Flesh is a hard rascal to kill

Luke 20:45-47

“And in the hearing of all the people he said to his disciples, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”  (Luke 20:45-47 ESV)

Are you honest with the person whose image you see in the mirror?  A better question may be, do you understand your specific type of flesh, do you have to perform at a certain level to feel acceptable to others, do you need to be first in the line and acknowledged for any act of achievement?   Maybe you have a low self-esteem, easily controlled by peers, selfish, prone to gossip, hostile to authority, or have a lust for pleasure and stuff to make you feel accepted.  I would suggest each of us take a flesh inventory so that we understand our unique version of the flesh, you may be conceited, or have low self-worth, quick to speak, controlled by your emotions, or have selfish ambition, or have hatred in your heart; folks it’s all flesh, and we can be it’s master or it can control us.

I’ve learned flesh is not like habits, habits can be changed, it’s not easy but with a lot of work and determination it can happen.  But flesh is a hard rascal to kill it is your way of getting your needs met outside of Christ.  But God has given us the ability in Him to set our mind on our desires, so it comes down to a choice, will I desire to walk in the Spirit, that just means to ask God to give you the desire to follow Jesus and put no confidence in your flesh.

One of the things about the flesh is it enjoys being seen, just look at any little boy and what do we hear, mom, dad watch me, watch what I can do.  Now we do not have religious people walking around in long robes, but that is not the message Jesus is giving us, is it?  Is it not a warning?  Yes, a warning that we can desire to be special in men eyes and become entitled to our unique version of the flesh.

It comes down to this; “Do you believe Jesus tells the truth?”  If so ponder on these words: “They will receive the greater condemnation.” 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice