Admiration

Admiration

1 Corinthians 12: ²⁷ All of you are Christ's body, and each one is a part of it. ²⁸ In the church God has put all in place: in the first place apostles, in the second place prophets, and in the third place teachers; then those who perform miracles, followed by those who are given the power to heal or to help others or to direct them or to speak in strange tongues. ²⁹ They are not all apostles or prophets or teachers. Not everyone has the power to work miracles ³⁰ or to heal diseases or to speak in strange tongues or to explain what is said. ³¹ Set your hearts, then, on the more important gifts.

 

Best of all, however, is the following way.

 

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Trying my hand at art, I drew some things, but I quickly realized I was not as good as the gifted. I would read books on how to draw more realistic, but the innate talent just was not there. I decided to admire those who had greater ability than me rather than pursuing their gift.

 

• I began to value others for what they could do.
• I started understanding I need others who can do many things better than myself.
• I saw more value in what people brought to the table when I accepted my deficit.

 

Paul goes into a history lesson that could be mistaken as a hierarchy. He had just mentioned that everyone is equal, Jew and Gentile. He then explains that CHRIST put the apostles in place to spread the Good News. He then explains that other people, with various gifts, followed. While these gifts were nice to have, everyone should pursue the greatest gift, namely love.

 

My Observation

• GOD wants me to value other people who gave their life to HIM.
• GOD wants me to see that I need other people to complete HIS church.
• GOD wants me to recognize other people’s talents to serve HIM in HIS church.

 

Admiring what people do for GOD is highly acceptable. I mean seeing someone serve or heal or speak a certain way is a good thing to do. If I envy someone versus admiring them, then I have a problem. GOD has given each person a special gift that is to be used to bring people to HIM.

 

HE wants me to use this gift as often as I can. I can admire what others do, but all of us are supposed to learn how to love each other the way GOD intended. I am glad there are many other people, who I can learn from, who have the talent to bring people to the saving knowledge of JESUS.

 

Challenge

• What qualities do you admire?
• How does envy get in the way of admiration?
• Do you feel you are valued for the gifts you are using for the growth of GOD’s kingdom?
• Will you seek to add love as one of your learned gifts today? 

Being Known

Being Known

Acts 19: ¹¹ God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, ¹² so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

¹³ Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” ¹⁴ Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. ¹⁵ One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” ¹⁶ Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

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Traveling with the top executive of the company had its perks. We had a long layover at an airport so we went to an exclusive area where we could wait and eat. When I got to the door they asked me my name. I told her and she replied “I’m sorry, we don’t have your name on our list.” “Oh, he’s with me” the executive said. They let me in. “One day…” I said to myself.

• There were times when I wanted to be known.
• There were times when I wanted to be in the club.
• There were times when I wanted to have a name for myself, not just ride on someone else’s name.

GOD did extraordinary miracles through Paul. Seven sons of Sceva saw Paul’s popularity and tried to fight demons using JESUS’ and Paul’s names. One demon replied, “JESUS I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” Their desire to be known backfired.

• GOD is pleased with me because I gave my life to HIM.
• GOD knows me through my relationship with JESUS.
• GOD has written my name in HIS hand so no one can rip me away from HIS saving grace.

Being known by GOD is the single most important relationship to crave. Celebrities rise and fall, BUT GOD remains forever. Exclusive clubs where humans gather will be torn down as JESUS steps into the picture upon HIS return. Until then, GOD wants me to make HIS name known even if people do not know my name. I am glad JESUS knows me and I know HIM.

• Are you seeking to make a name for yourself?
• Do you want to be known by associating your name with a celebrity?
• Will you stop seeking the spotlight for a moment and allow JESUS to be known through you?

Finding

Finding

John 15: ⁵ “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. ⁸ By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

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When I “found” the new job, I was excited. I was making two dollars more than the last job and I could work twenty hours a week instead of twelve. I could finally fix my car! I told everyone about the job I “found.”

• One time I was searching for something and thought a job could fill it.
• One time I was seeking something and thought I could fill it with more money.
• One time I was longing for something and thought the problems would go away if I had more money.

JESUS says again “I AM the vine, you are the branches.” HE then tells them to “bear fruit.” If we bear fruit, it is only because JESUS lives in us. Those who do not bear fruit will be cast out. This scared me.

• JESUS says to me “do not worry for I AM with you always.”
• JESUS says to me “do not be afraid.”
• JESUS says to me “you live in me and I live in you. Go make disciples of all nations, and teaching them.”

GOD wants me to bear fruit. In other words, HE wants me to point my life to HIM, not towards more buildings that “will” get burned down. HE desires to be the only message and sadly, that message is dissipating. JESUS is the primary message that needs to be preached to the lost.

HE “found” me and HE wants me to “find” others. HE sends me to seek HIS kingdom first, and if anything gets in the way of finding HIS people, I can ask and it will be given to me. This message is about bearing GOD’s fruit, not fulfilling human ego and lusts. I am grateful GOD enables me to bear HIS fruit.

• What is your primary message?
• Have you mentioned programs, church names and buildings, but have not mentioned JESUS?
• Will you make JESUS your primary message without thinking people need to be “fixed” first?

Seeking by Lurking

Seeking by Lurking

John 7: ⁵And everyone went to his own house.

John 8: But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

² Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. ³ Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, ⁴ they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.

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Listening intently to every word, I wanted to catch this person in a lie, “I know they are guilty” I said to myself as I replayed events in my mind over and over. Something seemed strange this particular day when I saw the person. “This is the day I catch them in their lie” I thought. The person confessed their strange behavior on a very serious illness.

• There were times when I looked for something to be wrong with people.
• There were times when I watched people intently to see if they would fail.
• There were times when I sentenced people as guilty, then I watched them prove their guilt to me.

After the crowd left, JESUS went to the Mount of Olives, usually to pray. When HE returned HE was met by the church leaders who caught a woman in the act of adultery. They must have lurked behind her as she met with her lover or was the male someone they knew? Whatever the case, they did not accuse him.

Bringing her to JESUS, they demanded a biblical answer to trip HIM up. They sought failure for her and JESUS, hoping guilt would show their superiority.

• GOD wants me to seek people with grace, not guilt.
• GOD wants me to desire restoration for people, not reasons to leave them.
• GOD wants me to follow people to serve them, not harm them.

Motive for proving someone’s guilt is usually a problem with GOD. As I have said many times, “We are all in the mud, throwing mud at each other, saying ‘you have mud on your face’.” Pronouncing someone guilty, then watching them prove their guilt may be the very thing that makes me “guilty” before GOD.

HE wants me to admit my guilt to restore guilty people. Instead of lurking for superiority, HE wants me seeking people to bring back to HIM, gently. I am glad people were sent to bring me to HIM.

• Are you accusing others?
• Do you want to feel good about yourself by making someone else look guilty?
• Will you start seeking guilty people to gently bring them back to JESUS to save them and you today?

Seeking Greatness

Luke 22: ²¹ But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. ²² The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!’ ²³ They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

²⁴ A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. ²⁵ Jesus said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. ²⁶ But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. ²⁷ For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. ²⁸ You are those who have stood by me in my trials. ²⁹ And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, ³⁰ so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

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Potato chip boxes, old coffee cans and a few bulbs from flashlights were the materials of my science project idea. I planned on building a robot. This idea would definitely “win” the science fair. “I could just see it now, they would give me the trophy or ribbon or some sort of prize”, I imagined as I jumped into my pursuit.

• Many times I wanted to be known as “great.”
• Many times I wanted to “win” something.
• Many times I wanted to be the one who was on “top” rather than being on the bottom of the junk pile.

JESUS had just told the disciples that one of them would betray HIM. After each disciple questioned whether it was them or not, they went into a familiar discussion amongst humans. The disciples argued over who would be greater. I imagine them remembering how they healed someone just by speaking, so of course they would be greater than someone else, right?

• GOD tells me to serve HIS people without thinking of becoming “great.”
• GOD tells me to be genuine with HIS people and hope for the best, even for my enemies.
• GOD tells me to humble myself and allow HIM to decide how high HE wants to raise me among humans and in heaven.

Pursuing human greatness has its flaws. Humans can flatter in order to become great within themselves. JESUS knows that worldly greatness cannot compare to HIS greatness. HE wants me to focus on HIS kingdom by becoming a servant to as many people I can while I am alive. GOD wants me to bear HIS fruit. I am grateful to be HIS servant.

• Are you stuck on trying to be great?
• Are you frustrated because your human plans have fallen apart?
• Will you allow GOD to declare how great you should be and allow HIM to deliver you to the right person to speak about HIM today?

Nobody Greater

Luke 7: ²⁴ When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ²⁵ But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. ²⁶ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.²⁷ This is he of whom it is written:

‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.’

²⁸ For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

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“Wow” is all I could say as I walked into the executive wing. I saw a meeting with the top executive in the company making plans and doing whatever they did. “I want to be great like them” I said to myself.

• I used to have a different definition of greatness.
• I used to think greatness meant wealth and power.
• I used to see greatness as being a corporate executive whit a huge internal following.

JESUS spoke specifically about the greatness of John. He wasn’t dressed fancy or live in a fancy house. In fact, John was homeless and wore animal skins. JESUS says John was great because he put all of his time into spreading the great news about JESUS.

• GOD wants me to see HIM as my measure of greatness.
• GOD wants me to know that humans have no power over HIM.
• GOD wants me to know that Spiritual HIS kingdom is greater than any human.

Fancy cars, houses and tailored clothes does not make one great according to the LORD. GOD wants me to focus on bringing people to HIS kingdom. The least in HIS kingdom is greater than any rich or powerful human. GOD’s definition of great is what I seek.

• Are you seeking greatness?
• Do you want to be seen by humans as being great?
• Can you change your definition of greatness and focus on GOD’s greatness today?