“Nail & Cross”

Scripture:

Galatians 5:24
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires
of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there. (NLT)

Observation:

The decision to surrender your sin-filled, rebellious nature into God’s transforming hands can be a slow and painful process for many. For some this decision is made out of pure desperation; a last stand to make sense of this seemingly futile life that beats us up and ends in death. For others, it can be a near death experience that strikes the fear into their hearts that maybe—just maybe, there are consequences for the way we live this life. But whatever the cause may be for this decision, it is a life changer, for sure.

Application:

Giving up the things of this world which feed our compulsive nature is something that we cannot achieve on our own. We need Someone greater than ourselves; One that we can fully trust to help us overcome the powerful grip of Satan and the life-journey to hell that is imminent for all those who remain trapped in and enslaved by their sinful nature. The power of sin not only controls us with its appetites, but it is a part of who we are—it is simply our inherent fallen human nature (Romans 5:12). Nailing my sinful nature to the cross of Christ was the one of the first steps I needed to take on my new life-journey of recovery and restoration; an all important step that gave me the confidence and trust I needed to plow forward in the heart wrenching battle to overcome the sin that came so naturally easy and was so hard to fight. It takes courage and discipline to stand against the dark powers of this world (2 Chronicles 32:7, 8). It takes both commitment and sacrifice to learn the Truth and to gain our strength (Psalm 37:5). It takes knowing the only Living God—knowing who He is and all He does—knowing who He promises to be and what He promise to do. For without God and His sovereign power living and working in our lives, we are all destined to fail the battles for our hearts and souls. Without God’s wisdom you will live both foolishly and dangerously. Without God’s Light you will walk and live in a darkness that will eventually consume you. But when you nail your sinful life to the cross of Christ, you will immediately begin to experience the peace of God that comes from being set free from your bondage to sin and death. God did not create us to die, my friends, He created us to live! And live you will, when you humbly surrender to the Lord and nail your sinful self to the Cross of Life.

Prayer:

Thank You for the Cross, dear Lord, thank You for Your life. For You accomplished what we cannot. What a gift You brought to this lost and hopeless world that was doomed to fail. Thank You for the life we can now live in You—protected and saved—triumphant and joy-filled.

Amen