Reading your Bible for Today September 23

September 23: Galatians 5:19-26

KJV Key Verse: Galatians 5:26
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Devotion:
You could probably look around you and name people who are doing things wrong as listed in these verses today. You will also probably be able to say they are guilty of more than one of the sins listed, but that is because they all go together. When we start getting involved with one of the problems listed in verses 19 through 21, we get caught up in a few of the others too. We are easily lead when we have already started on the downhill slope.

Every one of these problems listed are all to do with oneself. Be it letting oneself go or going with the flow or showing off... each are not lead by God, but lead by oneself. Each one is also clashing with the law, something many seem to think is a good thing! Each one is turning your back against God and doing it “in His face”. Despite some people trying to persuade us this is all part of human nature, it is not. You know this within yourself because when you get to do any of the problems listed, you just know it is wrong. Despite trying to convince yourself it is ok, you just know the first time it is wrong. How? Because God did not make us to do all those things wrong; He made us to follow Him.

God gave us the spirit to love, find joy, live in peace, be patient, show kindness, goodness, have self-control and to be faithful to Him. There is no law written which says that any of these are wrong. If someone has created their own law against any of these, then we know it to be false. God has given every one of us these same principles built in, ready to go and ready to separate us from evil.

This is where we get the choice. Do we follow our own lusts and get involved with too many problems, or do we go back to basics and follow our instincts and find God? People start out by provoking others, seeking to glorify themselves or envying others. Following those feelings (lusts) are never going to get you close to God, but they will make sure that you stay far from Him!

Points to Ponder:
Do you like showing your friends how much better you are than them?

Why try show God that you think you are better than Him?