PASTORS' DAILY DEVOTIONAL
May
27
27
Sinful Nature
Richard Waialeale
Scripture
Romans 8:7-8 (NIV)7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
Observation
Recently I’ve been dealing with two couples ( separately) that say, “there is no God.” Why would they say that? In Romans 8(7-8), an unbeliever only cares for his or her sinful interest and thus doesn’t believe they need or care for God. But for the believer, they live according to the Spirit and aspire setting their hearts and mind on what the Spirit desires. The sinful nature and the indwelling Spirit come into conflict when communicating or dealing with each other. How does that happen? For whatever reason, the sinful nature clashes when attempting to communicate with the one in the Spirit. The unbeliever will tend to bend back to what they know in the sinful nature - such as anger, unforgiveness, hate, meanness, and all kinds of negative thinking. Whereas the one in the Spirit desires love because God is love. Kindness, forgiveness, mercy and compassion.
Application
You cannot please God by being in the sinful nature. I’ve heard it said, “Kill them with love.” That’s what I must do is to show love, especially when they’ve only heard about it (love your neighbor), but rarely see it. Being in the sinful nature, they hardly ever see love because the worlds way is by conflict and it’s all about themselves. Treat them in love and overwhelm them in love because that what God is all about.
Prayer
Lord my prayer is that I love even those that are the most difficult to love, even when situation seems hopeless. Help me be more of You in times when all that people see is the sinful nature of this world. Thank you Lord for Your Word that resides in me. Amen.
