YOU CAN'T SAY THAT!

Years ago, I wrote a devotional about, YOU CAN’T DO THAT!. Soon, I will re-package its content so you can learn what it is that CAN’T BE DONE!.. But, before I do, I’d like to share what’s on my mind this week regarding what CAN be said, but really CAN’T or SHOULDN’T, when and if, one loves and knows THE LORD.

How often have you heard someone say, “After all, I’m ‘only’ human,” as an excuse for carelessness with choices. Well, that one is unfortunately misinformed since Scripture tells us otherwise. First off, I’d like to say, “Yes, we are humans (mammals) as far as our bodies go, but we also have a spirit and a soul. Other mammals also have souls which I define as our MINDS, EMOTIONS, AND WILLS..My pets certainly have minds, emotions, and wills! Don’t yours?”                                                                            This is where we humans become separated from all other mammals…                            When the LORD created mankind, HE BREATHED into him His own breath! This is what sets us apart since we then became a spiritual being, meant to experience our Creator’s presence with, and within us!!(no longer simply a body and soul as the other mammals are!) The very best Scripture reference I know for verifying this is in                   I Thessalonians 5:23.  “May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We can also recall the often abused or taken for granted phrase though which JESUS HIMSELF said to a religious leader who was seeking to know what JESUS was really teaching.. JESUS alarmed Nicodemus telling him he MUST BE BORN AGAIN.. Of course, that was met with resistance as the seeking one said that would not be possible!!! Well, that’s  when JESUS said he must be born of water, and of the SPIRIT! (John 3:1-8)   In ROMANS 8:9-11 we read more about this..  “You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

As you read through this, I hope you all have received the gift of HIS offer of HIS life and presence within you… If not, the final verse of JESUS LOVES ME in our songbooks says this well-worded PRAYER (in  an ‘old-fashioned’ way!)

JESUS TAKE THIS HEART OF MINE.. MAKE IT PURE AND WHOLLY THINE

THOU HAST BLED AND DIED FOR ME.. I WILL HENCEFORTH LIVE FOR THEE!

As I close, consider the gift of HIS BREATH breathed into you! Realize that your spirit can either be dead in trespasses and sin.. thus separating you from HIM and the fullness of life HE intends for/through you, or, you can be SPIRITUALLY ALIVE WITH ALL THE FULLNESS OF HIM WITHIN!! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS CHOICE BECAUSE HE LOVES US SO, SO MUCH THAT HE DIED TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE!!