Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart
Proverbs 20:27, “The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.”
When you do not exercise your spirit, you stay enmeshed with yourself.
You remain a whole person, an unbroken person.
You are proud, you cannot admit, you cannot confess, you cannot apologize, because there is no objective base in you.
You are caught up and immersed in the feelings of pride with its stiff neck and its inability to lose its face.
This self is so intact and whole that it cannot be broken through, it cannot be penetrated, it cannot be reached, because it does not know itself.
It does not know its folly.
Apart from our spirit, we do not know ourselves, we are ignorant of ourselves.
But when we touch our spirit, we loathe ourselves.
We recognize that there is nothing good in us.
Through and through we are altogether flesh.
We are full of sin and the flesh with its reactions, bitterness, hatred, and lust.
Indeed, every gross sin is a possibility with us.
The spirit of man is the key to knowing ourselves in God’s light.
This is revealed not only in Proverbs 20:27, but also in 1 Corinthians 2:11: “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”
Ezekiel 36:31 tells us what happens at the time of receiving a new spirit (cf. verse 26): “Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.”
In other words, from our spirit we know ourselves in God’s light, we are inwardly searched, and we are able to loathe ourselves.
Loathing ourselves has nothing to do with morbid introspection.
It is actually a gift of grace imparting to us the ability to remain objective about our fallen state by agreeing with God’s judgment of it.
Until Tomorrow
With A Shepherd’s Love,
Pastor Jackson
MONDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
Amy Garner
Amy Garner’s Mom & Dad
Andrew Halevi & Daughter
Ashely Burn’s Sisters
Brandon’s Dad
Coly/Connor – Allison’s G’sons
Dan Haines
Darlene Wiggins
David Burnette
David Harrison – Riverside
Deanna Fowler
Denise Hulsey – Jordan’s G’mother
Donnie Butler’s Dad
Doris Loyd
Dr. and Mrs. Davis
Easton Fielder
Ed Mays
Eric Ward
Erik Magnusson
Freddie May’s Mom
George & Linda Alexander
Heather May
James Burnette
James Garner’s Friend
Janie Roberts
Jillian Gray
JOANIE & JEANIE
Joanie/Jeanie Mom
Jodi Bateman
John Austin
John McClain
June Cronan
June Cronan’s Sister
Kathy Mabe
Kim McClain’s Mother
Larry Barker
Lee Cronan
Lillanna Magnusson’s Mom
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Linda Hodges’ Sister
Lonzo Christin
Lori Blount’s Mother
Marlon Cook
Mary Sims
Marynell Ford
Maureen Brown
Michael Stanley
Nancy Proudfit – Home
Pastor & Mrs. Driskell
PAT CHUPP
Ricky Gipson
Ricky Stubbs
Rose Fuller – Rehab
Roseleigh Osborn
Sandra Graham
Scott Lanier
Soso Nzolo – 17 Yr. Old South African Pastor’s Daughter
Susan & Alexis Tesone
Tom Witcher