Scripture: ^.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

Galatians 5:19-25 (NLT)

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,

21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.

25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

Although Paul was preaching to the Galatian church when these words were penned, God authorized these words for His Holy Book because He knew that today we would need this direction and reminder in our churches. Now for those reading this devotional, I’m sure that you are throwing darts at me because this is not the case at your church. Praise be to God for blessing your church and separating it from this world!! Just being funny, because I can guarantee you that as long as humans make up the church body, that we will be plagued by the devices of Satan, and whenever we talk about our ‘sinful nature’, as Paul did in verse 19, we are talking about the negative impact that Satan has on God’s people today. Friends, I am reminded that we are to be so focused on the characteristics mentioned in verses 22 and 23 that anytime one of the characteristics in verses 19 – 21 sneaks in on us, we would automatically drop to our knees in prayer and ask God’s forgiveness – do as commanded in verse 24: decisively nail them to the cross. When we ignore these warning signs we reveal to God, and to the world, that we have not received the gift of the Spirit of God that leads us to a transformed life. Where are you today friend? Click on this hyperlink and meditate while surrendering yourself to God and allowing Him to show you if there be any wicked way in you. Let Him search your heart and know your thoughts and help you to overcome the attacks of Satan.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father, You have made us to be like You: holy, righteous, and filled with the characteristics of which Paul spoke in verses 22 and 23. How it must hurt You to see our failures and deliberate choices in allowing the desires of our sinful nature to take control of our lives. Please touch my life and help me anew today to live my life pleasing to You. May Your character and example be so evident in me today that others may see Jesus at my workplace, in my home, on the roadways and everywhere I will be today. Although many will not open Your Word today, I pray that Your teachings will be so evident in my life that they will be encouraged and drawn to You. May this be a glorious day in which You are celebrated in multiple ways, especially by those who call You Lord!

 

àWords underlined may be a hyperlink to a song that God laid on my heart while sharing this devotional this morning. Click it and be blessed by the song, like I was when I listened to it! …… I would be overjoyed to have the opportunity to pray with you about a need in your life that may, or may not have been highlighted by this Nugget today. Why not drop me a note and tell me about it? You may email me at:
nuggetsfromgodsword@yahoo.com
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