Daily Reflections, Friday, March 7, 2008

Today's Scripture: Philippians 2:5

Today's passage in Scripture shows us that following Christ is not a set of rules. It's not a lifestyle. It's not a religion.

It's a mindset. In Philippians 2:5, we're told to adopt the mind of Christ. That is, to align our thinking with Christ's thinking.

But most of the time, we get it backward. We try hard to live right, to follow the Biblical principles, and to control our fleshly impulses. But we fail, day after day. After a while, some get tired of the treadmill and give up altogether. The enemy gets a victory. Why do so many Christians fail? Because they get it backward. Paul, in Philippians, says that it all begins with our thinking. If we surrender our thought life to Christ, our actions will follow.

There is a daily battle for control of our minds. Every morning when we get up, we choose whose side we'll be on. Will we yield to the demands of our flesh, the temptation of the world, and the whispers of the enemy? Or will we yield ourselves to God and walk in the Holy Spirit's power? If we try to live a good, moral life under our own power, then we're not different than any other religious system. But we don't serve a system, we serve a living Savior who has empowered us with His Spirit.

Today's Quote: We do not use the Holy Spirit, He uses us. -Warren Wiersbe