Side by Side
Sunday, January 26th 2025 (week 96)
Romans 7: 14-21
I was recently told the story of a man who has shared every working day with a workmate he doesn’t like for over twenty-five years. They share a works van, driving considerable distances from early morning to carry out scheduled works at various locations. They undertake the work together and then make the long journey home together in their employer's van, which is limited to 60mph.
There are many instances of well-known duo’s who allegedly did not like each other. Fred Astair and Ginger Rogers, Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Lennon and McCartney, and Simon and Garfunkel are all known to have disliked their “partner”.
These examples of living with someone we may not like remind me that I, too, have a similar daily battle that goes way beyond mere dislike. My enemy is much stronger than either Lennon or McCartney, Martin or Lewis and I am often pulled in directions I don’t want to go. Negative voices, doubt, greed and lots of other unhealthy things can fill my mind and draw me away.
The Apostle Paul suffered similarly and acknowledged his problem in Romans 7. “…..I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.” I am sure we all recognise Paul’s dilemma.
Fortunately, Paul went on to show us an alternative way of life when we live by the power of the Holy Spirit. In Galatians 5: 16-18, he said, “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then, you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.”
The power of the Holy Spirit in our lives cannot be emphasised too much, but all too often, He is suppressed. I know that happened for far too long in my own life. It is only being part of a spirit-filled church family that has finally enabled me to recognise His presence and allow Him to work in my life.
We need the Word of God so much, but without the Holy Spirit, we will be lifeless and ineffective.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us your Word and sending your son to die for us and thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to live in us and guide us.
Neil has been a Christian for nearly thirty years and prior to joining Gatehouse Church spent all his Christian life at Christ Church with All Saints Blackpool, where amongst other things he was a leader in their Campaigner Ministries children and youth work.
Neil is an award-winning and widely published writer. Over twenty-five years he has written for a range of mainstream media including The Times, Sunday Times, Telegraph, Daily Mail, and Financial Mail on Sunday as well as Reuters and numerous magazines. How To Books published his first non-fiction title 100 Ways to Make Your Business a Success and he has recently added The Great British Property Scam.
He has also taught Creative Writing extensively for Blackpool and the Fylde College, The WEA, and Lancaster University and launched www.seasiderswrite.com a community-based creative writing project funded by Arts Council England. Writing as C.J.Neill he is also a published novelist.
You can find out more at www.neilbromage.com or drop him an email at neil@neilbromage.com
Neil Bromage, 26/01/2025