The Mathematics of the Flesh & Our Savior - Purity 1530

Welcome to the MT4Christ 24/7 podcast. I am M.t. Clark, and this is today's photo. To see today's photo, go to mt4christ.com or follow me, M.t. Clark, on Facebook or Twitter, uh, or watch us on YouTube. Good morning. Today's photo of the sun over a frost-covered farmland and forest landscape, what I am calling Into the Clearing, comes to us from yours truly as I captured this scene while out walking along Waite Road in Easton yesterday morning. Well, it's Monday. It's the— actually, it's the last Monday before Christmas week begins next week, and I am hopeful that we will begin this work week a little wiser than we have been in the past. We learn from our experiences, right? So it only makes sense that we would get wiser and wiser as we walk through time and space. Correct. Well, that's, that's some rock-solid logic. I think we would all confess that sometimes the things that seem to make sense don't necessarily play out in our experiences. And when it comes to our acquiring wisdom for our lives, we know that there is at least one variable that messes up that logical equation: us. Uh, we are not perfect people, and we are not necessarily getting better all the time. And even though we will confess to knowing better, there seems to be some disconnect between what our minds know intellectually and what we choose to do experientially. For example, one of my struggles is food addiction, and through experience and study, I have learned that certain foods are unhealthy or are not good for me. But even though I quote unquote know this, I don't always choose to live according to what I, I know is right. This past weekend's indulgences in candy, cookies, and eating too much would testify that my actions are inconsistent with my knowledge and my stated health goals of losing weight to the point of my ideal weight according to the BMI scale. While one, one day's indulgence won't necessarily stop your progress, I know that it doesn't help. Uh, and I know that the tendency to cheat can create a pattern of bad behavior that will stop progress and cause you to fall further away from your intended goals. Uh, this would be true for food or any other struggle of the flesh. Once you give in, you are more likely to sin again. Uh, there seems to be a mathematics to good and bad choices in which the good choices we make seem to have small quantifiable, quantifiable benefits that add up to success over time, whereas the bad choices we make seem to cost more and can add up to bad consequences relatively quickly. That seems to be the mathematics of the flesh, and if we understand it, we will have to choose to never or seldom do the wrong thing, because if we do, we will fail to meet our goals. Some people seem to be able to do this, though. They have the willpower or discipline to to just say no to the wrong things, whereas others seem more subject to the temptations to give in. The world system tells us that there are winners and losers, and it is up to our efforts and abilities how we can be successful. But this is a big lie. All winners lose eventually because the flesh is weak, and no amount of effort on our part will make us a winner where it really counts. In eternity. Our state of being is not a matter in which we can will our ways to a good place. We need the Lord Jesus to be saved. Only faith in the finished work of Jesus and a surrender to his lordship will make us a winner in the end. Jesus gives us life eternal and the power to leave our old lives behind. So to overcome the struggles of the flesh, we put our faith in Jesus and choose to walk in the Spirit. Whose fruit includes self-control that we need to make good choices and to do so forevermore, as those who the Son sets free truly can be free indeed. But just like the mathematics of the flesh indicate, we must choose to make those good choices every day. And while that math may make the idea of freedom seem hopeless or impossible, Those who follow Christ know that there is hope with Jesus, and the impossible is possible with God. So I'm here to encourage you and myself to let, to let you know that each, that each day we can begin again, not by declaring that we will never fail again, but by abiding in Christ and seeking his strength, presence, and wisdom throughout our day to live the life he has for us. We need a Savior for eternity, and we need a Savior to live a good and holy life. We have to keep receiving God's mercy and grace and rely on him to give us the strength to overcome and to keep following his lead to find and maintain our freedom. Speaking of our Savior, the In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley devotion for today is about Jesus, and I'm sharing it on the blog today to remind us of, all of us of our need for him. Uh, Dr. Charles Stanley writes our— oh well, let's see, he writes, our Savior Jesus chose to die for our sins so that we can live forever in his presence. In today's reading, Isaiah 53:1-12, Isaiah prophesied that a Savior would come to atone for the sins of mankind, but the long-awaited Messiah didn't match people's expectations about him. The Jews imagined a strong ruler who would lead their nation with worldly power. But Jesus was a servant who spent time with outcasts and the lowly. They hoped for a man who would end Israel's persecution. He died a criminal's death and warned his followers that they would not be accepted by the world. Jesus didn't fit what the Jewish people wanted, yet he was so much more than they understood. One day we will all come before God to be judged. Sin's penalty is death, an agonizing eternal existence apart from him. Yet Jesus bore our sins so that whoever trusted him can look forward to eternal life. He chose to take our punishment, voluntarily dying so we could live forever in his presence. Jesus was the way God could satisfy his justice and love his people. Salvation is a free gift. It requires nothing on our part except acceptance and surrender. Have you accepted Christ's death on the cross as the atonement for your sin? The Redeemer's death leads to life. He doesn't guarantee an easy road, but he promises to stay with you always. That was from Dr. Charles Stanley, and I say amen. Because of our faith in Jesus, we are accepted by God. Forgiven and set free. But just like those who don't see Jesus as Messiah because of their expectations, we too can misunderstand how we are to live as God's children. Even though we know we are saved by faith, we often fall into the trap of believing that we must work hard to sanctify ourselves, that we have to whip ourselves into shape to be more like Jesus. But in John 15, Christ told his disciples that without him we could do nothing. Jesus tells us that our power lies in abiding with him, but when we try to fix ourselves, we deny what he said. So let's remember to let go and let God help us to just be the people he already made us to be by staying in his presence, abiding with him, and walking with him as his holy people. Let's just accept his mercy and grace for today and allow him to save us from ourselves and to make us new one day at a time. God has done a mighty work in us the moment we believed in Jesus, so let's believe. Let his finished work flow through our lives one day, one moment, one step at a time. Today's Bible verse comes to us from the Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling by John G. Kruis. This morning's meditation verse comes from the section on hope. And today's verse is Lamentations 3:32 from the New Living Translation. The word of God says, though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. Today's verse falls under the fourth point of our Counseling Reference Guide's resource section on hope, which says God is always faithful. Today's Bible verse keeps it real. That God will bring grief into our lives through loss or our own failures. We will grieve, but we can have hope with Christ because he gives us life with him for eternity, and his presence can help us in our struggles and grief here and now, or today. God's plan is a compassionate plan. The world of sin and death would naturally lead us to despair, but Christ overcame the world. He lived a sinless life, and he conquered death through his resurrection. And when we become his disciples, he shows us the truth, way, and the life that defeats sin and death. Our state in this world may give us grief, but God's plan provides us with the compassionate care we need to walk through our pains and trials with peace, love, and joy. As always, we encourage everyone to go to mtforchrist.com, where we always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist our brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. Today we continue sharing from Day by Day Along the Way by J.E. Adams. It's a 365-day devotional. We're on day 29, and where Adams shares a portion of Colossians 2:6, which says, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him.

And J.E.

Adams writes how easy it is to be caught up in something new fresh. It is those Christians who want to grow who are often looking for something more, but that is a dangerous route to take. There are all sorts of people out there who will tell you that at last they have found the true secret to successful Christian living. Also, many cults prey on the desire for newness. So beware of anyone who gives— who goes beyond the simple and clear teachings of Christ that are apparent in the scriptures. Be suspicious of everything new or different that is proposed.

Remain with the Lord and the biblical teaching that you learned when you were first saved.

Something more usually isn't what you need to progress in your understanding and service. See, what you really need is more of the something that you already have. When anything is added to that which is complete, it actually dilutes it so that more results in less. Become more involved, more committed, more devoted to the things that you already understand, and you will grow properly.

Amen. That's good advice from J.E. Adams. Um, we're complete in Christ, and what we need more of is him and not something new. Some new technique or, you know, some new way of following the Lord. Maybe it'll be new to you, but really most of the things that we do, our spiritual disciplines, have been done for ages, and they're not, they're not new. But, you know, they're good, and we just have to keep doing what we're supposed to be doing, doing the right thing, connecting with Jesus in the morning with your morning Bible study, prayer, and meditation.

And to keep walking and talking with God as we go throughout our day so we don't make poor decisions, that we try to bring him into our lives continually so we don't do that.

Unfortunately, when we go—

when we let our, our flesh, you know, when we try to comfort our flesh, that's when we step off the path.

So we just have to try to be diligent to abide with Christ and to be the people he made us to be, to make those good decisions. And to overcome those, uh, hurts and habits of the past that would lead us astray.

And, um, yeah, and that's why we ask the question every day: have you fully surrendered to God?

It's through our surrender that we receive our power, and believing that what God has done is true, that we really are set free. When we believe it, we actually, you know, realize our freedom because we'll live according to our beliefs. Instead of, uh, just saying we believe but not doing it.

So, um, I did that and I'm continuing to do that, and I discover, you know, good results in some areas, really good results in some areas.

And, you know, the struggle continues with the food addiction as, uh, I'm easily tempted in that area and just have to keep going and keep trusting that the Lord will make a change. And keep going to him for help and strength. And, you know, he'll give it to you.

And when you follow him, he'll also give you a purpose. And part of my purpose is to lead the Celebrate Recovery— well, Celebrate Freedom support group at Starpoint Church on Wednesday nights. We'll be meeting this Wednesday for a Christmas party. If anyone in the Capital District wants to come to it, they're invited. They just have to bring a present for the gift share that we're going to do. So be there Wednesday, uh, at Star Point Church at 6:30 PM, K through 3rd grade classroom for Christian Recovery and Discipleship support group and Christmas party.

Um, yeah, so we hope to see you there.

Beyond that, there's an online party going on right here, uh, with, uh, Grace for the Holidays, as we're doing an online teaching and support group for men Monday nights at 6:30 PM. Um, if you wanted to be a part of that, you can jump on in by going to mt4christ.com, go to our group events page and register for it. You'll get access to our Zoom meeting over the next 2 weeks— tonight actually, and tomorrow— and next week.

And you'll have access to the videos for the course and all our meetings in the past, so you can benefit from those.

Beyond that, we encourage everyone to go to our playlist page either on mt4christ.com or on YouTube to find our teachings that we believe can help you Find or Increase Your Freedom in Christ. We've done teachings for the Freedom in Christ course, the Bondage Breaker, Victory Over the Darkness, and our very own Celebrate Freedom discipleship course that we believe can help you in your walk.

So we encourage you to check those out.

And on that, we got to go to work today. There was snow on the ground this morning.

My regular workout routine was replaced with shoveling my driveway.

Um, so, uh, we got things to do and places to be.

Um, but, you know, just because we're busy doesn't mean, you know, we stop walking and talking with God.

And that is why we always ask the question, are you empty for Christ too?

Are you making yourself available, even though your life is busy, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to be led by him, um, into the new, new life he has for you?

If you are, we say good, keep walking and talking with God.

If not, we encourage you to pray for the Lord to reveal himself to you and for you to make Jesus your Lord and Savior.

Um, we know that prayer works, and that's why we pray every day, like right now. Lord God, Heavenly Father, thank you for another day in your kingdom.

Lord, we thank you for your strength and your wisdom because We're weak and we're not too smart, and we need a lot of help, um, to follow you. We just need to trust you and, and to believe what you told us about ourselves when we put our faith in you. And we need to remember to draw close to you, Lord, to receive your goodness, mercy, and grace, wisdom and strength. Um, we're asking for that today, Lord, as we go about our work day. Help us to, uh, to represent your kingdom and to represent who you want us to be, who we already are in Christ. Need a lot of help with that, and that's why we're praying for it, Lord.

We're also praying for anyone reading or listening today's message, Lord, that you'd come alongside them and their prayer requests, their walk of faith, and help them too.

Um, we know that you're infinite and Your love and mercy can, you know, really meet any need. Um, so we're asking for you to help us and others today, Lord, to, to be closer to you and to do the things you would have us do. Lord, we thank you, we praise you, we love you, and we pray all these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.