Our Struggle – God’s Answer!

Our Daily Struggle

The Lord’s Spirit touched Me as I read a devotional reading this week on Romans 7. This passage addresses our struggle with sin.
Paul recognizes that apart from Christ there is no good in me.
Romans 7:18-19 (ESV),

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.

One problem we can have is thinking too highly of ourselves. I know that I can fall into thinking if I just try hard enough I can overcome an area of sin in my life. If I just do it differently, and obviously the Christian must take responsibility for his actions, but we grow in grace. We grow best as we apply the gospel to our daily situations.

Our Need for Jesus

Jesus said apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5b). NOTHING. did you catch that? He didn’t say we can do some things or a few thing, but zero, nada! We need Jesus to be at the center of everything we do.
Most of us struggle to believe Jesus. As I mentioned above in regards to my own challenges, and the thought if I just try a little harder. If I would just pray more, or read the Bible more, or go to church more. These are all good and important disciplines, but the key is am I trusting in my effort, or in God’s work in me? Is it all on me, or am I leaning on Christ?

Christ Alone

Oswald Chambers said, “the only way to keep true to God is by a steady persistent refusal to be interested in Christian work and to be interested alone in Jesus Christ .” (Oswald Chambers: The Best from All His Books, vol. 1, p. 381
Chambers words are a helpful reminder that as I serve in ministry my chief interest should be Jesus Christ. This is the gospel message. As Luther said, we must beat the gospel into our head. He said this, because of our propensity to forget.
I would just like to encourage to you dear friend to seek God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all of your mind and with all of your strength. Do this in the strength and power of the Lord. Recognize your weakness and God’s great strength.
Let’s grow in Christ together! We need each other!

Join Us in Prayer

As I write this post our family is undergoing a huge trial. I can’t share the details of the trial in this forum, but I would ask you to pray for us. We need the Lord’s comfort, wisdom and strength.
In His Grip, Dave
DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org