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The Next Right Thing |
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One of the catch phrases of our culture is "Just Do It!"
For a generation of couch potatoes this can be a good call to action.
Just doing it is not enough. What are we "doing", anyway?
Ideally we are doing what's right. Keeping it simple is often good advice.
In that spirit, what we are talking about is just doing the next right thing.
Of course, we must know what the next right thing is. If you've
turned your will over to God and received Jesus into your life
then He should be sitting on the control seat of your life.
He promised that the Holy Spirit would dwell in us and remind
us of the teachings and all truth.
We can strive with every fiber to always do our best, but ultimately
on our own power we will fail. We're not capable of being good
all the time. That's why we need God to call the shots. He will
accomplish for us those things we cannot do by ourselves. Millions
have discovered this marvelous truth--Jesus is the way to right
living. Not only did he provide excellent teaching on how to
live in the gospels, he continues to guide all those who turn
to them. The old way of living is gone. Anyone who is in Christ
is a new creation ().
He's the pilot.
One of the wonderful promises from Jesus is that through him we
would have an abundant life (). He came so that our
joy may be complete ().
Life with meaning at last!
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Good Orderly Direction
Ok, so we know who provides us with the
knowledge and power to do the right thing. God. We know that
God is always right and all
who do the right thing are his children ().
Indeed, you are one of God's kids even when you don't do the
right thing. God loves and accepts us as we are.
I love the phrase (and acronym) of Good Orderly Direction-G.O.D.
So why is it so hard to follow it?
There is a difference between knowing and doing.
Paul gives us some insight in .
He relates the struggle between knowing what is right and yet doing what is wrong. The
knowledge is not enough! We must have the power to do the right
thing. Who takes us out of this power struggle? Verse 25 gives
the answer, "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our
Lord!"
Remember that Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows
"the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak".
Start enjoying this new and joy-filled life. Pray that each of your
actions exhibit the fruit of the Spirit ().
We can all do with more love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control. Sounds like the next right thing
to me.
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Scripture taken from the Holy Bible,
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright © 1973, 1978,
1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout
the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks
of International Bible Society. Use of either trademark for
the offering of goods or services requires the prior written
consent of International Bible Society.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible,
New Living Translation, copyright ©1996. Used by permission
of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189, USA. All
rights reserved.
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ROMANS 7:15-20
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"I
don't understand myself at all, for I really want to do what
is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do the very thing
I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong,
and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good.
But I can't help myself, because it is sin inside me that
makes me do these evil things.
I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful
nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can't make
myself do right. I want to, but I can't. When I want to do
good, I don't. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway.But
if I am doing what I don't want to do, I am not really the
one doing it; the sin within me is doing it."
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(NLT)
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