I have been ripped apart by fellow believers for speaking against the worshiped idea of self esteem. Those who love their high opinion of themselves will fight to maintain the right to engage in self love.
God never at any time encouraged the love of self, quite the opposite.
Philippians 2:3 "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves."
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Thank God I Know I Am Nothing!
If we are looking down on ourselves we are thinking about ourselves too much. The less we think of ourselves and the more we think about Christ, the more joy we will experience.
Usually when we are depressed because we are afraid we are nothing, we are focused on what others may think of us rather than Who God is.
John 3:30
"30 He must increase, but I must decrease."
The sooner we accept that we are nothing and Christ is everything, the sooner we can enjoy Him. Our joy comes from knowing Who He is, not from believing we are wonderful.
Usually when we are depressed because we are afraid we are nothing, we are focused on what others may think of us rather than Who God is.
John 3:30
"30 He must increase, but I must decrease."
The sooner we accept that we are nothing and Christ is everything, the sooner we can enjoy Him. Our joy comes from knowing Who He is, not from believing we are wonderful.
Should We Preach The Gospel?
Wow, if someone were going to heaven because they haven't heard, wouldn't it be better not to tell them, than to tell them at the risk of their not accepting Christ and going to hell for it. Satan would love for people to stop preaching because of this silly idea.
To listen to the video, copy and past the address below! Well worth you time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laA18HejfYg
To listen to the video, copy and past the address below! Well worth you time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laA18HejfYg
Do We Believe God Or Man?
For those who think that Christ will save anyone who has not heard the gospel in the remote regions of the world, will be automatically saved because they did not hear, I ask this question....."if it is not necessary to hear the gospel to be saved then why does God command us to preach it to everyone, why could not everyone be saved without it?"
The answer is clear in God's Word.
Romans 10:14 "How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?"
If it didn't matter what people believe then God would have lied when He said this:
Galatians 1:6-10
"6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ."
Mark 1:15
"15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."
It is clear that no one can be born again without first hearing the gospel and choosing to trust Christ.
Those who say that people who have not heard would be saved because they did not know, are preaching another gospel.
Who are we to question God's ways? He knows who will listen and who will not. Christ has appeared to some without a preacher, in the privacy of their jail cells. There was no need of a preacher, because Christ revealed Himself to them.
Since we cannot know every person in remote jungles, we have no way of knowing whether or not Christ has prompted them to ask "who God is."
We must look at His Word, the Bible, align ourselves with what He said and leave all the rest to Him. To try to explain things with our own human minds and assign concepts to God that He never said, is adding to His Word.
1 Corinthians 4:6 "And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another."
Every time a person says "I think", immediately a red flag goes up. It is not about what we think, it is about what God said.
We don't have to explain all that we don't understand, we only have to believe God. When we try to tell God what we think we are on dangerous ground.
Proverbs 30:5-6 “Every word of God is pure; he is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.”
Psalms 119: 160 “The entirety of Your word is truth”.
Psalm 138:2 “You have magnified Your word above all Your name”
Do we believe God?
The answer is clear in God's Word.
Romans 10:14 "How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?"
If it didn't matter what people believe then God would have lied when He said this:
Galatians 1:6-10
"6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ."
Mark 1:15
"15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."
It is clear that no one can be born again without first hearing the gospel and choosing to trust Christ.
Those who say that people who have not heard would be saved because they did not know, are preaching another gospel.
Who are we to question God's ways? He knows who will listen and who will not. Christ has appeared to some without a preacher, in the privacy of their jail cells. There was no need of a preacher, because Christ revealed Himself to them.
Since we cannot know every person in remote jungles, we have no way of knowing whether or not Christ has prompted them to ask "who God is."
We must look at His Word, the Bible, align ourselves with what He said and leave all the rest to Him. To try to explain things with our own human minds and assign concepts to God that He never said, is adding to His Word.
1 Corinthians 4:6 "And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another."
Every time a person says "I think", immediately a red flag goes up. It is not about what we think, it is about what God said.
We don't have to explain all that we don't understand, we only have to believe God. When we try to tell God what we think we are on dangerous ground.
Proverbs 30:5-6 “Every word of God is pure; he is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.”
Psalms 119: 160 “The entirety of Your word is truth”.
Psalm 138:2 “You have magnified Your word above all Your name”
Do we believe God?
Door Mat....What Is That!
Door Mat…What is That
I read a post this morning that said, "God did not make
us to be door mats."
I take exception to this statement because it smacks of the
self esteem teaching that violates the principles of God.
Christ was the ultimate door mat! He died for the sins of
others. Often He asks us to die to self for the sake of others.
To think that we should never be walked on, is to say that
we are better than our Lord.
There are times, that being a door mat, might cause someone
to become born again. Christ's sacrifice on the cross was the ultimate
degridation that provided the way for many to become saved and on their way to
heaven.
Next time someone tells you not to be a door mat, ask them
if Christ did the wrong thing, when He allowed Himself to be tortured and
murdered that others might live. Remember He rose from the dead...one day we
will join Him, if we are born again.
Christ in us, can tell us when to be a door mat and when to
remove ourselves, it is His call. We must seek Him for each situation. If one
person became born again because I allowed myself to be stepped on, then I want
to lay myself down waiting for the foot print in my back.
There are times to remove ourselves and times when we remain
for the sake of Christ. We must seek Him for guidance. Many believers have
suffered for their faith in Christ. Are we willing to be counted with them, if
need be?
Hebrews 11:36 "Still others had trial of mockings and
scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment."
Hebrews 11:37 "They were stoned, they were sawn in two,
were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and
goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented--"
Hebrews 11:38 "of whom the world was not worthy. They
wandered in deserts and mountains, [in] dens and caves of the earth."
Sometimes I laugh at myself for being upset that someone
wronged me in someway, because there is no trial I have gone through that
compared to what Christ went through and many saints who have passed endured,
and now even today there are many who are suffering for Christ around the
world.
May we evaluate every concept we were taught in our culture,
passing it through the filter of the Word of God, determining to shed all the
traditions and teachings that do not come into line with God's Word.
The New Passover Celebration
The New Passover Celebration
Even celebrating Passover as though Christ had not come can be a denial of Him. Many Jews who have not trusted Him, are still celebrating His future coming, as though He had not yet fulfilled His promise.
When Christ died and was resurrected, He left us with one ceremony to observe commemorating His coming and that was the Lord's Supper.
The Passover was for the Jews, looking forward to the Messiah to come, now as believers we have the Lord's supper to commemorate that He kept that promise and He said on the cross...."It is finished."
All had been fulfilled. Now we celebrate the Lord's supper in commemoration of that fulfillment. The Passover can be a powerful teaching tool, however our focus ought to be that which God commanded in His Word.....the New Covenant.
The New Passover meal commemorating that Christ had fulfilled His mission is now in place and is not celebrated once a year, but every time the believers come together.
1 Corinthians 11:23–26
"23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes."
The Passover was observed by Christ while He was on earth, and in the form of the Lord's Supper, which was given to show that His mission was about to be fulfilled. Before He died and rose from the dead, the New Passover was instituted in the form of the Lord's Supper, to be observed every time believers came together.
We have neglected this ordinance in many, if not most gatherings. The Lord's supper is often done in the evening when most people don't attend and only once a month, rather than every time they meet. Some gatherings only celebrate it once a year, and others not at all.
As believers, we ought to celebrate the death, burial and resurrection often, since without that shedding of blood, we would not be forgiven for our sins.
Hebrews 9:22 "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."
If we desire to obey Christ, we will set aside all pagan rituals and observe that which He commanded to observe.
There is not need for a special "resurrection day", if we are observing the Lord's Supper, it is the "resurrection celebration" that Christ gave us, let us remember that the devil desires that we not remember the Lord in the way that Christ gave us, so He prompted men of disobedient hearts, to make their own observance apart from Christ's command.
When man makes his own holiday, apart from the commands of Christ, they eventually become perverted because they are not blessed by God. This is what has happened to "resurrection day" and "Easter." Man attempted to do his own way, when Christ commanded already what was to be done, in the Lord's Supper.
Let us go back to the Word, prayerfully seeking to obey what Christ gave us, rather than clinging to our own man made traditions to impress God.
Even celebrating Passover as though Christ had not come can be a denial of Him. Many Jews who have not trusted Him, are still celebrating His future coming, as though He had not yet fulfilled His promise.
When Christ died and was resurrected, He left us with one ceremony to observe commemorating His coming and that was the Lord's Supper.
The Passover was for the Jews, looking forward to the Messiah to come, now as believers we have the Lord's supper to commemorate that He kept that promise and He said on the cross...."It is finished."
All had been fulfilled. Now we celebrate the Lord's supper in commemoration of that fulfillment. The Passover can be a powerful teaching tool, however our focus ought to be that which God commanded in His Word.....the New Covenant.
The New Passover meal commemorating that Christ had fulfilled His mission is now in place and is not celebrated once a year, but every time the believers come together.
1 Corinthians 11:23–26
"23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes."
The Passover was observed by Christ while He was on earth, and in the form of the Lord's Supper, which was given to show that His mission was about to be fulfilled. Before He died and rose from the dead, the New Passover was instituted in the form of the Lord's Supper, to be observed every time believers came together.
We have neglected this ordinance in many, if not most gatherings. The Lord's supper is often done in the evening when most people don't attend and only once a month, rather than every time they meet. Some gatherings only celebrate it once a year, and others not at all.
As believers, we ought to celebrate the death, burial and resurrection often, since without that shedding of blood, we would not be forgiven for our sins.
Hebrews 9:22 "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."
If we desire to obey Christ, we will set aside all pagan rituals and observe that which He commanded to observe.
There is not need for a special "resurrection day", if we are observing the Lord's Supper, it is the "resurrection celebration" that Christ gave us, let us remember that the devil desires that we not remember the Lord in the way that Christ gave us, so He prompted men of disobedient hearts, to make their own observance apart from Christ's command.
When man makes his own holiday, apart from the commands of Christ, they eventually become perverted because they are not blessed by God. This is what has happened to "resurrection day" and "Easter." Man attempted to do his own way, when Christ commanded already what was to be done, in the Lord's Supper.
Let us go back to the Word, prayerfully seeking to obey what Christ gave us, rather than clinging to our own man made traditions to impress God.
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