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The Arm of the Lord

Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. (Galatians 5:25 NLT)

Satan is a great master of strategy, and one of his favourite lines is that of pushing things to extremes. Among the Galatian believers, he had sought to push legalism to an extreme. But now he is thwarted along that line; Paul wins the battle there is no doubt about it. What is the enemy's next line of attack? ery well then,he says, f you won't have the law, then don't have any law; discard all law. You are no longer under law, you are under grace you can do as you like! Just behave as you like; just carry on as you like; you must know no limitations, no restrictions. Any kind of restriction is law repudiate it! Go to the other extreme licence instead of law!I believe that, if Paul were alive today, he would be just as vehement against this as he was against the other: for here is a work of Satan indeed. If Satan cannot bind by the law, and change the whole nature of things in that way, he will seek to dismiss all law and make us wholly lawless.

But remember, if this Letter to the Galatians is the letter of the liberty of the Spirit, it is also the letter of the government of the Spirit. We are only free when we are governed. In George Matheson's well-known words, that we sometimes sing: ake me a captive, Lord, and then I shall be free.A paradox but how true. We are not free when we are giving way to licence, when we take liberty that far. No: this Letter, and the Letters to the Romans and to the Hebrews, are not documents of lawlessness. Even if they do set aside the whole of the Jewish system, they do not introduce a regime of lawlessness. But they do most clearly bring in the life and government of the Holy Spirit. Remember no child of God who is governed by the Holy Spirit, who is really living a life in the Spirit, will infringe any Divine principle. Indeed, a life governed by the Holy Spirit will be the more meticulously careful about spiritual principles.

Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.

Go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you. § Whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward. § The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself. § God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love … in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

Each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

“Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?” … And the King will answer and say to them, “… Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me. § Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

Ex. 2:9;  Matt. 20:4;  Mark 9:41;  Prov. 11:25;  Heb. 6:10;  1 Cor. 3:8;  Matt. 25:37,38; Matt. 25:40;  Matt. 25:34

You comprehend my path and my lying down.

Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!”

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.

I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. § When you lie down, you will not be afraid; yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. § So He gives His beloved sleep.

Ps. 139:3;  Gen. 28:16,17;  2 Chron. 16:9;  Ps. 4:8;  Ps. 91:9,11;  Prov. 3:24;  Ps. 127:2

Self-abandonment

Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin" (Rom. 6:11a).

All of the cults, from TM to ST to SDA, are simply self-improvement aberrations. The Cross alone provides death to self and life in the Lord Jesus Christ. "God forbid that I should glory, except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Gal. 6:14).

"What becomes us now is to have the Lord Jesus before us, and not the correction of the old man. The snare of trying to improve oneself is very common, and it is important to see, that however well-meaning it may be, it is really a denial that our old man has been crucified, and a revival of that which has been judged in the death of the Cross.

"It is plain that if you are clear of the domination of the old man you can have no man before you but the Lord Jesus, and the more sensible you are of how ready the flesh is to intrude."

"God never means me to be able, with the Pharisee, to thank Him for the goodness that I find in myself. If I will be at it, He leaves me to find in this irreparable flesh, which cannot be mended, what I may break my heart over, but never alter.

"It is a quicksand which spoils all my building - a morass impracticable to cultivation; and God uses this, in His sovereignty over evil, to wean me from self-confidence and self-complacency, and to cast me upon Himself."

"Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves to be. . . alive unto God through Jesus Christ, our Lord" (Rom. 6:11b).

Jesus, My Saviour - Song of MARY (3)

The Better Way