What’s In It for Me? - Part 1

 

This week, Michael writes that the beatitudes of Matthew 5:1-12 are the doorway into the narrow gate and the narrow way, Jesus Christ himself. He is the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father except by him. Jesus Christ is the Word of God made manifest. To know God, we must know our Lord and Savior, for there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

In following Christ, there are two things we need to ask ourselves. The first is: what’s it’s going to cost me? The second is, what am I going to get out of it? The world has indoctrinated us to ask, “What’s in it for me.?” This “WIIFM” decision criteria focuses on self. The world says look out for number one, and you’re number one. The world’s doctrine is upside down from the Word’s doctrine, the truth of Scripture. Jesus said, in Matthew, continuing his sermon on the mount ... “You have heard it said, but I say ...”. The word of God is the opposite from the world’s doctrine.  

Many people listen to Jesus’ message but they have not bought into following Him from a heart of love. The world says, “don’t get mad, just get even.” They say, “God didn’t call me to be a doormat.” However, Jesus said, if a person slaps you on the cheek, then turn the other cheek. Any man or woman can claim his rights and any demon will make sure he gets them. However, human rights are often Godly wrongs. People will understand whether we are a Man or Woman of God by how we respond to adversity ... by the decisions I make and the way I treat other people. Jesus said, if we’re looking for reasons to get upset when we’re wronged, this will take our hearts away from a heart of following the Lord.  

George Meuller said, there was a day when I utterly died to the world and my own tastes and will. I died even to the approval of my brothers, sisters and friends. My purpose when I died to myself was only to please my Lord. The beatitudes begin with humility. Blessed are the poor in spirit ... those who come to realize that in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. True life is only in the Spirit of God in Christ in us. Blessed are they that mourn ... Mourning over the sin that has separated our hearts from God’s heart produces true repentance ... turning from my selfish self and unto God. Blessed are the meek ... those who are humble of heart to recognize that God’s best interest is my best interest.

Ephesians says that God’s requirement for a servant is that he be found faithful. A faithful man or woman faithfully serves God by serving others from a heart of love. Without the Spirit of God, we cannot love with the love of God. We can only love with God’s love because he loved us first ... for in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. We love Him because He first loved us. We can either feed the sinful flesh nature we inherited from Adam or we can feed the nature of the Spirit which we inherited when we were born-again of His Spirit. If we focus on self ... on how unfairly the world has treated us and how others have wronged us, we will feed the god of the flesh ... the god of self. What’s In It for Me?

Let's continue Michael's message on "self" in the next post.

In Christ, Brian