Paul was not dealing with sin in this chapter of Galatians, but with the relation of the natural to the spiritual. The natural can be turned into the spiritual only through sacrifice. Without this a person will lead a divided life. Why did God demand that the natural must be sacrificed? God did not demand it. It is not God’s perfect will, but His permissive will. God’s perfect will was for the natural to be changed into the spiritual through obedience. Sin is what made it necessary for the natural to be sacrificed.Abraham had to offer up Ishmael before he offered up Isaac (see Genesis 21:8-14). Some of us are trying to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God before we have sacrificed the natural. The only way we can offer a spiritual sacrifice to God is to “present [our] bodies a living sacrifice…” (Romans 12:1). Sanctification means more than being freed from sin. It means the deliberate commitment of myself to the God of my salvation, and being willing to pay whatever it may cost.If we do not sacrifice the natural to the spiritual, the natural life will resist and defy the life of the Son of God in us and will produce continual turmoil. This is always the result of an undisciplined spiritual nature. We go wrong because we stubbornly refuse to discipline ourselves physically, morally, or mentally. We excuse ourselves by saying, “Well, I wasn’t taught to be disciplined when I was a child.” Then discipline yourself now! If you don’t, you will ruin your entire personal life for God.

God is not actively involved with our natural life as long as we continue to pamper and gratify it. But once we are willing to put it out in the desert and are determined to keep it under control, God will be with it. He will then provide wells and oases and fulfill all His promises for the natural (see Genesis 21:15-19).

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December 10, 2014

Journal for Today-JDV

Lord at first this seems like another one of Chambers devotionals about how we must pull ourselves up by our bootstraps (I know that does not work very well), then I read the last paragraph.  He then says God does fulfill all His promises to the natural once we surrender.  I read this to mean that once we are connected to Jesus, God is free then to respond supernaturally to our natural wants and needs.

And God says…”When you seek Me first, acknowledge Me in all your ways, give up on your own ways and means and understanding, and surrender your needs to Me I am able to do more that you could ever hope or dream.  I cannot provide blessings to the natural, only to the supernatural, to the Holy Spirit living and reigning inside of you. When you ask Me to bless your ideas, your thoughts and ways and means I cannot. But I can bless the ideas thoughts and ways and means when you have surrendered them to Jesus. Seek first the kingdom of God, which is Jesus, and I will give you everything else you may need or require; including your transformation. Be connected to Jesus and you will not be who you were. His love, mercy and grace will cover you. When you are unable to surrender to Jesus, His grace and mercy will fill in the gaps. The sacrifice and love of Jesus is that great.  When you are in the middle of trying times you can remember and believe that I go before you and I make all things work for your good. Trust in Me to make all things work for your good, do not look to the outcomes.”