"A Dwelling Place"

"Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents." (Psalms 69:25) I almost forgot that this Psalm was about "A Distress Call"; but who's call is going out, because I am beginning to feel a little like it can be mine. The word of God is meant to purify our hearts and transform our minds. Combined with the Holy Spirit that is living within us, the Word is like the bread and water for our souls to grow stronger as our flesh gets weaker. I just did not expect it would take so long for my flesh to start giving up; maybe it knows that it's time is getting short, so it is not fighting as hard. But let me tell you something, it's not going down without a fight! I know that all that might sound a little strange, especially considering that our flesh is actually still very much a part of who we are; but it is absolutely not who we will become! It is not even what we are today, even though we still are held within these tents, they are just temporary and they are not any kind of representation of who we are in Christ. Do you not know that you are immortal? Just in case you don't, if you are in Christ, you are! This flesh cannot contain immortality, because it is mortal, corrupt, and is going to die. At the very least, if you are still around when the Lord comes for His church, you are going to be given a new body, one that is not corrupt and will live for ever. But this body we have now is nothing but a tent that we mend and maintain; but it is no way the place that we call home. As a citizen of Heaven, my focus needs to be on where I belong, not this place that will soon enough be dissolved. How we so easily forget that is the case, and we find ourselves doing more than mending and maintaining our tents, but actually trying to fortify them and give them solid foundations, figuratively speaking; although, the way that some people get so wrapped up in their bodies, they seem to be putting more into it than it is worth. In a spiritual sense, we need to be feeding our spirit more than we sometimes do. I am speaking of myself more than anyone, because I know how much I can forget this basic principle. It's all about feeding the spirit and starving the flesh; but I realized how much I think about feeding the flesh. I spend several hours a day just thinking about what I want to eat next, what I previously ate, and what I haven't enjoyed eating lately. Talk about something that takes away from feeding the flesh, that is surely not one of them! I heard a message from Richard Ellis the other day, maybe it was yesterday, and he was talking about fasting being an important part of prayer and allowing the Holy Spirit to dominate our lives. It's been a while, but maybe it's time to fast again! This flesh of mine is trying to get a second wind, and I think it needs to be reminded who is the Boss. That said, we know that we have a home which is not of this world; let that be the place that we are living for...
 "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life - whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your Heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to Him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown in the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your Heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today." (Matthew 6:25-34) NLT