Mar 20 2022

And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

In this verse from Galatians, we are reminded of the power that Christians have over sin. Before we were Christians, we had no power over our passions or desires. We were slaves to them, in fact. Now that we belong to Jesus, He has given us power over sin and new life in Him. Today, we will look at what this verse tells us about having our flesh crucified.

Crucifying the flesh is an ongoing process. The moment we become Christians, we are not immediately dead to all of our sins. It is an ongoing process that leads to further sanctification throughout our lives. Even though it will take time, we can trust that Jesus will work in us and help us become more like the people He has intended us to be.

Learning to crucify the flesh is the same thing as getting to know Jesus. When we experience the love of the Lord, we will not want to do anything that displeases him. It isn't so much that our sins are crucified; it's that we begin to fall in love with Jesus and realize how much better He is than our sin. This begins with spending time in the Bible, worship, and prayer. As we get to know God, we begin to see sin as He sees it, and reject it just as He has instructed.

Indeed, the best way to crucify the flesh is to spend as much time with the Lord as possible. While we will not become perfect overnight or even in our lifetimes, we can trust that He will continue to sanctify us as long as we continue to seek Him. This means we can have hope even if we fall into sin because we know that we are becoming more like Jesus.

A crucified flesh brings freedom. It frees us from having to satisfy lusts of any kind, from getting caught up in the world and its sinful pleasures to acting dishonestly. It makes it possible to follow the Lord even when it is difficult—especially when it is difficult. We have freedom because we have surrendered our desires and exchanged them for the incomparable love that we find in Jesus. We know that He is better than anything and that He is the only One who will ever truly satisfy us.

Dear Lord, you are so much better than anything in the world. I thank you for wanting more for me than a life in sin. I want to experience the love of Jesus on a new level, and I know this means that I must be willing for my flesh to be crucified. It is worth it. I love you, Lord. In Jesus's name, amen.

Mar 19 2022

Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. :

In today's verse, Peter tells us that we should not be ashamed of the suffering that we face as Christians. Instead, we should glorify God in the midst of suffering. We do not have to hide our pain as long as we give it to God and allow Him to work through us.

Being vulnerable can be difficult. It's hard to admit that we face many challenges, especially when people around us seem to have it all together. However, the rarity of authentic vulnerability makes it more impactful. When we are undergoing trials as Christians, we should be willing to share our struggles with others. We shouldn't be ashamed of our suffering, but instead, be willing to talk about it.

When we open up about our lives, it allows people to pray specific prayers. We should invite people into our story so that they can join us in petitioning the Lord to move in our circumstances. This means when He moves, they will get to share in the miracle—they will get to see God moving personally and powerfully in our lives. If we do not open up to them, they do not have this opportunity.

It can be hard to see how the Lord can glorify Himself through our suffering. But it's important to note that we don't suffer so that God can be glorified—He will be glorified whether or not we suffer. Instead, we can handle whatever suffering comes into our lives in a way that honors the Lord.

When we refuse to give up hope, continue earnestly in prayer, or try to see the Lord even when it's difficult, we are giving ourselves to Him to be glorified. We're opening ourselves up to His mercy and kindness, and we're responding so that He will receive the glory through everything. When the trial is over, while we might remember it as painful, we will also recall it as a way that God was brought glory.

Dear Lord, to be honest, I wish we didn't have to suffer. However, knowing that I do, I ask that you would help me to bring you honor through my suffering. I want to endure well and help people see you because of it. In Jesus's name, amen.


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