Straight From My Journal

I often copy scriptures into my journal that the Lord uses to speak to my heart. Here is everything I copied this morning. In this blog I have italicized my own personal comments I’d jotted between the verses. Once again, being vulnerable, I am choosing to share this in hopes that someone else will perhaps draw strength.

2 Corinthians 1:3,4
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our afflictions, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

Galatians 5:16
“Walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”

That to me says obey those nudges. Be tuned in, humble (not thinking of what I want), submissive in spirit, and trembling at the Lord’s word (that’s in Jeremiah? Isaiah?).

v. 17 & 18
“For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, then you are not under the law.”

Another verse that came to mind yesterday:
“Don’t be surprised at this painful trial as though something strange were happening to you.”

also
“Jesus said, ‘In this world you will have many troubles. But take heart! I have overcome the world!”

Philippians 4:13
“I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH!”

Ephesians 2:3-5
“We too all previously lived among them in our fleshy desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and by nature we were children under wrath, as others were also.
“But God, Who is abundant in mercy, because of His great love He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. By grace you are saved!”

Philippians 3:13
“For it is God Who is working in you, enabling you both to will and to act for His good purpose.”

Romans 7:5,6a
“For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions operated through the law in every part of us and bore fruit to death. But now we have been released from the law, SINCE WE HAVE DIED TO WHAT HELD US.”

v. 11
“For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.”

v. 22-25
“For in my inner self I joyfully agree with God’s law. But I see a different law in the parts of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body. What a wretched man I am! Who will save me from this body of death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I myself am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh, to the law of sin.”

Romans 8:1
“Therefore, NO CONDEMNATION now exists for those in Christ Jesus, because the Spirit’s law of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”

v.5
“Those whose lives are according to the flesh think about the things of the flesh, but those whose lives are according to the Spirit, about the things of the Spirit.

v.6
“For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace.”

v.13
“If you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

Romans 9:16
“So then it does not depend on human will or effort, but on God Who shows mercy.”

How acutely aware I am of the fact that my efforts are futile! Jesus, please give me the strength to slam the dagger into my fleshy cravings. May they die. May You be glorified.