"He who glories, let him glory in the Lord. For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends." 2nd Corinthians 10:17-18 What feels better than the praise of men? If someone receives praise from men, especially if it's from someone he respects, then he struts his chest out and it just feels oh so good! When a man has written a book or obtained a degree after his name, when he is now called "doctor" so-and-so, he feels like he's reached the pinnacle of success and is quite impressed with himself. The question is, what is God's opinion of the man? Actually, the higher the man climbs or the more books that he writes, can sometimes be inversely proportional to the opinion of our creator, with whom we have to do. There is no sin worse in the eyes of God than pride. Pride toppled the highest and most beautiful and greatest of all the angels in heaven. “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit." Isaiah 14:12-15 The most beautiful of all the angels, the greatest of them ...will spend eternity in the torment and SHAME of the lake of fire. Shame will be the eternal punishment of the proud. If that can happen to a supernatural and brilliant angel, it certainly can happen to a man. And it is now that angel's fervent agenda to make sure that it does happen to you, because he is bent on preventing you from taking his place in heaven. Satan will allow a man to gain the praise of men, in order to bring him down to hell. “The man whom God delights to bless,
he never curses with success.”
-Charles Wesley
More than anything else, Satan's diabolical aim is to destroy through pride those who would otherwise have taken his place in heaven.
That's why it is so utterly important to seek the Lord's will for one's life, not a parent's, not a teacher's, not a friend's, but the Lord's; and then walk in it - regardless of how humble the calling may seem to be. He who starts small and is faithful, the Lord will enlarge, and he'll do it in such a way that the man is aware that it is GOD who is providing and approving. Such a man will feel the joy and satisfaction that is not proud, but thankful. If people don't seem to respond to or appreciate what he does, the man still retains his joy as long as he knows he's doing exactly what God has laid out for him to do. Satan says, "I did it my way." The saved rather, say "God, your will not mine be done."
"He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.
For not he who commends himself is approved,
but whom the Lord commends."
An excellent clip on this - the testimony of a little white-haired man on George Street, who did it God's way and never had feedback till the very end of his life:
Frank Jenner's Story:
"...you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
who is the guarantee of our inheritance
until the redemption of the purchased possession,
to the praise of his glory."
Ephesians 1:13-14
"The purchased possession…'
I cannot read this without my mind going back to that day, the day I was born again, because this is how the man who brought me to the Lord said it to me ..."The purchased possession."
What he said was this:
"You are a house with many, many rooms. There are 'nice' rooms, and there are rooms that are not so nice. And ...there are hidden rooms, rooms locked tight which no one can go in to. Are you happy with the condition of your house as you have been the owner there?"
I was a broken soul so I answered, "No. Obviously I'm not."
He continued: "The Lord Jesus Christ wants to purchase the house. Before you respond, listen carefully to the terms of the purchase. When he has become the owner of your house, he will go in and make major renovations. First, he'll fix the faulty foundation. That's going to mean digging and cementing, and it might hurt. Next he'll clean out the garage, a very dark and dirty place. It needs to be thoroughly cleaned. Next he'll begin redoing the rooms, one at a time. He will strip them bare. All decorations will be taken down, and then he will paint it fresh, and put new and different decorations up. Finally, he will open up the hidden rooms, those dark places you have never allowed anyone to go into. When he is the owner he will go into them and remove all the darkness, opening them up to fresh air and light. All of this is going to be uncomfortable to you. You will wince with every hammer blow and with every nail that he pounds. Now listen carefully: the whole purpose of this is to take your shack and make it into a palace fit for the King to dwell in."
"Are you willing to hand to Jesus Christ the keys to your home?"
"I know one thing," I said, "I'm surely not happy with the way my life has turned out. So yes, I am willing to hand the keys to Jesus Christ and let him take over completely."
"There's more," he said. "There is a purchase price which you must agree to. He has paid the price. He paid it with his own blood, the blood he shed for you by dying in your place on a cruel cross, receiving in himself the judgment on your sins. If you understand that, then you can be sure that he will take good care of your house after having paid such a tremendous price for it."
That scene is a true story, and it took place many years ago, on the day I was born again. Jesus Christ has done exactly what that man told me he would. There were many more changes than I ever expected, and some were very painful, but my life today bears absolutely no resemblance to the condition of my heart back then.
If this touches you, pray with me:
Father, I have not been a good manager of my "house." My life bears the image of someone who didn't know what he/she was doing. It's the fruit of years of doing things "my way." I ask you, I invite you, to take over the ownership of this house. I realize you will come in and make major changes, and I understand that some of it will hurt. But it seems to me like going to a doctor who prescribes a very unpleasant treatment, you take it because it's the one that will work - but in order for it to work one has to actually take the treatment. You are the great physician and I am willing to take the treatment, I'm willing to relinquish my life to you because I know I can trust that your will for me is good. Here are the keys to my house, Lord. Every one of them is there, I have not kept any hidden room back from your sight. Redo me from the inside out, so that in the end both you and I will be pleased that this shack was turned into a palace fit for the King to dwell in. And then you and I will dwell in it together ...forever!
"May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble;
may the Name of the God of Jacob defend you;
may he send you help from the sanctuary,
and strengthen you out of Zion;"
Psalm 20:1-2
Who is God to you? What is your idea of him? Is he a theology to you, is he an "ism?" Do you see him as some force or power somewhere far off? If so, where did you get that idea? You certainly didn't get it from his Word, the Bible, because his Word is all about his personal presence in our lives.
The Word of God, the Bible, is the "manufacturer's handbook." The Creator tells us all about himself, about who he is, who we are, and what he wants for us. His Word tells us why we are the way we are, and what our destiny is. He shows us all about the message and purpose of the atonement he provided for us when Jesus hung on that cross, died, and then was raised from the dead - IN OUR PLACE. On that Cross he bore the penalty on all our sins. Because he bore our judgment, those who receive him are debt-free. God doesn't judge our sins twice. Jesus bore that judgment for the forgiveness of our sins and when one is born again all his sin debt has been met by Christ, and the person is cleansed forever. No greater love could there ever be. Think on this awhile until it becomes real to you.
If God is only a theology to you, you need to come to know him. You need to come to know him personally and find in him all the answers and resources you need for life. It's all there for you, you need only pick up that Book and read it prayerfully. It's not way over your head, I've seen a child read it and grow in the knowledge of God. Start with the Book of Psalms - and concurrently, read the Book of John. Read every single day and he will reveal himself to you through his Word.
If you are in trouble, what a fitting time for you to approach the God who brought you into this world. He will send you help from the sanctuary and strengthen you. But first you must know him. In John chapter 3 it is recorded that Jesus said that unless a person is born again he CANNOT see the Kingdom of God. The word "see" here, means perceive, or understand. The Word of God is nothing more than literature or history to a person who is not born again. The most intelligent professor, if not born again, will have no understanding of the Bible if ever he reads it. It all rests in being born again, and until one IS born again, he is just a "natural man," and he CANNOT understand the Word of God.
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God,
for they are foolishness to him; nor CAN he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned.
1st Corinthians 2:14
So the first step is to surrender one's life to the Creator, accept the atonement Jesus Christ endured to cleanse us from all sin, and once you are born again by faith in him, your spiritual eyes will be opened and you will be able to immerse yourself in the Word of God and let it give you life.
Pray with me:
Father God, I know ABOUT you, but I don't know you personally. I don't know you as a personal God who wants to be involved in my heart and in my life. Until now, you've been a theology to me, a teaching, an idea, but not a living person who cares about me. Please bring me into that personal relationship with you and teach me about yourself, for I desire to know you personally. The world has led me to believe that you put us here on this earth and then said, "I'll see you at the end, I hope you make it" as you recede into the background. Oh Father, I know that that is so far from the truth. You are present, and I want to know you in the present, and in every area of my life. Show me the way, I pray. I am willing to surrender myself and my life to you. Reveal yourself to me that I might be born again. And I will follow you all the days of my life.
MORE:
How One Is Born Again