Inspired Living

A significant part of being "spiritually inclined" is studying and understanding God's word for your life.  In my study this morning, the Spirit led me on path exploring and learning about living a Godly life.  I've heard it in sermons, read about it books but I have never really explored it in scripture to wrap my head and heart around a concept so central to my faith.

The first understanding I have is that in order to live according to God's will, I must learn to put my "self" aside.  Ego, identifying and searching for who I am by physical and material traits, is huge block to living a Godly life.  The more my ego drives me, the further away from God I move, which is why Jesus taught us this in Luke 9:23, If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

So to live a Godly life I must deny my self, my ego, so that I may open my mind and heart to the Holy Spirit. The more that I fill my mind with earthly desires and passions, the less room there is for God and the less opportunity there is for me to live a Godly life.

Along with collapsing the ego, I must also move away from all of the earthly, sinful desires that accompany living in this world.  Look at what Paul teaches in Galatians 5:19, "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious; sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage; selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkeness, orgies and the like.  I warn you, as I have before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Wow! What a list.  I know I see myself in that list at times in my life.  How many times am I caught up in envy or jealousy?  How many peoples' lives are controlled by jealousy and hatred?  Selfish ambition is also easily drawn to in our daily, earthly, ego-driven lives.  So this is what Un-Godly looks like?  What does Godly look like?

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.  For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.  Galations 5:16

If I am getting this, our natural state, the state of our mind and heart, is that of the sinful desire.  Without knowing Christ, we will naturally follow the path of ugliness described above.  But, when we are saved, reborn in Christ Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, our path changes as does the quality of our life and our life experience. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.  Galatians 5:22

It is about living in the Spirit.  That is the key to a Godly life.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.  Luke 9:24  Give it up, man!  Conquer the sinful, natural desires of the ego by committing your life to Christ.  Turn in this earthly, sinful life for a new, inspired life!

To be inspired means to "be in-spirit".  The Holy Spirit is knocking at your door.  Will you get on your knees today and let him in?  Will you open your heart and mind to a new way of inspired living?  In the words of Eminem, lose yourself.  Then you can find God.