The Pride Of Life
“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” 1 John 2:16
The Bible teaches us that our human passions are carnal, not spiritual. Our fleshly man is sinful in nature. Thus, both our fleshly desires and our feelings about ourselves are sinful. Sinful means they are opposite in nature to God. Thus by our natural desires and pride, we are turned away from God. Through human desire and pride, man is alienated from God, God’s will, and God’s Word. “…fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” Ephesians 2:3
The desires of the flesh lead one on a course different from God, and human pride keeps one there, feeding on self satisfaction and self esteem. “Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.” Isaiah 57:10 We know how pride seals a person’s mind up in their time of success, leaving them without concern about their need of God’s salvation. But pride also leaves one indifferent to one’s need of God’s salvation even in difficult times, because it is confident in one’s own ability to overcome all things.
These last days, as in Noah’s day, are times of self exaltation, with man glorying in man. Man is so full of himself today that he does not concern himself with what God’s Word has to say about his sinful condition before God. Because of pride, neither his guilt of sin before God (Romans 3:19), nor the fact that because he is a sinner, he has come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), concerns him.
By pride, man has no interest or use for the things of God, because it appeals not to his fancy and self esteem. By pride, man even looks down on the things of God as being burdensome to self. By pride, man considers that he would lose out on life, rather than gain, if he were to become a Christian.
By pride, man scorns the teachings of God’s Word, since they do not appeal to his desires (the way he loves to live.) So through pride, man considers the ways of God to be foolishness, thus removing himself that much further from God, God’s will, and God’s way. By pride, man separates himself from those who live separate unto God, considering them to be fanatical, while he admires those who boldly project themselves in their own lusts, for their own glory.
So, by pride, man respects only those things that are of this world while keeping his mind closed to spiritual values and that which has eternal value. Pride prevents man from reasoning with God. Thus, the only solution is for man to repent; otherwise, he will perish.
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What Does The Devil Want You To Do?
“…the spirit that now worketh…” “…in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind…” Ephesians 2:2-3
Sometimes people think only of Satan as some sinister force of danger and evil, warping people’s minds unto gross evil deeds. Also, when the warnings against Satan are issued, such as, “Don’t listen to Satan. Don’t do what Satan wants you to do. Don’t follow the path of the Devil,” etc., many conclude they are well armed against him. People may say, “I don’t belong to the occult. I stay away from Satan worshippers.” But Satan is no fool. He knows that most people will not sell their souls to Satanic worship. And when some do some blood curdling thing, it is bad publicity for Satan. So, rather than seek to influence all that way, he uses other devices to influence the masses.
Satan’s ways are ways of deception. His way is to influence us to think something is right for us that really isn’t. Thus, he doesn’t have to force us to do what he wants. We do it because we want to.
One of Satan’s best ways to deceive is to convince us that, since we are not doing some things that Satan would want people to do, such as drinking, doing drugs, lying, stealing, etc., we are staying clear of Satan’s devices. But the truth of the matter is SATAN DOESN’T WANT YOU TO DO WHAT HE WANTS YOU TO DO. Rather, he works by deceit to get from you what he wants. Satan always approaches man with subtlety.
The following three steps clue us in to his way of doing things:
1. SATAN WANTS YOU TO DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
2. WHEN YOU ARE DOING WHAT YOU WANT, YOU ARE DOING WHAT HE WANTS.
3. SATAN WANTS YOU TO DO ANYTHING BUT WHAT GOD WANTS.
Satan works with our natural desire, not against it. He promotes us in doing things the way we want to. He encourages us to stick with our thoughts on everything. Satan wants you to be you. He wants you to get the things you want, to go where you want to go, to pick your own friends, to do what you like to do. Satan works to see to it that your desires are being fulfilled. He wants you to obtain your dreams. But HOW CAN SATAN ACHIEVE HIS GOAL BY DOING THIS? ONLY THE WORD OF GOD CAN UNLOCK THIS MYSTERY. You see, we all by nature are sinners. Our mind, our will, our way, our desires, our wants and wishes are all sinful. Our will is not God’s will. Our way is not God’s way. Our thoughts (our mind) are not subject to God. Doing our thing, living our life the way we want, we are always going in an opposite direction from God. Satan’s way is to exploit this. DO YOU SEE THIS IN YOU?
Satan doesn’t care if you teach CPR, or teach against alcoholism or drug addiction, just as long as you don’t teach the Bible. He doesn’t care if you visit sick relatives, collect for the Red Cross, or do other worthy causes, just so long as you don’t go to God’s house. HOW WISE ARE YOU TO WHAT THE DEVIL WANTS YOU TO DO?
SHARING54th Anniversary Of Faith Baptist Church – Jan 1, 1968-2022
The Vision
The first part of November 1967, Bro. James Gardner, pastor of Moore’s Fork Baptist Church, in Clermont County, was making a hospital visit in Hillsboro. Feeling the Lord’s leadership on the way back home, he sought to find if there was an interest in the Lynchburg area for a sound New Testament Baptist Church. Upon inquiry, interest was found.
God Opened The Door
An empty church building was found on Freiburg & High Streets in Lynchburg, which was leased for two years, with the option of buying at the end of the lease. The work opened with a two-week meeting, January 2-14, 1968, with Bro. Gardner preaching each night, except Thursdays, with Bro. James Head of Wilmington filling in. In spite of the cold, snowy weather, the attendance averaged about 70 each night. On Sunday, January 7, 1968, Bro. Robert Miller of Dayton, KY, preached, at which time there were 5 requests for membership, plus 2 confessions of faith. On January 14 & 28, Bro. Terry Parnell of Dayton, KY, preached. January 21, Bro. Alwin Pflueger of Moore’s Fork preached.
A Pastor Called
On Thursday night, February 1, 1968, in the regular business meeting, Moore’s Fork Baptist Church extended the call to Bro. Robert Miller to pastor the Lynchburg mission. He is to give full time to the work. He is to lead the people there in complete accord with the position of the sponsoring church in all matters of doctrine and practice. At such time that the mission and sponsoring church agree, the mission will be organized into a local Independent Baptist Church. Bro. Robert Miller formally accepted the pastorate of the mission, and with his wife, Cinda, and son, Robby, moved to the rented parsonage in Lynchburg, on February 24, 1968.
An Independent Baptist Church
January 9, 1971, the mission was organized into the Faith Baptist Church, with 32 charter members.
SHARINGWhere Is He That Was Born King Of The Jews?
He is no longer in Bethlehem’s stable. Shortly thereafter, He was whisked away to Egypt to avoid Herod’s murderous act. From there, He came back to the city of Nazareth in Galilee. He went to the river Jordan to receive New Testament Baptist baptism at the hands of John. Then, He was led of the Spirit into the wilderness unto being forty days tempted of the devil. He ministered in Galilee and Jerusalem. He was betrayed, crucified, and placed in the tomb for three days and three nights, after which, the angel announced: “He is not here: for He is risen as He said.” He made appearances unto His own, and after commissioning the church, He ascended to the Father’s right hand, with the standing promise, “He shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.”
Jesus is now at the right hand of God, to make intercession for us–WHAT AN INCREDIBLE TASK!
Unselfishly, Jesus left the glories of heaven to sacrifice Himself for our salvation. Ever since then, He has unselfishly devoted Himself, day and night, for approximately 2000 years, hearing every prayer of all His own, and without fail, as our personal advocate, and properly presented them unto the Father.
Only a Saviour of infinite power, compassion, and patience could keep up with and accomplish a task of such magnitude. Just how many prayers do you suppose Jesus hears and mediates every day, without missing or neglecting any, and yet He admonishes us to pray more than we already are?!?! O what a Saviour! O what a High Priest! O what a friend we have in Jesus!
Jesus is still ever so busy about His Father’s business. He was born for us. He died for us. He arose for us. He lives for us. He is coming again for us–ALL FOR US!! Jesus has put us above Himself. He has made Himself to be our Saviour and servant. He works nonstop for us. He has prepared a place for His own in His heavenly estate.
Are you one of His?
If you have been born again, are you rendering unto Him your reasonable service, by presenting yourself to be a living sacrifice, to prove what is that good, acceptable and perfect will of God?
If not, why not? We will all answer to Him.
SHARINGWe’re Not To Harbor Self With Excuses
“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.” Matthew 16:24
“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:26-27
This is not a command to hate people. It is not speaking of hating in the deliberate, malicious sense, but in the indirect sense, the sense of denying all that would interfere with or come between our following the Lord.
An example of this could be Abraham’s response in following God’s order to offer up Isaac, Genesis 22, Hebrews 11:17-19. Abraham could have let his feelings for his son forbid his obedience to God. But he did not. His faith in following the Lord refused the constraints of paternal love, thus hating in the negative sense. But what he did was not driven by any ill will towards his son, Isaac, but rather he acted on the hope and expectations of pure faith.
Fleshly relations, or associations, will afford conflicts of interest with respect to following Christ. Human feelings about our obligations to fleshly relationships has the propensity to excuse oneself from following the Lord, to attend to fleshly relations. Thus, we have to deny the dictates of human feelings, when and where these conflicts arise, to determine the will of God. Instead of being drawn away from doing God’s will, because of the constraints of fleshly love, we are to have a hatred for anything that becomes an object that seeks to prevent our following the Lord, which includes our fleshly relations.
The principle of discipleship is that we develop a personal, spiritual constitution that requires that we obey and follow the Lord, no matter what the conflict of interest, even if it be ourselves.
“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” Luke 9:24 No matter what the personal cost in the short term for following the Lord, it will reap a bountiful harvest in the long term. But to lack the faith to put God first, seeking to save ourselves from any personal losses, will backfire with both a failure in this life and an eternal loss.
God honors those who honor Him, 1 Samuel 2:30. To cave into our circumstances, rather than having done all to stand, will not only short circuit Divine favor, but it will wean us away from being dedicated to the Lord. “How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation.” Hebrews 2:3
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