12/11/09 this is it then

12/11/09

O. C. - THE OFFERING OF THE NATURAL

"Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman." Galatians 4:22

Paul is not dealing with sin in this chapter of Galatians, but with the relation of the natural to the spiritual. The natural must be turned into the spiritual by sacrifice, otherwise a tremendous divorce will be produced in the actual life. Why should God ordain the natural to be sacrificed? God did not. It is not God's order, but His permissive will. God's order was that the natural should be transformed into the spiritual by obedience; it is sin that made it necessary for the natural to be sacrificed.

Abraham had to offer up Ishmael before he offered up Isaac. Some of us are trying to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God before we have sacrificed the natural. The only way in which we can offer a spiritual sacrifice to God is by presenting our bodies a living sacrifice. Sanctification means more than deliverance from sin, it means the deliberate commitment of myself whom God has saved to God, and that I do not care what it costs.

If we do not sacrifice the natural to the spiritual, the natural life will mock at the life of the Son of God in us and produce a continual swither. This is always the result of an undisciplined spiritual nature. We go wrong because we stubbornly refuse to discipline ourselves, physically, morally or mentally. "I wasn't disciplined when I was a child." You must discipline yourself now. If you do not, you will ruin the whole of your personal life for God.

God is not with our natural life while we pamper it; but when we put it out in the desert and resolutely keep it under, then God will be with it; and He will open up wells and oases, and fulfill all His promises for the natural.

Ouch – these are the words I needed to hear. 

I have been struggling with the ability to walk in the spirit.  It seems that the reason for my inability is that my flesh is in the way.  Period.  My heart and my mind and my body all vying for control – to have their own way.  Like a spoiled child throwing tantrums – stomping feet and hollering – my flesh is at odds with my spirit and the result is that I am paralyzed.  No one is winning. 

I have fed the flesh for far too long and though my spirit is willing to lay down my life for Christ it lacks the power to overcome my flesh to accomplish it.  I have not fed this precious spirit that has budded within me, the life of Christ, enough to give it strength to grow and overcome. 

The malay has weakened me and I am exhausted. Listless and limply going through the motions of living I have given up the battle.  I need a victory, even a small one would bolster my spirit to charge on. 

How do I send my flesh, my Ishmael away like Abraham did?  How can I relieve myself from the burden of this demanding monster?  I weary of the attempt to tame it. Is taming possible I wonder?  Paul seems to think so as well as Oswald.  Theirs was such a different world than ours.  God, Father, Abba, did You know how hard this would be?  Of course You did. 

Holy Spirit I entreet thee to empower me for Thy will.

Weep, oh weep my soul

For time lost on this selfish life

Let sorrow overwhelm you

For you have wasted precious gifts

Give yourself over to the Master

And let yourself be molded

Obey

Submit

Obey Him

Deny the lusts of the flesh

For His Name sake

You adultrous lying wretch

Let go of my Lord’s charge.

Do not give in again

Live in Him and Him alone

There is nothing else

There is nothing else

No love

No food

No entertainment

No distraction

No rest

Nothing

You are not the boss of me any more.

Remember this – that I once was lost but now I’m found

And His I am forevermore

Egypt is not so beautiful nor worth the cost He paid for me.

To return is not an option.