ME ME ME

Image result for clip art showing selfishness I ran upon 3 John 1:9"I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, LIKES TO PUT HIMSELF FIRST, does not acknowledge our authority." In the church or outside the church the spirit of Diotrephes is screaming in evidence.  It is no wonder that relationships are awry in the home and family,there are divisions in the body of Christ, and everyone is seeking to argue and dispute somebody, anybody. In the name of frustration and disappointment or anger, vile language and emotions are out of control.  Check out the media.  Check out the family.  Check out the body of Christ. Check out government.  Check out the business world.  Granted this spirit of Diotrephes or MEism should not be prevalent among Christ followers but it is as common among us as among those who do not profess Jesus as Savior and Lord.  

Rather than look "out there", it is time for us, me, as the body of Christ to take an inward and individual accounting to check out spirits.  It is far too easy to blame everyone else and the circumstances because that means I do not have to scrutinize my own heart and motives, and feel righteous in my judgments. It also suggests that I don't have to make any adjustments in my own attitudes or behavior.

3 John 1:11 commands me to not imitate evil but imitate good. Note the last part of the verse, "Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God."  I get to account and remind myself, ME, that I get to deny myself and take up my cross and follow the LORD JESUS.  Another opportunity to humble myself under the hand of Mighty God and trust Him to raise me up when HE is ready. 1 Peter 5:6. I can choose to resist the evil one and be obedient or I can be miserable and choose ME ME ME. OH ME!    

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

LAST THOUGHT ON LEVITICUS

Image
  For the first time in many years, I have enjoyed reading through Leviticus.  I have skipped it several times and read on.  This go round, I have sought to focus on some thoughts, words, phrases, or practices that God had instituted for the Israelites and their physical and spiritual well-being.  The Ten Commandments and many of the laws have real practical value for society and the Christ follower today.  The Lord God gave them a standard, a commandment, which is applicable for today, "You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees.  I am the Lord (Jehovah) your God (Elohim).  Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them.  I am the LORD."  Leviticus 18:4-5   My concluding thought from Leviticus is this admonition or commandment:  " You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own."  Leviticus 20:26.  Even though spoken to Israel, the truth of being holy is directe
Read more

REHEARSALS

Image
  I wonder how much time do I give to rehearsing God's goodness and how He has intervened in my life to "save" me from myself?  How alike the Israelites I can be, complaining about what goes wrong, how it affects me, and what I lack.  As a Christ follower, I have the Indwelling Holy Spirit to give me remembrance NOT of my complaining and grumbling, but of a recall of God's faithfulness to me.  It is recorded in Psalms 78 and 106 that " They forgot what He had done, the wonder He had shown them", "They did not remember His power--the day He redeemed them from the oppressor...", "They did not remember Your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.", "But they soon forgot what He had done and did not wait for His counsel.", and "They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt...". Contrast with me, God's remembrance: Ps. 106:44-46, "But He took note of their distress
Read more

ORDER AND DESIGN

Image
    I do not have OCD, but I do confess that I like order in my home.  Now that I am retired, I am not so much into spotless, but "picked up" and "kinda" clean. (Do not open drawers and closets!) I might go to more trouble when I know I am having company, but otherwise, I remove the clutter that seems to reproduce on its own.   When I began the reading in Genesis in January, I was again taken with the with the orderliness and design of God in creation, and have seen Him use Moses and Aaron to ORDERLY marshal the Israelites to move out of Egypt. How do you move some 600+ males and that is not even wives and children? Animals also?  They have been one year+ out of Egypt, and have been camped at Mt. Sinai where God has given them laws for their spiritual and physical welfare.  God gives Moses the design of the Tabernacle and Moses is able to bring together the workers to complete the Tabernacle.   The clip art at the top is the positioning of the 12 Tribes and the
Read more