Pam Padgett ... teacher
Matthew 18:1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 And Jesus called a little child unto
him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except
ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the
kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little
child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of
heaven.
humble: having or showing a modest or low estimate of
one's own importance
A little child doesn't have its "own"
importance. The little child simply goes where its parents take it, eats what
its parents give it, and plays with the toys provided by its parents. It is
totally dependent on its parents for everything. Then as the child develops,
it starts gaining a sense of accomplishment and importance as it is rewarded for
starting to speak and taking a first step. Trying to do things that are
perceived as "important" becomes a way of life for us.
But when we are
born again, we are called to go another way, a way of having no self
importance. We are to humble ourselves before God as a little child. Those
who humble themselves before God simply obey Him, allowing Him to do in their
lives as He wills.
While thinking about this, I was reminded that Jesus
told us a rich man will hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. One of the ways
we can be "rich" is to be full of importance in this world.
Matthew 19:23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say
unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24 And
again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
A
few days ago I was thinking about a few projects I worked on over the years
which were seen as "successful". A sense of pride and importance started
welling up in me, even though one of those projects was 20 years ago! I turned
to God, asking Him to help me get my flesh under control and was reminded that
Paul counted what he once considered "gain" to be dung. This is how important
our own works are in the sight of God ... as dung.
Phil. 3:7 But
what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless,
and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ
Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count
them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own
righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of
Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and
the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made
conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the
resurrection of the dead.
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Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
A few years ago, I used to pray Phil. 3:10 over myself ... That I may know him, and
the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made
conformable unto his death;
My neighbor and her family identified themselves as Christians. I mentioned that I was praying this over myself. She was shocked and dismayed and said, "Why would you do that?" I explained because it was what Paul hoped for himself.
She didn't understand at all. She used to have people over to her house and they would get in the front yard by the street and stand in circle holding hands and pray ... I hated it when I saw this. Now I am reminded of the following ... Jesus said: for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Mt. 23
I am also reminded of how the husband called himself pastor and when I brought mother home from hospital and needed physical help I went across and got him to help. He never came over at all after that and even seemed to avoid us. Terrible.
Phil. 2, Paul said ... Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation ...
I have spent the last 9 months, deliberately abstaining from anything that might make me look "important". I have set aside anything that seems to make me "achieve" something in this present life. And God has shown me to go the following way instead of trying to achieve ...
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. Gal 6:14
Achievement brings glory to ourselves ... I have put away from me all forms of personal achievement, doing this deliberately day by day ... burning up my own flesh and my own wisdom ... by an act of deliberate effort not to achieve for myself anything on this earth.
By doing this, I find also a change inside me. I seem to be less hostile toward others. A few days ago, I was waiting for handicapped parking place at grocery store. Another car pulled up after I was there and it was obvious to me that car was going to try to get the parking place I was waiting on. I thought about it and just let him have the parking place. There was a time I would have "fought" him for that parking place. I was amazed because I was so different. I think some of this difference was a fruit of deliberately making myself "of no reputation" for the past 9 months.
In achieving for ourselves, we are out to beat others, gaining reputation for ourselves one way or another.
This is "emulation" ... Gal. 5 ... a work of the flesh. (To outdo others ... to exalt oneself above others by achievements.)
And Paul said those to do these works of the flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God. Gal. 5
By focusing on Gal. 6 and doing it, I believe I have been keeping the flesh "under" as Paul said he worked to do. (But it is a continual work as long as we live on this earth to keep that flesh from rising up to exalt itself one way or another.)
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. I Cor. 9
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