My  maternal grandfather used to play “”My Way”  on his violin and sing the song made famous by Frank Sinatra in 1968/69. The words truly reflect how my grandfather lived before he became a Christian

And now, the end is near
And so I face, the final  curtain.
My friend, I’ll say it clear,
I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain.
I’ve lived, a life that’s full,
I’ve travelled each, and every highway
But more, much more than this
I did it my way.

Regrets, I’ve had a few,
But then again, too few to mention.
I did, what I had to do,
And saw it through, without exemption.
I planned, each chartered course,
Each careful step along the byway.
But more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew,
When I bit off, more than I could chew.
But through it all, when there was doubt,
I ate it up, and spit it out.
I faced it all, and I stood tall,
And did it my way.

I’ve loved, I’ve laughed and cried,
I’ve had my fill, my share of losing.
And now, as tears subside,
I find it all so amusing.
To think, I did all that,
And may I say, not in a shy way.
 Oh no, no not me,
I did it my way.

For what is a man, what has he got,
 If not himself, then he has naught.
 To say the things, he truly feels,
And not the words, of one who kneels
The record shows, I took the blows,
And did it my way.

Despite all the accomplishments in his life in his way, my  grandfather came to the conclusion late in his life that  the final question is “For what is a man, what has he got, If not himself then he has naught. “  and he accepted the Lord after many years of persecuting his four out of eight children who were Christians and their patient pastor.

For the Christian we cannot do it our way unless it is consistent with God’s way. Why?

There are several places in scripture where God makes a contrast between His ways and wisdom compared to man’s ways and wisdom…

Isaiah 55:8-9  “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

1 Corinthians 1:19-20 & 25-27 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?…

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

1 Corinthians 2:14  But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

There are also scriptures that contrast the “flesh” and the Spirit. . The word flesh means: The physical body or the human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin (disobedience) and opposed to God. This Greek word for “flesh” has also been translated “carnally minded”.

Romans 8:5-8 For those who live according to the flesh (carnal mind) set their minds on the things of the flesh (earthly nature apart from divine influence), but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh (carnal mind) cannot please God.

Galatians 5:17  For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

Many people believe that these scriptures are only referring to the sinful nature of the flesh versus the holy nature of the Spirit. This blog isn’t about sin, disobedience, but rather about obedience; being led by the Holy Spirit, scripture, and the knowledge of God’s ways, which are usually always contrary to man’s carnal mind. The carnal mind is ruled by carnal logic, carnal rational, carnal wisdom, carnal intelligence; the “earthly nature of man apart from divine influence” and therefore, subject to sin – disobedience, because it cannot understand the ways of God which seem foolish to the rational mind.

Man’s wisdom, logic, rational, would say that if you give something away, you end up with less. It is an act of subtraction.

You never subtract something and end up with more as a result. However, God’s word says that if you give you will end up with more.

Proverbs 11:24 (italics added by me) There is one who scatters (gives), yet increases more; and there is one who withholds (keeps) more than is right, but it leads to poverty.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

These two scriptures can only be received and acted upon by faith that what the bible says is true. How can you know for sure that there will be an increase as a result of giving, or that you will end up in poverty as a result of saving? It goes against logic! Can you be absolutely sure, that when you give, it will be measured back to you? Only if you have faith that God’s word is true. It goes against man’s wisdom, but it is the wisdom of God, that seems foolish to man, and can only be obtained by faith.

John 5:19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

This should be our pattern; to seek God. Not formulae, but an intimate relationship with the Lord, every moment of the day, being sensitive to the leading of His Spirit.

Are you willing to look like a complete idiot to obey God’s leading? Most Christians want to obey God but aren’t willing to obey Him if He tells them to do something that isn’t logical or will appear foolish. I believe this is the number one reason why we are not seeing many miracles today. Not because of our past sins disqualifying us, but because of the present sin of disobedience, when God asks us to do something ridiculous,  we don’t obey because of fear of what man will think, mixed with doubt that’s generated from a carnal mind.

Romans 8:8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Is the Holy Spirit speaking to you?

Listen and follow Him. You will not regret but find full satisfaction in walking in His will and way.