LEARNING DAILY

 

Ephesians 4:21-24, Since you have heard all about Him and have learned the truth that is in Jesus, throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception. Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God’s likeness – righteous, holy, and true. (New Living Translation)

 

There are a lot of challenges to walking on the narrow way to eternal life in God’s kingdom. The Lord Jesus told us that walking on it would not be easy. The broad way, He said was an easy road; it is smooth and offers the world to those who are walking on it. By contrast, the narrow way is bumpy and full of temptations.  The problem is our old evil nature does not give up and tempts us with the old ways, our old lifestyle we gave up when we chose to follow Jesus. If we do not put the old self down right away the walk on the narrow way becomes more difficult; some have even walked away to get back on that broad way.

 

You and I are to deny that old self! When we chose to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, we became a new person to become like Him, to think His thoughts, to live a righteous life, to display the new nature He has given us. The temptations are real; they must not be allowed to influence us. The struggle is real because of the ungodliness, deception, and evil all around us. The Good News is that you and I do not have to deal with this on our own. The Holy Spirit has been given to us to warn us of danger, strengthen us to overcome temptation, and be with us through all adversity. When we fail, we ask for God’s grace and forgiveness, knowing He is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

 

This is kept in the back of my Bible. One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, “My son the battle is between two wolves inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, pride, superiority, and ego. The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.” The grandson thought about this for a moment and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf wins?” The old Cherokee simply replied, “Which ever one you feed!”

 

Paul wrote in the verses above, “there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes”. Our responsibility is to feed the wolf named Good. You and I know what that means! We do our best to live according to God’s Word, living in the way that pleases Him, walking the narrow way with Him each day. We do our best to be obedient to His teachings in His Word, not turning to the left or to the right. When we mess up, we confess it and ask for forgiveness. We trust that His Word is true, that God loves us and wants the best for us each day and we do our best to never, ever give in to the wolf named Evil. None of us can do that on our own; we must walk in the power of the Holy Spirit every day.

 

 The days we live in are evil and ungodly. Decide today and every day to walk in the power, in the new creation that you are because of your choice to believe in and follow the Lord Jesus.