Root of Truth

Root of Truth

John 7: ¹⁴ Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. ¹⁵ And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”

¹⁶ Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. ¹⁷ If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. ¹⁸ He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.

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After listening to many stories, I headed towards the door. “Do you know who that was?” someone asked me. “No” I replied. That was the owner and founder of this place. The stories he told now had more meaning as they expressed true experiences.

• I enjoy hearing stories about how someone struggled and then made it.
• I enjoy hearing stories that tell the truth with difficult details.
• I enjoy hearing stories I can use as a roadmap for what I am going through.

JESUS went to the feast anyway, knowing the church leaders were trying to kill HIM. HE taught in riveting detail and they marveled at HIS knowledge. JESUS said some pointed words that said HIS teaching comes from GOD to glorify GOD. Each word JESUS spoke could easily be checked.

• GOD wants me to learn as long as my learning points to HIM.
• GOD wants me to acquire more an more knowledge as long as my knowledge can be used to glorify HIM.
• GOD wants me to check what I say about HIM with the words HE says about HIMSELF.

Self-promotion is something GOD wants humans to avoid. While this practice is highly honored in politics and wealth chasing, GOD sees it as a prideful move away from needing HIM. Each time I speak about GOD, HE wants me to check with HIM first to see if my words will promote HIM alone. I am glad HE revealed the truth through the words of HIS SON.

• Are you seeking to be the center of attention?
• Do you want fame socially, politically or even theologically?
• Will you check your attitude towards GOD by seeking HIS teaching through HIS Word today?

Misread Ticket

Luke 14: ⁷ So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: ⁸ “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; ⁹ and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. ¹⁰ But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. ¹¹ For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

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“Would you like something to drink” the flight attendant asked me. I was shocked because not only were we still on the ground, passengers were still boarding. “Sure” I replied thinking to myself, “First class is wonderful!”

This elation was followed by “Excuse me. You are in my seat.” I misread the ticket and was in the row just behind first class. Everyone on the plane seemed to watch me move.

• There were times when I wanted the best places.
• There were times when I felt I “deserved” fist class treatment.
• Three were times when I got upset at “those” people who did not know how to travel right.

JESUS spoke in a parable about choosing the lowest seat first otherwise the person may get embarrassed when told to move. HE wasn’t just speaking about chairs, HE was speaking to the church leaders who loved their titles, numbers of people in their congregation and most of all the amounts of money to be had. These leaders had overlooked the ONE who deserved the best.

• GOD wants me to seek true humility that resonates from HIM.
• GOD wants me to need JESUS to be first instead of “me” getting the credit.
• GOD wants me to accept being a servant seeking to bring people to HIM.

Having a title is not the problem, its needing the title that caused blindness, When I seek to be more and more, then GOD may say, “That seat is reserved for someone else” and tell me to sit somewhere outside of HIS kingdom.

GOD wants me to recognize HIS power and accept HIM as being GOD. HE is supreme and JESUS has the rightful seat above everyone. I seek to be less so HE can make me more. HE is my savior.

• Do you feel you deserve more?
• What are you seeking in your heart?
• Can you place GOD above all things and allow HIM to guide you to the place you need to be?

I Don’t Want Justice

Esther 7: ⁸ Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining.

The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?”

As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. ⁹ Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.”

The king said, “Impale him on it!” ¹⁰ So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided.

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Bragging was an art in the position I was in. It was concealed by the words “self-promotion” mixed in with a hint of “praising my team.” I wasn’t always a master at it though. One day I blurted out “I” worked hard and “I accomplished whatever. I did this because I was tired of my thieving boss stealing credit for ideas he had no clue about.  I was pulled aside and told “don’t ever do that again. “What” I said innocently. “Don’t be a braggart.” I was labeled a trouble maker for a while until I learned the right bragging mix.

• Spotlight seemed like the place I wanted to be.
• Headline seemed like the words I wanted to hear.
• Top spot seemed like the place I deserved.

Haman was a braggart who would do anything to gain power. He ordered to have GOD’s people murdered, simply because he didn’t like them or how they were handling things. He would then self-promote about his wealth and title. Little did he know his demise was around the corner. He received GOD’s justice. I felt the same way when I was looked at as the troublemaker. What was I to do?

• GOD says “Do not think more highly of yourself.”
• GOD says “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.”
• GOD says “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

True humility is what GOD is looking for, not the fake stuff I sprinkle here and there when I can tally how humble I have been when I rant to GOD in a tantrum. GOD is looking for the times when I have served and no one knows about what I have done but HIM and me. Service cannot wipe away sin rather it is a celebration of not receiving GOD’s justice.

• Are you bragging about something?
• Are you mad at someone because you are doing more of the work or you are “better” than them?
• Are you yelling at GOD and telling HIM how humble you have lived?
• Can you leave the humble judging to HIM?

True Power

1 Chronicles 11: ⁹ And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord Almighty was with him.

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Frustrated after years of being passed over, I moved on to another company. When I arrived me and another guy received the highest scores on the internal testing and we were soon quite known in the “freshmen” crop of the company. One of the partners picked me to work with him on an assignment. Wow, I’m getting the power I wanted and I did it all by myself!

Thinking more highly of myself messed me up. Yes I understood the material but had no examples or information to back up my knowledge. I crashed and burned!

This kind of thing happened over and over throughout my career.  I would think more highly of myself and felt I “deserved” a raise of promotion because “I” was too valuable to the company. GOD says different.

• GOD says “Do not think more highly of yourself.”
• GOD says “Worship the LORD as your one and only GOD.”
• GOD says “No one can stand against you with MY strength.”

I had to realize that it is GOD who raised me to the heights I was at. It wasn’t my knowledge or quick thinking or self-promotion that got me to where I was, nor was it an eggshell that I stepped on to take me to lows in my life.

GOD cannot be controlled by my acts of faith nor does HE react to every sin I commit, otherwise I could manage GOD to get HIM to do my bidding. GOD wants me to understand HIS vast and marvelous power.

He is supreme which means even when I am doing everything right, HE can tear me down and put me on another course of HIS choosing. HE can also build me up even when I don’t believe in myself or HIS power enough to do HIS plan.

GOD is amazing and unpredictable. HE wants me to rely on HIS power to accomplish HIS plan for me.

• Are you complaining about where you are working?
• Do you think more highly of yourself?
• Do you feel you “deserve” a raise?
• Can you pay attention to where GOD has you and be content?

The danger of pointing at myself

Deuteronomy 13 If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, ² and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” ³ you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. 

The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. ⁴ It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. 

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“Why am I not getting promoted?” I asked a mentor. He said, “You need to learn the art of self-promotion.” It’s when I tell people how great I am without looking like a braggart. I tried it and it worked! In fact it worked so well that I used it when speaking about “church” not GOD. 

I promoted “churches” and eventually the positions I held within them. Soon people were looking at me. I was now an icon. Now I couldn’t tell people about my sins, people would be so disappointed!

• My desire to be promoted may spill into other areas of my life.
• My desire to be noticed may make me do things contrary to what I’m supposed to be doing.
• My desire to be in the spotlight may take the stage away from the being who is supposed to have it.

Please don’t get me wrong… it is perfectly fine to let people know accomplishments and to be excited about how GOD is blessing me, but my motive has to be carefully examined to see if “I” need to tell people or should this wonderful situation remain between me and GOD.

Angels have incredible power, yet when John tried to bow to one of them the angel immediately stopped him and pointed to GOD. The angel knew something very important.

• All blessings come from GOD.
• All eyes should be on GOD not on me in any way.
• All thanks and praise should go to HIM not me.

It’s nice to hear when I am doing a good job. Who wouldn’t want to hear it? BUT GOD requires that I point the people to HIM so HE can give me my reward instead of stealing HIS light.

• Are you following a human?
• Are you trying to get humans to follow you?
• Can you place GOD above all humans, even yourself?
• Won’t you stop promoting the thing that is less than GOD and point people to HIM again?