Walking vs. Living

I came across a verse. Wow! Very profound, I know. "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." Galatians 5:25

Well, in my mind at least, living in the Spirit and walking in the Spirit are basically the same thing. Our walk through life is what we are living, so living out our life is what we walk. Simple enough. So then why did Paul repeat himself? First, I went back and read the context: Paul is writing to the Galatian church, and is encouraging them to give up the yoke of slavery, self, that separates them from Christ. He goes on to tell them that once they are following Christ, to refrain from turning that new found freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but rather a chance to serve one another. He then urges then to act not in accordance to their own desires, the flesh again, but by the will of the Spirit of God.

So, I wonder if there is a difference between walking and living...

"But I say walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please." Galatians 5:16-17

"He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those whoa re according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." Romans 8:3b-5

"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest." Ephesians 2:1-3

So it appears that walking, refers to following our fleshly desires. So then, walking by the Spirit would to give up walking by our fleshly desires. I wonder what living is...

"For all who are being led by the Spirit, these are the sons of God." Romans 8:14

"So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh, for it you are living according for the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God." Romans 8:12-14

"Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God." 1 Peter 4:2

"For it is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him." 2 Timothy 2:11

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20

“For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we are the Lord's.” Romans 14:7-8

Living, is similar. It is a death of our fleshly desires. But even more than that, after the death of our fleshly desires, it is fully following God, and His will and plan. We are alive only in Christ. Living in Christ leaves no room for our own desires. Once we are walking by the Spirit, dying to self, we need to take the next step and live by the Spirit, allowing Him to be in full control of our lives. As a good friend put it, “We can walk the path, be so-so, but when it becomes an integral part of every bit of our whole being, then we are living it.”

So then I checked another translation which was helpful:

“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”

Got it...uh, wait, the moment I say that...well how about this: I think I understand that verse for now. The more I learn, the less I know. Seriously. For each new thing I learn, I catch a glimpse of the vastness of the knowledge about that thing that DON'T know. I love learning. It's humbling...

Um...mental exercise?

Random

I have been to busy, and I can't seem to sit down to right anything profound. So here are some random things...

At work this last week, I was running QC on a file, and came across the code 2SCHMCT. I thought "Oh cool, my initials, wonder which mailing list this code is for." So I looked it up...Teachers of Multi-Challenged...sorta burst my bubble.

Question: What is it, that after you take away the whole, some still remains?

I overheard a conversation in the hall outside my office...two people were talking about animal cruelty, and how sad it was. One person said, "You know in the Bible, where it talks about the least of these? Well hello! That's just what those dear animals are. The least of these! If we can't even treat them right, just imagine what we'll do to poor innocent people!" I was ticked...

Here's something fun to try: Ask your friends to define the words accordion, goatee and spiral staircase. Be amused at the gestures that accompany the definitions.

A good quote: God has made us for Himself. Are hearts are always restless until we find our rest in Him.

What is a fool?

one who despises wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7; 10:21)
one who lacks sense (Proverbs 8:5)
one who utters slander (Proverbs 10:8)
one who does not heed advice (Proverbs 12:15)
one who does not control his feelings (Proverbs 12:16; 29:11)
one who flaunts his folly (Proverbs 12:32)
one who is reckless and careless (Proverbs 14:16)
one who has a quick temper (Proverbs 14:17)
one who despises his father’s instruction (Proverbs 15:5)
one who despises his mother (Proverbs 15:20)
one who does not accept reproof (Proverbs 17: 10)
is bitterness to his parents (Proverbs 17:21, 25)
one who would rather express his own opinion than gain understanding (Proverbs 18:2)
one who loves quarreling (Proverbs 20:3)
one who despises good sense (Proverbs 23:9)
one for whom honor is not fitting (Proverbs 26:1)
one who trusts in his own mind (Proverbs 28:26)
and the list goes on…

The World's Best Cat! Ruth!!!

I found her one day on the side of the road, skin and bones, sick, mangy, one back leg had a high femur break, and she had a 6 inch scar across her shoulders. So being the compassionate person that I am, I picked up this cat, and took her home with me. When I took her inside, Daddy said "What's that?!" That's how bad she looked...but she was like a puppy dog in cat skin. She LOVED people, she'd flop over on her back to get petted, she loved tummy scratches, and was best friends with the dog. So Daddy decided to keep her, as a lesson in compassion...she wasn't purebred or fancy, she was downright ugly, but we learned to love
her anyway.



So we got her leg amputated, it had been broken too long to set. We tried to get her spayed, but she'd already had it done...poor patient kitty. And we bathed, and wormed and fed this little thing. And discovered that our little three-legged kitty was not only three legged, but had two extra claws on each foot. And was blind in one eye. And was completely deaf. She really WAS special!



So into our lives came Ruth Kastune. Ruth? Because Boaz showed compassion to Ruth...Kastune? Estonian for compassion...and she got our last name as well. And so, as part of the lesson on compassion, we got our first house pet. She might have been small, but she grew. She might have been ugly, but once she filled out and got shiny, she was beautiful. She might have been blind, but she could see halfway, enough to see us and come get petted. She might have been deaf, but I'm sure she heard through her feet, cause she could always tell when we were coming and would run to meet us. She might have been three-legged, but she ran like any other cat, learned to climb trees, and caught mice like a champ. She might have looked like an ugly mangy thing when I found her, but she sure loved us back!!!




Boy was she something. Ruth learned to sit in cowboy hats, slide across the tile floors(okay, so when she ran she could never stop and make the corners...her one back leg would give out, she'd fall and slide into the wall, then jump up and keep running), sleep on her back, climb the route of desks and dressers and beds to sleep on Heather's bunk, sleep under the covers, catch rat-sized mice, chase whatever happened to be on the end of a string being drug around the house, climb trees, ride the dog, run with three legs, chase 5 foot black snakes, ride in the pony cart, run around with dish towels thrown across her back, chase mops, jump into the windows to sit in the sun, stand on on leg and tap the door to let us know she wanted in, and any sort of cardboard box was her BEST friend for taking naps, hiding in, and doing whatever. She was pretty special.






So we just got home from vacation, and found out that Ruth isn't here anymore...our rental house is on a highway, and I guess she didn't hear the car...she is missed, and I don't think she'll ever really have a replacement.