We cannot serve God and mammon (the riches of this world). 

Assumption

I am going to make an assumption here that you do not want your life to be defined by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. These are not descriptors that you want others to use to explain what kind of man or woman you are to others. 

So if this is true and you do not want to live as one who has taken this world as his lover, then what can you do?

Return

Let me return you to the message of the Apostle Paul that began this devotion:

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

(Galatians 5:22-25 NIV11)

In Step

If we actually want to move away from the sin and shame associated with this world, if we really want these desires and lusts to be excised from our minds and removed from our eyes, then we need to take action. 

What action should we take? We should keep in step with the Spirit. 

We need to embrace the Holy Spirit in our everyday lives. The Spirit of God does not just show up in worship services, rather the Spirit of God is our guide for how to live in this world. 

The Spirit is going to lead us into situations, into environments that help us produce the fruit of the Spirit. The Lord wants us to be marked by these great gifts of God and not by our addictions to the things of the world. 

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, as I head into this day, help me to be still and know that you are God. Help me to quiet my anxious and busy thoughts so that I can embrace your Spirit within me. As I go through this day today, I want to honor you by being in step with you. I want to turn away from lust, greed, anger, and bitterness. I want more of you in all I do. I am yours Lord. 

In Christ, 

Ryan Laden

PASTOR RYAN LADEN


Works at MTN. CHURCH

Former Senior pastor at Warnbro Community Church

Studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Studied at Baylor University

Studied at Texas Tech University

Went to Castle Hills First Baptist

Copyright © 2024 Ryan Laden – All Rights Reserved.

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