Thank you so much for your love and prayers during Mae’s Brothers illness and homegoing. He had a turn for the worse on Saturday night and went to Heaven early Sunday. We sang and played the 23rd Psalm continuously when we arrived at the hospital Sunday Moring. God was truly glorified in his departure. It was so comforting to know you were interceding for us. We witnessed peace beyond understanding in him and us. We will let you know of the arrangements his wife and daughter decide upon.
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Daily Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart:
Galatians 5:17, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”
The “lust of the flesh” in Galatians 5:16 refers specifically to the lust to bite and devour others (v. 15).
These lusts are desires to strike out at someone by speaking in a way that would cut and hurt.
They are feelings of being extremely unhappy with others.
These desires manifest themselves in all of us from time to time.
Paul says that the way to deal with them is to walk by the Spirit.
Notice, however, that in walking by the Spirit he says that you shall not fulfill or carry out the lust of the flesh.
We usually understand this to mean that you will not have the lust of the flesh; that is, you will not feel any negative reactions within your being.
In other words, we think that if we are really walking by the Spirit, we will not be bothered by the slightest problem.
Many of us have the concept that to be in the Spirit means to experience a total absence of anything contrary within us.
According to our thought, to be in the Spirit is to soar like a bird, without any opposing factor.
Thus, if we still have contrary feelings and reactions while contacting the Lord, we conclude that our fellowship with Him must be defective.
We reason that if we had really touched the Lord or were really in our spirit, we would not have any ugly thoughts or feelings.
This kind of thinking ends in accusation and discouragement, and frustrates us from the full enjoyment of the Lord.
Contrary to what we think, Paul says that to walk by the Spirit means that we do not carry out or fulfill the lust of the flesh.
This implies that we may feel the lust of the flesh while we are in the process of following the Lord.
The key point is not that we do not have the lust of the flesh, but rather that we would not fulfill it.
Therefore, the basic need in our experience of Christ is to remain continually in the realm of the Spirit so that we automatically deprive the flesh of its power over us and consequently do not carry out its lusts.
Until Tomorrow,
With a Shepherd’s Love
Pastor
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TODAY’S PRAYER LIST
Don Slate – Angela Bryan’s Dad – Hospice
Debra Roberts – Home in need of prayer
Hanna Hall – Pray For Grace
Amy Garner’s Mother
Ashley Burn’s Sisters
Barbara Shed’s Family
Bill Lawhead – Prayer Needed
Bill Moody
Carla Martin – Pneumonia
Charlie Sessom –Waiting
Colby/Connor – Allison’s G’sons
Denise Stubbs – Kim Allison’s Mom
Doug Fritzel
Greg & Keith Payne – Lisa’s Brother
James Garner – Home
James Garner’s G’Son
Jeff Hegwood
John Burnette
Joyceann – James Garner’s Daughter
Kimberly – Dustin’s Sister
Larry Barker – Hip Replacement
Lavona Davis
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Lynn – Nancy Brown’s Daughter
Mary Sims
Michael Stanley
Nancy Brown’s G’Daughter
Nora Allison – Dustin’s Mom
Pastor Stucke– Nikki’s Dad
Paula Ferus’ Missionary Friend
Ricky Stubbs
Roseleigh Osborn
Scott Lanier – Lisa’s Cousin
Sharon Blalock
Sherry Yoachum – Recovering
Shaelyn – Jill’s Friend
Sheila Simmons Cousin
Todd Bailey
Todd Roberts
Tom Witcher
Wanda Galanti