Topic: Realities of Selfishness — Wednesday 29, November 2017.
Memorise: For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, – 2 Timothy 3:2
Read: Mark 12:28-31 (KJV)
28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Bible in One Year: Psalm 73-77, Micah 6:9-7:7, Hymn: Sing Hymn 6 – Deeper, Deeper
MESSAGE:
On the 22nd of this month, we saw that those Christians who always want everything to revolve around them and who always want to be in charge are yet to be broken. Another sign of not being broken is selfishness. The Holy Spirit, speaking through Paul, has forewarned the Church of God that selfishness will be the hallmark of sins committed during the last days. 2 Timothy 3:2 says,
“For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,”
Selfishness is all about falling in love with oneself to a point where everyone and everything else is second place. The height of selfishness is when you love yourself to the point of idolizing yourself; this is a form of idolatry, the Holy Spirit reveals one class of such people in Philippians 3:19, where He said:
“Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.”
It’s unfortunate that a lot of selfish people are mounting the pulpit of God today, parading themselves as ministers of the gospel. Such people do not serve the God of Heaven, but rather they serve their own stomachs. The goal and desires of selfish people revolve around the mundane things of this world. They can never be heavenly-minded.
Selfishness negates God’s eternal word in Mark 12:30 which says:
“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.”
God says you should love Him with all you have, but selfishness says “No, how can I love you when I have not even loved myself enough.” If you are a lover of self, you will always run into problems with God. To obey divine instructions and commands, you will often be required to displease yourself, and that is what a selfish person cannot do. If you are selfish, you will find it almost impossible to please God. A selfish person will hear messages on tithing but will find it difficult to tithe. Why? He would be calculating what he would lose if he gives up the tithe, and what he stands to gain from keeping those funds. A selfish person has no understanding of spiritual things. Are you controlled by love for God or by selfishness?
Key Point: As a young convert, you are to focus more on yourself in prayer. However, as you grow in the Lord, you are to focus more on others.
Hymn 6: Deeper Deeper
1. Deeper, deeper in the love of Jesus
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher in the school of wisdom,
More of grace to know.
Refrain:
Oh, deeper yet, I pray,
And higher every day,
And wiser, blessed Lord,
In Thy precious, holy Word.
2. Deeper, deeper, blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper still,
Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus,
And His perfect will.
3. Deeper, deeper! though it cost hard trials,
Deeper let me go!
Rooted in the holy love of Jesus,
Let me fruitful grow.
4. Deeper, higher, every day in Jesus,
Till all conflict past,
Finds me conqu’ror, and in His own image
Perfected at last.
5. Deeper, deeper in the faith of Jesus,
Holy faith and true;
In His pow’r and soul exulting wisdom
Let me peace pursue.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries.
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