WHO IS ELIHU?
Jesus has imparted a new will to me. A will that is not mine but His. If you think it is your effort that will prevent you from your own lust and desires then you will become the chief offender. Perfect and Blameless by the Spirit We certainly see men whose lives go down to the pit and who perish by the sword as a result of overt and obvious lustful lives of debauchery, greed and selfish ambition. Jesus bore this iniquity. Faith in His blood is the answer to deliverance from this bondage. However, what about those of us who are trying our best to live right and do the will of God. There are times we find our souls in the pit with our lives perishing. Our “turning…to our own way” is not as obvious to ourselves or to others. We can be in our own way and it can look to be both innocent and good. When we face pressure of any kind our minds will go into overdrive as we begin to grasp anything for a solution. We will default to what is familiar and what we believe is possible to rectify whatever need we are facing. It is something we all do. We are all wired this way. We may have a situation with a relationship we eagerly want to change or a business deal that we desperately want to work. If we face a financial need, our minds will become like a computer going through endless files trying to find solutions that we can find in our own strength. This is the classic manifestation of the lust of the flesh. Lust of the flesh is simply a desire or motivation that comes from our own way or effort. Lust does not always have to be some behavior or act that is obviously sinful. Many times we decide upon a course to follow that leads us to disaster. These decisions we are making during these times of pressure are not overtly evil but they do not lead to life. We then find ourselves in the same mindset as Job. We think to ourselves, “I have not done anything wrong but my life is in shambles.” This is when we can turn to our Savior who experienced the death that these decisions have brought upon us. He is merciful and gracious because 287