No flesh should glory in His presence

From First Corinthians chapter 1:

 27 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;

28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,

29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.

No flesh shall, or will, or can, glory or boast in His presence!

And that flesh includes me (and you).

And I want to live in His presence!  NOW!  Here and now!  Why?  Because in His presence is fullness of joy! (as it says in Psalm 16 verse 11)  I believe it.

Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded.  Romans chapter 3 verse 27 says so, and it is so obvious.

But hey, First Corinthians chapter 4 verse 7 addresses this in this way:

Contemporary English Version
What is so special about you?  What do you have that you were not given?  And if it was given to you, how can you brag? 

Good News Translation
Who made you superior to others?  Didn't God give you everything you have?  Well, then, how can you boast, as if what you have were not a gift? 

OK, I understand.  Nothing I have is intrinsically or inherently mine.  How can I boast?  I can't.  Oh, but my flesh wants to.  Alas!  What to do?  OK, I know - as this song says:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Hebrews 12 verses 1 and 2

1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Do it.

Jesus Christ is Lord of all!  Really!

Here, It's The Opposite

When people learn to drive a car or fly an airplane, the goal is to be licensed to drive or fly alone.  It implies freedom.

Not so in the Spirit.  Here, it's the opposite.  Here, we start out driving alone and need to learn to become merely a passenger (who can sit up in the front seat).

Why?  Because it's A LOT better to let the Holy Spirit (i.e. God, or the Spirit of Jesus Christ) drive!
1. He knows where He's going and,
2. It's so wonderfully satisfying to be in His presence!

“In Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!” (Psalm 34:8).

YES!

Larry Carroll