Tag: marriage

Are You In The Flesh Or In The Spirit?

On By josephbarlowIn Encouragement, Journal, Ministry, TeachingLeave a comment

JUNE 9, 2020

Hey Friends,
Do you want to know whether you are in the flesh or in the Spirit?
Do you want to know if you are pleasing God or at war with Him?
You CAN know!

Years ago I came home from work and Nancy said, “You need to go into (one of our daughter)’s bedroom. She’s throwing a fit.” Before I walked in, I said, “Lord I don’t have anything. But I’m trusting you.” So, I walked in and said, “How ya doin’?”
She said “Terrible.”
Everything was wrong. To her this was a major crisis. It was some great injustice and her temper was totally justifiable in her eyes.
So I asked her a question:
“On a scale from one to ten, how are you doing in walking in love right now?”
She said zero.
I said, “Okay, how about Joy? One to ten, how are you doing?”
“Zero.”
“How about Peace?”
“Zero.”

I want through all nine fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22,23 and she rated herself a zero on every one of them.
I said, “Did you realize that, if you have a zero for each of those, then you’re walking in the flesh and not in the Spirit?”

I don’t remember what she said next, but I do remember the complete change in her attitude. The storm was passed by. She was no longer in emotional turmoil.

Through her finding out she was in the flesh, she was able to locate where she was emotionally and spiritually, where she wanted to be, and that it was her will that would get her there. She chose to walk in the Spirit and instantly received the reward of choosing to walk that way. She had peace, joy, love and all the rest.

So, friends, how are YOU doing?
Are you walking in the Spirit or the flesh?
On a scale of 1 to 10 rate yourself
How are you doing when it comes to walking in:

Love?
Joy?
Peace?
Patience?
Kindness?
Goodness?
Faithfulness?
Gentleness?
Self-control?

Romans 8:5-9 “For they that are according to the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh: but they that are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace: Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. Now if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is not his.”

You get to choose.
Love ya

Vengeance Is So Heavy

On By josephbarlowIn Encouragement, MinistryLeave a comment

OVER A WEEK AGO I WAS TURNING LEFT IN FRONT OF THE GLEN ELLYN LIBRARY TO HEAD NORTH OVER THE TRACKS. I WAS WAITING WHILE THREE CARS WERE HEADING SOUTH TOWARD ME THEN TURNING RIGHT. THE LAST CAR LOOKED LIKE HE HAD HIS BLINKER ON SO I PULLED OUT  TO TURN LEFT. AFTER I PULLED OUT HE SLOWED  BECAUSE HE APPARENTLY WAS NOT PLANNING ON TURNING AND I WAS NOW IN HIS WAY. HE YELLED OUT THE WINDOW AT ME SOME UNREPEATABLE CURSE WORDS.  WELL I’M NOT AROUND PEOPLE MUCH WHO TALK LIKE THAT SO THAT STUFF HURTS MY EARS; ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’S DIRECTED AT ME. I THEN STARTED TO FEEL OFFENDED AND THE CHEMICAL REACTIONS IN MY BODY STARTED TO RISE UP WITH HOW TO HANDLE THIS. ALL KINDS OF IMAGINATIONS FLOODED MY HEAD. THEN I REMEMBERED THE SCRIPTURE VERSE THAT SAID, “BLESS THOSE WHO CURSE YOU AND PRAY FOR THOSE WHO SPITEFULLY USE YOU.” SO, I STARTED PRAYING FOR THIS GUY, TO BLESS HIM. I PRAYED THAT HE WOULD GET A RAISE IN HIS JOB AND MAYBE EVEN A PROMOTION AND THAT GOD WOULD BLESS HIS MARRIAGE AND FINANCES AND ALL HIS RELATIONSHIPS. THAT THE GOODNESS OF GOD WOULD OVERTAKE HIM. IT WAS SUCH A RELIEF TO TAKE THIS POSITION, BECAUSE BEFORE I THOUGHT OF THIS SCRIPTURE, SOME OF MY IMAGINATIONS TOWARD HIM WOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE CLASSIFIED AS CHRISTIAN. LATER I REMEMBERED THE SCRIPTURE THAT SAYS, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.” WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT I REALIZED THE HEAVINESS OF THE BURDEN OF WANTING TO PAY THAT GUY BACK FOR YELLING CURSES AT ME. WHEN I COMPARE THAT TO THE LIGHT FEELING THAT I HAD WHEN I WAS PRAYING FOR BLESSINGS ON HIS LIFE THERE WAS A STARK CONTRAST. NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY GOD SAYS THAT VENGEANCE IS HIS. IT IS TOO HEAVY FOR US AS HUMANS TO CARRY IT. I LOVE GOD. HIS WISDOM REALLY MAKES THINGS EASIER.