The Deception of Pride

Luke 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

Have you ever thought you knew something that you really didn’t? You were so absolutely sure you were right that no one could persuade you differently! Sometimes we are this way because we just misheard or misunderstood something. I did that one time regarding a movie that was to be on TV. I was positive I was right about the title, but when the movie came on I found out I was wrong. Other times, though, we think we are right just because we think we are right. It is at these times our pride will not let us accept correction to our thinking.

This is what the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were doing. Not only them, but a lot of other people also. How many times did they see Jesus do miracles in healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out demons, and even changing water into wine? They also saw His disciples do most of the same. In fact, at the time Jesus spoke the words of our verse, they had just come back from going to the various cities Jesus would soon go, and did miracles in them, preaching that the kingdom of heaven was near. Yet many, or most, of the rulers and people did not believe. Jesus did not represent what they thought the Messiah would be like. They also had no desire to repent of their sins. Therefore, they rejected Him. Their pride and pleasure got in the way of their seeing Jesus for who He really is--the Lamb of God, the Savior of the world, the One whom the prophesies proclaimed would come. These rejectors of Jesus were wise in their own eyes. They thought they knew all things. But they didn’t. Their hearts were not humble and teachable. Their pride deceived them and they did not know the Messiah even when they looked Him straight in His eyes.

In contrast, others were babes in their own eyes. They didn’t think they knew all things and had not formulated unchangeable visions of what the Coming One would be like. They were simple, honest and teachable. They were prone to see and believe the truth when they encountered it. Self ambition and guile did not blind them. They saw Christ for who He is and believed on Him to the saving of their souls. They were as the little children, and to such belongs the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:3; 19:14).

To which group do you belong--the wise and prudent, or babes? Are you wise in your own eyes, or are you honest and willing to accept that which is not according to your preconceived notions, and submit to it? Have you seen yourself as a sinner in need of a Savior, as the Bible clearly teaches, or do you make excuses for yourself and continue going your own way? Have you believed on Christ for forgiveness of sin, or are you trying to get to God by your own merit? Those of us who have truly come to Christ, do we determine our own ways or do we turn to God and His word for our guidance, and do it? Do we humbly confess our weaknesses and sins and try to do better, or do we pretend all is OK? Are we wise and prudent, or are we babes?

Servant-Hood: The Way To Happiness

I was just listening to a sermon and was reminded of a saying coined by Ken Collier, director of the Wilds Christian Camp and Conference Center in Brevard, NC: "He who dies with the dirtiest towel wins." This saying is in opposition to that on bumper stickers, "He who dies with the most toys wins." More importantly, it is a rephrasing of the Lord Jesus' example of servant-hood given in John 13:4-17. The Last Supper just being ended, Jesus rises from the table, girds Himself with a towel, takes a basin of water and washes the disciples' feet--the job of the lowliest kind of servant in that day. Having ended the task and having sat back down He instructs the disciples to wash one another's feet, as, "The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him" (John 13:16). He then ends his talk with the saying, "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them" (v. 17).

In our self-seeking, self-indulging world servant-hood is nearly a lost art. And yet it is the very thing our Lord and Master says will bring us happiness--the one thing we all are seeking. Since self-seeking is the exact opposite of serving, and since we are doing so much self-seeking, it is no wonder we are by and large unhappy, unsatisfied and discontent. The answer to our problem is not more seeking after happiness, but more serving. It has been said that happiness is not something you find by seeking for it, but something that finds you when you are doing right. So, seek to serve, and happy will you be when you do it.

The Hope of Glory

Colossians 1:27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (NASB95)

Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (KJV)

Is glory, the second glory, here to be considered Heaven with all its benefits? We shall there be made perfect even as He is perfect for we shall be changed to be like Him (Matthew 5:48; 1John 3:2). Consider the glory and benefits of Heaven in Revelation 21 &22. It is for this we hope. Not the hope of which we commonly speak--a desire accompanied with a measure of doubt--but an expectation accompanied with a full assurance of its future realization. Such hope is the wind that fills the sails to the full, the sails that direct the ship to its appointed harbor in good speed. Hope is the great motivator of our lives to press us on at all times and under all circumstances toward that heavenly prize in Christ Jesus, to be like Christ Himself--the prize of perfect purity and its accompanying bliss. Bliss is the natural result of purity. Where there is no sin there is no curse. And where there is no curse there is no sorrow or hardship or pain. Fear of death, Be gone! For in Christ death is swallowed up in victory. Death, to the Christian. is no longer the dreaded passage way to eternal judgment, but the wondrous portal to eternal glory in the very presence of God Himself.

This being true, what can keep the hopeful Christian from fulfilling his duties, yea, even his true desires to be as Jesus was on this earth, to glorify the Father in holy living and to seek and save the lost. What is to cause us to fear? The face of man? His taunts and threats? His abuses against us? Death? For the Christian, the threat of death is but the welcome mat in front of the door of God's eternal home. Death itself is the entry way to this glory for which we delightfully hope. Hope on!

Worldly Means To Promote God's Ends

It is sickening to see how people are promoting things Christian via secular means. I just visited a web site which is supposed to help one learn how to start an itinerant ministry. Every thing I saw was based on secular business principles, such as meeting as many pastors as you can, joining a fellowship to get an inroad to pastors, creating letterheads and business cards, attempting to reestablish another ministry schedule after just having one in a church. I suppose some, if not most, of these things will be involved in one's ministry in time and as naturally needed, but why approach ministry via business means? Instead of pushing one's self on everybody why not minister to those whom you can and let God advance you from there? What ever happened to faith and prayer? What ever happened to following God's lead one step at a time and take the opportunities He gives you? What ever happened to believing God will use you and support you as you go about His revealed will found in His word? What ever happened to God's calling one into ministry and His confirmation of it without one pushing and pulling to get doors to open? If God has called one into ministry He will pave and lead the way. We need not employ worldly means to accomplish His will. Preachers in the past would go without any means of support. They believed God would meet their needs as they did His will. All they needed was the Word of God and His experienced guidance. They prayed in absolute surrender the God's will be done in their lives, wherever that would lead them and to whatever circumstances they would find themselves. They believed God when He said, "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left" (Isaiah 30:21), and "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5). If that isn't good enough, remember what God told Moses when He called him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, "And he (God) said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain" (Exodus 3:12). God promised both His presence and a token of confirmation. We are weak and He knows we need a token of confirmation to encourage us from time to time. But we must do things His way as expressed in the Scriptures, following the patterns of His faithful one's in times past. God nor man has changed. What was good and true then is so today. People respond the same way today as they always have and they shall continue to do so.

As I am now contemplating and moving toward the itinerant ministry these things are heavy on my mind. I need and want God's confirmation and blessing in all I do, and that can never come by doing things in a human manner. Success using worldly means does not demonstrate God's blessing and approval. Anyone can start a business if he uses proven business principles. But a work for God is not just for success in this world. It is for the promotion of God and His ways to a world that does not know Him and cannot know Him unless He personally reveals Himself to them by His word and Spirit. One must have God's presence for this to be accomplished and God's presence does not come because someone wants it to. One must have such a spirit and move in such ways as glorifies Him, and according to His revelation in His word. In the end, Solomon told us how to do this, "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths," (Proverbs 3:5,6)