As we begin another year, let us all keep in step with the Spirit (Gal 5:25b).
The risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is in Session, seated at the right hand of God the Father. He has sent His Holy Spirit to teach us and comfort us. Today we are to abide in the Holy Spirit and to listen to His teaching of the Holy Bible.
The Apostle Peter writes, “you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles (2 Peter 3:2). By “the predictions of the holy prophets” and “your apostles,” Peter was referring to the prophecies in the Old Testament and his fellow apostles. The canon of the New Testament closed with the book of Revelation.
How can I “apply myself totally to the text and apply the text totally to myself?”
One suggestion is read and study with a hard copy of a Bible and a blank diary or note book. These can be supplemented by other bible study lessons, additional readings from books or selected e-resources from the internet. You can develop your own habit that suits your style of learning.
By marking each reading of bible text in the Bible and journaling in the diary or notebook or iphone notes you can chart your personal progress in the intake of God’s food for your mind, heart, soul and spirit. You will find that you have the spiritual nutrition and energy given by God’s grace to “walk in step with the Spirit.”
It is a self-directed way of feeding from the Holy Spirit the nourishment of God’s Word.
Let us seek God’s direction and make daily choices in life. Each pathway will result in different outcomes.
|
Choices |
Pathways |
Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
|
A |
Walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:16) Be led by the Spirit (Gal 5:18) Live by the Spirit (Gal 5:25) |
Righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17) The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, longsuffering, gentleness and self-control (Gal 5:22-23) |
|
B |
Gratify the desires of the flesh Be led by the desires of the flesh Live as slaves to sin |
The works of the flesh are: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these (Gal 5:19-21) For all that is in the world–the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions–is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires (1Jn 2:16-17) |
Many will struggle mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually when making choices based on these two pathways. That is why a Christian must depend on the strength of the Spirit to do the things that pleases God. The Christian who is in awe of the LORD and loves the LORD will heed the Holy Spirit and keep in step with Him.
May each of us be led by the Spirit to make right choices in life, and do the will of Christ faithfully.
Let us live and serve Christ with peace and joy!
Elder Yoong Yuen Soo
