Why Are We Bothered With Troubles (2)
Life in the Fast Lane
I Timothy 3:1 – 7
Paul has addressed the perilous (dangerous) times that we will endure in the last days. We know that as dangerous as our country has become in work, play, and just everyday living that we have become safety conscious. We know that many dangers can be avoided if we change our ways. As we read this particular passage, we could probably agree that many of the things Paul outlines from verse 2 through 7 are contributing issues to dangerous times in our lives. Verse 2 of this passage starts off, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,” and of course the list goes on.
There are a lot of things to cover in this passage, but I want us to look at the first statement. “For men shall be lovers of their own selves.” I would like to say that there is no time in history that is more tied to this scripture than it is now. However, you can find it throughout God’s Word where many men have been about self. The phrase, “lovers of their own selves,” means that people will be about doing things that they want to do and not necessarily concerned about others or what others might think, much less God. Becky occasionally has told me, when in a conversation about something, “Not every thing is about you.” Sometimes we need to realize it is not about us. Most people are really selfish. We have to have the best of everything and can’t be satisfied with what we have. I know I have to fight myself when I see something that I really want. If I don’t, I usually get it anyway. Selfishness goes deeper than that though. We see people in need, and ignore them. If we give them something we think we should be honored by other men, or at least seen by others. We have this attitude of, “Did you see what I did?” If someone donates something to the church or to people, or to an organization, even our churches make plaques. And if they don’t, we want to know why.
I am reminded of the prayers of two men. Jesus told some people, which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others, a parable about these two men in Luke 18:9 – 13. He said, “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. Then Jesus laid it on the line when He said, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” This is what Paul is talking about in this passage. There are two types of people. One chooses to look down his nose at people and uplift himself. The other has humility, and is willing to depend on God for salvation and later, other things. I would almost bet that the Publican, when forgiven, even helped others. We can see the humility in this man’s prayer. He acknowledged that he was worthless. This Pharisee fits the category in a lot of the ways Paul was telling Timothy about. You don’t see humility in his prayer; do you? Ask yourself this question; what category do you fit in?
Many people have been saved, but their thoughts and their ways are as the Pharisee. They think their religion has brought their relationship closer to God, but their attitude and self love has separated them from the relationship that they need from God. For the ones who have the attitude of the Publican, they see themselves as using a phrase that I hear Dave Ramsey say. He says, “I am blessed; more than I deserve.” We all are blessed. However, to see the true blessings of God, we must not love ourselves more than we love HIM. What does that mean? It means we must first be willing to do as the disciples did when Jesus told them to “Follow ME.” They gave up what they loved about themselves to really follow HIM. All people, this great nation, and the whole world need to see that it really isn’t about us; and it shouldn’t be. It’s all about the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ.
So, what part of the statement fits you? Do you love self more than God? A simple test will answer that for you. Are you really serving God, or are you doing just what you want too? You say, “I go to church.” That’s not the question; there are many people who go to church, but their relationship with the Lord is not strong, because they don’t allow HIM to be first in their lives. Another might say, ‘Well I don’t like to go to church, or I don’t like that preacher or some of those people, etc., and that is why I’m not going to church. Is that being all about self, or is it putting God first? Another question, Will that excuse be suitable to Jesus? If many would tell the truth, there are more of us who put self before the Lord many times. There are perilous times in the wicked old world, and there are perilous times in many peoples hearts. Loving our own self is a contributor to the perilous times that Paul talks about, and in our hearts. Because, when we put self before God, then there really is no real peace. In the movie, “Air Force One,” Harrison Ford is playing the part of the President. When addressing at crowd, at a dinner, he said, “It’s not the absence of war that brings peace. Real peace comes with the presence of Justice.” Jesus is the only one that can bring real peace to our lives and to this world. Let him calm the wars in your life; get out of HIS way by denying self.
Life in the Fast Lane
I Timothy 3:1 – 7
Paul has addressed the perilous (dangerous) times that we will endure in the last days. We know that as dangerous as our country has become in work, play, and just everyday living that we have become safety conscious. We know that many dangers can be avoided if we change our ways. As we read this particular passage, we could probably agree that many of the things Paul outlines from verse 2 through 7 are contributing issues to dangerous times in our lives. Verse 2 of this passage starts off, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,” and of course the list goes on.
There are a lot of things to cover in this passage, but I want us to look at the first statement. “For men shall be lovers of their own selves.” I would like to say that there is no time in history that is more tied to this scripture than it is now. However, you can find it throughout God’s Word where many men have been about self. The phrase, “lovers of their own selves,” means that people will be about doing things that they want to do and not necessarily concerned about others or what others might think, much less God. Becky occasionally has told me, when in a conversation about something, “Not every thing is about you.” Sometimes we need to realize it is not about us. Most people are really selfish. We have to have the best of everything and can’t be satisfied with what we have. I know I have to fight myself when I see something that I really want. If I don’t, I usually get it anyway. Selfishness goes deeper than that though. We see people in need, and ignore them. If we give them something we think we should be honored by other men, or at least seen by others. We have this attitude of, “Did you see what I did?” If someone donates something to the church or to people, or to an organization, even our churches make plaques. And if they don’t, we want to know why.
I am reminded of the prayers of two men. Jesus told some people, which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others, a parable about these two men in Luke 18:9 – 13. He said, “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. Then Jesus laid it on the line when He said, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” This is what Paul is talking about in this passage. There are two types of people. One chooses to look down his nose at people and uplift himself. The other has humility, and is willing to depend on God for salvation and later, other things. I would almost bet that the Publican, when forgiven, even helped others. We can see the humility in this man’s prayer. He acknowledged that he was worthless. This Pharisee fits the category in a lot of the ways Paul was telling Timothy about. You don’t see humility in his prayer; do you? Ask yourself this question; what category do you fit in?
Many people have been saved, but their thoughts and their ways are as the Pharisee. They think their religion has brought their relationship closer to God, but their attitude and self love has separated them from the relationship that they need from God. For the ones who have the attitude of the Publican, they see themselves as using a phrase that I hear Dave Ramsey say. He says, “I am blessed; more than I deserve.” We all are blessed. However, to see the true blessings of God, we must not love ourselves more than we love HIM. What does that mean? It means we must first be willing to do as the disciples did when Jesus told them to “Follow ME.” They gave up what they loved about themselves to really follow HIM. All people, this great nation, and the whole world need to see that it really isn’t about us; and it shouldn’t be. It’s all about the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ.
So, what part of the statement fits you? Do you love self more than God? A simple test will answer that for you. Are you really serving God, or are you doing just what you want too? You say, “I go to church.” That’s not the question; there are many people who go to church, but their relationship with the Lord is not strong, because they don’t allow HIM to be first in their lives. Another might say, ‘Well I don’t like to go to church, or I don’t like that preacher or some of those people, etc., and that is why I’m not going to church. Is that being all about self, or is it putting God first? Another question, Will that excuse be suitable to Jesus? If many would tell the truth, there are more of us who put self before the Lord many times. There are perilous times in the wicked old world, and there are perilous times in many peoples hearts. Loving our own self is a contributor to the perilous times that Paul talks about, and in our hearts. Because, when we put self before God, then there really is no real peace. In the movie, “Air Force One,” Harrison Ford is playing the part of the President. When addressing at crowd, at a dinner, he said, “It’s not the absence of war that brings peace. Real peace comes with the presence of Justice.” Jesus is the only one that can bring real peace to our lives and to this world. Let him calm the wars in your life; get out of HIS way by denying self.
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