September 10, 2016 — Words of Wisdom
Mike George (You Can Find Inner Peace)

“We cannot make ourselves what we are not. However, we are more than we think ourselves to be, and finding this “more” is the true purpose of our quest.”

“For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am of the flesh, sold into slavery under sin. I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 7:14-25

“Wretched man that I am” Paul says about himself. Paul is struggling with the reality that we all struggle with – that we know how we should live, and often know the decisions we “should” make, but in the end we live differently, we decide differently and we act differently than we know we “want” to live, decide and act. “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.” Remember, this is Paul speaking, one of the greatest disciples that has lived. So, if he believed that he did evil, and did not do the good he should, then where do you and I stand on the podium of discipleship?

Paul finishes this part of his letter with the phrase “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” In other words, the only thing that justifies us in this life, is Jesus. We have all of the conditions of how we should live, how we should love, how we should serve, and how we should worship. And most of the time, we do not do what we want – but instead we do what we know we should not do. And that scenario plays itself out over and over again. But what we cannot do for ourselves, G-d does for us through Jesus Christ. Jesus rescues us from ourselves. Even though we are captive to sin, Jesus frees us from sin, and offers us the opportunity every day to “go and do”. So, today, you have the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation, thanks be to G-d through Jesus Christ. And no matter how successful you may be in living the Christ-like life, Jesus is there to sustain you and offer you new life, over and over again.

Pastor Dave