1 00:00:35,675 --> 00:00:40,675 Speaker 1: Welcome to Abides Daily Christian Meditations. I'm Tyler Boss. Today's 2 00:00:40,715 --> 00:00:43,915 Speaker 1: meditation is brought to you by our partners at Life Audio. 3 00:00:44,235 --> 00:00:46,475 Speaker 1: If you go to lifeaudio dot com you will find 4 00:00:46,555 --> 00:00:50,075 Speaker 1: dozens of other faith centered podcasts in their network. They've 5 00:00:50,075 --> 00:00:53,915 Speaker 1: got shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more. Head 6 00:00:53,915 --> 00:00:57,795 Speaker 1: over to lifeaudio dot com now, and remember you can 7 00:00:57,835 --> 00:01:01,555 Speaker 1: have full access to our meditations commercial free. Just text 8 00:01:01,635 --> 00:01:05,075 Speaker 1: abide to two two four three three for twenty five 9 00:01:05,115 --> 00:01:09,355 Speaker 1: percent off. Now receive his piece as we meditate and 10 00:01:09,435 --> 00:01:10,435 Speaker 1: abide in Christ. 11 00:01:12,915 --> 00:01:19,715 Speaker 2: Welcome to this Abide Meditation. I'm Diane Jackson. Do you 12 00:01:19,875 --> 00:01:24,995 Speaker 2: feel in your gut an unseen battle? All of us 13 00:01:25,035 --> 00:01:29,035 Speaker 2: at one point were slaves to sin, the cruel Master. 14 00:01:30,315 --> 00:01:34,315 Speaker 2: But Christ came and gave himself as a ransom so 15 00:01:34,355 --> 00:01:39,355 Speaker 2: that we could live in freedom. So are you living 16 00:01:39,435 --> 00:01:43,715 Speaker 2: in freedom? Are you walking in the way of the spirit. 17 00:01:46,315 --> 00:01:49,835 Speaker 2: Take a slow, deep breath to steady your heart rate 18 00:01:50,875 --> 00:02:00,315 Speaker 2: and relax your body as you think about that. Galatians 19 00:02:00,435 --> 00:02:06,155 Speaker 2: five twenty four says, and those who belong to Christ 20 00:02:06,235 --> 00:02:11,275 Speaker 2: Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 21 00:02:13,315 --> 00:02:17,555 Speaker 2: That doesn't mean that there is no struggle. Any honest 22 00:02:17,635 --> 00:02:21,795 Speaker 2: Christian will tell you that the fight against sin keeps 23 00:02:21,835 --> 00:02:26,635 Speaker 2: on going while we live here on earth. But with 24 00:02:26,795 --> 00:02:31,315 Speaker 2: the strength of Christ in us, we can daily work 25 00:02:31,555 --> 00:02:36,395 Speaker 2: to walk in the way of the Spirit. A new name, 26 00:02:37,915 --> 00:02:44,435 Speaker 2: a new family. We have a new spirit with new desires. 27 00:02:46,075 --> 00:02:55,275 Speaker 2: Today is a new day, just a few verses before 28 00:02:55,435 --> 00:03:01,075 Speaker 2: our verse today, Paul writes, But I say walk by 29 00:03:01,115 --> 00:03:04,035 Speaker 2: the spirit, and you will not carry out the desire 30 00:03:04,075 --> 00:03:09,675 Speaker 2: of the flesh and the apostle John says, greater is 31 00:03:09,755 --> 00:03:12,315 Speaker 2: he who is in you than he who is in 32 00:03:12,355 --> 00:03:23,595 Speaker 2: the world. New life, new desires. With God's help, the 33 00:03:23,635 --> 00:03:28,955 Speaker 2: battle rages. But God is our deliverer. He will not 34 00:03:29,155 --> 00:03:33,115 Speaker 2: allow us to be tempted beyond our ability to handle it, 35 00:03:34,195 --> 00:03:37,835 Speaker 2: because He provides the way of escape through the power 36 00:03:37,875 --> 00:03:42,515 Speaker 2: of the Holy Spirit. Hold fast to Him in your 37 00:03:42,595 --> 00:03:50,275 Speaker 2: efforts to remain free in Christ. Dear Holy Righteous God, 38 00:03:51,475 --> 00:03:55,675 Speaker 2: by the undeserved gift of your grace to me and 39 00:03:55,795 --> 00:04:01,155 Speaker 2: faith in your son, I am new more than just repaired. 40 00:04:01,955 --> 00:04:07,795 Speaker 2: I am new, more than simply replacing the parts that 41 00:04:07,835 --> 00:04:14,595 Speaker 2: are broken. I am an entirely new creation. And part 42 00:04:14,635 --> 00:04:20,835 Speaker 2: of my new creation is new passions, new longings and 43 00:04:21,035 --> 00:04:25,475 Speaker 2: new desires, not of this world, but of the world 44 00:04:25,515 --> 00:04:30,915 Speaker 2: to come. Help me embrace and breathe in that truth. 45 00:04:32,915 --> 00:04:37,595 Speaker 2: And it is in the name of Jesus, I bold pray. Amen, 46 00:04:38,955 --> 00:04:45,475 Speaker 2: Take another deep breath, Relax, still your mind, your heart, 47 00:04:46,715 --> 00:04:52,995 Speaker 2: your spirit. Let your breathing become a prayer to God, 48 00:04:54,435 --> 00:05:00,115 Speaker 2: a plea for stillness and quiet. Settle in now to 49 00:05:00,235 --> 00:05:19,835 Speaker 2: a posture of prayer. Examine your heart for a moment. 50 00:05:21,275 --> 00:05:25,075 Speaker 2: What sin do you have the most trouble surrendering to God? 51 00:05:25,995 --> 00:05:28,955 Speaker 2: Ponder it as you come before Him now in a 52 00:05:28,995 --> 00:05:49,475 Speaker 2: time of confession and cleansing. Be aware of the presence 53 00:05:49,515 --> 00:05:54,435 Speaker 2: of God. Center on him. Ask him to make you 54 00:05:54,555 --> 00:06:00,275 Speaker 2: aware of His desires for you, of his plan and purpose. 55 00:06:01,915 --> 00:06:09,795 Speaker 2: Let his desires become yours as you humble yourself before Him. 56 00:06:09,915 --> 00:06:14,115 Speaker 2: As you continue in a posture of openness, willing to 57 00:06:14,195 --> 00:06:17,075 Speaker 2: hear what God has to say to you in this time. 58 00:06:18,035 --> 00:06:22,715 Speaker 2: Listen to Galatians five twenty four in the English Standard version. 59 00:06:25,195 --> 00:06:29,275 Speaker 2: And those who belong to Christ, Jesus have crucified the 60 00:06:29,395 --> 00:06:35,075 Speaker 2: flesh with its passions and desires. Listen as I read 61 00:06:35,075 --> 00:06:39,075 Speaker 2: that again again, And those who belong to Christ Jesus 62 00:06:39,875 --> 00:06:47,995 Speaker 2: have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. What 63 00:06:48,115 --> 00:06:53,755 Speaker 2: did you hear? What did you notice? Take a moment 64 00:06:53,995 --> 00:06:58,275 Speaker 2: right now to center on that word, thought, or image 65 00:06:59,035 --> 00:07:36,275 Speaker 2: God gave you, just soaking it. That's pretty graph language. 66 00:07:36,955 --> 00:07:40,835 Speaker 2: If we belong to Christ, then our worldly passions and 67 00:07:40,955 --> 00:07:48,875 Speaker 2: desires are crucified. With eyes closed, picture that see it. 68 00:07:50,075 --> 00:07:57,115 Speaker 2: Imagine the desires and passions of your flesh being crucified, destroyed, 69 00:07:57,875 --> 00:08:02,955 Speaker 2: not just asked to leave or shown the door they 70 00:08:03,115 --> 00:08:39,355 Speaker 2: are dead. Ponder it in prayer. Listen now to Galatians 71 00:08:39,475 --> 00:08:44,875 Speaker 2: five twenty four in the Amplified Bible. Ask God to 72 00:08:44,995 --> 00:08:48,635 Speaker 2: point out a word or a phrase to focus on 73 00:08:48,835 --> 00:08:53,515 Speaker 2: from this verse and those who belong to Christ, Jesus 74 00:08:53,635 --> 00:08:59,115 Speaker 2: have crucified the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites. 75 00:09:01,395 --> 00:09:10,475 Speaker 2: What did you hear? This version goes one step further 76 00:09:10,595 --> 00:09:15,395 Speaker 2: than your passions and desires being crucified. It mentions even 77 00:09:15,435 --> 00:09:22,195 Speaker 2: your appetites, all of your sinful nature. The word appetite 78 00:09:22,435 --> 00:09:28,395 Speaker 2: is interesting. How does your body respond when you are hungry? 79 00:09:29,395 --> 00:09:34,875 Speaker 2: Is your appetite strong or weak? How does it drive you? 80 00:10:06,355 --> 00:10:11,755 Speaker 2: Imagine not only your sin, but your appetite for sin 81 00:10:12,435 --> 00:10:21,155 Speaker 2: being crucified, being killed, destroyed, bound, and punished. How does 82 00:10:21,235 --> 00:10:56,075 Speaker 2: that truth resonate with you? Listen one last time to 83 00:10:56,155 --> 00:11:01,115 Speaker 2: Galatians five twenty four, this time in the contemporary English version. 84 00:11:03,635 --> 00:11:07,675 Speaker 2: Consider how this translation strikes you differently than the others. 85 00:11:10,235 --> 00:11:14,595 Speaker 2: And because we belong to Christ Jesus, we have killed 86 00:11:14,635 --> 00:11:20,035 Speaker 2: our selfish feelings and desires. This theme in Galatians five 87 00:11:21,035 --> 00:11:26,395 Speaker 2: of our sins and appetite for sin being destroyed is 88 00:11:26,435 --> 00:11:33,275 Speaker 2: also picked up in Romans eight. Listen to Paul's words carefully, 89 00:11:34,155 --> 00:11:37,235 Speaker 2: for you have not received the spirit of slavery to sin, 90 00:11:38,675 --> 00:11:44,035 Speaker 2: a spirit leading again to fear of God's judgment. But 91 00:11:44,315 --> 00:11:49,275 Speaker 2: you have received the spirit of adoption as sons of 92 00:11:49,315 --> 00:11:57,115 Speaker 2: the Spirit, by which we joyfully cry, a'm a father Ingalatians, 93 00:11:57,475 --> 00:12:04,155 Speaker 2: Paul mentions we are slaves to sin. In Romans, we 94 00:12:04,235 --> 00:12:09,995 Speaker 2: are forgiven of sin and adopted into the family of God. 95 00:12:12,075 --> 00:12:16,475 Speaker 2: Do you feel like a slave or a child of God? 96 00:12:18,475 --> 00:12:54,715 Speaker 2: Ponder it? Praise Him with your answer. Stay with that 97 00:12:54,875 --> 00:13:00,315 Speaker 2: question for a moment. A slave is owned the property 98 00:13:00,475 --> 00:13:07,995 Speaker 2: of another, forced to obey. Do you feel owned by sin? 99 00:13:08,075 --> 00:13:16,635 Speaker 2: At times? Weak and almost forced to obey? It, come 100 00:13:16,955 --> 00:13:23,515 Speaker 2: broken and humbled before God now in prayer, calling for 101 00:13:23,715 --> 00:13:59,635 Speaker 2: release for freedom in Christ. Compare that to Romans, where 102 00:13:59,675 --> 00:14:06,355 Speaker 2: we are adopted children, not birth children, but adopted children. 103 00:14:07,515 --> 00:14:14,235 Speaker 2: What's the difference. We are chosen, picked out, set apart, 104 00:14:15,515 --> 00:14:19,635 Speaker 2: with the full rights and privileges of being a child 105 00:14:19,795 --> 00:14:26,915 Speaker 2: of the creator God. How does that feel different? Take 106 00:14:26,995 --> 00:14:31,035 Speaker 2: time now to soak in the light of freedom from 107 00:14:31,155 --> 00:15:06,235 Speaker 2: even the appetite of sin. Come to Him again in 108 00:15:06,315 --> 00:15:11,795 Speaker 2: thanksgiving for being chosen by God, free to be his 109 00:15:12,115 --> 00:15:19,995 Speaker 2: child with new desires, new longings, new freedom, new hope, 110 00:15:20,155 --> 00:15:56,035 Speaker 2: and new promises. Ab a Father, I am your beloved child. 111 00:15:56,995 --> 00:16:01,515 Speaker 2: When you called my name, you gave me grace and 112 00:16:01,715 --> 00:16:06,995 Speaker 2: mercy and hope. Help me to see how drastically you 113 00:16:07,155 --> 00:16:12,555 Speaker 2: changed my life and my eternity. Let me rest in 114 00:16:12,635 --> 00:16:19,435 Speaker 2: the knowledge that in you there is no condemnation. There 115 00:16:19,515 --> 00:16:23,195 Speaker 2: is a battle raging inside of me. My flesh wants 116 00:16:23,235 --> 00:16:27,435 Speaker 2: what is against my spirit. Help me to seek the 117 00:16:27,595 --> 00:16:31,955 Speaker 2: spirit and to be led by the spirit, so that 118 00:16:32,195 --> 00:16:40,395 Speaker 2: my life will be characterized by your fruit. In Jesus' name, Amen, 119 00:16:42,755 --> 00:16:49,315 Speaker 2: let each choice you make be a reminder of new choices, desires, 120 00:16:49,355 --> 00:16:56,715 Speaker 2: and longings you have as a child of God. Until 121 00:16:56,795 --> 00:17:01,315 Speaker 2: next time, may you abide in Christ