Can’t Touch This

Hebrews 4:14-5:10

The longer I live, the more disgusted I become toward men who have yet to vomit from smelling the stench of their own egos. Gone are the days when the average Christian walked in humility, and men actually considered others, over themselves. I expect worldly men to think highly of themselves, or maintain a haughty demeanor, because they are under the influence of sin, but when men who claim to have the love of God in their hearts act as if they’re too hot to touch, this is what causes problems on both sides of the spiritual war. Leaders have allowed the fame and glory of hearing crowds of followers promote their name, to the point they’ve succumbed to pride, and self-exaltation. God ordained men to bear leadership roles for the purposes of edifying the church, and bringing glory to His name. Positions were never intended to be used to promote self, nor as a means to gain riches.

Jesus set the perfect example of how leaders should conduct themselves in the presence of the church, as well as to the world. Christ walked in humility, although he was, and is, the only begotten Son of the almighty God. Jesus could have easily puffed Himself up everywhere He went, but He shunned the spotlight in favor of setting an example that would help make life better for us today.

Jesus is the true high priest, who intercedes on our behalf to the Father. He is our mediator, and the means by which all our sins were wiped away. Unlike men, who have the tendency to ignore the needs of others in place of their own selfish desires, Jesus always puts the needs of others at the top of His to-do list. The same way we feel and struggle with making the right decisions, Jesus relates well to our situation, because He dealt with all the temptations we guard against today, yet He never sinned.

Men who think they are above everyone else, are in for an inevitable rude awakening. So always remember, God honors the humble, and makes examples out of the proud. “When pride cometh, then cometh shame, but with the lowly is wisdom” (Prov. 11:2 KJV). “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate (Prov. 8:13). “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit” (Prov. 29:23).

Walk in love,

Ell

No room for pride

Ephesians 4:1-8, 11-16

As I often write concerning the importance of unity amongst the body of believers, I find it necessary to always reference the similarities of the human body as well. Every part of the physical body, from the smallest detail, to the most prominent, is important. Without feet, the body would experience great difficulty moving from place to place. Without hands and arms, we would have issues working diligently to earn our keep. Our eyes, nose, mouth, and ears, were all uniquely designed to make God’s most wonderful creation a masterpiece! Even eyelashes were designed to protect the eyes from small particles such as dust, sand, or debris from entering and harming the eye. Contrary to the belief of evolutionists, every part of the human body, was, and is necessary, in order to perform as God designed it to.

The church of the living God, consists of one body with many members, that operate under the leading of one Spirit. Every person born again into the body of Christ, is important. It matters not one’s age, ethnicity, our background, because when a person gives their heart to God, they instantly become a shining light in Christ’s body.

When we become followers of God, He bestows gifts to us, that we are expected to make wise use of, as we edify each other, and build up His kingdom. Although gifts vary in their operation, all are intended to be used solely for the purposes of godliness. God is wise beyond any imagination of man, and He desires that we grow in wisdom as well. He also gave some certain positions, from which the body could be perfected, and the work of ministry increased.

The purpose of church meetings, Bible study, and all the things men do to promote the Gospel is, to help believers reach a level of maturity, where they grow to the point where men can’t deceive them with “every wind of doctrine”. This is why unity is so vital, and the church should always be on one accord in their beliefs. In the same way we feed our natural bodies, and exercise to develop strong muscles, we are to also build our spiritual muscles as well, by meditating on God’s Word, praying without ceasing, and taking time to fast, so that we can tune out our natural desires, and focus solely on spiritual ones.

Each member of the body of Christ, must take pride in what God has called them to do. Whether you were called to teach, preach, or simply be a supporter of a ministry, “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (vs. 1). Walk in humility, and learn to appreciate the diversity of God’s gifts in others, so that you’ll never get jealous, or grow envious of how God works through your brothers and sisters. You are special to God, and unique in your own way, so learn to love yourself, and who God made you to be, and continue maturing in all things that are pleasing to the Father.

Walk in love,

Ell

Treat each other like Jesus does

John 13:12-20

Some of the hardest things for men to do is deny themselves, render unselfish services to others, and prefer the least honor for themselves. Today’s society focuses more attention on self-promotion, rather than unified efforts, and men often boast in themselves, rather than uplift those who truly need encouragement. While the world is expected to behave according to its master (money/satan), the church was commanded to love God and keep His commandments, love their neighbors as themselves, and do unto others, as they would have others do unto them.

In our text, Jesus gave the perfect example of self-denial, when He washed the disciple’s feet. Jesus used the example of foot washing to teach his disciples the importance of service to others. Earlier in the chapter, Jesus arose from supper, laid aside His garments, then prepared Himself to wash the feet of His followers. In Bible days, foot washing took place when visitors entered a person’s home, because sandles were the typical footwear, and hosts would offer water for their guests to wash their filthy feet. When Jesus approached Peter, the often strong-willed disciple refused to allow the Son of God to wash his feet. It’s not difficult to understand why Peter felt the way he did concerning His master condescending to his level, because He considered himself unworthy to have Jesus wash his feet, but Jesus wanted to teach a valuable lesson His disciples would find of great importance, after His departure. Jesus quickly changed Peter’s mind when He said, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me”. Jesus knew His position on the earth, as well as in Heaven, so rendering a selfless service to those who served Him, did nothing to taint, or diminish His authority as their Master and Lord.

Even during this age of selfishness and pride, the body of Christ is to continue performing selfless acts to mankind. Just as God is no respecter of persons, we shouldn’t be too proud, or consider ourselves too good to serve others as well. WWJD (What Would Jesus Do)!

Walk in love,

Ell

The family escapes successfully

Genesis 19:1, 15-26, 29

“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). The obvious sign of a true believer is humility, and their end is always good in the sight of God. On the contrary, the identifying character associated with men who are ungodly, and usually end up detained by evil forces, is pride. Whenever a person gets to the point where they feel they are capable of maneuvering through life without God’s guidance, they immediately set themselves up for failure. No one on this earth, and I repeat, no one has the ability to resist evil on their own strength. It takes the power of God, through the Holy Spirit, to even stand a chance against the wiles of satan.

The inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah somehow allowed evil influences to invade their minds and hearts, which drew them away from walking after righteousness, and dedicate their lives to working evil. Their sins had become so amplified, until God visited the earth to monitor the situation for Himself. The people’s hearts were too far gone to accept repentance, and judgment was inevitable, so the angels of God forced Lot and his family to escape (he was willing to obey and leave, but was lingering for some unknown reason), so that they wouldn’t be consumed in the iniquity of the city.

The instructions to Lot and his family were to leave the city, don’t look back, and find a safe place in the mountains. As they fled to safety, Lot’s wife trailed a little behind her husband, then turned and looked back. Immediately, she became a pillar of salt. Her willful disobedience to God’s Word proved to what extent her attachment to the world had become. Lot’s wife looked back, and was consumed, just as the angel had warned would happen.

Many have run well, and fought the good fight of faith, but were hindered by things of the world, that caused them to miss Heaven. I often ask, what is so valuable in this world that is powerful enough to keep a person from seeing God in eternal peace? Is your attachment to your career, husband, wife, children, money, cars, or properties more important than your soul? “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul” (Mark 8:36). Lot’s wife had life, peace, and prosperity set before her, but turned back to the evil world that sought only to kill, steal, and destroy her purpose. Do you wake up every day, seeking first God’s kingdom, and His righteousness, or are your first thoughts set on planning ways to get rich, where to go on vacation, or how to enjoy the pleasures of this evil world? Take your life a bit more serious, because soon, and very soon, destruction is coming to this earth, as it did for Sodom and Gomorrah.

Walk in love,

Ell

Jeremiah, Prophet to the nations

Jeremiah 1:4-10

As we near the end of our journeys on this earth, it’s surprising how many who attend churches around the world remain prideful, rather than humble themselves before the mighty hand of God. With all the persecutions, torturing, and killing of innocent Christians across the nations, I shake my head at men and women who are so consumed with wearing a title, until they willingly ignore the present sufferings of their brothers and sisters across the globe. One of the popular titles floating around modern-day churches are prophets. Modern prophets are men and women who claim to have been called by God to pretty much reveal your personal business, and extend words of blessing for generic things like houses, cars, and wealth. These men go from church to church, giving rehearsed speeches that have been proven to net them great offerings, based on previous experiences. I’ve even witnessed some who grab the audience’s attention by calling so-called random members from the crowds, and recite personal information about those persons that they probably obtained from someone who knew them on a more personal level. Prophets today seem to be all about fame and show, whereas the prophets in Scripture operated under a different authority. There may still be some who are indeed called by God to prophesy, but those who claim the calling only to use the title for selfish gain, set bad examples for those who truly serve God with their gift. According to the Bible, a prophet is one whom God sets over certain areas to “root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant” (vs.10). Does that definition identify with any of the prophets who had previously entertained you? Things that make you go hmm…

Jeremiah was very unique in that he was sanctified, and ordained as a prophet before he was born. Similar to John the Baptist who was also called before birth to be great, Jeremiah was called and set apart to do the Lord’s work at an early age. As any child who felt immature and unprepared to do something that seemed overwhelming, Jeremiah heard what God had said, but he felt that because he was a child, he wasn’t equipped well enough to speak to Nations. God immediately told him to correct his speech, be ready to go where He sends him, and to only speak the words he’s commanded to. Coming before large crowds of people, and exposing their sins would surely cause all sorts of backlash, but God encouraged Jeremiah to ignore the faces of those who may disapprove of his message, because God would be with him, to deliver him from any situation that could cause him harm. If God’s mere words weren’t enough to convince Jeremiah that He would be with him, God then touched Jeremiah’s mouth, and literally put His words in it. Could you imagine if God did that same thing to all those who preach and teach in churches today? My oh my, would there be a lot of hurt feelings, but also many bowed heads and repentant hearts. The truth does hurt, but only enough to convince you to consider a change of heart.

Prophets weren’t ordained to hype up crowds, and collect big offerings, but to pull down and destroy kingdoms of darkness, and expose the hearts of men to the love of God. The next time you hear that a prophet is coming to your town, line up his message with what God defined a prophet to be. If he or she hoops and hollers for hours, then calls for 50, 100, and 5000 dollar offering lines, then they are prophets only to profit. On the other hand, if the prophet gives words inspired by the Holy Spirit, that may perhaps step on the toes of some, and even upset others, but all for the purpose of making them better for God, then this is a true prophet of the Lord. Be not so easily deceived by titles and men’s reputations, but check the spirits of those who claim to be sent by God to feed your soul.

Walk in love,

Ell

Called to humanity and hospitality

Luke 14:7-14

One principle Jesus taught on multiple occasions was deflecting attention from self, and directing all of it toward God. Pride and haughtiness are two of the worst character traits a man can entertain, because the end result of both vices only lead to pain, shame, and misery. It’s because of Lucifer’s pride, that he was kicked out of Heaven, and sentenced to eternal damnation at the appointed time. If pride has the power to keep one of God’s most beautifully created beings from entering into His eternal glory, why is it that so many so-called Christians operate in it today? We see and hear self-promotion in movies, tv shows, video games, churches, and in nearly every secular song written. The great and wise king Solomon taught that, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). When we aim to live in the spotlight, and refuse to focus the glory on God who deserves it, we open ourselves up to be detained, and overwhelmed by legions of demonic influences, that have the power to literally wreck our lives. For this reason, Jesus commanded His followers to walk in humility, and obedience to the Word of God.

Christ also taught, in this text, that whenever we are invited somewhere, be sure to avoid sitting in the “popular” seats, in case someone more honorable shows up. Not saying that we aren’t worthy to sit in a seat, but that some are well-respected to some degree, and should be honored at times. It is better to be called to take a higher seat by the host, than to make haste to claim it before its taken. This way, you’ll have more honor and respect in the presence of those gathered at the meeting. Jesus said that everyone who exalts themselves will be abased, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. If believers were commanded to love, how is it possible to entertain pride and selfishness? When all your focus and attention is fixed on pleasing God, there’s no way for any child of God to get tied up with anything that resembles self-exaltation. Walk in humility daily, and let God be the one who promotes you, when the time is right.

Walk in love,

Ell

Learning Godly ways in humility

Psalm 119:65-72

Of all the ways that can bring a man into the state of humility, affliction has been proven to be the most effective. Pride can easily overtake a man when everything in his life is going well, and he’s free from troubles and worries, but the moment he’s hit with any type of affliction, he’ll no doubt fall to his knees. When a believer falls short of God’s glory, it’s usually because they’ve either strayed away from His will, or they failed to invest ample time in developing healthy spiritual habits. Although it’s possible to learn and grow through humbling experiences, it’s better to grow in godliness through obedience and faith in God’s Word.

Growing up with six siblings, our humbling experiences came by way of strict discipline, and punishment. When we would stray from the teachings and instructions of our parents, we would be introduced to various methods of discipline including belts, switches, or restriction from enjoying the outdoors.

We learn in the book of Colossians, that we are to clothe ourselves in humility, because we are God’s chosen people. Not only are we to be humble, but Christians are to always be compassionate, kind, patient and gentle in all human encounters. It matters not who loves God, or is living according to His will, saints are to show love regardless, to all people. I honestly believe that it’s better to humble yourselves, as Peter mentioned, rather than leaving room for God to do it. His way will definitely produce positive results, but you may be left wallowing in the error of your ways for a moment. There are times when all of us will drift out beyond the borders of God’s instruction, and we’ll need a little chastisement to bring us back into the fold of safety, but we must be careful not to stray too far, for too long. The enemy lies in wait, like a lion prepares to pounce on his prey, to entrap the people of God whenever he can. Our safety in God is guaranteed, so long as we learn His statutes, obey His commands, and delight in His law. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Walk in love,

Ell