BOASTING

Sometimes in my prayer time the Lord speaks to me and tells me how HE feels about what I am up to.  Sometimes correction and then sometimes vision and encouragement and approval.   I tend to think it is just me talking in my head, to me, when approval.  But then the love is there so strong that I simple walk away feeling good.   But like giving, it would spoil it to say much about it.  And I need to get so very quiet to really hear and know the voice of the Holy Spirit .   And, in fact, Jesus came to us in the same loving  humility and total loving obedience and made of himself no reputation,   Isa.53:2, “For He [the Servant of God] grew up before Him like a tender shoot (plant),  And like a root out of dry ground;  He has no stately form or majestic splendor That we would look at Him,  Nor [handsome] appearance that we would [a] be attracted to Him.”

“We do not go beyond our proper limit, boasting in the work of other men, but we have the hope that as your faith [in Christ and His divine power] continues to grow, our field among you may be greatly expanded [but still within the limits of our commission], so that we may preach the gospel even in the lands beyond you, but not to boast in work already accomplished in another one’s field of activity. However, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” For it is not he who commends and praises himself who is approved [by God], but it is the one whom the Lord commends and praises,”   2 Cor. 10:15-18.

Philippians 2:6-8, “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

John 5:31-32,   Jesus said:  “ If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true (valid.)  32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.

1 John 4:17, “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as HE is, so are we in this world.”   Key Words:   Humility & Loving Obedience….

So one of the evil traditions that we need to avoid is to be concerned about what others think or say about us while,  through pride, only seek to elevate themselves or about elevating ourselves.  Our commandment from the Holy Spirit is to share and lift up Jesus and HIM alone and nothing else.   What HE feels to do with us is totally up to HIM, if we are  truly HIS?.  Whether we are on the front line or out in the south 40 acre  pasture it should make no difference to us as long as we are in Him and HE is in us   And we need to be house cleaning the many rooms of our house, for HIM.     The Holy Spirit can not fill, what is not empty.    Unless we take out our TRASH there will be no more room for HIM in that room.   And most assuredly the Trash can also include other people with  their thought and influence who are not concerned about walking in HIS light nor being obedient to  the Holy Spirit.  You can not walk the walk and still be self centered.  You are either serving Him or You.  Who you serve, is your master.

For many years now, I have been watching,  in the many different ways, how people tend to promote themselves in false humility.   On the Web, I can tune into a topic of interest, hit the enter button, and get a ½ hour of self promotion on a product or service.  Then take the name to a search for reviews and find more than 50% of the reviews are negative.  So much for buying that product.  And there are several people in my life that I know, and when I talk to them, that they are going to make me feel small as they elevate themselves and seem sometimes to have a selective memory as to their spiritual value, worth and experience on earth.  In some cases I was even there and can remember none of it happening, that way,  at all?    Of course my memory is not iron clad, so do not make an issue of it.  One night at a House Meeting, I ask for some  testimonies to lift up Jesus.   One guy stood sharing for about an hour and never mentioned Jesus one time,  that I can remember,  but used the word “I” over a hundred times,  I got to counting.  Who was lifted up in all of that ?  Who do we boast about?

As I  read through the New Testament, Jesus did none of that.  In fact HE did not even bother to tell the Jewish Leaders of HIS day that HE was born in Bethlehem.   One of their top reasons for rejecting his ministry was that they thought HE was born in Nazareth of which there ix no prophesy concerning the coming of the messiah, especially from Nazareth.  In fact in the total time of His ministry I can find only two people that HE clearly told that HE was the promised Messiah, the woman at the well and the blind man that HE healed.  Neither were high rollers from the world’s perspective.

Matt. 5:16: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Luke 19:37, “And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen.”
Eph. 2:20,   “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
2 Tim.3:17, “That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
Titus 2:14, “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
Titus 3:8, “This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.”
James 2:20 “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?”
James 2:24, “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.”

When the completed Bride is Raptured to be with Jesus,  she will be a perfect match without spot, wrinkle or blemish and has made herself ready for her King, Rev. 19:7.   If little faith & not much oil of the Holy Spirit for the 1st  Resurrection, you might want to consider Matt. 25:11-13 & the Book of Jude and find Repentance….

Yours, in HIS great Love and wonderful Grace & Mercy, Ken<><    www.OhanaChurch.Life

Powerful words of Billy Graham:
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