2015 March 17 - Morning Manna

For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 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. (Romans 7:15-20)

Today's Morsel:  Like Paul, I sometimes find it hard trying to perform that which I know is good; especially towards those who know to do good and yet they don't do it.   Paul's comment here is really a wake-up call to us to check for sin and the working of the flesh in our lives. He says here that anytime we find ourselves doing the things that we know that we shouldn't be doing and we consent to it, it's not of the Spirit working in us, but we have allowed sin and flesh to rule over us.  James tells us, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17).  Think about it, not doing good is sin. Hummmm!  So how do we perform that which is good to avoid sin?  Paul said that the will to do good is with us, but how to perform it he couldn't find it.  There is no doubt in my mind that everyone knows how to do what is good.  The problem lies in us not doing it.  Folks just simply make up their minds not to do good.  They skip church because they make up their minds to do so.  They don't pay tithes because they make up their minds not to do.  They gossip about people because they make up their minds to do it. And so Paul said, that because they do these things within themselves, they consent that it is good, not realizing that it is sin working in their lives.  And we know that the wages of sin is death.  If you really want to know how to perform that which is good, just be a doer of God's Word, because if you are a hearer only you are deceiving yourself.

Sing:  You know the Lord's been good, He's really been good, He's been so good to me, I just can't let Him down, I can't let Him down, I can't let Him down, He's really be good to me.

Thought for Today:  Goodness is a fruit of the Spirit.