Living

[00:00:07] Speaker A: Welcome to the weekday podcast of Sugar Hill Church, where we desire to help you know God and discover your purpose, whether you're exercising, driving, meditating, or just hanging out while you tune in with us today. Thanks. We hope these next five minutes help you feel encouraged and inspired for your day. [00:00:22] Speaker B: Hi, everybody. Pastor Chuck Allen here with another weekday podcast where let's go to the Book of Romans, chapter 8, verse 9 today. And I'm reading today out of the new living translation that says, you were not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the spirit, if you have the spirit of God living in you. I want to read that again because if we're not careful, we're going to miss the nuance of this text. You are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the spirit. If you have the spirit of God living in you. You know, when we fail, oftentimes what happens is we just try harder. I mean, we just try so doggone hard. Sometimes I think you just can't try enough. But just to remind us today that we do know right from wrong. So all you need to do is police yourself, right? Well, no. Redouble your efforts. No, I mean, God gave you his laws, so shouldn't it be easy to just obey them? Well, no, but if you're like most of us, you've become a master at writing the edge of sin and hoping you don't fall off the edge. All the self discipline, all the good intentions have never been 100% successful in keeping you away from sin because they're just simply not enough. This is so true in my life. I mean, we just haven't changed that much from the people of Israel, have we? God sent a helper, though. I mean, through Jesus. He sent us the helper called the Holy Spirit, to both be a companion and a guide. But you and me, we often ignore the Holy Spirit's influence and his advice. God wants to help us avoid our sinful nature, to help us avoid sin itself, but we have to be willing to accept his help. So today, just right now, maybe while you're on the treadmill or riding in the car, just ask the Lord to open your heart to the Spirit's leading and ask the Spirit himself what he would show you today. Lord, I can only make it if I live my life in you. Forgive me for trying to better myself through my own efforts and fill me with your spirit so that I am guided daily by you, especially this day. Go and live in God and trust his Spirit to give you every divine direction. God Bless you friend. Thanks so much for joining me on today's weekday podcast. [00:03:00] Speaker A: Thanks so much for joining us today for the weekday podcast. Our prayer is that the encouragement you just heard would help you live more like Jesus today. We would love to see you at Sugar Hill Church for one of our gatherings each Sunday at 9, 15 and 11, and we're always streaming live at Live Sugarhill Church. Thanks again for joining us today. As always, if today's message encouraged you, share it with friends and family by tapping the share button. Have an awesome day.