An on going battle

Psalm 73:21-28

“When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you.  Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward, you will receive me to glory.”

Often, we read past such Scripture, and we dismiss insight that God desires us to understand, Asaph in the Psalms tells us his feet almost stumbled, he is referring to a battle we all engage in, the flesh fighting the Spirit.  Scripture gives a lot of insight about envy and jealousy, let us look at two important ones, James 3:16, “For where envy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every kind of evil.”  Galatians 5:16-21, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Many years ago, as I pondered on Psalm 73, I prayed this prayer, expressing the desires of my heart to the Lord.  Dear Jesus, make this my prayer.  When this became the focus of my heart, I no longer desired what anyone else had, and often thank the Lord for blessing my brothers and sisters in Christ, praying they would be wise in their actions, and a good manager of what God has entrusted to them.  Now let me be clear that is one aspect of the flesh I no longer wrestle with, but the list is still long.

“Whom have I in heaven but you?  And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.   My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.  For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.  But for me, it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice