Mortify the Flesh
2010-03-28

Good day, yesterday, Lord. Although I'm disappointed in myself over eating/weight issues. I need more motivation in that area. We had another good day with Steph, and she was rewarded with a new gerbil. We are grateful for her good behavior, which has pretty much lasted all month. I pray for Christi's headaches that she has been having. Her head has been hurting her a great deal lately. I also pray for a good worship/Bible study time this morning as we gather with friends.

Colossians 3:5-10

5 Put to death, therefore, what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

In a reading called "The Discipline of Mortification," Jerry Bridges discusses our responsibility as believers to mortify (put to death) the flesh. "Making the right choices to obey God rather than our sinful desires necessarily involves the discipline of mortification." In Romans 8:13, Paul says, "For if you live according to the flesh you wil die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." If we are to make the right choices, we must mortify the acts of the flesh, or the body. In the passage quoted at the beginning, Paul is more explicit about what these are. However, we must not think that that list is conclusive.

The point, though, of these passages, is that this idea of mortification is our responsibility. It is something that we must consciously do. We can't simply turn this over to God and let him handle it.

However, note that this is not for salvation. Rather it is sanctification and consecration. We are saved by grace through faith. But we are also to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." We are not to presume upon God's grace.


Father, I pray for this discipline to be more evident in my life. I acknowledge that I have sort of been waiting for some kind of lightning strike to motivate me to follow you more closely. But in reality, I have been, to some degree, shirking my responsibility. As I move forward from this point, make me aware of each choice that I make and whether or not it glorifies you or follows your commands/teachings. Let me be even more involved in reading/studying your words on a daily basis. Let me find more time to meditate on these words, even when I am not actively involved in a specific devotional time. I pray for the Spirit to bring to mind passages of your words that I have put to memory or read recently. And let all of these things become visible most especially in the way I relate to people around me.

Once again, I pray for Christi's headaches, Lord. I pray that you would make them stop. I pray for Stephanie's week at school, this week, that it would be at least as good as last week. I pray for Rachel's day tomorrow. She is 21 years old tomorrow!! May it be a blessed day for her.

As we head to our worship meeting this morning, I pray for safety for all who travel to worship this morning, and I pray that, as millions of people around the world lift up praise to you, almost simultaneously, that you would be glorified and magnified on the earth.


Let us strive harder each day to make the right choices, and to "mortify" the flesh in our lives.

Grace and peace, friends.



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