Today's Devotion: So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Ga 5:16)

Paul is telling the Church at Galatia, as he would tell us today, that as we allow the Holy Spirit to take more control of our life, we will be able to avoid the pitfalls of temptation and the sinful desires that we possess. We can then begin to live as God wants us to live.

Today's Comments: As we look at the church today in its many forms, we see a very fractured organization full of denominational distinctives and disharmonious bickering. I think that when Paul talks about living by the Spirit, he is not just talking about living individually, but he is also talking about corporate life as well. There are some who I know that will swear up and down that religion is not about churches, but about individuals. That is wrong. God created us as social beings, to love one another as we love Him. It means that we must be willing to support and nurture each other and, if necessary, correct the Church--- not avoid or ignore it. When James tells us to anoint one another with the oil of healing, he is also talking about the church, because, like it or not, we are the church--- even if we try to escape it. And the loss or defection of one member is a loss or defection to all. It is only in letting the Holy Spirit guide us that we can find healing in ourselves so that that being guided by Him, we may anoint others with the oil of His healing.