Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 248
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life Ministries
International
Littleton, Colorado
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The
teaching of “the flesh” is missing in much of Christianity today. Michael gives us a great look at what “the
flesh” is, and how victory over “the flesh” is given to us by Christ.
DAY 163
In My Flesh Dwells No Good Thing! How About In Yours?
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my
flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good {is} not. --Romans 7:18
I sat listening to a
couple discussing a topic that is much more prevalent today than it was just a
few years ago: pornography on the Internet. The husband had been caught looking
at it. "I cannot believe you would do that," said the wife.
I looked at her and
said, "I would!"
She immediately
responded, "How?"
"It is simple.
In my flesh dwells no good thing! Are you telling me that in your flesh dwells
a good thing?" It took me years to realize that I--that is, my flesh--am
never going to get better. When
I am not abiding, the flesh is the same it has always been: hostile to God.
That is why we teach a
moment-by-moment victory and ultimate improvement only through Christ in us.
I could look at the Internet sites but I do not, and not because I am strong,
but because I know men much stronger than I am who get in bondage to it. Since
that is the case, what chance would my flesh have? I do not look because I am
weak, not because I am strong.
Do you believe that in your flesh (body, mind, will, and
emotions under the influence of anything other than Christ) there is something
good? Every
time we look at a person and say, "I would not do that," we are
saying that we are stronger than Christ. We know that all Christ ever did, He never did, for it
was the Father working through Him. He not only taught abiding but lived it. When we succeed, it is not because
of great strength, but because we have recognized abiding in Christ, and His
grace and strength are on and in us. When we judge, look out! All God has to do is lift His grace
and abiding presence, and we will discover we are just as weak as anyone else.
Have you admitted you are weak and in your flesh dwells
no good thing? You must admit where you are before you can leave where you are. You must
own a weakness before you can lose it. If I want to give you a cup, I
can only give it if I pick it up and own it first. It is not until you own your weakness that Christ will
be able to be your strength. For instance, if you will own that in your
flesh you hate another race, you can give that shortcoming to God, and He can
become your strength. Once you do this, you will not be a compassionate person
loving someone from another race; you will be a person able to dispense the
pure love of God. Admit you cannot be a husband, own it, and let Christ's love
flow through you for your wife. But if you will not own it, you can never
disown it.
"Power is perfected in weakness!"
Think of a teacher, pastor, or elder. Do you know five of his weaknesses?
Three? Just one? If you do not know any of his weaknesses, this person is
attempting to minister in the strength of the flesh. If power is perfected in weakness, why hide it?
It is because we want to
appear strong and build our own glory. However, He is the glory, and He will never give His glory
to another. We are
wrong to teach Christians to be strong and hide weakness. All of us are strong in Christ
and weak in the flesh. In my flesh dwells no good thing.
Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green
– IT, Incredible Truth
Red – GP, Greatest Promises
Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink
– PV, Priceless Victory
It is a tragedy that so much teaching lands at the Christian’s feet and
tells him all he needs to do and be, when God tells us Christianity is all
about explaining what Christ will do for us.
Well, amen.
And what a tragedy that with little recognizing and teaching of “the
flesh” there is so little teaching of Christ’s power being perfected in our
weakness. Then, too, there is the
abundant teaching of our needing to be strong.
Oh, wow!
A wrong focus will take our eyes off Jesus every time.
To access ALL past weekly
blogs, go to Living Life With a Capital
“C” by logging onto www .leemccm.blogspot.com
NOTICE: another blog on
Michael Wells’ book, Sidetracked In The Wilderness, called Getting Out of the
Wilderness. You can access by logging onto
www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com
Lee McDowell Christian Ministries
P.O. Box 633244 Nacogdoches,
TX 75963 936-559-5696
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