Today's thought - 28 October 2026 (Oh that die to self stuff)

 

How are you, my friend? yes, we are still in Galatians 5, and I guess I failed my test yesterday when I was tested again by the selfish gain of man and his ways. Haha, I guess we all get into that position where you think that you are always the person that has to give in and be inconvenienced because of the lack of good in people.

So, the Holy Spirit placed a number of things om my mind and it started with verse 14, For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbour as yourself”. Paul continuous to say that we should be beware of mindful of destroying one another.

In essence there was a false doctrine that was spread in the church, and people were preaching circumcision instead of salvation through Jesus Christ. Paul is very serious in his response and in his examples saying that “I just wish that those troublemakers who want to mutilate you by circumcision would mutilate themselves”.

This is actually so important because when we look at that sentence and we look at the cost of following Jesus, we must always consider that to follow Jesus means to die to self, to give up on all you have and to love other as you love yourself.

Paul makes a few important statements and one I really like is verse 9, “This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough!”.

Is it not funny how a little misdirection or gossip or negativity can influence us so dramatically. I have often told you that we must guard our ear gate, mouth gate, eye gate and touch gate, because what we allow in is just like yeast. Soon it will affect our entire being and our mind and our thoughts.

Paul tells the church to be mindful of that and that to follow Jesus is to reject the old ways and accept the new life we have in Jesus and as we have clearly seen now in the last week that it is not just following Jesus but is a non-negotiable choice that we make and then start to live out.

Following Jesus is not a momentarily thing. It becomes a way of life. I guess the hardest part is when Paul writes here about the fruit of the Spirit.

” But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.”

There is that word again – longsuffering. The Holy Spirit reminds me again today of the cost of following Jesus. It not I that live anymore, but Jesus that lives in me and through Him I have victory, but that victory becomes a way of living in all aspects of this world. We know that we are not here anymore, but we are in heavenly places and that this life is but a moment and what we do daily is supposed to bring glory to God.

This means that sometimes I have to remove myself from the situation and listen to the Holy Spirit. I keep thinking that all things will work out for good and that what was intended to destroy us will be turned around and save many.

My dear friend, do not allow the enemy’s lies to break you and hurt you and make you angry. Sometimes we must give in to the situation to bless another.

Have an awesome day.