Oh Lord It's Hard To Be Humble When You Are Praised In So Many Ways

My Utmost For His Highest

“I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ…” —Colossians 1:24

“[…] When we preach the historical facts of the life and death of our Lord as they are conveyed in the New Testament, our words are made sacred. God uses these words, on the basis of His redemption, to create something in those who listen which otherwise could never have been created. If we simply preach the effects of redemption in the human life instead of the revealed, divine truth regarding Jesus Himself, the result is not new birth in those who listen. […] When we say, “What a wonderful personality, what a fascinating person, and what wonderful insight!” then what opportunity does the gospel of God have through all of that? It cannot get through, because the attraction is to the messenger and not the message. If a person attracts through his personality, that becomes his appeal. If, however, he is identified with the Lord Himself, then the appeal becomes what Jesus Christ can do. The danger is to glory in men, yet Jesus says we are to lift up only Him (see John 12:32).” CHAMBERS

Do you have a favorite preacher or Bible teacher?  What makes them your favorite?  Their charisma, method of preaching or teaching?  All of that is good but if Jesus is not being lifted up, it is merely vain religion.  Elders and preachers are worthy of double honor (1 Timothy 5:17), but they are not to be lifted up in the stead of Jesus.  People can do that.  When pastors are called to another place, often times, people will leave to either follow him or to find another church.  The trouble is that the pastor was prompted by the Spirit of God, the people were prompted by the leaving of the pastor.  Do you see the difference.  I have been told that I remind people of someone of renown.  That is flattering, but what I would prefer is that I remind people of our Lord.  Not because of what I look like on the outside, but because of who I am on the inside.

Martie and I were recently invited to a church so they could express their appreciation for our service to the Lord.  That seems simple enough.  We have served and people have seen.  But the danger is that the people might attribute what we have done to us and not to God.  If we did not have Christ in us, would we have done the things that we did?  If the Spirit had not prompted us and strengthened us for the task, would we have been willing to sacrifice and serve?  My guess would be “no”.  Without Christ we would have been scrambling to get along just like most other people.  We must remember what we were before Christ and what we would be without Christ and then what we have done because of Christ will be seen in its proper context.  God gets the glory .. and when we receive honor for being obedient, we must lay that crown at Jesus feet. We must have the attitude of a servant.  And what is that?  Jesus told us.   (Luke 17:10) “So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’” It is not feigned humility, it is embracing spiritual truth. ELGIN

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)

Charley Elgin