Proverbs 25:11 "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver."
We are what determines where we go in God and how we fall short of his glory.
God has your life’s plan mapped out before you are born. We are familiar with Jeremiah 1:5 "Before he formed thee he knew thee."
Psalm 139:13-16
We are going to take this slow, I want it to trickle from your brain to your heart and saturate your spirit.
Commentary
Psalm 139:13-16 "you formed my inward parts my heart, mind and my spirit. I will praise you for the work you have done in me. You are wonderful, my spirit knows how great you are. I was not hidden from you when I was being conceived and formed in darkness and mystery.Your eyes saw my unformed mass. You already had the book of my life written. You knew what I would be and made me special as if there were no one else but me."
So do we not all agree that God’s intentions for us are to be just like him? What happens to us? We have such wonderful beginnings and God has an awesome plan for us, but what happens?
We ourselves rewrite the story. We can’t blame anyone but ourselves.
What Goes Wrong?
We have a guideline to follow; a rulebook and with divine intervention, the Holy Spirit, Jesus and God. We are what happens. Our self. The devil didn’t do it because the bible tells us we have power over the enemy. This is what did it.
1. Self-indulgance: excessive indulgance of our sensual appetites and desires (example-the Pharisees were hypocrites). Matthew 23:25 cleaned up the outside, but inside they were filthy (got a new hair cut, put on new clothes, put on the church face and inside just as nasty as ever).
2. Self-will: stubborn and arrogant, always insisting upon our own way instead of God’s. Titus 1:7- a candidate for bishop or pastor cannot be self-willed. How can you lead a group of people when you refuse to be led yourself? Deuteronomy 21:21-The punishmnent for this is death
3. Self-righteousness- self deception
Numbers 12:1-6 Miriam and Aaron brought Moses’ ministry before the people. Informing them that Moses wasn’t all he was cracked up to be. Lifting themselves up. And what happened? God struck Miriam with leporasy, then the humbleness returned.
4. Self-sufficience: self confidence- a sinner is a self-sufficient person. But so are some self-proclaimed Christians. They declare independance from God and boast about their own accomplishments. They do everything by themselves. "I did it," no glory ever goes to God.
5. Selfishness: Romans 15:1-3 God blesses us to bless others; not to hord the blessing up to increase gain for ourselves. It is given to us freely so we should give freely. This includes the word of God.
6. Self-exaltation: Galations 6:3 We can do only what God allows us to do and when we do this it is to glorify God, not ourselves. God doesn’t bless us with signs and wonders to glorify ourselves but to gloify him through us.
Signs and wonders are for the unbeliever. But it seems today the believer seeks them as much as the sinner. We have grown as a church into such a state, that we believe God isn’t in it unless signs and wonders are present. When the word of God is preached, a sign and wonder has occured.
Praise God, there is hope for us yet.
Our selves got us in and selves can get us out.
1-Self-denial: not denial, self-denial. 2Timothy 2:4 No soldier in service gets caught up in the workings of civilian life, his goal is to please the one who enlisted him.
Jesus denied himself to save us.
The Apostles left their vocations to follow Christ.
The widow who cast all in the treasury (Luke 21:4)
2-Self-condemnation: John 8:7-9
Your conscience (the Holy Spirit in you) reminds you of your mistakes; corrects reproves and when you listen you are justified.
3-Self-control: Matthew 27:12-14
Aren’t we glad God is gracious. This one takes a lot of work. We have to dig way down for this one. It is a fruit of the spirit Galations 5:22-23
4-Self-examination: "check yourself." Haggai 1:7 Thus says the Lord of Hosts: consider your ways. What is the problem and why am I not where got wants me to be?
So in the beginning, we were perfection, a creation with God’s seal of approval. How do we know this? We are chosen, called and ordained by God. Chosen as a soldier in the army.
So what are we now? Still perfection, unconditionally loved and adored by our creator. What we think, read and apply shapes and molds us and helps us reach our full potential our destiney and perform to the best of our ability. God has a lot to offer.
"If you continue in my word then are ye my disciples and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31-32).
