Sandra's Mite: Mortifying the Flesh

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Mortifying the Flesh

When someone else hurts my feelings, that's my fault. To our carnal human mind this makes no sense. The other person did the wrong thing. They sinned. They are not behaving in a biblical manner. God showed me that I am the one who is wrong when my feelings are hurt. The Bible says that we are to mortify the flesh. Can something that is mortified (dead) have feelings? Simple answer--no! So, if I mortify my flesh my feelings cannot be hurt. This is plain and simple. . .and very difficult. How carnal I am to allow someone's actions hurt me and begin to defeat me. This is something the Lord has been working in my heart in the last few days. I realised today that this even applies to the area of our lives that many people like to do too much of--eating!! I have struggled my entire life with being over-weight. The last few pounds I have put on were because of emotional eating due to the struggles I faced because someone hurt and frustrated me. Last week I started Weight Watchers and lost 5 pounds. Talk about a battle with the flesh! I was hungry! I wanted food! I needed God's help. We seem to think the only time we need to pray is when we are making big decisions, but God cares about the little choices we make in life because they are the result of a spirit-controlled or flesh-controlled life. Sometimes I literally prayed, "Lord, I need your help not to eat that!" I'm ashamed of the truth, but I think that if I can allow the Lord to help me to have the victory over my flesh, I will not struggle with a "weight problem". I know that if I let the spirit control me no one can hurt my feelings. I need God's help, the Holy Spirit's filling, so I can live a more fruitful life for my Saviour.

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Sandra's Mite

"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."
Mark 12:41-44

This is my favourite story in the Bible. This woman did not have much to offer the Lord, but she gave all she had. I cannot claim to be exactly like her because, even though I don't have much to offer, I certainly cannot claim to have given it all. Some day I hope that I will be able to say that I have given all, but until then I will strive to give my life to God moment by moment. This blog is just a small part of my giving. My husband always says that I can be a blessing to others with things God has taught me. I'm only 29 years old and don't know much, but one thing I have learned is to listen to my husband. What exactly this blog will contain, I do not know, only God does. Come back as often as you like and see what God has given me and maybe, just maybe, it will be a blessing to you too!

The Widow's Mite

She woke up to the sunrise, and she hurried to get dressed,
She was going to the temple; she was going to give her best,

Excited as a young girl with a secret to be kept;

She bowed her head and begged Him her humble gift accept.

The crowd was pressing 'round her, all the wealthy and the proud,

As she stopped to give her offering, she could read their thoughts aloud,
She bowed her head in shame then she turned to slip away,
But there stood the Messiah, and His kind eyes seemed to say,

"Lift up your head, my child, it is the heart I seek.
They gave of their abundance, but you gave abundantly,
Lift up your head, my child, for truly in God's sight,
No sacrifice is greater than this your widow's mite."

by Susan Smith and Melissa Baker

Philippians 3:10-14

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.