The Apostle Paul was clear and correct when he stated in Romans 7:18, "For I know that in me ( that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but how to perfom that which is good i find not." There is absolutely no good thing in our flesh! Because our flesh is made after the same sinful nature as the first Adam, we cannot please Yahweh (God) in our flesh no matter how hard we try. Our old sin nature (OSN), which is eternally exiled from the presence of Yahweh, is, therefore, deprived of His holy nature.
Lucifer, the anointed cherub that once covered the mercy seat of the Creator, is the originator and father of iniquity. It was from his infectious iniquity that our OSN was conceived. There are two elements of our flesh that personifies the true nature of Lucifer. These two characteristics were the cause of Lucifer's rebellion against Yahweh, which ultimately resulted in him and one third of the angels of heaven to be thrown out of the presence of Yahweh forever. The grounds for Lucifer's eternal expulsion from heaven were PRIDE and EGOCENTRISM. Pride gives birth to arrogance and causes man to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. The egocentric nature of the flesh produces an insatiable hunger and thirst for the works of the law and the flesh. Moreover, man's egocentrism causes him/her to seek out ways to make provisions to satisfy and exalt him/herself. In short, these two malicious elements generate an inner passion deep from within the flesh that cries aloud day and night uttering only one word...SELF! The flesh can speak of nothing else!
It is written, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleaness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkeness, revellings and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of Yahweh" (Galatians 5:19-21). It is also written, "...for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified (Galatians 2:16b). Therefore, redemption by the blood of Yahshua the Messiah was and will always be the life source of our spiritual existence.
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Yahweh is a consuming fire (Deut. 4:24). In His presence, all flesh will be consumed. Nothing can withstand the brilliance of His essence, power and righteousness except His Word, which is Yahshua the Messiah (Isaiah 40:7-8). We must have the Word of our Creator living on the inside of us and we must live according to His Word in order to stand in His presence without being consumed or cast away. Yahweh is a spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). May we never forget (lest we be thrown out of the presence of the Most High) "...that no flesh should glory in His presence (1Cor. 1:29). "Cleanse your hands ye sinners; and purify your hearts ye double-minded" (James 4:8). NO FLESH ALLOWED!
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When we attempt to please Yahweh in our flesh, we are as DEAD MEN in His presence! |