Here’s my story…
The Tempest of Trying
I TRIED, BUT…
The do’s of the Bible seem endless. My own struggle in attempting to be a doer of the Word appeared endless too. Here begins the telling of the slow but, thank God, sure process of my discovering how to finally get freedom in this area.
Two Little Words
HOLY, HOW??
Forgiveness is a wonderful thing, but still I couldn’t see my way out of the sin that so easily beset me. I knew the Lord required a life of holiness, but my question was, “Holy how?”
Eve’s Fall
THE REAL LIE
Good and evil…two words I’d heard before, way back in the Garden of Eden. What would I find in this first account of history that would be relevant to my history? I headed to Genesis to find out.
The Fruit of Disobedience
THE SURPRISING EFFECT OF ADAM’S SIN
My search continues looking for a solution to my fruitless life. The Genesis story had correlated with my own. Like Eve, I was deceived into thinking the knowledge of good and evil would make me like God.
The Blame Game?
WAS PAUL COPPING OUT?
I was learning what didn’t work but was still clueless as to what did. I headed to Romans 7 to find what Paul discovered in his struggle with sin that still eluded me.
Who Am I?
DID ADAM ACTUALLY DIE?
Unwilling to make a false argument which would release me from accountability, and knowing I surely was misunderstanding something about Paul’s statements in Romans, I headed back to Genesis only to find more light that would take me another step closer to the freedom I longed for.
Man’s Greatest Loss
MAN’S NATURE BEFORE AND AFTER THE FALL
Much changed after Adam and Eve disobeyed God. They became self-conscious, fearful, and unable to bear fruit without painful struggle. But something else changed that had a far greater, more crippling result. Was I destined to remain in bondage because of something I had inherited from Adam?
The Other Half of the Story
THE CURSE REVERSED
The hopeless plight of fallen man, born with an unchangeable sin nature appeared to leave all of us in a perpetual state of doing our best and getting forgiveness for the rest. The endless failure, frustration, and guilt of this condition was what I had lived with and I’d heard echoed by the Apostle Paul in Romans 7.
Likeness Restored
TRYING TO BECOME….
Just as surely as the disobedience of Adam made us sinners, the obedience of Jesus made us righteous. We need to be as familiar with the scripture in Romans 5:19 as we are with John 3:16. Many of us don’t fully realize what took place when we were born again.
A Question Remains
DO WE STILL HAVE A SIN NATURE?
After discovering so much, one would think my struggle to walk in holiness and bear good fruit would be over. I had seen I was righteous, but I had to admit that sin was still showing its ugly head in my life. Was this just ‘positional’ righteousness I’d received? Practically speaking, was I still the same? From all indications, it appeared so. Did I, in fact, still have a sin nature?
Why Do I Still Sin?
A QUESTION REMAINS
Having said that once born again we are made righteous and no longer have a sin nature, one could raise the question, “Then why do we still sin?” This was the question I was asking.
Are You In The Flesh?
TAKE THIS SIMPLE TEST
Still seeking for the solution, I began to search Romans 8 where it seemed Paul had found his answer. Nothing was making any practical sense to me though…until I got to verse 8, which made perfect sense and explained everything.
Unlocking the Truth
YET ANOTHER OBSTACLE
Although in Romans 8 Paul seemed to have found his answer, it still wasn’t making any practical sense to me. Nevertheless, armed with new revelation, I began to read the chapter yet again…continuing to search for the secret to victory over the ‘body’ that Paul had proclaimed at the end of Romans 7.
What’s On Your Mind?
WE’VE MISUNDERSTOOD ROMANS 8:5
Romans 8:4 had shown there was still a part for me to play in walking according to the spirit and not according to the flesh. It wasn’t enough to receive my new identity while retaining my old actions.
Remember To Forget
THE TRUTH WE’VE MISSED
As I continued my search for the key to walking according to the spirit and not according to the flesh, I came upon what appeared to be the answer.
According to Romans 8:5, at least I could say that my mind was not set on fleshly things. Or so I thought.
What does ‘Walking in the Spirit’ mean?
FINALLY….HOW TO WALK IN THE SPIRIT
Having now realized the truth about walking according to the flesh, I began to consider the other aspect of Romans 8:4-5 ….walking according to the spirit. If I had been confused over the exact meaning of the one, I was really in the dark over the other.
Exactly what does walking in the spirit mean?
Seeing Spots
AN UNLIKELY SECRET TO FRUITFULNESS
At least one thing had changed as a result of these new discoveries. A burden had definitely lifted! The more I took control of my thoughts based on these truths from God’s Word, the more relief and joy I experienced.
My focus had changed. Now maybe my fruit would change too. A story from the life of Jacob provides unexpected revelation.
A Case of Mistaken Identity
DON’T BE DECEIVED
The life of Jacob had something else to teach me as my search for answers continued. One thing is sure, Jacob had some experience in determining identity. He had learned first-hand that when someone sets their focus on the nature of the flesh, they can be deceived!
Easy…Really?
EFFORTLESS CHANGE…
Although I’d seen an abundance of evidence to establish the truth of what I’d discovered concerning my fruit following my focus, I began to wonder if it could possibly be this simple.
Inside Out 
THE TRUTH ABOUT RENEWING THE MIND
Through the Word of God, I was becoming increasingly assured that transformation did indeed come as a result of ‘renewing the mind’. Nevertheless, searching to find the exact meaning of this term, I found only repeated explanations that amounted to nothing more than mere self-effort.
Beyond Beholding
DO NOT MISS THIS POST!!
As I studied more about the path to transformation, I continued to find more references to the power of the mind. It might seem as though I’ve belabored this point, but it took me a while to be convinced that there wasn’t more to it than this.
Your Inner Image
THIS IS GOING TO HELP YOU !!!
If beholding the glory of the Lord in us is vital to our transformation, as II Corinthians 3 says, then we need to know how to see the unseen.
Root or Fruit?
THE PLACE FOR READING AND PRAYING
My goal to walk in righteousness and bear good fruit had led me to seek out the path to transformation. I still had some things to learn about fruit.
What Law Are You Under?
JEW OR GENTILE….WHAT’S YOUR LAW?
My heart’s desire was to be righteous, so I spent most of my time trying to do something to become something. By doing all the right things (reading, studying, praying), I was attempting to regulate my behavior, thinking it would come in line as a result of these efforts. Nevertheless, I had the cart before the horse.