Why we must mortify sin.

If we are not fighting sin, and bringing sin into subjection to Christ through the Holy Spirit, then we have become anemic and dead Christians. If we sin and take no thought about that which we do, and think that some how we have quit sinning, we have become numbed or deadened by our sins. We must always fight sin on our knees, where we are strengthened in our battle here, with that Holy Spirit empowering. Otherwise we are binding the Holy Spirit, and allowing Satan to take jabs and shots at the Spirit, thus grieving it and giving strength to our flesh. We will take a look into why we must mortify our sins. There are several things to keep into account, but we will start with two things on why we must be always about the mortification of sin that I will cover today:


Rom 7:18-21 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 perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.


1. Indwelling sin abides while we are in this world.

The vain, foolish, and ignorant disputes of men about perfectly keeping the commands of God, of perfection in this life, of being wholly and perfectly dead to sin, I meddle not with. It is more than probable that the men of those abominations never knew what belonged to the keeping of any one of God's commands, and are so much below perfection of degrees, that they never attained to a perfection of parts in obedience of universal obedience in sincerity.
John Owen

While we are here we "know but in part," 1 Cor. XII 12, having a remaining darkness to be gradually removed by our "growth in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ," 2 Peter III 18; and "the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, so that we cannot do the things that we would," Gal. V 17: and are therefore defective in our obedience as well as in our light, 1 John I 8.
John Owen

We have a "body of death," Rom. VII 24; which we are not to be delivered from but by the death of our bodies, Phil. III 21.
John Owen

2. Sin does not only still abide in us, but it is still acting, and still laboring.

When sin leaves us alone we may leave sin alone; but as sin is never less quiet than when it seem to be most quiet, and its waters are for the most part deep when they are still, so should our methods against it to be vigorous at all times and in all conditions, even where there is the least suspicions.
John Owen

Sin not only abide in us, but "the law of the members is still rebelling against the law of the mind," Rom. VII 23; and "the spirit that dwells in us lusteth to envy," James IV 5. Gal. V 17; lust is still tempting and conceiving sin, James I 14; in every moral action it is always inclining to evil, or hindering from that which is good, or disframing the spirit from fellowship with God. It inclines to evil.
John Owen

Who could say that he ever has had anything to do with God or for God, that indwelling sin did not have a hand in the corruption of what he did? And in this trade it will strive more or less all of our days. If, then, sin will be always acting, if we are not always mortifying, we are lost creatures. He that stands still and suffers his enemies to double blows upon him without resistance, will undoubtedly be conquered in the fight. If sin be subtle, watchful, strong, and always working in the business of killing our souls, and we be slothful, negligent, foolish, in proceeding to the ruin of sin, can we expect a comfortable event? There is not a day that sin foils or is foiled, prevails or is prevailed on; and so it will be while we live in the world.
John Owen

The saint, whose soul breathes after relief from its perplexing rebellion, know that there is no safety against sin but in constant warfare.
John Owen

"The Duty of The Best Believers"

In a continuation of the mortificaton of our sins, we start into chapter II of "Mortification of Sin in Believers" by John Owen.

Last time I spoke about how it is the Spirit that works through us to accomplish mortification, and that of ourselves we are unable to accomplish the end thereof sinless perfection. It is the Spirit that works in us to will and to do this task.

Today we will look at to whom this duty is prescribed, and for what length of time this duty is to be observed.

I thought I would make a clarification of the term "mortify", since it is not common in our language today. Below I have included a verse from the ESV, and one from the KJV which John Owen would be using. The ESV removes the word "mortify" and replaces it with "put to death", which is clearer in our modern language. Below is the definition of mortification taken from dictionary.com.

Mortification- Discipline of the body and the appetites by self-denial or self-inflicted privation.

Romans 8:13 (KJV) "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live."

Romans 8:13 (ESV) "For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live."

"Whom speaks he to? Such as were "risen with Christ," verse 1; such as were "dead" with him, verse 3:such as whose life Christ was, and who should "appear with him in glory," verse 4."
John Owen

"Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it wilst you live; cease not a day from its work; be killing sin or it will be killing you. Your being dead with Christ virtually, your being quickened with him, will not excuse you from this work."
John Owen

"And the apostle tells you what was his practice, I Cor. IX 27, "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection." "I do it," saith he, "daily; it is the work of my life: I omit it not; this is my business." And if this were the work and business of Paul, who was so incomparably exalted in grace, revelation, enjoyments, privileges, consolations, above ordinary measure of believers, where may we possibly bottom an exemption from this work and duty whilst we are in this world?"
John Owen

As Christians, the duty of mortification is directed to us. It is not an occasional or momentary duty, it is to be performed daily. We are to be perfecting our salvation all of our days, subduing our flesh, and bringing our bodies into subjection. In this study, I plan on including more of John Owen's quotes, than my own, but I will try to translate his writings into more modern english, for the enjoyment of the readers.

Appointed seasons!

Titus 1:3 "And at his appointed season he brought his word to light through preaching entrusted to me by the commandment of God our Savior."

When life stinks and gets us down where do we turn? Do we find ourselves getting down and ready to give up, thinking that no one cares? If you are like me, I know that you have found yourselves in that predicament. Life has often brought us all to the breaking point. Ready to give up on all that we have gained through Christ. We feel as though we are invincible at times, but when faced with trials, we find ourselves on the breaking point. We feel as though we make no difference to anyone whatsoever, when just the day before we felt invincible. We feel like the hymnist wrote saying “prone to leave the Lord above, prone to leave the God I love.” How oft I have felt this way, ready to put down everything to do with Christ and walk away, and return to my old life. Then God reveals a scripture to me, or has someone speak just the right words to me at the perfect and appointed time. Then my soul cries out: “Here is my heart Lord take and seal it, seal it to thy courts above.” Finding myself being drawn back to Christ by his great love with which he loves me and gave his life. During the dry seasons, we must be in constant remembrance that it is our own self that is wavering, Christ remains the same. So we must keep our minds attentive to God’s holy word, which too, is unchanging. That is able to bring us up from sinking sand, planting us on the solid rock in Christ, producing in us the fruits of joy and peace, but only in an appointed time that God has chosen. It will be during those times, Christ will be the sweetest. Remember Christ has appointed times when he will be real to us, and we must keep that in mind while we are struggling through the hard times.

Ecc 3:1 "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven"

Giving Thanks For the Fellow Saints!

1Co 1:4 "I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,"


When was the last time in our prayers, that we stopped and gave thanks for the salvation of other saints? I am sure that this is a most neglected action in our prayer time. I had never even thought about it, until I was reading over the intro to Paul's letter to the Corinthians. During our prayer times, when we give thanks and praise to God for the salvation of other Saints, we are giving thanks to God for his bountiless grace and mercies which he gave to us by Jesus Christ. I can think of nothing more wonderful, than giving God thanks for the wonderful gift of salvation by grace through faith, for it is nothing we deserve or earn by our merit.

Eph 2:8 "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,"

The grace which God bestowed on us by sending Christ, "is the gift of God" so no man can have pride or boast in the gift of grace. All the thanks and glory go to God, the giver of life. The thought of God being gracious to us sinners, ought to drive us to our knees, giving God the glory and praise for such a wonderful and glorious gift; and giving thanks that our fellow Saints too have recieved so great and wonderful a salvation.

May the words of Thomas Ken fill our hearts with the awe and wonder of God:

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

A Love For Our Freedoms In America.

Being in the US Military, I have grown a deep appreciation for the men and women who lay their lives on the line everyday. They give their lives, that their children and other men and women can have the freedoms they have grown up with. It grieves my heart and makes me sad everytime a man or woman dies in the Armed Forces. Especially knowing that I could be in their shoes at anytime. There are many men and women out there, who take advantage of their liberties they have at the expense of others, and attack the military and speak despicable and horrible things. I was sent a link by a friend of a man who started a web site called "Forsake our Troops". There I saw an interview that they did with him on Fox News, and I was outraged at the deplorable things this young guy was saying and putting on his website. If there is anybody who needs their country's support, it is the men and women of the armed forces. As they go out of their way, to lay their lives down on the lines to protect a most sacred thing FREEDOM. It is not a time, while we have war, to desert and forsake them, it is a time to embrace them and pray diligently for them. In the interview with this boy, ignorant of the cost of freedom, they show clips of the men and women returning from battle to meet their families. They truly miss them, and are desirous to return to them, but they are attentive to their duties and responsibilities, as they took the oath. A good question was raised one time, what do you value? At first I wanted to answer right away, but I thought about it a whole lot. Then I thought, how would I know what I value and how much I value it, then it struck me. If you want to know what you value, ask yourself this question. "What am I willing to die for?" Nathan Hale, a teacher who joined the cause of the revolution, and was later hung for his belief in freedom had one notable and well remembered quote. His dying words gave breath to his value and belief in the cause of freedom.

In front of the park is a tree. A cart and horse wait under it. A noose dangles overhead.

In the cart stands a young and outrageously handsome man. He's serene, confident, almost cheerful. His hands are bound behind him. Otherwise, no one would guess he's about to die, like a murderer, like a thief.

The hangman scrambles into the cart beside him, tugs the noose tight around his neck, tells him if he's got anything to say, he better say it now.

He sweeps the British with eyes as blue as the East River behind them.

"I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country. "

With those words, Captain Nathan Hale of the 19th Connecticut Regiment of the Continental Army is hanged for espionage. He is 21 years old.

Old enough to have starved and marched for a year in Washington's army. Too young to have left anything but mundane letters and a matter-of-fact journal of his months as a Continental officer.

Captain Hale wrote no inspired treatises on liberty, no books extolling freedom. He worked on a different, larger manuscript, that of the American Revolution.

written by: Becky Achers "One life on Liberty"

Freedom is not something that we are to take lightly, we must always remember where we came from and the cost of that freedom. I will leave you with the link, and you will see what I mean about not forgetting the cost.

If the hyper-link does not come up, try cutting and pasting this link into adress bar:

http://www.conservativefriends.com/hc.wmv

"On The Mortification of Sin" By: John Owen

I just finished reading the other day for my third time, a book by John Owen "On The Mortification of Sin", it was a really good book, but a tough book to read at first. Anybody that has opened a book by John Owen will know that his books can be difficult to read. I have become accustomed to his type of writing now, and can read his books like any other. One of the biggest problems I run into is all of the really large words that he uses, sometimes I wonder where he even found the words that he uses. I must tell you one thing, anyone who has read anything of John Owen knows, that he does not teach a certain method that you must follow, he only by the scriptures leads you to Christ, to find peace. When I read his books, I am driven to my knees, to look to Christ.

In his book "On The Mortification of Sin", the first thing he starts out with is the sense that we are not of ourselves able to do this, and we are not to be pressing this process onto anyone.

"The pressing of this duty immediately on any other is a notable fruit of that superstition and self-righteousness that the world is full of, - the great work and design of devout men ignorant of the gospel, Rom. X. 3, 4; John XV. 5."

I really like the fact that it is just not another thing we are to we are to press onto others, or just to do because that is what we are told. It is to be more, it is our duty, our desire of those who are truly believers and followers of Christ.

"The choicest believer, who are assuredly freed from the condemnation power of sin, ought yet to make it their buisness all their days to mortify the indwelling power of sin."

Just as true followers of Christ are to mortify or put to death indwelling sin, we are not to strive in our own strength, we are to do it by the Holy Spirit, that dwells in us. I really like how John Owen really points one to the Spirit for the mortification of sin, and how that all other ways are vain and week, falling short of the end aimed at.

"All other ways of mortification are vain, all helps leave us helpless; it must be done by the Spirit. Men as the apostle intimates, Rom. IX. 30-32, may attempt this work on other principles, by means and advantages administered on other accounts, as they always have done, and do: but, saith he, "This is the work of the Spirit; by him alone is it to be wrought, and by no other power is it to be brought about." Mortification from a self-strength, carried on by ways of self-invention, unto the end of self-righteousness, is the soul substance of all false religion in the world."

This is like really tough preaching, because it is not a man trying to push off on me a prescribed method of self-mortification, that come from any strength or power that I might possess. But it comes from a life subjecting, will sumbitting, submission to the word of God, and the work of the Spirit. I will try and go through the book and help to lead others to Christ and a Holy Spirit empowerment for the mortification of sin.

"The vigour and power, and comfort of our spiritual life depends on the mortification of the deeds of the flesh."

Aliens no more!!

Eph 2:19-22 “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

As Christians isn’t it great to know, that we are not a stranger to God, and that as citizens to the household of God, we have so many privileges. Yet how many of us ever know what we are entitled to, and how we must conduct our lives as citizens? Probably many Christians today, do not know the wonderful things that they have with Christ. They know where to find the things promised, but know so little about what is promised. They look at the bible as a yoke, something that binds us and ties us down, a bunch of rules and regulations, to take away all of their fun. That is not what the bible is about at all, it is about liberty, freedom, and life. The reason that we see the bible, as a yoke or the party pooper, is because we spend so little time in our bibles, seeing what true life really is.

Eph 2:20 “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.”

We must learn as Christians that our lives must be fitly joined together with the word of God, and resting in Christ alone as the author and finisher of our faith. What are our lives built on today, and are we growing in our faith, trust, and dependence on Christ? If we want to experience true life and peace we must get into God’s word, seeking and desiring it. Read what Solomon says, and begin to compare it with how your desire for God’s word is. See if you find life in here, or if you find a yoke a bondage, to which you should desire to be free from.

Pro 2:1-12 “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;”


Eph 2:22 “In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

Just as our lives need to be fitly joined together with the word of God, so must we seek the Holy Spirit, to make us a dwelling place for God. In our lives we must seek the Spirit for guidance and understanding of the ways of the Lord, that our lives will be sanctified.

Rom 8:12 “So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

Our lives must be governed by the Holy Spirit, he is to be our guide and teacher, transforming us into a dwelling place for the Lord. We cannot let formality and vain traditions guide our lives in the paths we are to go. We must put to death the deeds of our bodies, and live wholly unto the Lord. Are we in complete and utter dependence on the Lord, to lead and guide us to a sanctified life, or is our self-religion telling us what and what not to do? Do our lives look like a dwelling place for God on the outside, while being a sanctuary for the flesh on the inside? Strive for universal holiness and obedience to the Spirit, ever listening to the guidance and teaching of the Spirit. That our lives should be pleasing to God, and the world should know that we are a dwelling place for God.

Keeping our perspective.

Galatians 4:8-9 “Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?”

I really like reading verses like this one, it helps me to keep a perspective on where Christ has led me from. It really allows me to see that great love wherewith Christ has loved me and redeemed me. “Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods.” Before I was saved, I was enslaved to all the whims and pleasures of the world, unable to understand and comprehend God, given over to all manner of sin. In my own strength I was unable to overcome and relinquish this great power, to which I was in complete bondage too. My lost state I did not want to give up either, I followed it, trying to fulfill its every whim, and gain as much pleasure as possible. I was completely depraved, as it says in Romans and Ephesians:

Romans 3:10-12, and 18 “And it is written: None is righteous, no, not one, no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Ephesians 2:1-3 “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience – among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

Just as Lazarus, laid dead in the grave and was unable to come forth from the prison of death, shackled by death. Even so I lay fast bound in sin, unable to break the bands of sin, and come forth to new life, life everlasting free from sin. But just as Christ stood at the tomb of Lazarus and said rise and come forth, so he did the same for me. He stood at the tomb of my heart, and said rise and come forth and broke the bands of sin. Christ did this independent of me, for there was nothing in me that made me worthy, that Christ should raise me from the dead, and to give me life everlasting. Yet he did it anyways, and he did it from eternity past.

II Timothy 1:9 “who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.”

I really like the way this verse that we started with relays this point so well, how that it show God’s power to save whom he wills, while still not neglecting men’s obedience to the gospel. “But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God” We have come to know God, and receive him by faith, but it says rather to be known by God. It is as if he says yeah it is good that you have come to know God, but this is better, that God hath known you.

The idea that God hath know us and chosen us in spite of our wicked nature which we possessed and followed; this should spark within us a desire to live holy lives, that are acceptable to God, casting off our old man, and putting on the new. No longer living according to our flesh, but seeking total obedience to God’s word. How can I ever think of turning back to the weak and beggarly things, knowing where God hath brought me from? How that he has shown me an overabundance of mercy and grace, in spite of my wickedness.

Ephesians 4:4-5 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved.”

“whose slaves you once were” I like what John Owen says about becoming a slave to sin again.

“ If a man, in the things of this world, has such hope of a larger inheritance, of a kingdom, as wherein he is satisfied that it will not fail him, but that in the issue he shall surely enjoy it, and lead a happy and glorious life in the possession of it many days; if one should go to him and tell him, it is true, the kingdom you look for is an ample and honorable dominion, full of all good things desirable, and you may attain it; but come, cast away all hopes and expectations of it, and come join with me in the service and slavery of such or such an oppressing tyrant;” – you will easily grant he must have some strange bewitching power with him, that should prevail with a man in his wits to follow his advice. Yet thus it is, and much more so, in the case we have in hand. Sin itself cannot deny but that the kingdom of heaven, which the soul is in hope and expectation of, is glorious and excellent, nor doth it go about to convince him that his thoughts of it are vain and such as will deceive him, but plainly prevails with him to cast away his hopes, to despise his kingdom that he was in expectation of, and that upon no other motive but that he may serve some worldly cruel, or filthy and sensual lust. Certainly, here lies a secret efficacy, whose depths cannot be fathomed.”

I will leave off with a verse from a hymn song by Charles Wesley “And Can It Be”:

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and natures night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray;
I woke the dungeons flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed thee.

The Curse

I just thought that I would post a poem that I wrote, about a sermon that I heard one of the Chaplains preach on Ressurection Sunday. The sermon truly spoke to my heart, about Christ sufferings on the cross, and how Christ is the cure for the curse of sin. I hope that you are blessed by this poem.

The Curse

By Adam came death, and upon all men it came
His nakedness and sins before God his shame
The Lord said that he would curse the ground
Thorns and thistles shall on this plain be found
Your toil and work ye shall from now and on do
Will be yours until your last breath bid the earth adieu
The Lord must have know that these thorns such pain
Would pierce his brow and his life blood to drain
What became the curse would represent the cure
It was bore by our savior whose life was so pure
A man so full of love that thorn could not depose
He gave his life to bring that cure to a close
When the blood ran down his battered cheeks
His eyes probably hardly able to take a peek
Looked up to heaven with love in his eyes
Said Father forgive them was his only cry
Then he gave up the Ghost sad and alone
Laid in the grave three day our sins did atone
Now those who by faith do accept the great cure
The Holy one a flame will consume the curse for sure
Never more shall we the curse of hell ever prevail
For Christ love for us is always the same it will never fail

What is our motive in the things that we do?

Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

Romans 14:23 "And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin"

When we do the things that God requires us to do, for what reason do we attend to them? Do we do it because we are suppose to, because someone is watching, or for self gratification? Or do we do it because we love the Lord and want to do it to out of love for what the Lord has done for us? Remember the Lord owns everything, and is in control of everything, if wants something done he does not need us to do it, that he ask us to do anything is a wonder. We should be more than honored to do anything for the Lord with joy in our heart. Psalms 50:7-14 God tells us to be cautious what kind of offering or services we bring before him, because he is interested more in the inner man.

Psalms 50 7-14 "Here, O my people, and I will speak: O Israel and I will testify against thee. I am God, even thy God. I will not reprove thee for thy service or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me. I will take no bullocks out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle up a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the fields are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine and the fullness thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Offer unto God thanksgiving: and pay thy vows unto the most high:"

We must be daily about checking our motives for service, because God is not in need of us, but chooses to use us and to make his power known through us who serve Christ with a true heart of faith. Looking to Christ to fulfill the work which he has given us, and to give Him all the honor and glory for what he has done. For we are unable to do anything of ourselves.

Phi 2:13 "For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Phil 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me."

Then I can give him all the honor and thanksgiving for what Christ has accomplished through this vessel. So may we this day check our motives and reasons for our service to God, weather to bring glory to God, or to honor and puff up myself for some temporary pat on the back here in this life and have some treasure where moth and rust doth corrupt.

Spiritual things are spiritually discerned.

I Corinthians 2:14 "The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned."

Often times I hear many Christians complain that they do not understand the bible, or they don't enjoy reading God's word. I was in the same trap myself for a long time, because I never took the time and disciplined myself to read God's word. I would set my bible down, and then just open to any old page and expect for the word to come alive. I did this for several years, but most of the time I just did not read God's word period. I say this to my shame. For the last two years, by the help of the Spirit's teaching and guidance I have been studying faithfully God's word, and it gets sweeter with everyday. I find myself lost in God's words and promises and how incomprehensible he is. The thing I like the most about studying God's word is that the more that I learn, the more I learn there is a whole lot more to learn! How wonderful it is to have a God to learn about, with which you can never learn everything about.

Often times as Christians we expect to sit down at our bibles, and for God's word to instantly and completely make sense. We don't want to study it, meditate on it, and just stand in plain awe of it. We live in a quick fix it age, when if we want an answer, we just look it up on the internet, or get out one of the many books on our shelves. We sit down at our bibles with a mind set like the world, for understanding of our bibles. We don't want to seek the Lord, and ask him for guidance and understanding, we want to approach it carnally. Yet v. 14 says "the natural man does not understand spiritual things." How we so often sit down at our bibles with a carnal mindset, and with the thinking of getting our 15 minutes or two chapters done, so that I can watch the game or my favorite TV show. Finding ourselves ever so ignorant of God's word, and falling into a self-righteousness the world is so full of. Following vain traditions of man, having no comprehension of what God's word truly says.

John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." There is hope for us Christians to understand God's word intimately, to discern spiritually what God's word is saying. For the longest time in my Christian walk I never realized that God's word could be understood by my pea-brain. I thought that I would have to read other books, or have to ask the preacher for answers to all my questions. Little did I know, how sweet communion with Christ could be through an intimate understanding and studying of God's word.

So you may ask well I am saved and have the Holy Spirit, so how come I don't hear him teaching me, and guiding me into all truth? You must learn to ask and listen, he is there and want to teach you. How I did it, was to come to an understanding that I was foolish, dumb, and of mine own natural mind could never comprehend even the smallest and simplest concept of God's word. I had to come to realize that I must rely on the spirit to teach and guide me, that in me was no understanding, and that God had all the answers.

Isaiah 55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Yet we have someone, God the Holy Spirit, who is willing and desirous to teach us all truths, and lead us to a deeper walk with God, and understanding of his word. All we must do is ask for guidance.

John 14:13-14 "Whatever you ask in my name, this will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in the Fathers name I will do it."

The way I found in my own life to begin to unlock the portals of heaven through God's word, was to sit and pray over Proverbs 2, and I Corinthians 1 and 2. I prayed and ask God to help me to see myself as foolish, and in need of one who alone could teach me and guide me into all truth. Then I asked that the Lord would give me an hunger and unsatisfying desire for his word, that I would search for it like gold and silver. Here is a quote from John Calvin on communion with God:

"Whosoever, then, really perceives what fellowship with God is, will be satisfied with it alone, and will no more burn with desires for other things."

"He therefore, has at length made a proficiency in the gospel, who esteems himself happy in having communion with God, and acquiesces in that alone; and thus he prefers it to the whole world, so that he is ready for its sake to relinquish all other things."

Are our desires for communion with God, through His word and prayer such that we are and would be willing to relinquish all the we love in this world? The television, sports, whatever our so detracts our hearts from a diligent study of God's word. I will leave off with the first verse of a song that I truly love by Isaac Watts "When I Survey The Wondrous Cross":

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the Death of Christ, my God;
All the vain things that charm me the most -
I sacrifice them to his blood.