Colossians 3:7. "In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them."
LIVED IN THEM. It has been a long time since I first came to know the Lord. The privileges I had as a child, preserved me from much of the world.
The nature of every person is sinful, as every honest person knows. The disobedience inherent in human nature soon after one's birth then shows.
There is something in us by nature that to authority does not want to submit. When restrictions are imposed by others, immediately we start to resist. The human will wants what it thinks is freedom without any boundaries. I was like that as a child, even though Christians were all around me.
A time did come when I stopped in surrender and turned to others for help. When that action took place on my part, God had others there to tell Me in clear ways, of salvation, and how it would come to me. No longer did this matter; the Savior on the cross I could see.
Now I see the things that happened before, were steps on the road to faith. When the walk of self-centered introspection ended, God was there with redeeming grace. Things hidden were made plain, inner sins to my soul were exposed. All these evils that were latent within, were dealt with when Christ died and arose.
So that was in the past; the present is where I live now, To the will of God in my life, and to His purposes for me I bow. There is no helpless bondage to the sin-nature raging within. Now life is morally and spiritually different; my joy is to walk with Him.
"Eternal God, the work that Thou didst begin in me many years ago is still going on. I am delighted when I find my fellowship and joy in Thee, and am disheartened when the evils that are around find some temporary attraction. Help me to keep my mind stayed on Thee today. Use Thy servant in some way to display and honor the Lord. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."