Tag Archives: Gift

Daniel: A King’s Pride Is Broken

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(Note: This is the 12th in a series of posts on Daniel’s life)

A King’s Testimony Of Faith

Should you find yourself reading the Book of Daniel someday, you’ll note a significant change as you start the 4th chapter— it’s no longer Daniel’s story! He’s no longer the main character! This is King Nebuchadnezzar’s personal testimony of how he came to have saving faith in Yahweh— it’s become Nebuchadnezzar’s story! His words are directed at “…those of every people, nation, and language, who live in all the earth”; and, it reads like what someone would say if they stepped up to the mic in a worship service & shared a testimony of faith! “I am pleased to tell you about the miracles and wonders the Most High God has done for me” (v.2). 

The Content & Prosperous

Up until now— throughout the first 3 chapters— the King always referred to “YOUR God…” Daniel; and, to “YOUR God…” Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego! But now, in this chapter, the King describes a personal relationship with God— he shares what “…the Most High God had done for ME.” In v.4 the King said he was “…at ease & flourishing in my palace”— some translations render it “…content & prosperous.” Rarely do the “content & prosperous” seek after God! In fact, Jesus said, “It’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into heaven”; and, then He follows with one of the most misused statements in all of Scripture:  “But, with God all things are possible!” Be careful! Don’t carelessly quote that verse outside of its context! What Jesus is saying is that it’s humanly IMPOSSIBLE for the rich to enter into heaven; but, “…with God ALL THINGS are POSSIBLE!”

The Most High God Is Ruler

Even the salvation of a rich, powerful & pride-filled King, like Nebuchadnezzar, is possible with God; but, ONLY after he’s been broken & humbled! And, the rest of the chapter is Nebuchadnezzar’s incredible story— how God drove him away from people to live, as a wild animal, with the wild animals! For 7 years he ate grass & acted as a wild animal; until, he acknowledged “…that the Most High God is ruler over the kingdom of men, and He gives it to anyone He wants” (v.25).  The King learned that pride is way more dangerous than it appears! Pride blinds us to our sin; and, we become self-absorbed in our own little world of self-importance! We speak of “blind spots” in a person’s character— things they can’t see! That’s why we call them “blind spots.” Scripture teaches us that that is our plight from the moment we enter this world! Our sinful nature creates “blind spots” that keep us from an awareness of how deep and dark is our sin. That was Nebuchadnezzar’s condition! He needed a wake-up call!  

Failure Can Be A Gift

The British playwright, George Bernard Shaw, said, “There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart’s desire, and the other is to gain it… we tend to listen more when God speaks through sorrow, pain, loss, and personal failure. Success tends to make us complacent…” What he’s saying, in a sense, is that failure can be a gift from God! It was for Nebuchadnezzar! Getting himself knocked off his perch of pride became his salvation because it broke his sinful self-confidence! Thank God! He will cut us down to size in order to save us! Nebuchadnezzar had taken credit for his accomplishments when it was God who had blessed him with his abilities! Someone said: “Pride is like plagiarism because it attempts to take for ourselves Glory that belongs to God alone!” God will not share His glory with us! Repent of pride or face His judgment!

Daniel: Pride Comes Before The Fall

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(Note: This is the 11th in a series of posts on Daniel’s life)

Taking Pride In Yourself

As a young boy, I remember being taught by well-intended parents & teachers that I needed to take pride in my accomplishments! I needed to take pride in my grades & my education! I needed to take pride in my work ethic & everything I did! Wear pride like a badge! I learned that pride was important to my “self-worth” & that it was even “healthy”! So, I “bought-in” and became a pretty good bragger; and, I was proud of myself for that! And, since “I” was the standard by which I measured everyone else, it was easy for me to look down on you if you didn’t compare favorably to my ACT score; or, if school didn’t come as easy for you; or, if you weren’t as good as I was at sports or drama or music!

Things The Lord Hates

But, that all began to change for me, as I began to understand the claims of the Gospel.  As a young believer & follower of Jesus, the Scriptures began to come to life for me; and, I was forced to reconsider my pride based on God’s Word! How could I justify my personal pride when I read in the Bible:  “These 6 things the Lord hates, Yes, 7 are an abomination to Him…”; and, what is #1 on God’s “hate” list? “…a PROUD look…” (Prov 6:16-19) The Lord HATES PRIDE, it says! It’s an ABOMINATION to Him! How could I continue living with all this pride? Could all my teachers have been wrong?

Pride Is Like Spiritual Suicide

Additional Scriptures like Proverbs 8:13 & Proverbs 16:5 & Mark 7:21-23 confirmed that “PRIDE” was a SIN to be avoided at all costs! It’s like spiritual suicide! Jesus listed it right up there with sexual immorality, murder, adultery & wickedness! The reason that pride is such a grievous sin is that it is our attempt to steal God’s glory.  “What do you have,” the Apostle Paul wrote the Church of Corinth, “that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” Everything we have—our talents, our gifts, our intelligence, our income—all of it has been given to us by God.

Praise That Is God’s Alone

So to boast as if we are self-made is abominable because it accepts praise that ought to go to God alone! It was pride that nearly damned the soul of King Nebuchadnezzar! Pride had blinded him to his true condition before God! But, God would not leave Nebuchadnezzar where he was at! Yahweh was about to get in the King’s “grill.” Things were going to get very personal! The King was about to experience God’s response to His pride; and, it would ultimately lead to his eternal salvation!

A Personal Encounter With God

In the first 3 chapters of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar had only seen God from afar!  Each chapter found Daniel and/or his 3 friends dealing with a personal “crisis of faith.” Each time they trust God’s Sovereign plan—in the face of adversity & possible death—and, each time God shows up and delivers them!  But, for the King, none of those events were “personal.” He had not personally encountered Daniel’s God up to this point! There’s an individual application here:  We cannot live vicariously through someone else’s faith! The King thought well about Daniel’s God because he had seen what Yahweh had done for Daniel! Yahweh had made a favorable impression on him; but, the King didn’t “know” Him personally…..YET! That was all about to change! King Nebuchadnezzar…let me introduce you to KING YAHWEH!

What Good News Can Do For You

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The Gospel Is An Announcement

The word “Gospel” literally means “good news.” In the original Greek language, it’s often translated as “Herald” or “Evangelist.” When a Greek king won a battle, he would send a “Gospel Herald” all over the kingdom to announce the “good news” of his victory! So, in its purest sense, the Gospel is an “announcement”— the Biblical writers used the word “Gospel” to announce that Jesus has won the battle for our salvation by His atoning death on the cross! The Gospel is the good news, about God’s forgiveness, by Christ’s substitutionary work in our place— “…He became sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” 2 Cor. 5:21.

Commissioned To Share The Good News

Once we’ve heard & accepted the good news— about Jesus’ payment for sin— we’re commissioned, by Him, to share the good news everywhere we go & to make disciples of Christ from all nations! When we get Jesus’ Gospel right, it’s a message that saves us from our “good works”— “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast” Eph 2:8,9.  And, Titus 3:5 says, “He saved us— not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” From my earliest recollections of myself, as a young boy, I remember trying to impress God with my good deeds.

Not From Yourselves

But, Scripture clearly says here that salvation “…is NOT from YOURSELVES…”; it’s “…NOT by (our) works of righteousness…” We can never change our ways enough to sway God! We can never justify ourselves before Him! We’re DEAD in our SIN! That’s why Jesus went to the cross— to pay the price we should have paid! It’s the “good news” of the Gospel that saves us from thinking that our good deeds can save us. When we get Jesus’ Gospel right, it’s a message that saves us from our “guilt”— “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins” God says in Hebrews 8:12. 

Saved From Our Guilt

The Psalmist wrote, “…then I confessed my sins to you and didn’t hide my guilt. I said, ‘I will confess my sins to the Lord,’ and You forgave my guilt.” Psalm 32:1-5.  The same Gospel that saves us from our good works, saves us from our guilt— when guilt is our motivator, we can never do enough! That’s the unbearable burden of a “performance-driven faith”— when have you done enough? How can you ever know if what you’ve done has met with God’s approval? But the Gospel, of Christ, says we’re saved by GRACE! When we accept this “good news” by faith, He saves us by His grace!

The Gospel Saves Us To Do Good Works

The Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write: “For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them” Eph. 2:10.  Did you see that? Paul says, “…we are HIS creation”; and, it’s in our conversion to Christ that we are “…created…FOR good works”; and, it is God Who prepares us for those good works! His Holy Spirit takes up residence in our hearts & begins to “rearrange the furniture” of our lives in a way that honors God, and in a way, we could never accomplish by ourselves. These good works don’t save us! They’re the RESULT of our salvation— the RESULT of God’s sanctifying work IN US! When we truly see the beauty & glory of God’s grace in our lives, we will want to do good works out of love for Jesus Christ, our Savior!

God’s Radical Gospel

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Good Works or Bad Works?

The whole concept of “good works” has confused and divided people & churches since the original sin in the garden! Just a casual reading of Scripture uncovers this tension between some “good works” that are BAD & some “good works” that are GOOD— so, how do we know if our “good works” are GOOD or BAD? Do we need “good works”? What is the purpose of “good works”? 

Defining God’s Gospel

The Apostle Paul brings some clarity to this tension by defining the Gospel for us in his letter to the Church of Corinth:  “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you–unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” 1 Cor. 15:1-4.  So, let me define the gospel, Paul says— Christ died for our “sin.” Sin is a “missing of the mark.” To “sin” was a word that was originally used by hunters when they missed the target they were aiming at— “I have sinned.”

Missing The Mark

Applied in the spiritual sense, it means to “miss the mark” of God’s Law.  To fail to keep it! Now, where there is a LAW, there is a LAW GIVER; and, God, the Creator, is that Law Giver. He is Holy, Just & Righteous in all His ways, Scripture informs us! And, as Creator, He has the ultimate authority to demand obedience from us, His creation! But, in Adam, we disobeyed Him; and, our sin separated us from our Holy Creator. So, Jesus came to die for our sins! That’s the Doctrine of Imputation— our sin was “imputed”; or, placed on Jesus; and, His righteousness is “imputed”; or, credited to our account when we repent of our sin & trust Jesus for our salvation.

The Good News Of The Resurrection

At the moment we trust Him, God “justifies” us— that means He declares us righteous! Paul also includes the good news of the Resurrection in his definition of the Gospel— Jesus was buried in a tomb & He rose bodily, from the dead, in power over sin on the 3rd day! That’s the Gospel; and, it’s not just something we preach! The Gospel impacts the rest of our life— it’s about “reconciliation”! The Gospel reconciles our hostile relationship with God, because of our sin; and, it reconciles ALL our relationships! The Gospel is also about “redemption”— it makes all things NEW! Jesus’ Gospel has the power to redeem every situation and every relationship!

So, What About Good Works?

In his letter to the Church of Ephesus, the Apostle Paul clears this up for us— “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift – not from works so that no one can boast. For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them” Eph 2:8-10. So, first, he makes a very clear statement that our salvation is an act of God’s grace! It’s only effective as we place our faith in His grace; not in our own works. It’s NOT from yourselves, he says. Then, he contrasts our “good works” that cannot save us; with, the “good works” that God creates us to do after we’ve been “reconciled” & “redeemed” in Christ!  Our “good works” are BAD if we think they will save us! They produce false hope! God’s “good works”— in us— are simply evidence of true faith! Those “good works” are GOOD; because they are produced by God in us!

Don’t Be A Fool!

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-Wisdom Waits On God!

The fool is always in a fight! The fool always thinks it his responsibility to make all the wrongs right! Don’t do that, the Old Testament book of Proverbs says! Instead, wisdom waits on God to right all the wrongs! So, don’t be quick to open your mouth and speak! I used to be the one that always had to speak first! It’s still something I have to constantly work on! But, I had a friend many years ago that rebuked me. “Don’t give someone a piece of your mind,” he said, “that you can’t afford to lose.”

-The 3-Second Rule!

Someone also gave me some great advice when they shared, with me, the “3-Second Rule.” Before you speak, wait 3 seconds. You’ll be amazed what you WON’T say if you just wait and think about it for 3 seconds. That one’s kept me from saying a lot of things that would’ve got me in trouble. The best admonition of all comes from God’s word: “Be slow to speak.” Simple and direct! The book of Proverbs includes several verses that echo that refrain. “When there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but the one who controls his lips is wise” (10:19). And, “The one who guards his mouth protects his life; the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin” (13:3). Wow! Opening your mouth too quickly can mean life or death! “Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent” (17:28). That reminds me of the old saying:  “It’s better to be silent & be thought a fool than to open your mouth & remove all doubt.”

-Be Humble & God-Directed!

Rather than being filled with pride & speaking your mind, it’s better to be humble & God-directed. Make no mistake, if you’re full of pride, it will show up in your speech & God says He’s against you! Again, wisdom from Proverbs:  “Everyone with a proud heart is detestable to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished” 16:5; “The Lord destroys the house of the proud” 15:25. Let’s talk about that a minute! Why does God hate pride? Because, ultimately, pride is taking personal credit for something that God gave you! “What do you have,” the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4:7, “that you did not receive.” In other words, what do you have that you can personally take credit for?

-Self-Pride & Self-Confidence!

What do you have that you didn’t receive from God? Your looks? Intelligence? Your job & its income? Your talents & gifts? Every one of those things you received from God. Taking pride in yourself & even having self-confidence is part of the wisdom of the world! There is no wisdom in pride or self-confidence! Wisdom is found in those whose confidence is in the Lord:  “I have instructed you today—even you—so that your confidence may be in the Lord” (Proverbs 22:19). When you’re complimented for anything, you need to redirect all praise to God! And, then, the wisdom of Proverbs teaches us to be generous for the same reason it’s wise to be humble! Because all of our finances were also given to us by God.

-Be A Blessing!

And, God wants us to be a blessing to others with those things He blesses us with. “The one who oppresses the poor person insults his Maker, but one who is kind to the needy honors Him” (14:31).   Isn’t that interesting? It’s an insult to God when we’re guilty of oppressing the poor; but, we honor God when we care for the needy! “A generous person will be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor” (22:9).  This is just one of many ways that God’s word teaches us to encourage others! And, wisdom teaches us to also be an encourager. We live in a day of severe criticism & tearing down everyone that disagrees with us about something. This world is just saturated with anxiety! We need to be difference-makers in this world, church! “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word cheers it up” (12:25) “The tongue that heals is a tree of life” (15:4). Be wise! Be an encourager! Be that tree of life! Use your God-given gifts to bless others!

Learning To Be Wise!

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-The Wise Live Proactively!

The wise live their lives proactively! They read from the Scriptures, what God— the Creator & Master Designer— has written, as laws, into His Creation; and, they make course corrections BEFORE they step on life’s landmines & blow up their domain! The Old Testament book of Proverbs offers that kind of wisdom!  For example, wisdom, according to Proverbs, teaches us to be open to loving rebuke. When you choose the right kind of friends— those walking with God— they may offer you some loving rebuke at times. Especially, if they see you moving in the wrong direction! That what good friends do according to the book of Proverbs. “The wounds of a friend are trustworthy, but the kisses of an enemy are excessive” (ch. 27:6)

-Who Can You Trust?

You can trust a friend. They will gently tell you the truth; even, when they know it may cause you pain to hear it. But, it’s for your good! But, if you’re the friend offering a rebuke, don’t be the kind of “friend” who approached her pastor after he preached a message on the spiritual gifts & announced that she had the gift of criticism. The wise pastor asked her if she remembered, from Jesus’ parable, what the man, with the one talent, had done with his talent. “Why, yes,” she said, “he went out and buried it.” And, with a smile, the pastor said, “Go and do likewise.”

-The 2 Sides Of A Rebuke!

There are always 2 sides to the rebuke— the one receiving it & the one offering it. If you’re the friend offering it, be careful! Ask yourself what motivates you to counsel or rebuke this person? Are you motivated by a desire to help the other person? Do you plan to face them honestly, but with gentleness? Are you doing this out of concern for God’s kingdom; or, because you enjoy being critical? If you’re on the receiving end of a gentle rebuke, how do you receive it? If you don’t listen to the wisdom, of a wise friend, you’re just being stupid! I’m not saying that! Scripture says that! “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but one who hates correction is stupid” (Proverbs 12:1). Don’t be that guy! Don’t be that gal!

-Don’t Be Stupid!

Oh, and don’t be that kid that hates correction from their parents! Don’t be stupid! “A fool despises his father’s discipline, but a person who accepts correction is sensible” (Proverbs 15:5). That’s because wisdom teaches us to be respectful and a blessing to our parents. If you have friends that counter the counsel of your parents you’ve not chosen your friends wisely! Don’t be stupid! Don’t be a fool! Again, I’m not calling you stupid! I’m not calling you a fool! God is calling you out! If you choose to disregard the wisdom of your parents & choose the foolishness of a bad friend’s counsel, you’re going to mess up your life! “A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son, heartache to his mother” (Proverbs 10:1). Don’t be that son! Don’t be that daughter!

-Be A Peacemaker!

There’s another theme that repeats itself throughout Proverbs— wisdom teaches us to be a peacemaker! Let me just make a general observation! If your life is full of drama, you’re probably not a peacemaker! You’re a pot-stirrer! Does drama surround you at home? Does drama follow you to work? Is there drama between you & the members of your family? Or, you and your neighbors? If you’re the constant component, in all the drama, you need the biblical wisdom of a peacemaker! “It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute, but any fool can get himself into a quarrel” (20:3). “Don’t say, ‘I will avenge this evil!’ Wait on the Lord, and He will rescue you” (20:22 ). The fool is always in a fight! The fool is always out to make the wrongs (that they perceive) right! Wisdom waits on God to right all wrongs! More wisdom next week!

Set Free From Sin!

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-God’s “Rest”!

God is relentless in His determination to deliver His children from the slavery of sin! That’s really the backdrop to the story of Israel’s exodus from Egypt. In Scripture, Egypt pictures slavery to sin.  And, the “promised land”, for Israel, was deliverance from Egypt’s bondage. To enter the “promised land” was to enter God’s “rest.” No one can block God’s plan to deliver His people from slavery! And, I’m not just referring to Israel & the Exodus.

-Sin Enslaves!

We’re all slaves, to sin, from birth! Satan’s goal, for your lives & your fleshly desires, is to remain enslaved to the short-lived pleasures of this world. And, if you remain enslaved, to this world, you’ll also die with this world. The Apostle John wrote:  “And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God’s will remains forever” 1 John 2:17. Jesus said,  of those who came to faith in Him, “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are NOT of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you” John 15:19.  God was relentless in His deliverance, of Israel, from the slavery of Egypt; and, that serves as a metaphor for His relentless delivery of every believer from the slavery of sin.

-Sin Harms Others!

In Genesis, chapter 40,  Joseph was sold into slavery, by his brothers, who hated him, you may remember; because, Jacob, their father, played favorites & loved Joseph more than the other brothers. Eventually, Joseph ends up in a prison, in Egypt, as he’s falsely accused of sexual assault. But, God blesses him with a supernatural gift of interpreting dreams. Eventually, God uses that ability to get Joseph out of slavery & prison because Pharoah had some troubling dreams that needed interpreting; and, Joseph was able to interpret them for him. The Pharoah elevates Joseph to the leader, in Egypt, 2nd only to Pharoah himself.  A 7-year famine sends Joseph’s brothers to Egypt, looking for food; where, they unknowingly come into contact with Joseph, whom they fail to recognize as their brother.

-Sin Repented Of!

By now, his brothers are repentant. They think that God is punishing them for the sin they committed against Joseph; and, eventually, Joseph reveals himself to them; and, there’s a great family reunion as the brothers go home, to Canaan, and bring their father, Jacob, and the rest of the family to live out their lives in Egypt under Joseph’s care.  The book, of Genesis, ends with Joseph’s prophetic words that God will keep His promise to Abraham, Isaac & Jacob; and, deliver Israel. After Joseph passes away, a new Pharoah enslaves Israel.

-God Hears Their Cries!

God hears their tortured pleas for relief; and, raises up Moses to lead them out of Egypt, to the promised land, by many great signs & wonders to demonstrate His power. No one could block God’s plan to deliver His people from their slavery. While these are great action adventures, we totally miss God’s purpose, for including them in Scripture, if we see nothing but action adventures. There are principles that thread their way through these stories. One such principle is that of God’s Sovereignty. The doctrine, of God’s Sovereign control over the affairs of man, is one of the most important principles in all of Scripture. When we speak of God’s Sovereignty we mean that nothing happens anywhere without God’s permission!

 

Give Up Your Life!

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-Great In God’s Kingdom!

In my last post we talked about the kind of life that Jesus called great! We picked up on His conversation, with the disciples, after two of them— James & John— asked if they could sit in the seat of power, next to Jesus, in His Kingdom.  “Jesus called them over and said to them, ‘You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles dominate them, and their men of high positions exercise power over them.  But it must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,  and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave to all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life—a ransom for many” Mark 10:42-45.  In so many words, Jesus was teaching them that if you’re great in God’s Kingdom, that this world probably won’t even notice you!

-Slave Or Servant?

Jesus calls you great when you reject the world’s leadership style (v.42). He also calls you great when your ministry is measured by the people you serve (v.43).  But, there are 2 more points I’d like to draw out, from this text, related to what Jesus calls great.  He also calls you great when you humble yourself & become the world’s slave (v.44).  We touched briefly, on this point, in our last post.  The word is “doulos” in the original Greek language; and, it can only be translated accurately as “slave” in the English. So, while the Holman version actually translates it “slave”, many translations choose to use the word “servant.” And, while they can be credited with sensitivity for choosing to translate the word as “servant” because the history of slavery, in America, is so repulsive & offensive, we probably ought not change the word Jesus used.

-The Humility Of A Slave!

He meant for us to take on the humility, of a “slave,” when it comes to our ministry & service. In this way, we actually serve like Jesus did:  “Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus,” the Apostle Paul wrote, “who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave” Philippians 2:5-11.  In other words, Jesus didn’t use His title— GOD— as a BIG STICK! In His incarnation, He took the form of a SLAVE!

-Suffering For Others!

Finally, from Jesus’ words here, we discern that He calls you great when you give up your life to suffer for others (v.45). Even Jesus suffered for others, willingly, all the way to the cross! He served ‘til it hurt! ‘Til it killed Him! And, you image Jesus when you live your life similarly! That’s probably not going to get you a fancy TITLE; or, the corner office in the big corporation! But, it will get you a “Well done, good & faithful servant” from Jesus! You may have noticed that the focus, in this post, was not on spiritual gifts, the reason being, that, the greater emphasis, in Scripture, is on the heart attitude toward ministry rather than giftedness or knowledge! Jesus emphasis humility over giftedness; and, the power is never said to be in our GIFTS; but, in the Holy Spirit! So, how will you respond to needs around you? I hope like Jesus did!

 

God’s Glory In Our Salvation!

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-We’re Rendered Speechless!

Music is a powerful medium! Especially, in a worship service! Just combine a deeply moving message—about grace, mercy, love, the cross & salvation—with an appropriate musical score and it locks up my vocal chords! I’m just rendered speechless! I can’t sing! All I can do is praise Jesus—in my heart—as I listen to the congregation sing! That’s the kind of picture I get, in my mind, when I read about the worship service that will one day take place in heaven— “And I beheld, and I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor,  AND GLORY, and blessing.” And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying, “Blessing and honor AND GLORY and power be unto him that sits on the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever” Rev. 5:11-13

-Jesus, The Lamb, Is Worthy!

Why? Why will there be such a scene in heaven? Because Jesus, the Lamb, is worthy! Jesus is worthy of blessing, honor & GLORY! He willingly submitted Himself to the Father’s plan! He was the Lamb of God, who shed His blood—on our behalf—so, that we might be saved! And, every believer since creation will sing their praises to Jesus because our salvation was the result of Jesus’ work, on the Cross, ALONE! Our salvation is God’s work alone! So, He gets all the Glory alone! There is no one else to praise!

-Because Of His Great Love!

We can take no glory for our own salvation! We were DEAD in our trespasses & sins— “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! Together with Christ Jesus He also raised us up and seated us in the heavens, so that in the coming ages (That’s the scene described earlier in Rev. 5) He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace through His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast” Eph. 2:4-9.

-Nothing To Boast About!

We have nothing to boast about in ourselves! We boast in Jesus & the cross! Our greatest preoccupation must be with God’s Glory! It’s for that purpose that we exist! Jesus is the HERO of our story, NOT us! Our salvation didn’t require a little bit of our effort & a lot of Jesus’ work! All that we contributed was our total depravity & brokenness! His coming, to save us, was nothing short of a “rescue mission”! And, Scripture teaches clearly that He is to be offered praise for the entirety of our salvation! So, that, from the beginning of our faith, in this life, to the completion of our faith, in heaven, He gets ALL the Glory! It’s appropriate that we remain committed to giving God Glory for our salvation every opportunity we can!

Stealing God’s Glory!

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-That’s What Pride Does!

At the top of God’s “hate” list is PRIDE— “These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him…” Proverbs 6:16-19.  Care to guess what’s #1 on the LIST? It’s “…A PROUD LOOK…” God hates pride because it’s man’s attempt to steal glory that belongs only to Him!  Only God is due glory; because, all glory was His from the beginning of Creation.  Remember that! All that exists is “GOD” & “everything He has created”! That’s it! There is nothing else! So, when we speak about the “glory of a sunset”, the sun didn’t create that glory! God created it! The sun is just borrowing it until God wants it back! The “glory” of the 28 Olympic Medals that Michael Phelps won is NOT his glory! It’s God’s! Creator God gave him those abilities! He’s just borrowing a glory—that belongs to God—until God decides He wants it back!

-American Pride Is Deadly!

In Isaiah 42:8 God says: “I am Yahweh, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another or My praise to idols.” And, the Apostle Paul ends the book of Romans with these words:  “To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ—TO HIM be the GLORY FOREVER! AMEN!” Romans 16:27. We face deadly consequences when we lift ourselves up, in pride, and steal God’s glory! That’s a hard message to preach here in the good old U.S. of A. We talk about being “PROUD Americans”! We’re proud of our rugged individualism! We put up billboards & sing songs about it! But, if you’re a child of God, don’t go there! Don’t wear your “American Patriotism” first! This place is NOT where you hold your citizenship Scripture says (Philippians 3:20).

-Aliens & Temporary Residents!

We’re called, of God, to live our lives here as aliens & temporary residents (1 Peter 1:17; 2:11-12).  So, when we lift ourselves up in pride & deny God the glory due His name, it actually has a negative impact on the way we think!  The Apostle Paul speaks of certain men & women, that “…though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools…” Rom 1:21-22.  Pride can really mess you up badly!

-Thinking Nonsense!

We lose our ability to look at the world & draw accurate conclusions when we reject the glory of God! Our reasoning ability becomes skewed when we fail to acknowledge the “finger prints” of God on everything! Claiming to be wise, they become fools, Paul adds. And, we actually see this when we look at the people of the world! Normally intelligent people—but; denying God’s existence & denying that the glory of creation belongs to Him—come up with some of the most bizarre theories for our existence! Even, believing it more plausible that aliens, from another solar system, brought humanity here! That’s some of the foolish stuff scientists will offer when they deny & dismiss God the glory He is due for creation! We exchange the GLORY of an Immortal Creator for the “glory” of created things! We accept cheap substitutes!