FROM WHERE DO YOU GAIN CONFIDENCE?
JESUS OR THE WORLD?

May 16, 2010 am
MF Blume


Philippians 3:3-10 Complete Apostles' Bible  (3)  For we are the true circumcision, worshipping by the Spirit of God, rejoicing in Christ Jesus, and having no confidence in the flesh,  (4)  although I also am having confidence in the flesh. If any other person thinks to have confidence in the flesh, I even more:  (5)  circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; with respect to the law, a Pharisee;  (6)  with respect to zeal, persecuting the church; with respect to righteousness which is in the law, blameless.  (7)  But such things as were gain to me, these I have considered loss for the sake of Christ.  (8)  More than that I also consider all things to be loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have sustained the loss of all things, and I consider them to be rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ  (9)  and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;  (10)  so as to know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,

Luke 16:13-20 KJV  No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.  (14)  And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.  (15)  And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.  (16)  The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.  (17)  And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.  (18)  Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.  (19)  There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:  (20)  And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
   


Mankind seeks above everything else in life to feel a needed part of something SIGNIFICANT in this world.

I recommend a book entitled SATAN'S DIRTY LITTLE SECRET, by Steve Foss.

Genesis 3:1 Complete Apostles' Bible  (1)  (3:2) Now the serpent was the most crafty of all the brutes on the earth, which the Lord God made. And the serpent said to the woman, Has God truly said, Eat not of every tree of the garden?


If you are not sure of whether or not God is correct, then how secure can you be if you cannot trust God's WORD?

Genesis 3:4-5 Complete Apostles' Bible  (4)  (3:5) And the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die!  (5)  (3:6) For God knew that in whatever day you should eat of it, your eyes would be opened, and you would be as gods, knowing good and evil.



If there are two things that so successfully attack the human race and even Christians who are born again and serving the Lord, THEY ARE INSECURITY AND INFERIORITY.

People desire to be needed in something very significant in this world.

Jesus attacked the Pharisees source of significance -- Law.

Matthew 6:5 KJV  And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

People can use things of GOD to exalt themselves in the eyes of people and impress people.

I know people in the ministry who had worked and built up a half decent sized church congregation over the years who expressed jealous anger over the thoughts of a younger ministry coming in and taking the reigns and, as it was in their minds, getting the ATTENTION AND IMPRESSING PEOPLE with the attention they used to get and how people were impressed by them.

When Jesus spoke against the Pharisees and their source of identity in this world, HE SPOKE OF KINGDOM.

Luke 16:(14)  And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.  (15)  And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.  (16)  The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

Jesus even spoke of the rich man and Lazarus.

In the eyes of Israel in that day, the Pharisees were the respected ones and had the esteem of the people.

A Christian who seeks not the esteem of men but of God is looked down upon as a BEGGAR.

Luke 16:19-23 KJV  There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:  (20)  And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,  (21)  And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  (22)  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;  (23)  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Luke 16:25 KJV  But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

Notice Abraham called this rich man "SON."

John 8:33-39 KJV  They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?  (34)  Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.  (35)  And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.  (36)  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.  (37)  I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.  (38)  I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.  (39)  They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

Jesus was definitely speaking of the PHARISEES and CHRISTIANS when he spoke of the rich man  and Lazarus.

But we continue to think like the world and act so worldly by desiring to drive the fancy cars around town and wear fancy clothing.

We feed the fleshly part of us when we connect our identities to things of the world, and actually walk after the flesh.

Psalms 10:3-4 Complete Apostles' Bible  (3)  Because the sinner praises himself for the desires of his heart; and the unjust one blesses himself.  (4)  The sinner has provoked the Lord: according to the abundance of his pride he will not seek after Him; God is not before him.

1 Peter 3:3-4 Complete Apostles' Bible  (3)  Of whom let it not be the outward adorning of braiding of hair, and wearing of gold, or of putting on of fine clothes,  (4)  rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible attitude of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious before God.

Paul taught us to have as though having not.

1 Corinthians 7:30-31 KJV  (30)  And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;  (31)  And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

You have to be EXTREMELY CAREFUL WITH ANYTHING IN THE WORLD, like being careful with medicine that can become ADDICTIVE AND CONTROL YOU if you have too much of it.

Galatians 6:15 Complete Apostles' Bible  (15)  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but a new creation.

2 Corinthians 5:16 Complete Apostles' Bible  (16)  Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.

Colossians 3:10-11 Complete Apostles' Bible  (10)  and have put on the new man who is renewed in full knowledge according to the image of Him who created it,  (11)  where there is not Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.


Paul knew the issue of real value and confidence.

Satan will see someone used of God and have folks attack them, to make them feel insecure and inferior.

When it really bothers us that we come to a place in life and do no have the things we expected to have by this time, and do not have the position we expected to have, and do not have the ESTEEM FROM PEOPLE that we sought to have, WE ARE HINDERING THE KINGDOM.

Matthew 16:21-25 KJV  From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.  (22)  Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.  (23)  But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.  (24)  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  (25)  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Savouring the things of men and not the things of God is what hinders the KINGDOM.

Carefully check our lives and see if we truly get depressed or insecure and inferior because we DO NOT HAVE THIS OR DO NOT HAVE THAT or people cannot see the things that impress them in our lives.

Paul had to speak to the Corinthians about his sincerity in ministry at one point in his life and made these comments, showing where a true Christian heart should be.

2 Corinthians 6:8-10 KJV  (8)  By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;  (9)  As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;  (10)  As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.