"And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" Gal 5:24


This is my thought about today's verse. When a man iscrucified, he's dead. And when your dead, you're dead! Those of us who belong to Christ Jesus have crucifiedthe flesh. We are dead -- dead to the flesh -- dead to our passions -- dead to our desires -- DEAD!


Now if this is true, why do I still have ungodly desires? If this is true, why do I still yield to the flesh and it's passions? Because these things still bother me, does that mean that I am not one who belongs to Jesus? Am I a failure as a Christian? Are my adoption papers not in order? Do I really belong to Satan and not God?


Perhaps you think the same way. Have I struck a nerve? I suspect that all of us feel that way at times -- perhaps more often than not. Rest assured, you are still a child of the King if you have called upon the Name of Jesus. The intent of the Apostle is not to discourage, but to encourage.


What is dead is the strings that attach us to these fleshly desires and passions. They no longer bind us. They are cut loose -- destroyed -- by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of the Lord. Can we still relish in them? Yes. Do we? All too often. Can we break free? Absolutely! All we have to do is choose to be free -- to enjoy the freedom our Savior, our Redeemer, Jesus Christ has given us. If you are bound today with bonds that have been broken, you are free -- you just need to realize it, accept it, and refuse to be bound again! That choice is yours because the old bonds have been crucified -- they are dead! And when they are dead, they are dead Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.