Friday, April 17, 2020
Humility is the Key
There are many "Christians" who are constantly seeking more knowledge to be able to impress others but seemingly missing the simple truths of the Word that change their hearts. Knowing facts does not make a heart grow in holiness.
A heart that loves Christ and seeks to be continually cleansed by Him will not be in competition with anyone else to feel superior. They are too busy humbling themselves before the Lord to be evaluating every small matter in another persons's life.
We correct, we instruct and we rebuke, and we do it for the purpose of helping one another grow, never to make our selves elevated above others.
If we are easily offended by a rebuke then God has more work to do in us.
If we are angry when our traditions are challenged then God has more work to do in us.
If we hold to traditions of men so tightly that we cannot evaluate them, then God has more work to do in us.
If we fear the things going on in the world around us, then God has more work to do in us.
If our focus is more on the thigns of this world, then God has more work to do on us.
If our focus is more on the things of this world, then God has more work to do on us. has more work to do in us.
We all have areas within ourselves that God is working on, we must lean into those lessons rather than resist them.
James 4:9-11 "…9 Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you. 11 Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. And if you judge the Law, you are not a practitioner of the Law, but a judge of it.…"
Humility and seeking Christ is the key to everything!
A heart that loves Christ and seeks to be continually cleansed by Him will not be in competition with anyone else to feel superior. They are too busy humbling themselves before the Lord to be evaluating every small matter in another persons's life.
We correct, we instruct and we rebuke, and we do it for the purpose of helping one another grow, never to make our selves elevated above others.
If we are easily offended by a rebuke then God has more work to do in us.
If we are angry when our traditions are challenged then God has more work to do in us.
If we hold to traditions of men so tightly that we cannot evaluate them, then God has more work to do in us.
If we fear the things going on in the world around us, then God has more work to do in us.
If our focus is more on the thigns of this world, then God has more work to do on us.
If our focus is more on the things of this world, then God has more work to do on us. has more work to do in us.
We all have areas within ourselves that God is working on, we must lean into those lessons rather than resist them.
James 4:9-11 "…9 Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you. 11 Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. And if you judge the Law, you are not a practitioner of the Law, but a judge of it.…"
Humility and seeking Christ is the key to everything!
Knowledge or Truth They are Different
Biblical Knowledge does not save a person. One must be born again! The thief on the cross had no Biblical knowledge.
1 Corinthians 8:1b-2
"Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. 2 If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know;"
1 Corinthians 8:1b-2
"Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. 2 If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know;"
Illusive World or Relationships?
Narcissists often have huge concerns about what is going on in the world that might slightly affect them but have no empathy or kindness for someone suffering right in front of them.
Appearances and accomplishments mean more to them than relationships. As long as they are receiving accolades for their own accomplishments they have no encouragement or compliments for the successes of others.
One way to be able to identify a narcissist is recognizing their propensity to talk about themselves continually while showing no interest in the person standing right in front of them.
Philippians 2:3-5 "…3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:…"
Over the years the best friendships I have enjoyed were ones in which both people were happy at one another's successes as well as engaging with tears at the disappointments. Each one cared deeply about the other. Each one had empathy and joy right along with the other.
Also one of the elements of these friendships of mine, was the allowance for differences. Each one could openly speak their mind even if they disagreed without feeling hurt or angry. Loving people runs deeper than just an agreement on something.
Hurt and anger over differences is a matter of pride. If we cannot feel good about someone unless they completely agree with us then we are full of pride. Our friendship would be based on elevating us instead of attempting to understand the other person.
Sadly we see believers fighting and blocking frequently on Facebook merely because someone expressed their opinion that was different from ours. I block people for fighting, not for disagreeing.
My policy in recent years has been to speak my mind and be tolerant and kind to those who disagree, without causing me to diminish what I believe. If someone rejects me because of my views then they will not be a good friend who will be there through thick and thin.
Very likely those who will diminish us over a disagreement will discard us when we are "inconvenient." After all, when comfort and self-elevation are the goals there cannot be empathy for others.
In these last days, were are watching the world and the church display more of these traits of narcissism. The church is being influenced more by the world than by the Word of God. We know this because of the filthy language many believers are using. Our language and our snootiness is a big red flag that something is amiss in the body of Christ.
Ephesians 4:29
"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear."
Colossians 4:6
"Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person."
Malachi 2:7
"For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts."
1 Peter 2:9
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
We are God's representatives on earth, how we act shows the world that we belong to Christ or it can smudge God's name.
John 13:34-35 "…34 A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples if you love one another.” "
Romans 12:10
"Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. "
1 John 1:7
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin."
1 Peter 1:22-23 "21 Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him; and so your faith and hope are in God. 22 Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have a genuine love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from a pure heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.…"
Romans 12:10
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.
When we love one another we have little time to think of ourselves.
Philippians 2:3-4 "3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others.…'"
John 13:34-35 "…34 A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. 35 By this, all men will know that you are My disciples if you love one another.” "
Appearances and accomplishments mean more to them than relationships. As long as they are receiving accolades for their own accomplishments they have no encouragement or compliments for the successes of others.
One way to be able to identify a narcissist is recognizing their propensity to talk about themselves continually while showing no interest in the person standing right in front of them.
Philippians 2:3-5 "…3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:…"
Over the years the best friendships I have enjoyed were ones in which both people were happy at one another's successes as well as engaging with tears at the disappointments. Each one cared deeply about the other. Each one had empathy and joy right along with the other.
Also one of the elements of these friendships of mine, was the allowance for differences. Each one could openly speak their mind even if they disagreed without feeling hurt or angry. Loving people runs deeper than just an agreement on something.
Hurt and anger over differences is a matter of pride. If we cannot feel good about someone unless they completely agree with us then we are full of pride. Our friendship would be based on elevating us instead of attempting to understand the other person.
Sadly we see believers fighting and blocking frequently on Facebook merely because someone expressed their opinion that was different from ours. I block people for fighting, not for disagreeing.
My policy in recent years has been to speak my mind and be tolerant and kind to those who disagree, without causing me to diminish what I believe. If someone rejects me because of my views then they will not be a good friend who will be there through thick and thin.
Very likely those who will diminish us over a disagreement will discard us when we are "inconvenient." After all, when comfort and self-elevation are the goals there cannot be empathy for others.
In these last days, were are watching the world and the church display more of these traits of narcissism. The church is being influenced more by the world than by the Word of God. We know this because of the filthy language many believers are using. Our language and our snootiness is a big red flag that something is amiss in the body of Christ.
Ephesians 4:29
"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear."
Colossians 4:6
"Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person."
Malachi 2:7
"For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts."
1 Peter 2:9
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
We are God's representatives on earth, how we act shows the world that we belong to Christ or it can smudge God's name.
John 13:34-35 "…34 A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples if you love one another.” "
Romans 12:10
"Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. "
1 John 1:7
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin."
1 Peter 1:22-23 "21 Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him; and so your faith and hope are in God. 22 Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have a genuine love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from a pure heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.…"
Romans 12:10
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.
When we love one another we have little time to think of ourselves.
Philippians 2:3-4 "3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others.…'"
John 13:34-35 "…34 A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. 35 By this, all men will know that you are My disciples if you love one another.” "
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