Friday, 25th September- Friday of week 25 of the year

PUT TO DEATH THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH

Haggai 1:15 – 2:9

“A little while now, and I will fill this temple with glory.” The Israelites were held captives in Babylon because they abandoned their God. The postexilic period represents a time when they tried to rebuild their union with God. One of it is rebuilding the Temple. The Temple stands as the place of union of God and man. In our days we consider the Church and more so our body as the temple of the Holy Spirit (1Cor 6:19). For God to fill ‘Our Body’ with His glory, then our body must necessarily be devoid of all forms of human glory and vices. To devoid ourselves of all human glory means we must proceed by way of renunciation and self-mortification and put to death in us all desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21).

“I am with you – it is the Lord of hosts who speaks – and my spirit remains among you. Do not be afraid! For the Lord of hosts says this: A little while now, and I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all the nations and the treasures of all the nations shall flow in, and I will fill this Temple with glory, says the Lord of hosts. Mine is the silver, mine the gold!”

In our academics, do we engage in malpractice to get a better result or do we trust fully in God while putting our best in preparation? Do we tell lies to gain favor or get what we want especially from our parents or do we tell the truth always irrespective of the outcome? Do we patiently wait on God and ask for guidance or do we go about doing things and planning our life our own way? Do we intentionally deceive others in our words and actions to gain something from them? Are we faithful with what is kept in our custody especially money or do we misappropriate them to help ourselves?

Dear friends, let’s examine our lives and see where we are seeking our own human glory rather than that of the divine. Let us surrender them back to God and pray for His glory to fill us.

Prayer: Lord help me by your grace to put to death in me all desires of the flesh and help me live by your Spirit. Amen

Know Your Faith: YOUCAT 526- What does it mean to say, “lead us not into temptation”?

Because every day and every hour we are in danger of falling into sin and saying No to God, we beg God not to leave us defenseless in the power of temptation. Jesus, who was tempted himself, knows that we are weak human beings, who have little strenght of our own with which to oppose the evil one. He graciously gives us the petition from Our father, which teaches us to trust in God’s assistance in the hour of trial.

Hide a Treasure: – Therefore I say to you: walk according to the spirit and do not give way to the desires of the flesh. Galatians 5:16 CCB

Today’s Readings: Haggai 1:15–2:9; Psalm 42:1-4; Luke 9:18-22