Killing Comfort and Being Set Free From the Bondage of the Flesh
Greetings Sisters around the world!
I pray you are all doing well and keeping that joy and peace that surpasses all understanding.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7
We must remember this every day, the promises of our Father in Heaven, that we can have peace in our daily lives. We are now encouraging a brother who is having even more tribulations in his life than he was before, a couple young brothers who are in situations that are less than ideal in their homes and many more stories of believers who are working through their trials but keeping their joy and peace as our Father is greater than all.
Since we have arrived at our Missouri homestead I have been wanting to share about killing the comfort of our flesh. If you are from the U.S. you will agree that most people spend a great deal of time and money trying to appease their flesh in the way of comfort. (I'm sure many other countries are the same but I can only speak for where I am at.) The reason I bring up this topic is because you don't realize how important that is until you start killing it.
First off let me say that it's not at all sinful to do these things I will talk about but when it becomes something that people think they deserve and it interferes with the things of God, then it is sinful in the flesh.
We have noticed that these areas (no matter how simple) are hinderances to the Christian's walk because many are walking in the comfort of the flesh. It may sound crazy to you but if you take time to ponder it you may find areas where you are allowing your flesh to lead you as well.
As soon as summer hits and it gets hot everyone runs for air conditioning or ways to constantly stay cool. Activities are prohibited (even if they are godly) because it's not comfortable in the flesh to sweat or be hot. Same with heat in the winter; people spend large amounts of money heating houses and rooms that are not occupied a good part of the day and they don't go outside much because it's too cold. Speaking of houses, they are getting bigger and people hate the thought of killing the comfort of being able to spread out. Automobiles have to have air, electric windows, special gadgets etc to satisfy the comfort of the owner.
(Here's a funny story....a couple years ago brother Jim took our grandson to the store and told him he could roll the window down. He looked and looked at the door and said 'Papa, there's no button, I can't roll the windown down.'
Our van is 1996 and it doesn't have electric anything in it:-)
In the areas of food the flesh has the comfort of knowing that it can be satiated by whatever the palate desires that day. Fast food, quick foods, every option of food etc. And rituals, those are comforting to the flesh because we get used to doing things our way. The list is endless and most people in the world are slaves to their flesh, let us as Christians not be that way.
The apostles were not concerned about pleasing their flesh while on the earth, they were concerned about souls. Think about what they went through to share the precious, life saving gospel! Satan has done a very good job at slowing down the preaching of the gospel and the glory of God in many areas and this is just one of them.
For instance...We know of professed believers who claimed to want to live off grid and save money to travel and preach but they lasted only a very short time before they headed back into the world to satisfy the comfort of their flesh. Believing men who are in bondage to their job because they are satifsying the comfort of their (or their wives) flesh by having that huge house, high utility bills, excessive vehicles etc. Believers are in bondage to the weather because they don't want to be hot or cold and will only venture out when the weather suits them. Believers are in bondage to rituals; being used to doing things when they want and in their way. It's sad really....
I'm not writing this to tell you to toss out your air conditioner, sell your house or unplug your refrigerator or throw away your lists, I'm simply wanting to expose areas that you may be a slave to that fleshly comfort and hope that you examine yourself. Why? Because we are not to be under the power of anything (1 Corinthians 6:12) such as our flesh. We are to bring our body into submission (1 Corinthians 9:27)
You never know...if you are married your husband may feel called to be traveling missionary preaching the truth. If you have an unbelieving one he may repent and become one. If you are single the Lord may have a godly man for you and when you meet you want to be in the place that your flesh is easily controlled based on how he wants to live. Something big might happen in this world and our lives might be turned upside down and you want to be in that place where you are a shining light to your neighbors who are in a panic but they see your peace and joy; your trusting in the Lord for all things. This life is not all about us and our fleshly comfort, it's about living for the Lord, even if none of that happens.
Because we (ourselves) have focused on killing the comfort of our flesh, we have been set free....free from the bondage of the flesh (not totally as we will always battle it!) so that we can move around wherever we are needed in the things of the Lord. At one time we 'talked' about a life like this but it seemed so far off, now today because we have actively worked torward it, it's here.
I thought I'd share a few areas where we have killed a lot of our flesh and over time we rejoice that we can endure through the trials and remain in that peace and joy...not letting our flesh dictate it through our circumstances.
We live without air conditioning in our off grid home in Missouri and in the summer it's extremely hot and humid. We do run a fan which helps and then nighttime usually cools off enough. We do have a small air conditioner in the back window of our van to cool it off when it's been sitting in the hot sun all day and that allows us to have quiet and privacy to do some ministry work as it's loud out in the world.
We also have critters here in the woods where we live that would cause most people to run off. We don't have running water, we have a well that we need to hook up to our generator to fill water jugs. We don't have a refrigerator and either go without or have to keep running to get ice for the cooler. We don't have air conditioning in our van. We don't run heat over night in our van in the cold weather so it can get pretty chilly in the cold months. We heat with wood on our homestead, which is great, but we have to find the time to cut enough to stay ahead while we're traveling a lot. We take quick camp showers which can be challenging when on the road. Our diet can change often depending on where we are and what's available. Even something like lights can be a chore for us at times. When it rains we could be wet for a long time if it's too humid to dry anything. My ways of cooking are a tiny propane stove that I use on the road and a little oven at the homestead. We don't have regular rituals / routines and our days can change in an instant and often do.
Let me stop and talk about rituals or routines. It can be very comforting in the flesh to have a routine go well every day but are you troubled when it goes awry and your day goes in a different direction? Be very careful how much you influence routines on other people. Think about this...probably most of you, like me, were raised in some sort of routine. Wake up at this general time, eat breakfast, go to school, come home, do chores, go to bed. Most people end up having a ritual job starting and ending about the same times every day. As some of you have children, you raise them in the routine you have chosen. Think hard about those routines before you set them in stone. Sometimes they are a good thing but they also can be a hinderance and bondage to others. Let me explain. Christians should homeschool their children and in doing so they have the freedom to do it however it works for their family. As your children get older you may see that some are early risers and some sleep later. The early risers can think well and do good in the morning, the late risers do better at thinking in the evening. Instead of shoving them all into a routine that makes you feel better in the flesh, you may need to work freely with the different attributes of each child lest you end up forming them into a mold such as the public school system does. Be very careful that you are not locking your husband into a routine that you have set so that he's free to lead. I'm not telling you what to do, I just want you to think outside of what you are used to.
And as keepers at home we are in charge of much of the atmosphere in it, meaning if we are always seeking the comfort of the flesh then those in our lives will not only see it but may follow the example. I know for a fact if I were to be complaining about wanting more comfort in my life, brother Jim would not be as free to minister the gospel to the lost all over the country. We need to be thankful in all things, not just when our flesh is comfortable. Back in the biblical days there were no such comforts of the flesh so who are we to think we deserve them? We should look at comforts of the flesh as a gift, not a given. That means it should not be something that is expected but instead something to be thankful and appreciated (not something that we must have). Don't allow your peace, joy and praise of God come only when your flesh is comforted but in all things with or without.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. Luke 9:24
Don't let this life sweep you away. It can be hard to find that balance of living here on this earth in the flesh and needing to do so for the time the Lord has us here vs living for Christ and denying the flesh.
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
We are to examine ourselves 2 Corinthians 13:5 and take every thought captive for Christ 2 Corinthians 10:5, casting down everything that exhalts itself against the knowlege of God (like the comfort of the flesh).
So, let's self check to see if we are being led by our flesh in such simple areas of comfort or are we leading our flesh in the ways of God regardless of the circumstances.
So on that note, I will leave you with this...
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. Luke 9:23
Have a joyous evening sisters,
Love in Christ,
Sister Deb
I pray you are all doing well and keeping that joy and peace that surpasses all understanding.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7
We must remember this every day, the promises of our Father in Heaven, that we can have peace in our daily lives. We are now encouraging a brother who is having even more tribulations in his life than he was before, a couple young brothers who are in situations that are less than ideal in their homes and many more stories of believers who are working through their trials but keeping their joy and peace as our Father is greater than all.
Since we have arrived at our Missouri homestead I have been wanting to share about killing the comfort of our flesh. If you are from the U.S. you will agree that most people spend a great deal of time and money trying to appease their flesh in the way of comfort. (I'm sure many other countries are the same but I can only speak for where I am at.) The reason I bring up this topic is because you don't realize how important that is until you start killing it.
First off let me say that it's not at all sinful to do these things I will talk about but when it becomes something that people think they deserve and it interferes with the things of God, then it is sinful in the flesh.
We have noticed that these areas (no matter how simple) are hinderances to the Christian's walk because many are walking in the comfort of the flesh. It may sound crazy to you but if you take time to ponder it you may find areas where you are allowing your flesh to lead you as well.
As soon as summer hits and it gets hot everyone runs for air conditioning or ways to constantly stay cool. Activities are prohibited (even if they are godly) because it's not comfortable in the flesh to sweat or be hot. Same with heat in the winter; people spend large amounts of money heating houses and rooms that are not occupied a good part of the day and they don't go outside much because it's too cold. Speaking of houses, they are getting bigger and people hate the thought of killing the comfort of being able to spread out. Automobiles have to have air, electric windows, special gadgets etc to satisfy the comfort of the owner.
(Here's a funny story....a couple years ago brother Jim took our grandson to the store and told him he could roll the window down. He looked and looked at the door and said 'Papa, there's no button, I can't roll the windown down.'
Our van is 1996 and it doesn't have electric anything in it:-)
In the areas of food the flesh has the comfort of knowing that it can be satiated by whatever the palate desires that day. Fast food, quick foods, every option of food etc. And rituals, those are comforting to the flesh because we get used to doing things our way. The list is endless and most people in the world are slaves to their flesh, let us as Christians not be that way.
The apostles were not concerned about pleasing their flesh while on the earth, they were concerned about souls. Think about what they went through to share the precious, life saving gospel! Satan has done a very good job at slowing down the preaching of the gospel and the glory of God in many areas and this is just one of them.
For instance...We know of professed believers who claimed to want to live off grid and save money to travel and preach but they lasted only a very short time before they headed back into the world to satisfy the comfort of their flesh. Believing men who are in bondage to their job because they are satifsying the comfort of their (or their wives) flesh by having that huge house, high utility bills, excessive vehicles etc. Believers are in bondage to the weather because they don't want to be hot or cold and will only venture out when the weather suits them. Believers are in bondage to rituals; being used to doing things when they want and in their way. It's sad really....
I'm not writing this to tell you to toss out your air conditioner, sell your house or unplug your refrigerator or throw away your lists, I'm simply wanting to expose areas that you may be a slave to that fleshly comfort and hope that you examine yourself. Why? Because we are not to be under the power of anything (1 Corinthians 6:12) such as our flesh. We are to bring our body into submission (1 Corinthians 9:27)
You never know...if you are married your husband may feel called to be traveling missionary preaching the truth. If you have an unbelieving one he may repent and become one. If you are single the Lord may have a godly man for you and when you meet you want to be in the place that your flesh is easily controlled based on how he wants to live. Something big might happen in this world and our lives might be turned upside down and you want to be in that place where you are a shining light to your neighbors who are in a panic but they see your peace and joy; your trusting in the Lord for all things. This life is not all about us and our fleshly comfort, it's about living for the Lord, even if none of that happens.
Because we (ourselves) have focused on killing the comfort of our flesh, we have been set free....free from the bondage of the flesh (not totally as we will always battle it!) so that we can move around wherever we are needed in the things of the Lord. At one time we 'talked' about a life like this but it seemed so far off, now today because we have actively worked torward it, it's here.
I thought I'd share a few areas where we have killed a lot of our flesh and over time we rejoice that we can endure through the trials and remain in that peace and joy...not letting our flesh dictate it through our circumstances.
We live without air conditioning in our off grid home in Missouri and in the summer it's extremely hot and humid. We do run a fan which helps and then nighttime usually cools off enough. We do have a small air conditioner in the back window of our van to cool it off when it's been sitting in the hot sun all day and that allows us to have quiet and privacy to do some ministry work as it's loud out in the world.
We also have critters here in the woods where we live that would cause most people to run off. We don't have running water, we have a well that we need to hook up to our generator to fill water jugs. We don't have a refrigerator and either go without or have to keep running to get ice for the cooler. We don't have air conditioning in our van. We don't run heat over night in our van in the cold weather so it can get pretty chilly in the cold months. We heat with wood on our homestead, which is great, but we have to find the time to cut enough to stay ahead while we're traveling a lot. We take quick camp showers which can be challenging when on the road. Our diet can change often depending on where we are and what's available. Even something like lights can be a chore for us at times. When it rains we could be wet for a long time if it's too humid to dry anything. My ways of cooking are a tiny propane stove that I use on the road and a little oven at the homestead. We don't have regular rituals / routines and our days can change in an instant and often do.
Let me stop and talk about rituals or routines. It can be very comforting in the flesh to have a routine go well every day but are you troubled when it goes awry and your day goes in a different direction? Be very careful how much you influence routines on other people. Think about this...probably most of you, like me, were raised in some sort of routine. Wake up at this general time, eat breakfast, go to school, come home, do chores, go to bed. Most people end up having a ritual job starting and ending about the same times every day. As some of you have children, you raise them in the routine you have chosen. Think hard about those routines before you set them in stone. Sometimes they are a good thing but they also can be a hinderance and bondage to others. Let me explain. Christians should homeschool their children and in doing so they have the freedom to do it however it works for their family. As your children get older you may see that some are early risers and some sleep later. The early risers can think well and do good in the morning, the late risers do better at thinking in the evening. Instead of shoving them all into a routine that makes you feel better in the flesh, you may need to work freely with the different attributes of each child lest you end up forming them into a mold such as the public school system does. Be very careful that you are not locking your husband into a routine that you have set so that he's free to lead. I'm not telling you what to do, I just want you to think outside of what you are used to.
And as keepers at home we are in charge of much of the atmosphere in it, meaning if we are always seeking the comfort of the flesh then those in our lives will not only see it but may follow the example. I know for a fact if I were to be complaining about wanting more comfort in my life, brother Jim would not be as free to minister the gospel to the lost all over the country. We need to be thankful in all things, not just when our flesh is comfortable. Back in the biblical days there were no such comforts of the flesh so who are we to think we deserve them? We should look at comforts of the flesh as a gift, not a given. That means it should not be something that is expected but instead something to be thankful and appreciated (not something that we must have). Don't allow your peace, joy and praise of God come only when your flesh is comforted but in all things with or without.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. Luke 9:24
Don't let this life sweep you away. It can be hard to find that balance of living here on this earth in the flesh and needing to do so for the time the Lord has us here vs living for Christ and denying the flesh.
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
We are to examine ourselves 2 Corinthians 13:5 and take every thought captive for Christ 2 Corinthians 10:5, casting down everything that exhalts itself against the knowlege of God (like the comfort of the flesh).
So, let's self check to see if we are being led by our flesh in such simple areas of comfort or are we leading our flesh in the ways of God regardless of the circumstances.
So on that note, I will leave you with this...
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. Luke 9:23
Have a joyous evening sisters,
Love in Christ,
Sister Deb
The biblical gospel...