Our Journey Is Short - Don't Waste It

“In spite of this they still sinned, and did not believe in his wondrous works. Therefore their days he consumed in futility, and their years in fear.” Psalm 78:32-33 Having seen the wondrous works of God again and again, whenever the children of Israel lusted yet again for something more, God in his mercy provided. It was a constant battle between God’s provision versus their lack of appreciation as they wanted yet more and more and more. Why? They just didn’t have within themselves the core of faith. So he gave them over to their lusts and their days were consumed in futility, because they chose to not walk by faith, and the result was that their time on this earth was worthless. The walk of faith is not easy. There is a constant battle between our inner desire to walk pleasing to the Lord, versus our fallen human nature that wants to satisfy its many lusts. “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary to one another…” Galatians 5:17 “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul…” 1st Peter 2:11 So it remains to each person to choose which way he will go. Most will go the way of the flesh, and their lives will be consumed in uselessness. Wasted lives. Producing nothing. “Busy” with worthless activity. But those who truly desire to live a life pleasing to God, and who really want their lives to be effective and productive in him, they ask “how is one able to overcome the lusts of the flesh?” “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16 It’s not possible for a human being to achieve this because we live in a fallen human nature and the lusts of that nature are strong. But it becomes possible when our lives are SURRENDERED to God and when we truly desire to be filled with his Holy Spirit. This is what walking in the Spirit is. It means we have to pursue these ends - it doesn’t happen automatically. We have to know the Word of God intimately and be continually guided by his leading. When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, the temptations were not weak, he chose temptations that would be very real and hard to overcome. Jesus had been fasting for 40 days, and Satan said to him that if he truly is the Son of God, go ahead and turn these rocks into bread. This was a powerful temptation given when Jesus was already weakened from a prolonged fast. After that, Satan showed him all the kingdoms of the world to come, and he told Jesus that if he would only bow before him he’d give them over to him. This was legitimate because Adam had forfeited to Satan his authority over the earth, and Satan was now suggesting to Jesus that he wouldn’t have to go to the cross, it would all be his if he would only bow to him. Talk about temptations!!! So HOW did Jesus resist? He resisted by the Word. He answered with Scripture. He refused to turn rocks into bread: “But Jesus answered him, saying, ‘It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’” Luke 4:4 And he refused Satan's offer to give him the kingdoms of the world: vs 8: “Get behind me, Satan, for it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only you shall serve.’” This is the key: "It is written..." The Word of God has to be the very foundation of our lives, otherwise we will succumb to the flesh and live lives of futility. Immerse yourself in the Word of God, the Bible. It must become your very life. It’s the only way you will succeed in living the life ordained by God for you, because your enemy the devil will continually seek to overthrow your faith. He knows you intimately, he knows your weak points, and that's where he will strike. "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Therefore, SUBMIT TO GOD, resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you." James 4:4-7 The choice is yours. An easy life of futility, or a difficult but productive life with fruit that will last for all eternity. “Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at something that doesn’t really matter.” Dwight L. Moody