This worked well until I was introduced to God’s standard. Suddenly, I was no longer a superstar. Instead, I couldn’t measure up, as hard as I tried. It all came to a head as I listened to the gospel being shared when I was 15yrs old. My world crashed and I realized clearly that I needed Christ so I surrendered my life to Him. 

If our standard goes no further than ourselves, we will falsely think we are good.  We can see a clear picture of our heart,who we are, and our need of Jesus, only when we view ourselves in light of God’s law.  It’s part of His plan for us to see that we come up empty. We must see our need for His wonderful Savior.  Only then can we receive Christ who does measure up and meet every standard.  For His heart is pure and His righteousness is excellent!

Reflection

Who/what standard do you compare yourself to?

If the answer is self or others, your standard isn’t high enough.  God has given us the standard of His law in His word.  

In what ways have you or are you currently trying to measure up to His standard in your own strength?

Can you see that you are left lacking?  Do you see your need for a Savior?

Rejoice out loud for what Christ has done!

Prayer

Father, Your standard is Holy and righteous; perfection at its finest. For though we cannot achieve it, Jesus perfectly satisfied every part by His finished work at the cross.  We rejoice that You have made a way for us to enter into relationship with You!  Moreover, you have made us Your sons and daughters!  We have the Holy Spirit living in us testifying to our adoption!  Our lips will never cease praising You in the name of Christ, Amen!

(Matthew 22:37-40 NASB)

So we find the whole law and prophets depends on love. 

We also know from God’s truth that Jesus said:

 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.”

(Matthew 5:17 NASB)

So in essence Jesus loved the law into completion. His love in action did something that our performance never never do. It perfectly satisfied every requirements of the law and reconciled our relationship with our Father in heaven.

#truthtalk4life #knowlivespeaktruthinlove

Make sure to share and add these hashtags above to encourage others with God’s word!
@brianfriedl 
Note: All Bible quotes are taken from the New American Standard Bible offered by youversion.com unless otherwise stated.

By that same Spirit, we are to be putting to death the deeds of the flesh.  Elsewhere in scripture, we are told to make no provision for the flesh.  Our salvation rests on the very power and work of Jesus.  During our walk with Him, we are learning the depths of that truth and that Jesus is everything we need.  We are learning to rest completely in Him. 

When we lay hold of this truth, sin loses its luster and is seen for what it is; deception and death.  We have no need to even consider it, if we are content with God’s provision in Christ.  Our desires shall be as His desires rather than those of the flesh and all its lusts.  Therefore we will not be led away by our fleshly desires, but instead be drawn closer into the LORD’s presence. 

Personal Reflection

Often times we are tempted to go back to the life of trying to keep the law.  The result is always the same.  Trying to keep the law will point out that we cannot and will prove our need for a Savior.  The law was weak because of our flesh and inability to keep it.  The law of Christ is powerful because of who He is and what He has done. He has already fulfilled the law on your behalf. 

Read  Galatians and ask God to help you let go of the law of sin and death and any trust you place in yourself for salvation and instead fully trust that Jesus’ fulfillment of the law at the cross was complete. 

Prayer Focus

All powerful Father, our flesh is ever present and seeking its way in us.  May we make no provision for it.  Help us to see our need of Christ alone and may we be fully content in Him.  He has rescued us from sin and darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of light and secured our place in your family.  May our lips be filled with praise now and forevermore!

@brianfriedl

• #lawisfulfilled #victoryinJesus #truthtalk4life

One of the struggles of the Christian life is remembering that we are not walking according to the flesh, but according the Spirit and therefore setting our minds on the things of the Spirit.  The temptation to go back to trying to keep the law in our flesh is a constant struggle.  A mind set on the flesh will not please God because it does not result in righteousness.  The end result of our flesh trying to keep the law is the awareness that we fall short of righteousness and need a savior.  It is when we surrender the flesh, through faith in Christ, that the Spirit of God dwells in us.  We are to worship and walk in Him. Furthermore when our minds are set on the flesh they are hostile(hatred/enmity) towards God.   If we focus on achieving the law, inevitably it results in setting our minds on the flesh and our performance, which we have seen both in scripture and experience to result in an inability to do so.  When our trust is in Christ and our eyes are fixed on Him for the purpose of loving, worshipping and glorifying Him, the result is that we are covered in the righteousness of Christ and we are free from the law of sin and death.

In what ways are you still trying to perform for God?  In what ways are you setting your mind on the flesh?

Heavenly Father, help us to surrender our desires for control, our tendencies to set our mind on the flesh.  Let us walk in the Spirit fully in step with you, your will and good purposes.  Set us free from the law of sin and death.  Help us to love, worship, and glorify you with our whole heart, in the precious name of Jesus!

@brianfriedl

#truthtalk4life #mindsetonSpirit