Daily Bread - March 6, 2005

But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.

Freed from the Obligation To Live After Our Lower Nature by the Grace of God

I have not hidden my blessings from you. The pleasures that you have desired are yet on my right hand where they have always been. You have turned in the right direction and taught others the right way. Now you are on the path of true success. The abundant life is yours. I have always desired it for you. The people are following you in faith. I will not disappoint them. Walk on in faith, for your faith is activated by your life style of self-denial. I have beckoned for you to come after me, and you have come denying yourself. Where is your cross?

You have sought to save your life instead of losing it. If you are going to your own death, you must carry the cross that you are going to die upon. You must bring your own cross to this place of execution every day. Your natural passions and desires are doomed. Have you walked in this death procession and not considered them dead?

How can you be my disciple if you struggle with laying down the desires of your flesh?

The tower to heavenly things is not built by minds that are stayed on carnal things. The tower to heavenly things is built already. You must decide to travel there by faith. You cannot travel there if your life is fueled by passions and desires. You have started on this journey by faith. Now continue by faith. You have listened to many sermons about dying. Now do it!

How will you claim to belong to me if you have not crucified all of your self-indulgent passions and desires?

You must put all of the things of your human nature to death. In your human nature, there are many passions and desires. They are alive in you and will agitate you daily unless you crucify them. I bore your sins in my own body on the cross so that you might be dead to sin and alive unto me and all that is good. Accept your death that you suffered in baptism then you will not struggle with dying. You do not have to die. You are already dead. Why do you struggle with dying?

In me, you have been brought to an end. By the cross, you have already ceased to live. It is I who lives in you. What testimony is being lived through you?

Your life is hidden in God through Christ. I will show myself openly. If you have not allowed me to live my life out in you, how will you be glorified with me?

You are an idolater if you have not considered yourself dead to the things of the world with its passions, evil desires, and lusts. My holy anger will fall upon those who refuse to obey me. You once had a part with all these things. Have you returned to these dreadful things of your old life?

Reckon yourself dead to all these things. How can you reckon yourself dead to these things if you think on them?

You will allow sin to establish power over you if you give way to the lusts of sin. I am your new master; therefore, place yourself in my hands, and I will deliver you from these things. I have given you grace. Now abide in it. In the grace of God, you are qualified to be productive for me in the power of my love. Your lower nature has no claim on you; therefore, you are not obligated to live on its level. If you live on the level of your lower nature, you must die, but if you live by the Spirit, you have put to death all the base activities of the body. Now you can live. You are a new creature. Now live according to the declarations of your new nature.

Amos 3: 7 - 8

Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. The lion hath roared, who will not fear? The Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?