Know Yourself

"But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed."  James 1:14 

What is it that motivates you?
What is your deepest desire?
What is your own way?

Tragically, it has been my experience, that many Christians today are more prone to just go their own way, with no thought of what God desires of them.  Those are not the target of my blog today.  More than likely, unless the Holy Spirit is at least beginning to change their heart, they will not have a desire to read on.  And chances are, they are not truly saved anyway.  A real Christian isn't just playing church, but has the Holy Spirit of God living within them, guiding and convicting them to do right.  They are not my target audience.  You, however, that are not being drawn by temptation, but by God's grace, desire to change--YOU are my target audience!

As I said, if you are truly saved, the Holy Spirit of God lives within you, guiding and convicting you to do right.  He will give you the desire to do what's right.  What's more, He will give you the power to do what's right.  (that is God's wondrous grace at work in you!)  The changes that God desires to make in you, however, can only be possible with God.  You (and I) cannot make the changes ourselves--not without the power of the Holy Spirit.  

Notice again my initial three questions.  If you truly have a desire to follow God (and yet, feel overwhelmingly drawn by temptation), then the first thing you must do is answer those three questions--all of which overlap each other.  One problem Christians have is they don't take the time to ask themselves pointed questions such as these.  Hey, be certain, Christian, Satan knows you very well…and he knows your "weakest link."  Don't allow him to get the upper hand!  Know yourself!--and then allow the Holy Spirit to take charge of those weakest areas.

The following are key areas of motivation, desire, and what constitutes our "own way."  Read them, think through them, and then try to identify which area or areas you are most prone to:

1. Materialism--the desire for more & more money or things
2. Achievement--the high ranking of name because of who or what you are--based upon ability or looks 
3. Love & Acceptance--Family & Friends
4. Good Times--wrapped up in food, alcohol, drugs, or sex 

Okay, that was the first step.  As I said, the next thing you need to do is allow the Holy Spirit to take charge of those areas.  Don't allow pride take the upper hand.  Pride says, "I want it my way."  However, if you really mean business with God, humility says, "I know God's way is best.  Please help me, Lord, to follow you and do what's right."  God promises in James 4:6-8 to give grace to the humble.  He will give you the desire and power to do His will, if you will just endeavor to follow Him one step at a time! 

What's next, you say?  The most important part!-- Get into the Word!  God's Word is power-- power to change, power to encourage, power to direct us in the right way.  Ephesians 4 says we're to "put off…the old man" (again, that was Step One--putting aside the behavior of our old nature).  Step Two: " be renewed in the spirit of your mind." (Eph. 4:23).  God is able to work in you as you read His Word!  So we need to saturate ourselves with the Word of God so that He can not only work in our hearts, but give us the power to continue on for Him.  Step Three: "put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Eph. 4:24).  We need to follow hard after God, obey His Word and His Holy Spirit, that we might produce lives that are pleasing to Him.     Why?--that we might glorify God.  That is the reason we are here on this earth… and that is the reason we are saved, that we might glorify God!  God is the reason for it all!

I'll leave you with this thought: "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."  (Romans 12: 2)

May we follow hard
after God for His glory!
   Merle
  

Brass or Gold?

2 Chronicles 12:9

1 Kings 14

1 Corinthians 3:9-15

Brass:

1. Inexpensive - no great value
2. Contains impurities
3. Does not retain its luster - it tarnishes

Satan desires to steal the "gold" from our lives.  Anytime he can make something of value less valuable, less glorifying to God, he will.  One of my favorite verses is John 10:10, which says, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."  The thief, of course, is Satan.  He is the Father of Lies, and he seeks to devour you (1 Pet 5:8).  Jesus Christ is the One speaking in the verse, and oh, how He desires to give us an abundant life, more wonderful and awesome than we can even imagine--if we will just learn to follow Him, trusting Him and obeying Him.  God's way is always best…you can count on it! 

Satan desires to steal the gold from:

1. Our Relationship with God

We ought to have that "abiding relationship," one which walks with God and is in close relationship to Him throughout the day in prayer, dependence, and power.  His Word ought to be supreme in our lives that He can speak to us about anything--and we will obey.  You see, it isn't how much of the Word we've read or memorize--the real question is, what are we doing with it.  James 1:22 says we're to "be doers of the word, and not hearers only."  Here's a thought: The brass of Reading the Word vs. the Gold of Feeding upon it!

2. Our Service to God

If we truly have an "abiding relationship" with Christ, then we will be as the branch and the vine, allowing the Holy Spirit to work through us producing fruit for His kingdom.  Our lives ought to be glorifying to God: that is the only reason we are here on this earth!

3. In our Worship to God

Our worship ought to be real--golden, God focused.  Real worship magnifies God and it pleases God.  Are you all about glorifying self, or glorifying God?

4. The Power in our Lives

Real power of God is by His Holy Spirit--not by man.  We cannot muster up the real power we need in our lives--it must come from God.  When Jesus healed the boy who had the tormenting spirit, the disciples asked why they were unable to heal him.  Jesus said, "Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."  You see, whether it is healing from God that we need, or power in temptation, or power to be bold in our witness for Christ--whatever the case may be--that kind of power comes from God alone.  Man's power has to be kept working up--it cannot sustain like God's Omnipotence can!  Get a hold of the power of God, Christian!   Ephesians 3:21 says, "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." 

5. Sanctification vs. Standards

or -- Holiness vs. Legalism

Sanctification doesn't worry about the standards; he lives above the standards.  He lives by the power of the Holy Spirit to change him--a desires to be like Christ, portraying Christ in everything he thinks, says, and does.  Wow!  If we could only get a hold of that, it would change everything in our lives!  Here's a thought: The brass of standards looks around; the gold of sanctification looks up!  Who are we trying to please and glorify??

There's so much that could be said for each of these subjects.  The point is are our lives producing true, valuable "gold" that will count for all of eternity,  or are we allowing self and Satan to produce the "brass" of less meaningful, less productive lives.

There's a quotation or saying that says this:

"Good, better, best, never let it rest, until your good is better, and your better best."

        

May we glorify God with 
the gold that eternally matters!

      Merle

The previous outline and points were taken from my previous Pastor, Bill Bryson of Pleasanton, CA, as preached on Sunday, January 11, 2009. 

The Faith of a Child

A little girl went to her bedroom and pulled a glass, jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet.  She poured the change out on the floor and counted it carefully.  Three times, even.  The total had to be exactly perfect.  No chance for mistakes.

Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door.

She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention, but he was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise.  Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster.. no good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it!

"And what do you want?" the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice.  "I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in ages," he said without waiting for a reply to his question.

"Well, I want to talk to you about my brother," Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. "He's really, really sick...and I want to buy a miracle."

"I beg your pardon?" said the pharmacist.

"His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?"

"We don't sell miracles here, little girl.  I'm sorry but I can't help you," the pharmacist said, softening a little.

"Listen, I have the money to pay for it.  If it isn't enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs."    [oh, the faith of a child!]

The pharmacist's brother was a well-dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, "What kind of a miracle does your brother need?"

"I don't know," Tess replied with her eyes welling up. "I just know he's really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money."

"How much do you have?" asked the man from Chicago.

"One dollar and eleven cents," Tess answered barely audibly.  "And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to."

"Well, what a coincidence," smiled the man. "A dollar and eleven cents---the exact price of a miracle for little brothers."

He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said, "Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the miracle you need."

That well-dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing in neurosurgery. The operation was completed free of charge and it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well.

Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place.

"That surgery," her Mom whispered "was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?"

Tess smiled.  She knew exactly how much a miracle cost...one dollar and eleven cents....plus the faith of a little child.

• In our lives, we never know how many miracles we will need!

• A miracle is not the suspension of natural law, but the operation of a higher law...

• "Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you."  1 Peter 5:7

• May we all have the kind of relationship with our Heavenly Father, that we can climb up in His lap at any time crying, "Abba, Father."  Oh, how He desires to meet our deepest need!

   May we have the faith of a child!

          Merle 

 The above was copied from My Chicken Soup.