Inside Versus Outside
There are times that I do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do. There are other times that I do the right thing because I know others are watching – I really want to do the wrong thing. This reflects my motive. My motive is the “why” I do what I do. My motive is not always obvious to everyone. My motive can sometimes go unnoticed by even me. I was reminded this morning of just how important the inside motivation is versus the outside. Check this out….
4 So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. 5 When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. 6 But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit. (Romans 7:4-6 NLT)
The Law is a bunch of rules and regulations that govern my behavior from the outside. I look right. I act right. I may not be right inside my heart.
The Spirit transforms my heart to become teachable and shapeable by the Lord. My outside behavior then follows the Spirit leading inside me and my actions. My outside behavior reflects what is going on inside my heart.
The greatest work I can do on myself is deep within my heart. This work is not visible to others but it definitely shows up in my outward activities and actions.
I want to live my life with the Spirit of God obvious in the actions and activities of my life. It’s an inside job.
Pressing On!
Dwayne