February 28, 2016 What wolf will you feed?

Reading: Romans 7, Exodus 21, and Psalm 119:49-96

Scripture: Romans 8:18b-20, For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

Observation: For the longest time this section of scripture was so confusing to me but until I learned that Paul was talking about his two natures just as we have two natures it was hard to read. I now understand Paul much better knowing there are two natures. First is the fleshly nature that wants us to do what feels good and what is known as our sinful nature. Then there is our spiritual nature where we want to do good and shun our sinful nature. Paul is saying that he is struggling between the two natures and I do the same.

Application: I can bet we all Struggle with this. I have heard it this way, both natures are like wolves both of them with great power and strength but they are at war with each other all day every day. And we get to decide who wins. The one that wins will be the one we feed. We can feed our fleshly nature by following the world and looking at things from that point of view, or we can feed the spiritual wolf by spending time in the word and with those who build us up in the word. when we focus on God those wars become nothing more then something to step over.

Prayer: Lord, you know our hearts and our minds and how easy it is to loose focus and allow the flashy feel good moments of the world can distract us from the great blessings you have for us. I thank you for providing a plan to help keep me in your word and to keep me focused so that I don’t just follow the world. I ask you to help me keep my  focus on you and recognize the blessings you pour out.