Mortifying the Flesh

This came in the weekly update from my previous church down in South Carolina. I am still receiving their weekly e-mails:

Mortifying the Flesh with Fullness
(from Milton Vincent's A Gospel Primer)

Though saved, I am daily beset by a sinful flesh that always craves those things that are contrary to the Spirit. These fleshly lusts are vicious enemies, constantly waging war against the good of my soul. Yet they promise me fullness, and their promises are so deliciously sweet that I often find myself giving into them as if they were friends that have my best interests at heart.

On the most basic of levels, I desire fullness, and fleshly lusts seduce me by attaching themselves to this basic desire. They exploit the empty spaces in me, and they promise that fullness will be mine if I give in to their demands. When my soul sits empty and is aching for something to fill it, such deceptive promises are extremely difficult to resist.

Consequently, the key to mortifying fleshly lusts is to eliminate the emptiness within me and replace it with fullness; and I accomplish this by feasting on the gospel. Indeed, it is in the gospel that I experience a God who glorifies Himself by filling me with His fullness. He is the One, Paul says, "who fills all in all." He is the One who "fills all things" with the gifts He gives. And He lavishes gospel blessings upon me with the goal that I "be filled up to all the fullness of God." This is the God of the gospel, a God who is satisfied with nothing less than my experience of fullness in Him! The first command God spoke in the Garden was, "eat freely." And with similar insistence He says to me now, "be filled."

What happens to my appetites for sin when I am filled with the fullness of God in Christ? Jesus provides this answer: "He who continually comes to Me will never hunger or thirst again." Indeed, as I perpetually feast on Christ and all of His blessings found in the gospel, I find that my hunger for sin diminishes and the lies of lust simply lose their appeal. Hence, to the degree that I am full, I am free. Eyes do not rove, nor do fleshly lusts rule, when the heart is fat with the love of Jesus!

Preaching the gospel to myself each day keeps before me the startling advocacy of God for my fullness, and it also serves as a means by which I feast anew on the fullness of provision that God has given to me in Christ. "Eating freely" of such provision keeps me occupied with God's blessings and also leaves me with a profoundly enjoyable sense of satisfaction in Jesus. And nothing so mortifies fleshly lusts like satisfaction in Him.

Audio Books

I like audio books. I got started on them when I was driving a truck all over the east coast by myself. Audio books really helped pass the time. I mostly listened to stories, but recently I have listened to a couple of other books.

I just got word that Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God
by Francis Chan was the free audio book download of the month over at Christian Audio. I knew that they had a free download every month because I have downloaded a few of them in the past. Just a few months back I downloaded Fox's Book of Martyrs.

I hadn't checked for awhile, but I just noticed on The Rebelution's blog they mentioned that July's free download was this book by Francis Chan. I have heard lots about it, and had read a couple of reviews, so I was excited to see this. Maybe after I listen to it I will give you my thoughts. Or you could just download it yourself and come up with your own thoughts. To get your free audiobook, follow this link and use the code JUL2009 when checking out.

Here is a video introduction to the book:

I wish...

If only I could respond this way in my classroom...



[HT: incompetech]

1003

This is post number 1003. I guess that passing 1000 is a little bit of an achievement.

Umm ... Who needs video games?

Who needs video games?!? I have a fuel system to play with!

I had to replace the corroded parts. This just didn't look safe to me.

Looks good to me. Now it is time to stick it in the tank. I hope this part goes well!

It's out!

It's out!

Big Red (Day 2)

I could summarize the entire day in one sentence:

"I spent 2 hours and 15 minutes trying to loosen 2 bolts."

Yeah, that about says it all, but here are a few pictures of the first day. I am currently waiting for the dew on the ground to be sufficiently dried up before I go out there. I will try to post some more pictures later.

I have a fear of the vehicle falling on me, so I make sure that it is securely jacked up.



Taking off the clamp on the big hose where you fill the tank.



This is at the beginning of the 2hr.15minute brawl that ensued between me and the tag-team bolts!



Say hello to my little friend!



Lowering the tank down with a jack.



The tank is now lowered, but now I have to disconnect everything from the top of the tank.


In case anyone might want to search this out,I will put in a few key words:
this fuel pump replacement is for a 1995 Chevy Astro Van.