Walking in the Spirit, not the Flesh
Greetings sisters,
Onward we press forward, looking ahead toward Christ. I pray you are all doing the same. The title here is one that we commonly talk about, walking in the Spirit, not the flesh.
There are so many hurdles in the flesh that I only want to pick one today. Illness.
We come across many women who have various illnesses, myself included, and although I've written about it before, it's good to keep ongoing encouragement because for some of us, the issue of having illnesses may never go away. If we allow ourselves, we can be consumed with cures or focusing on how we feel but if we turn it over to the Lord and seek His will be done, we are able to walk in the Spirit.
Last night I asked brother Jim to draw me a picture and he asked me 'of what?' I said 'whatever you feel led to and I'll write a sisters blog on it'. He drew this and said I should share with you what just happened and how my illness put us in the right places at the right time.
I've been struggling through some very tough physical issues and just yesterday we had to stop for a while as I recuperated. We then rolled into the town we were going to stay and not less than 10 seconds from pulling into the gas station a young man ran up to brother Jim and said:
"I really like your signs. God's really been doing a work on me, calling me. I'd love to do what you do. But satan's having a field day with me, yanking me all over. Do you have a card or something, I'd like to call you.'
Brother Jim handed him a card and just then another man came out...a very rough looking man (covered in tatooes, piercings, smoking) and this young man had to leave quickly. It could have been his dad. Pray for that young man, there's a seed inside and the evil one has his workers all over, trying to snatch the truth away. Pray for that other man that seems to have great influence over him.
The day before, I told brother Jim I wanted to go to the store for some juice and a few minutes after going in, a frail, elderly woman asked me to find something for her. I was able to help her locate her item and just then her husband came around the corner saying something to her. I got out a gospel card and lurked in the area for a minute until she walked by me and I gave her the gospel card and said I wanted to share good news with her.
During one of those days we stopped at a gas station and as I was checking out, my mind was really slow...very slow... and I smiled at the woman (covered in tattoos and several piercings in her nose) while I struggled to count out my change. I commented on one of their specials that they do for the truck drivers and she warmed up to talking to me. (Sometimes people like that seem to have a chip on their shoulder about Christians or something.) She said how a big chain gas station sprung up just down the road so they were offering specials to the truckers to keep them coming there. I said I hoped that their business ran well and dug out a gospel card for her of which she thanked me.
I gave thanks and praise to my Father because had I not been sick those instances may have never occurred. During all this I've been really learning how to walk in the Spirit and even while feeling terrible I've had a peace and joy, been handing out gospel cards and rejoicing in being used for the Lord.
I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. (Psalm 3:5)
That's how I am every day that I wake up, regardless of how I feel. I thank our heavenly Father for giving me one more day to serve Him and I know He will sustain me and give me what I need to do His will. I think of this verse...
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. (Luke 22:42)
I'm simply a servant of the most High and whatever is His will for me, I will be joyous in it.
Hold fast sisters and hear the words from our Savior...
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)
He has overcome the world and soon, if we endure, we will be with Him and shed from these earthly tents (bodies). Read 1 Corinthians 15 for encouragement.
God can use you in any situation as long as you are faithfully following after Him in obedience through the Word. Let that be encouraging to you to strive on joyfully no matter the circumstances.
May God be praised!
Love in Christ,
Sister Deb
Onward we press forward, looking ahead toward Christ. I pray you are all doing the same. The title here is one that we commonly talk about, walking in the Spirit, not the flesh.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-8)
There are so many hurdles in the flesh that I only want to pick one today. Illness.
We come across many women who have various illnesses, myself included, and although I've written about it before, it's good to keep ongoing encouragement because for some of us, the issue of having illnesses may never go away. If we allow ourselves, we can be consumed with cures or focusing on how we feel but if we turn it over to the Lord and seek His will be done, we are able to walk in the Spirit.
Last night I asked brother Jim to draw me a picture and he asked me 'of what?' I said 'whatever you feel led to and I'll write a sisters blog on it'. He drew this and said I should share with you what just happened and how my illness put us in the right places at the right time.
I've been struggling through some very tough physical issues and just yesterday we had to stop for a while as I recuperated. We then rolled into the town we were going to stay and not less than 10 seconds from pulling into the gas station a young man ran up to brother Jim and said:
"I really like your signs. God's really been doing a work on me, calling me. I'd love to do what you do. But satan's having a field day with me, yanking me all over. Do you have a card or something, I'd like to call you.'
Brother Jim handed him a card and just then another man came out...a very rough looking man (covered in tatooes, piercings, smoking) and this young man had to leave quickly. It could have been his dad. Pray for that young man, there's a seed inside and the evil one has his workers all over, trying to snatch the truth away. Pray for that other man that seems to have great influence over him.
The day before, I told brother Jim I wanted to go to the store for some juice and a few minutes after going in, a frail, elderly woman asked me to find something for her. I was able to help her locate her item and just then her husband came around the corner saying something to her. I got out a gospel card and lurked in the area for a minute until she walked by me and I gave her the gospel card and said I wanted to share good news with her.
During one of those days we stopped at a gas station and as I was checking out, my mind was really slow...very slow... and I smiled at the woman (covered in tattoos and several piercings in her nose) while I struggled to count out my change. I commented on one of their specials that they do for the truck drivers and she warmed up to talking to me. (Sometimes people like that seem to have a chip on their shoulder about Christians or something.) She said how a big chain gas station sprung up just down the road so they were offering specials to the truckers to keep them coming there. I said I hoped that their business ran well and dug out a gospel card for her of which she thanked me.
I gave thanks and praise to my Father because had I not been sick those instances may have never occurred. During all this I've been really learning how to walk in the Spirit and even while feeling terrible I've had a peace and joy, been handing out gospel cards and rejoicing in being used for the Lord.
I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. (Psalm 3:5)
That's how I am every day that I wake up, regardless of how I feel. I thank our heavenly Father for giving me one more day to serve Him and I know He will sustain me and give me what I need to do His will. I think of this verse...
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. (Luke 22:42)
I'm simply a servant of the most High and whatever is His will for me, I will be joyous in it.
Hold fast sisters and hear the words from our Savior...
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)
He has overcome the world and soon, if we endure, we will be with Him and shed from these earthly tents (bodies). Read 1 Corinthians 15 for encouragement.
God can use you in any situation as long as you are faithfully following after Him in obedience through the Word. Let that be encouraging to you to strive on joyfully no matter the circumstances.
May God be praised!
Love in Christ,
Sister Deb
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