Tag: Shame

33. “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord”

 

Matthew 13:44  “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. 

 Proverbs 2:2-5     making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;  yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,  if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,  then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.

 Romans 15:4     For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

 Proverbs 17:16     Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom when he has no sense?

 Philippians 3:7-9   But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ  and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—

 Revelation 3:18     I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.

In the first parable, the field is the world and the treasure is each and every believer to come. Jesus gave everything to redeem the whole world to preserve the treasure in it – Those who would believe, trust, honor, follow, and obey Him. 

In the second parable, Jesus is the buyer for the kingdom of heaven and the pearl is the individual believer that He sees so valuable that He freely and happily would give His all to have them forever.  (Guzik)

Scripture is also clear on the responsibility of all mankind to likewise search, seek, and desire God like a great treasure of wisdom, understanding, knowledge, gold, silver, and bread and water to a starving and thirsty soul. The world and its troubles and pleasures can and do have an influence on the hearts of people. It can blind their eyes and deafen their ears to things of God. When God and things of God get pushed down and buried under the things of this world there is still hope for the person who at their depth of despair would humble themselves and call on God. He is ever calling out to the lost who have wondered aimlessly apart from truth, hope, and faith in Him. To some, it is if this treasure of God is deemed worthless and even when they see it they cast it aside. To others, it is such great worth that they willingly and intentionally choose it above all things this world has to offer. They humbly surrender selfish desire and hope to gain eternity in heaven. They gladly discard the promises this world has to offer to gain joy, peace, rest, refuge, power, strength, courage, hope, faith, and love that only God can give.

30.s. “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God”

 

Matthew 5:6  “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

 Psalms 42:1-2   As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

 John 6:27    Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”

 Amos 8:11-13    “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.

 Psalms 107:9    For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

 Psalms 4:6-7   You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.

 Isaiah 55:1-3   “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.  Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.

 John 4:14     but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

 Isaiah 65:13    Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, my servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but you shall be put to shame;

This describes a profound thirst and hunger that cannot be satisfied by a sip or snack. This is a longing that endures and is never completely satisfied on this side of eternity. This desire is real, natural, intense, can be painful, and is a driving force. We surely hunger for many things: power, authority, success, comfort, happiness – but do we hunger and thirst for righteousness? Having the right heart, mind, and soul desire(s) will affect what we thirst and hunger for. If it is more, power, ease of life, success, etc then there will be a hunger and thirst that is never satisfying. It may satisfy for a moment in time but loses its ability to satisfy the longing of the soul.  The soul hungering and thirsting for righteousness, holiness, godliness, with a heart and soul-deep desire to humbly honor and glorify Jesus Christ, will be satisfied and nourished with living water and the bread of life – Jesus Christ. Though their hunger and thirst continue for knowledge and understanding of the love of God, their soul is satisfied in this pursuit all their days. True happiness and satisfaction for our souls will never come from what can be obtained in or from this world.  It is only found in humble surrender, trust, reliance, and obedience in believing and following Jesus Christ. That is our hope, our rest, our refuge, our eternal joy. Hunger and thirst for things of God and you will be satisfied, blessed, and find a satisfying and lasting peace that passes all earthly understanding.

28.m. “An example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity”

Philippians 3:17  Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

 1 Timothy 4:12   Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

 1 Peter 5:3    not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

 Romans 16:17    I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.

 While it is wrong to put our trust in any man, it is hypocritical for any Christian to say, “Do as I say, not as I do.” We are not sinless or are we perfect examples, but we can be good examples.  This is where many fall short.  They think they are defeated, not perfect, and because of this, they hide their faith, hope, and love. The hardest and easiest person to forgive is ourselves.  When we sin or fall back into a sinful act we can deny it and shrug it off and in doing so we grieve the Holy Spirit. We can also confess it and move on in faith that God has forgiven it. We can learn from it and what it is that has triggered us to so easily fall into this sin.  We might see that we have neglected time in His Word, or become complacent in seeking and desiring His Will in our lives.  We might see that at that moment just before committing to that sin we heard a quiet whisper from the Holy Spirit and we intentionally chose to close our heart and mind to its warning and leading.  So we either shrug it off and say “I am weak” and carry this thought around in defeat day after day until we forget about it.  We don’t realize that the weight of these unconfessed burdens robs us of our witness and victory in Christ.  We no longer see ourselves as a person to imitate.  In fact, we may go so far as to just blend in both with the world and our Christian brothers/sisters so that no one can call us out as being a hypocrite.  Satan will use every defeat to beat you into a lukewarm non-committed intimidated unrecognized Christian, when we should be confessing, trusting, relying on, obeying, and living victoriously in Jesus Christ.  Are we sinless? No. Are we perfect? No. Should we allow this to keep us from being a living example of what it means to rely on, trust in, believing in, hoping in, following after, and obeying Jesus Christ? No. If we start living every moment of every day with an earnest desire to honor and glorify Jesus Christ our lives will be an example of victorious living in the power of the Holy Spirit with acts of love, grace, mercy, joy, hope, faith, purity, generosity, kindness, forgiveness, patience, endurance, and courage and thereby an example to be imitated.

28.k. “Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead”

Philippians 3:13  But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

 Luke 9:62   Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

 Hebrews 12:1-2    Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

“Just as a little child is a perfect human being, but still is far from perfect in all his development as man, so the true child of God is also perfect in all parts, although not yet perfect in all the stages of his development in faith.” (Muller)

When Spain led the world (in the 15th century), her coins reflected her national arrogance and were inscribed Ne Plus Ultra which meant “Nothing Further” – meaning that Spain was the ultimate in all the world. After the discovery of the New World, she realized that she was not the end of the world, so Spain changed the inscription on her coinage to Plus Ultra meaning “More Beyond.” In the same pattern, some Christian lives say, “Nothing Further” and others say “More Beyond.” Herein is the dilemma in the Christian’s life – “Nothing further” or “More beyond”.  Some will live as though there is no need for further growth.  They have obtained a level of satisfaction and comfort in their lives and see no need to actively pursue growth/maturity.  It is very shallow thinking that comes to the conclusion that “I am saved and going to heaven end of story”.  Too often this is where Christians land.  They take off with a thunderous thrust only to land softly and never take flight again.  It is in flight where we draw closer to Jesus Christ, and where we start to gain more understanding and knowledge of the mighty grace, mercy and love He showered on us.  In-flight is where we allow the Holy Spirit to control the speed and direction.  It is where we are a willing passenger as it were, trusting in the pilot.  While there might be the temptation to take control of the flight, it is by faith, trust, reliance, and obedience that we relinquish any thought of taking control.  If I look back let it be to remember the saving grace that brought me to redemption and salvation and all of the mighty works God has performed.

26.k. “I have chosen the way of truth”

Paslms 119:25  My life is down in the dust; give me life through your word. I told you about my life, and you answered me; teach me your statutes. Help me understand the meaning of your precepts so that I can meditate on your wonders. I am weary from grief; strengthen me through your word. Keep me from the way of deceit and graciously give me your instruction. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set your ordinances before me. I cling to your decrees; Lord, do not put me to shame. I pursue the way of your commands, for you broaden my understanding.

Revival comes from a sense of spiritual need and lowliness. In the Biblical and historical sense, true revival is marked by a shamed awareness of sin and an urgency to confess and make things right. God uses His word in bringing revival. “Can each one of us now say, in this sense, ‘I have declared my ways’ to the Lord? For this should be done, not only at our first coming to him but continually throughout the whole of our life. We should look over each day, and sum up the errors of the day, and say, ‘I have declared my ways,’ – my naughty ways, my wicked ways, my wandering ways, my backsliding ways, my cold, in different ways, my proud ways.’” (Spurgeon)  The psalmist understood that he needed more than knowledge; he also needed understanding. With both, he would meditate on God’s wonderful works. With a deep understanding, we will go beyond a mere understanding of the words to a Spirit-led understanding of what they reveal about the nature of God, the gospel, and God’s ways.” (Boice) If we are to be kept from sin, it must be by the grace of God exercised through the teaching of his Word.” “Men do not drop into the right way by chance; they must choose it, and continue to choose it, or they will soon wander from it.” (Spurgeon) The psalmist understood that if he were to give himself entirely to God – to cling to His word as a shipwrecked man clings to a floating plank in the sea – then he could trust that God would not allow him to be put…to shame. This was well-placed confidence. “Having once chosen our road, it remains that we persevere in it; since better had it been for us never to have known the way of truth than to forsake it when known.” (Horne)

26.h. “You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!”

Psalms 119:1  Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. I will praise you with an upright heart when I learn your righteous rules. I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!

Blessed are those whose way is blameless (undefiled).  Being “blessed” – happy, joyful, cheerful, satisfied, content, and at peace seems to be a rarity in very many people. There is so much stuff out there that quickly captures our thoughts away from things of God. Open up any online media source that is proclaiming news.  You will not find one mention of God’s Word other than to use it wrongly or to prove a point against God. These outlets of societal worldly thoughts want to tell you how to be happy, satisfied, and content.  They will bend the truth, lie, cause fear, make boasts, cast doubts, and most assuredly will promote what seems right for the time or in the eyes.  Think about how much of your time and brain is consumed by this rubbish of foolishness.  You hear people say “I read where”, “I saw that”, “so and so said”, “I saw on the news”, “they say”, etc…. Do you ever hear “God’s Word says”? What would it be like if every news and social media outlet would have an editor who reviewed what was being said in light of scripture? What would our government officials be saying if everything they said were as if God was listening? When there is no hunger and thirst, desire and longing, and wanting for God’s Word, what comes out of the heart will be seasoned and filled with what those void of God’s Word want to hear.  

There is nothing more worthy of our time than God’s Word.  There is nothing more precious than God’s Word and His promises. There is nothing more satisfying than God’s Word. There is nothing that can bring peace to the heart, mind, and soul than God’s Word. There is nothing more powerful than God’s Word. There is nothing more that can give courage, hope, and joy than God’s Word. And yet, day after day we choose to neglect it in search of what only it can bring into our lives. There is no excuse to neglect or become complacent with God’s Word. 

24.x. “On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.”

 

2 Corintihians 1:8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

 Psalms 44:6-7   For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me.  But you have saved us from our foes and have put to shame those who hate us.

 Proverbs 28:26    Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.

 Jeremiah 9:23-24     Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,  but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.”

 Jeremiah 17:5-7    Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD.  He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.  “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.

Whatever the problem was, it was bad. Because of this problem, Paul lived with the awareness that he might die at any time.  He was able to able to learn from this and say – “not to rely on ourselves but on God”.  He has delivered us, He is delivering us, and He will deliver us – past, present, future.  David, though he used bow and sword, said that he did not trust in them even thought there was victory – It was all of God and not by their might, talent, power, or strength that victory was gained.  

It is when we seek deliverance and rely on self, how is God to help?  Life is marked by events, and our life is lived either in anticipation of those events (looking to the future) or in reflection upon them (looking to the past). In either situation, stress is a possibility. We may be concerned about what is coming, or we may be exhausted by what has happened. Whenever life drains you of strength, let God be your source for refreshment (Psalm 23:1-3). Make prayer your first choice when it comes to unburdening your soul of what this world has done, is doing, and will do that adversely affects you. God is not limited and will deliver you. His strength, His power, His might, His timing.

22.q. “Search me, O God, and know my heart!”

1 Corinthians 15:34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

Hebrews 5:11-12    About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.  For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,

Jeremiah 9:3

“They bend their tongues like bows; lies prevail over truth in the land. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not take Me into account,” declares the LORD.

Matthew 22:29

Jesus answered, “You are mistaken because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.

Psalms 119:11   I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Psalms 139:23  Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Wake Up!  Stop living like a drunk person who is unable to reason with a sound mind. Have you lost all of your senses? You are living in ways that are sinful. Can’t you see it?  Are you aware that some of you have no knowledge of God for you are disgracefully ignorant of Him, and ignore His truths.  Paul is making a point.  “Test and evaluate yourselves to see whether you are in the faith and living your lives as [committed] believers. Examine yourselves [not me]! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves [by an ongoing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test and are rejected as counterfeit?” 

We can all get sideways in our walk with God.  When His Word is put aside and our interests seem to leave no time for it, is when we fall into a void and subject ourselves to wrong thinking and acting.  Test what you do against what is written in God’s Word.  Have a heart that asks God to show you where you are not honoring Him and be willing to receive instruction through His Word and leading.  It is a lonely path leading to a void of instruction when we choose to put aside His Word for the interest of other things.

22.b. “So that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”

1 Corinthians 1:26  For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Though we did not have or display worldly wisdom so as to be seen as wise, we have been given and shown Godly wisdom. Though we were weak we have been made strong in Godly strength and power.  Though we were not of noble birth we have been given a much higher calling and rebirth through Jesus Christ.  When you stop to think about what we were prior to being saved by grace, it is beyond worldly wisdom to describe.  We were lost, without hope, powerless, and seduced by what the world has to offer, and then we were not.  It is not as though we did something or learned how to change our lot in life to gain this wisdom, power, and new birth (earned it).  It was by the grace of God alone.  Our hearts were softened, our minds were made to understand, and we were given free will to grab hold of this Good News in and through Jesus Christ.  Some may think they deserve this act of grace from God because of how they have lived a good life.  If God’s grace could be earned then Christ died in vain.  It is not by works we are saved but by grace. Grace alone.  If we were given what we deserve we would all be doomed to eternal hell.  “For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”  Grace, God’s Grace alone made way for eternal life.  

There is another type of person who knows they do not deserve God’s grace and find it hard to accept God’s grace.  Once again they are tied to the thought that some part of them must merit God’s grace (earn it).  Come as you are to the throne of grace and believe in Jesus Christ.  It is when you come surrendered before Him with empty hands, a scarred soul, battered heart, troubled mind, and without any hope in self that you will find the wisdom of God’s Grace and the mystery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Still, there is another type who have come surrendered before Him and grabbed hold of His grace through Jesus Christ, and yet they continue to restrict their communion with God because they do not think they deserve His favor.  They are right they do not.  His favor is not deserved, it is given.  Too many times Satan has convinced these saved souls that their past sins make them unworthy of God’s continued grace and blessings.  These sins are thrown into their faces day after day by Satan, accusing them of their past and how unworthy they are to even pray to God.  Their lives do not have many prayers because they are convinced that they will leave it into God’s hands because they are unworthy to ask of Him.  This is a sad state to be in.  Lacking communion with our heavenly Father.  When God says that your sins are as far as the east is from the west and though your sins are blood-red they will be white as snow and when you have been forgiven, your sins are no more, then they are gone.  Satan will tell you how unworthy you are and that these sins are who you are.  Reject these thought temptations.  You are a child of the King, forgiven of your sins, and as a child, we can go godly before the throne of grace and ask our heavenly Father what is on our heart.  Even if we ask wrongly the Holy Spirit will show us rightly.  God is able to do more than we ask and much more than we can think.

21.r. “For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

 

 

 Corintians 1:18  For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

 Jeremiah 8:9   The wise men shall be put to shame; they shall be dismayed and taken; behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD, so what wisdom is in them?

 Psalms 119:98-100   Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me.  I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.  I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts.

When we hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ there are many implications to consider.  The path of wisdom begins by believing in God with reverent fear and confident trust and reliance.  The path of foolishness denies and rejects that God exists and has reached out to mankind and made himself known to His creation.  

The path of wisdom becomes aware of sin and confesses, repents, and turns away from it.  The path of foolishness rejects and denies sin has eternal consequences.

The path of wisdom feeds on the Word of God and continues to desire and seek to humbly know, honor, and glorify God by and through His Word.  The path of foolishness rejects the Word of God and denies it has any power or wisdom.

The path of wisdom seeks God first and tries to understand the world we live in through Him.  The path of foolishness seeks worldly wisdom first and then tries to prove and eliminate anything of God.

The path of wisdom begins with and ends with God.  Any attempt to find wisdom apart from Him is foolishness.  When a heart seeks and desires wisdom from God, God will give it. Trying to find wisdom in God’s word but never spending any time in or meditating upon it is foolish.