Works of the Flesh

One of the signs of a crumbling society is the increase of crime, decline of moral standards, and lowering of conduct and manners. It's prevalent in society here in the United States now. The bible defines this decline as sins, and works of the flesh:

Gal 5:19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 
Gal 5:20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 
Gal 5:21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
 
Jesus said that these works of the flesh come from out of the heart of man-who is born in sin and rebellion.

Mat 15:18  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 
Mat 15:19  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 
Mat 15:20  These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

James goes further, and describes how those who live in the flesh, and walk according to the course of this world will speak and do the things that their emotions, and lusts desire:
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Jas 3:3  Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. 
Jas 3:4  Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. 
Jas 3:5  Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! 
Jas 3:6  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 
Jas 3:7  For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 
Jas 3:8  But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 
Jas 3:9  Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. 
Jas 3:10  Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. 
Jas 3:11  Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 
Jas 3:12  Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. 

Jesus went on to say we will be held accountable for our words:

Mat 12:36  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 
Mat 12:37  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. 

We will also be rewarded according to our deeds:
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Ecc 12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
2Co 5:9  Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 
2Co 5:10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
​Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 
Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

This is a very sobering truth, but a very sad one, because the conduct, and pattern of life for the vast majority today-do not believe this. They don't believe they will ever stand before God and be shown the account of their life-and will reap the rewards for them. They live as an animal, because they've been taught by both their parents, and schools that they've come from a swamp-are nothing but another life form, with no soul, and no God to answer to. At the moment of their death, they will meet the God they've been told doesn't exist, and will either enter into heaven, or drop into hell. I watch with sadness, the masses of people living with no thought of this at all, and continue on living lives of vanity, selfishness, or doing good works to try to earn God's blessings. It will not work. The only way to heaven, is through the cross-admitting your a sinner, in need of a Savior, and asking for His forgiveness, mercy and turning to Him for salvation. Jesus Christ is the door to eternal life, there is no other way.

Many cities in the country are crumbling, with homeless camps and drug addicted, mentally ill people living on the streets, and the problems are enormous. The filth, squalor, violence and crime on the streets is becoming a problem that can't be ignored, but leadership has no solutions-because it's rooted in immorality, and the debasement of a society that has lost it's sense of right and wrong. Like Jesus said-out of the abundance of the heart....comes every evil work.

Below is a visual compilation of the works of the flesh, which is an ever-increasing situation throughout the country now.

The Hall of The Flesh
1Co 6:9  Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of
themselves with mankind, 
1Co 6:10  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners,
​shall inherit the kingdom of God. 

Definition of vulgar
1 a: lacking in cultivation, perception, or taste : COARSE
b: morally crude, undeveloped, or unregenerate : GROSS
c: ostentatious or excessive in expenditure or display : PRETENTIOUS
2 a: offensive in language : EARTHY
b: lewdly or profanely indecent
3 a: generally used, applied, or accepted
b: understood in or having the ordinary sense
they reject the vulgar conception of miracle
— W. R. Inge
4: VERNACULAR
the vulgar name of a plant
5 a: of or relating to the common people : PLEBEIAN
b: generally current : PUBLIC
the vulgar opinion of that time
c: of the usual, typical, or ordinary kind
COARSE, VULGAR, GROSS, OBSCENE, RIBALD mean offensive to good taste or morals. COARSE implies roughness, rudeness, or crudeness of spirit, behavior, or language.  found the coarse humor of coworkers offensive  VULGAR often implies boorishness or ill-breeding.  a loud vulgar belch  GROSS implies extreme coarseness and insensitiveness.  gross eating habits  OBSCENE applies to anything strongly repulsive to the sense of decency and propriety especially in sexual matters. Profane, barbaric, lewd.
Definition of rude
1 a: being in a rough or unfinished state : CRUDE
d: SIMPLE, ELEMENTAL
2: lacking refinement or delicacy:
a: IGNORANT, UNLEARNED
b: INELEGANT, UNCOUTH
c: offensive in manner or action : DISCOURTEOUS
d: UNCIVILIZED, SAVAGE
e: COARSE, VULGAR
Definition of vain
1: having or showing undue or excessive pride in one's appearance or achievements : CONCEITED
2: marked by futility or ineffectualness : UNSUCCESSFUL, USELESS
vain efforts to escape
3: having no real value : IDLE, WORTHLESS
vain pretensions
4. archaic : FOOLISH, SILLY
Definition of vanity
1: inflated pride in oneself or one's appearance : CONCEIT
2: something that is vain, empty, or valueless
Definition of vainglory
1: excessive or ostentatious pride especially in one's achievements
2: vain display or show : VANITY

​Pro 16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 
Pro 16:19  Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. 
Pro 18:12  Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility. 

​Psa 140:1  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man; 
Psa 140:2  Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war. 
Psa 140:3  They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah. 
Psa 140:4  Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings. 
Psa 140:5  The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.
Pro 16:27  An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire. 
Pro 16:28  A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends. 
Pro 16:29  A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good. 
Pro 16:30  He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass.

​Pro 18:7  A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul. 
Pro 18:8  The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. 

​Psa 39:5  Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. 
Psa 39:6  Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

​Psa 10:7  His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.
Psa 59:12  For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak.
Rom 3:10  As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 
Rom 3:11  There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 
Rom 3:12  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 
Rom 3:13  Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 
Rom 3:14  Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 
Rom 3:15  Their feet are swift to shed blood: 
Rom 3:16  Destruction and misery are in their ways: 
Rom 3:17  And the way of peace have they not known: 
Rom 3:18  There is no fear of God before their eyes. 

When the Flesh Rules the Heart and Conduct-Brutality and Cruelty Often Results

Definition of cruelty
1: the quality or state of being cruel
2 a: a cruel action
b: inhuman treatment
3: marital conduct held (as in a divorce action) to endanger life or health or to cause mental suffering or fear
Definition of brutality
1: the quality or state of being brutal
2: a brutal act or course of action

The bible has the answer to every problem man faces-if they would heed it.

Jesus said it in one simple statement-the golden rule-do to other's what you would want done to you.

Mat 7:12  Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. 

How do you desire to be treated? Do the same to those you come in contact with, and interact with during the course of a day. Speak to them in the same manner you'd want to be spoken to, and don't spread stories, gossip and exaggerate-which is lying. If you want to be treated with respect-treat other's in the same manner. If you have an issue with someone-go to them and deal with them in person; not behind their backs. If you come across an elderly senior, treat them with the respect your going to want-when you become one yourself; and I can assure you-you're not far behind them. If you witness someone being abused in any way-have the courage to speak up, and intervene to put a stop to it, if you have to. Courage, and empathy is something very important, and lacking today; many would rather turn a blind eye, walk away and say nothing. I couldn't live with myself-I gotten into trouble more than once, standing up for an elderly person I saw getting abused, and I'd do it again.

Going further, Paul warns in Colossians to put off the old man with it's deeds:

Col 3:5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 
Col 3:6  For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 
Col 3:7  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 
Col 3:8  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 

The temptations, lusts, and attacks from those who live in the world and love it, will be with the believer until we are called home. We may give in to anger, we may stumble, we may fall and say or do something wrong-repent right then, don't let it fester; don't let the devil use it to torment you. Repent immediately, and recover your ground in Christ-then just walk on with Him. If we love Jesus, we'll want to do right, and live right. Our righteousness doesn't come from the good we do in itself, but why we are doing it. We are His servants, His chosen, and the work given to us, is a privilege.

As we yield our bodies and minds to the Holy Spirit, He cultivates our minds and spirits and strengthens us-and develops the Godly traits deep within, and it strengthens our armor against the wiles of the devil, and the evidence of this is the fruit that develops in our life and conduct:

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 
Gal 5:24  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 
Gal 5:25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 
Gal 5:26  Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. 

The increase in technologies has it's advantages, but also many disadvantages. I've watched the rudeness, coldness, and callous behavior increase tremendously since hand held phones, and devices have come on the scene-at times people are rude intentionally. When I see this, it just causes me to feel sorry for them, they are wasting their time with me.

I try not to pay any attention to it anymore, because it's gone too far now. But, it's a sad development to watch. Another aspect to the new technologies is the ability of people to intrude into other peoples private lives, when they have no right to-that's another detriment that has no solution now-except to endure it, and try to find ways to get rid of it out of my life-if there's any way to do it. Again, this has developed a mentality in many people that think they have the right to hack into every aspect of your life-and don't see why it's ethically wrong-and most don't want to see they're doing wrong, because they enjoy it-so sin rises another notch in society. I'm ready to get off this planet, whenever the Lord says it's time for me to go home.

As this darkness continues to worsen, believer's are having to find ways to deal with it, and strengthen their souls to stand against the tide of evil. Jesus said it would be this way, and to look up, our redemption draws nigh. As I wait, I go to the verses below often, for instruction, and encouragement in these dark days-they are food for the soul:

Col 3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 
Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 
Col 3:3  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 
Col 3:4  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 
Col 3:5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 
Col 3:6  For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 
Col 3:7  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 
Col 3:8  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 
Col 3:9  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 
Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 

May God be with His people in these trying days-and abide with us as we journey to the finish line, and home; to dwell with Christ, free from this world of sin.
Lorna Couillard
In Closing: If you died tonight, where would you go? Are you ready to meet Jesus? If not, the gospel message below can help you and guide you to just open your heart, talk to Him right where you are, and admit to Him you are a sinner, and ask for His forgiveness, believe He has died and risen again to forgive your sins, and ask Him to come into your heart and be you Savior and Lord. He will do it-and when He does, He'll start renewing your mind, and heart.
Then, start reading the bible, and talk to Him every day, and ask Him to guide you and help you live for Him. Start applying the word of God to your life and pray every day. 
If you do this-Welcome to the family of God.