WEDNESDAY: I DON’T WANT TO EAT ROTTEN FRUIT

Sep 21, 2022
2 min read

Lord, the acts of the flesh are like rotten fruit. I’ve ingested the wrong things and desire to be cleansed. Thank You for Your blood which cleanses me and gives me salvation!

Galatians 5:19-21

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and sensuality; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

There are many things I can become addicted to that will lead to my downfall. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of sinful behaviors; but anything I am caught up in which is not from faith can lead me away from God and not toward Him.

Sexual immorality, impurity, and sensuality refer to sins which involve pursuing physical pleasure in a way that is not pleasing to God. Idolatry and witchcraft involve putting my trust and devotion in someone or something other than the one and only true God.

Hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy are all associated with stirring up with a heated passion, either from a dispute about what I want and/or in direct contrast to what others want. In these, opposition and contention are at the forefront with an intention to provoke others in order to destroy their views, sometimes with an intent to destroy the ones with the opposing views.

Drunkenness and carousing both refer to abuse of things ingested in the body with an intent to cloud my mind.

THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS: I don’t need to think hard to know that many of my sins are on this list. Anytime I pursue anything without faith in God, it is against God’s plan for my life and considered a sin (Romans 14:23). I know I am guilty, yet Jesus died for my sins. When God looks at me, He doesn’t see my sin but sees His Son, who has washed away my sin.

The point is that God doesn’t want me to live like this; He doesn’t want me to be trapped in the bondage of sin. He doesn’t want any of His children to wander off the path He has set for them, although it happens all the time.

Lord, please guide and direct me every day, so as I put my trust in You, I stay committed and faithful to You. Every day I rejoice because You set me free from sin. I don’t want to eat rotten fruit anymore! May You be praised for Your faithfulness, Your goodness, and Your love for each of Your children!

May you be blessed,

Chaplain Wayne Ruckman