Like Paul, do you ever struggle with our fallen nature?

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing.

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?

Romans 7:15; 18-19; 21b-24

Irene and I reflected on the wonderful yesterday we experienced and Shirley Churchill worked with Irene again today. Irene still remains very fatigued and took a long nap after Shirley’s treatment.  We’re looking forward to March 13th, which is the next outpatient day at UCSF.  Hopefully we will learn more at that time.

Here’s the daily challenge …. we are POLLUTED in the fallen world that we live in …. but I’m not just speaking environmentally as in smog, emissions and other such toxins, but we’re polluted by our SINS, INIQUITIES and TRANGRESSIONS before a Holy God.  My thoughts are not His thoughts; my ways are not His ways.  What am I seeing, hearing, thinking and doing on any given day that is not consistent with my core belief system.  And, with the barrage of data coming at us in this information age, we’ve got to create “boundaries” and/or “filters” for us to process appropriately.  If you’re like me, I am constantly struggling, as Paul was.  It’s when the ability or inability of carrying out my right desires are tested that become the reality check and I realize that I have do so something about it!

For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do — this I keep on doing ….
Romans 7:19

So, here’s the quick answer to the challenge ….

Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Romans 7:24b-25

And here’s the remaining, more lingering, question …. So, HOW do we overcome the challenge?

My good friend, Don Nava, author of Fit After 40 and founder of The Totally Fit Life, www.teamof3.com, puts it this way:

INFORMATION plus APPLICATION equals TRANSFORMATION ….!!!

If we want to live a transformed life and personally appropriate and experience the abundant and victorious existence that God intends for us, here’s a quick roadmap ….

First is INFORMATION, a working knowledge and memorization of scripture, endeavoring to be pure, holy and blameless before an audience of One.

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
Proverbs 4:23

Take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:10

I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20

Each of these passages can be expanded because of their powerful message.  Suffice it to say, it’s all about Lordship.

Second is APPLICATION.  The following is by no means comprehensive but is merely a starting point.

Private and corporate WORSHIP

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another.
Hebrews 10:25a

• For private worship, try listening to CD’s when you have “windshield” time
• For public worship, find a solid church family and attend regularly

Repentance and CONFESSION of known sin

If we confess our sins He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9

• Who are we regularly confessing our private thoughts to?
• What are we allowing into our daily lives that pollute our thinking?  What specifically needs to be eliminated …. right now!

Accountability and APPLICATION of the spiritual disciplines

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
Mark 1:35

• How many people follow His example?  Practice DISCIPLINES that aren’t discussed much in today’s pop culture; deliberate prayer, silence, solitude and fasting
• Intentionally meet with individuals or a small group on a regular basis to candidly and transparently discuss your spiritual walk

We must keep all of this in context as well because it is by FAITH first that pleases God…

…. without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 11:6

In order to remain above reproach before God and man the TRANSFORMATIONAL third point can only occur when we live within the context of community and deliberate accountability.

Our lives are not to be lived in a vacuum.  We need others to give us courage (encouragement) and also to challenge us along the way.  We will never overcome if we only privately struggle with our fallen and sinful nature.  We’ve got the tools at our disposal but will we use them?  We may have the desire, but do we have the will to follow-thru?  Will we even take the first step?

I don’t know if you struggle with our fallen nature like I do.  But the solution is at hand ….

Thanks be to God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Romans 7:25

Caminando con Fé

Dave