Livin' for self, all focused on and obsessed with self while holding your magazine called "Self.." promoting yourself, with self-worship, exaltin' self, drawin' attention to self.
Hey man, there's a much better way to live!
"So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves.The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives.Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another." ~ Paul, Gal. 5:16-26 nlt
Are you standing free (Gal. 5:1)? Your freedom in Christ is a costly thing, for it cost Jesus His life. In Him, you stand free; the yoke of the law has been removed (Acts 15:6–11).Are you falling (4)? To fall from grace does not mean to lose one’s salvation. It means to move out of the sphere of grace into the sphere of law. It means to substitute regulations for a personal relationship with the Lord.Are you running on course (7)? Or has false teaching gotten you on a detour?Are you being leavened (9)? Jesus used leaven to picture sin (Matt. 16:6–12). Like yeast, false teaching is introduced quietly, it grows secretly, and soon it affects every part of your life.Are you serving others (13)? Freedom brings with it the responsibility to serve. Love motivates us to fulfill the law of God (Rom. 13:8–14).Are you walking in the Spirit (16)? Life, not law, changes behavior; and as you yield to the Spirit, Christ’s life is manifest in the fruit of the Spirit.Law works by compulsion from without, but grace works by compassion from within.
The great rival to God is not merely Satan, the world, or false religion—it is the enthronement of self.
From Genesis to Revelation, pride says, "My will be done." Faith says, "Your will be done."
The Bible's Diagnosis of Self-Exaltation
The first recorded sin in the universe was self-exaltation:
"You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God... I will make myself like the Most High.'" — Isaiah 14:13-14 nasb
The first temptation offered to humanity was self-exaltation:
"You will be like God." — Genesis 3:5
The first rebel king in Israel's history displayed the same spirit:
"Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, 'I will be king.'" — 1 Kings 1:5 (NKJV)
Notice the pattern:
Satan: "I will."Adam and Eve: "We will."Adonijah: "I will be king."The disciple: "Not my will, but Yours."
One path sadly exalts self. The other gladly exalts the Son of God -- Jesus!
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.." Phil. 2:4
Jesus did not say:
Improve yourself.Express yourself.Promote yourself.Esteem and focus on yourself.Discover yourself.
Self-denial is not self-hatred.
Self-denial is self-refusal.
It means saying:
No to self-rule.No to self-will.No to self-centeredness.No to self-glory.No to self-sovereignty.
And saying yes to Christ's rule.
The Great Exchange
The world system moronicly says:
"Find your truth and find yourself."
Jesus says:
"Lose yourself for My sake."
The world says:
"Like follow your heart, dude. Go with the flow, bro."
If the flow is going in the wrong direction with the masses of confused people, will you go with them off a cliff, or go against the stream?
The Bible says:
"The heart is more deceitful than all else." — Jeremiah 17:9 (NASB)
The world says:
"Believe in yourself."
The Bible says:
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart." — Proverbs 3:5
The corrupt world system stupidly says:
"Live your truth and by your truth alone."
There's only one truth, and all truth is God's. Jesus says:
"I am the truth." — John 14:6. He's the only way into God's holy heaven where you can enjoy eternal life.
Love Is Totally Opposite Of Self-Worship Or Any Misdireeted Worship
Paul's description of love in 1 Corinthians 13 is really a description of Christ. Is it also a description of you? What would your close friends say about that?
Love:
is patientis kindis humbleservessacrifices ..not (dead) religiously, but when the time, purpose and situation is right.
And:
"Love does not seek its own." 1 Corinthians 13:5 nkjv
The flesh asks:
"What's in it for me?"
Real agape Love asks:
"How can I assist, help and serve you?"
The fleshly nature asks:
"How can I be noticed like I deserve to be?"
Love asks:
"How can I point to the ultimate Solution -- how can Christ be magnified?"
Paul's Testimony
Paul went from self-promotion to self-denial:
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." Galatians 2:20 nasb
Notice he does not say:
"Christ helps me live."
He says:
"I no longer live."
The old self-centered life was nailed to the cross.
Oswald Chambers Was Right
Has it ever dawned on you that the more you seek first.. happiness for yourself.. the more it simply evades you. Wisely do Matthew 6:33 instead."The more you fulfill yourself the less you will seek God."
That observation harmonizes with Scripture:
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." — Matthew 6:21
A heart occupied with self has little room for God.
There Is A Better Way To Live
Jesus demonstrated the exact opposite of selfishness and self-exaltation:
"Although He existed in the form of God... He emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant... He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Philippians 2:6-8 nasb
The way up in God's Kingdom is down. The way down is to put yourself up. The Son of God did not climb upward.
He came downward.
He humbled Himself.
He served.
He sacrificed.
He loved.
And because of that:
"God highly exalted Him." Philippians 2:9
The biblical pattern is always:
Humility before honor.
Death before resurrection.
Self-denial before exaltation.
The cross before the crown.
As Dietrich Bonhoeffer famously wrote:
"When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die."
And as A.W. Tozer observed:
"The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One."
The Christian life is not fundamentally about improving self, promoting self, or fulfilling self.
It is about us each dying to self and to our own way, so that Christ may live through us. He is the only way for you and me, believer, and he daily has a specific way for you that is very good.
"He must increase, but I must decrease." — John 3:30 nkjv
J.B. said that, and it might just be the shortest definition of self-denial in the entire Bible.
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