One-Upmanship

In the last days, people will be proud.  

Actually, the Blue Letter Bible has some pretty descriptive explanations for the word “proud” (hyperephanos):

•showing one’s self above others

•overtopping

•conspicuous above others

•pre-eminent 

•with an overweening estimate of one's means or merits

•despising others or treating them with contempt, haughty

…One-Upmanship.  That’s what it all boils down to.  “Someone who does or says something to prove they are better than someone else.”  

Think of this verse like this:  In the last days, there will be plenty of people practicing one-upmanship.  They will be trying to prove they are better than everyone else.  They will put themselves in a better light to be noticed. By doing this, they will try to prove you are “less than” them and that they have greater credentials and should be noticed and patted on the back. 

God says he resists these people.  

“God resists the proud (hyperephanos), but gives grace to the humble.”  James 4:6

No Vagrancy

Imagine this…

Imagine you own a million dollar home and vagrants set up camp in your front yard.  They’ve moved in with their tent, a grocery cart with all of their belongings…and trash.  Not only that, they’ve built a fire on your lawn to keep themselves warm and to cook their food. This all happened right as you’d planned an elaborate dinner party and your guests were arriving.  As each guest entered your home, they told you that these vagrants had boasted to them that they owned this million dollar home—and that your guests had no right to traipse through their yard!   

Of course, you and your guests would know that this was empty boasting.  These vagrants had no rights.  It wasn’t their house or their property.  These people were wandering and setting up camp in a new place each day.  They were empty pretenders.  

That’s what Jesus told us to expect in the last days.  Boasters.  But the root of that word is “vagrant”—people who wander and even claim ownership of things or places not rightfully theirs.  Empty pretenders.  

Have you met an empty pretender lately?

“For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy…”

II Timothy 3:2

Who Owns Your Heart?

When you casually observe people in our world today, it’s easy to see a world obsessed with money.  We either see people working hard to give themselves—but more likely, their children—everything.  Or we see others who’ve completely quit working and are living off of a free handout.  Either way, they’re serving money.  

But let’s bring it closer to home.  How much of a hold does money have on your life?  Are you consumed with fear because you don’t make enough money to live comfortably or don’t have enough money to retire? Are you always thinking of the next thing to buy—a bigger house, a better car, newer technology, every activity your child can imagine? Does money consume your thoughts—even though you know God has told us not to love money?

Years ago, God showed me how to break the hold (or fear) money had over my life.  I would write a check for 10% of our income to take as a tithe to God to our church. I would wave it in the air before I left my home and declare, “I will serve God, not money!!” That 10% grew larger as my income increased.  And soon, I was giving offerings beyond my tithe.  As I would see a need, I would quickly help—without thinking of other ways I could use that money for myself.  Soon…money had no hold over my life.  I became a giver.  It’s a life I cherish because I was consumed with fear when I served money. 

In the last days, people will be lovers of money.  That breeds greed, fear, control, fightings, selfishness, haughtiness, conceit, and climbing ladders propped against the wrong wall. 

You will either serve God or money.  Not both.  

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”  

Matthew 6:24

A World Obsessed

People will love themselves.  

II Timothy 3:2 says that in the last days, people will love themselves. When we read this passage, we often look at our world as a whole.  And as a whole, we’re obsessed with ourselves!  

But we seldom bring it down to a personal level.  How does this passage apply to ME?  Am I self-absorbed?   Am I selfish?   Am I constantly protecting myself? Thinking about how things affect me?  Wondering what this will do to my plans?  Do I promote myself?  Do I feel “better than” others?   Do I want to change my looks so I look more like a TV personality?  Do I horde my money for my wants and desires?  Do I save the best for myself?  Do I think of myself before I think of others?

Am I even more extreme?   Am I a narcissist?  A narcissist…

1. Has a grandiose sense of self-importance. 

2. Lives in a fantasy world that supports their delusions of grandeur. 

3. Needs constant praise and admiration.  

4. Has a sense of entitlement.  

5. Exploits others without guilt or shame. 

6. Frequently demeans, belittles, intimidates, or bullies others.  

Living a life of selfishness is completely opposite of how Jesus taught us to live. Jesus told us that we’re to live a life thinking of others as better than ourselves.  He told us to meet the needs of others.  But we’re now living in a world that says we must put ourselves first. If we don’t think of ourselves first, who will?   

Bringing this down to us, leaves us with this question…How will I live?   Will I follow the way of the world and think of myself first?   Or will I follow Jesus and be selfless and serve others?

Things to Come

Things are getting hard, aren’t they?   We’ve just come through a pandemic which has lacerated the Church.  So many churches didn’t make it through those hard times.  Many closed their doors.  Many are fractured.  And now…rumors are hitting us that more hard times may be ahead.  

II Timothy 3 talks about things to come in the last days.  The first verse of that chapter says this, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come.”  Let’s talk about it.  I want to be prepared, don’t you?  God always warns his people to prepare them.  How has he warned us?

First of all, what are the “last days?”  The Blue Letter Bible says this:  Last=Eschatos.  Eschatos is the root of  the word eschatology (last word) which means a study of the last days.  So when II Timothy 3:1 talks about the last days, it’s talking about the days leading up to Jesus’ return. Those days will be perilous (hard to bear, hard to deal with, troublesome, savage, fierce). 

I believe we’ve entered those days.  Satan is trying to divide us, to disqualify us…to conquer God’s people.   He wants to win.  

We can’t effectively lead God’s people if we’re unprepared ourselves.  So let’s begin to look at…the things to come.  

3X a Day

Daniel had lived a long time as a captive/advisor in Babylon under three different kings.  The new king, Darius, took advice from some governing men who were jealous of Daniel.  Daniel had recently been set in a prestigious position over the whole realm. These men appealed to the king’s pride and encouraged him to establish a statue that anyone who appeals to a god or man (besides the king) for thirty days would be fed to the lions.  They knew Daniel’s habits.  

And this happened…

“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.”

It was his custom.  To pray 3X a day.  And give thanks. 

He knew about the king’s new law.  But he prayed…as was his custom…three times a day. 

Do we?   Do we have a habit of praying?   Do we set aside time to talk to our Heavenly Father?   Do we let him hear our heart?  Do we petition him often?   Do we thank him?  Do people around us know of us as praying people?  Would there be enough evidence for us to be thrown in jail because of our prayer life?

This was the cry of my son’s heart—to lead his church in the habit or practice of praying 3X a day.  He’s begun the 918 Initiative. It’s easy and simple.  And it’s already building a healthy habit in my own life.  What if hundreds or thousands of brothers and sisters in Christ built this practice in their lives?  Check it out here…and join us!

http://www.918initiative.com/

Spiritual Perfectionism

Have you ever been around a perfectionist?   I have a recovering perfectionist in my life.  It can drive you crazy!   They’re obsessed with details and may even need to change you so you fit in with the order they need in their lives.  I was complaining about this one day to God and He reminded me of this, “When you’re upset with something in someone else’s life, it’s only a mirror reflecting your own life!”   I replied, “I am NOT a perfectionist!!!!!   Am I???”

And God immediately revealed the SPIRITUAL perfectionism in my life and began a long work to uproot it.  

My spiritual perfectionism looked like this:

•CONTROL 

•Striving to please God. 

•Not wanting one thing left undone so as not to displease God. 

•Jumping through spiritual hoops (studying the Word of God intensely, being a “good girl,” doing all the right things)

•Wanting those around me to fit into the mold I’d created.  

•Having a critical spirit towards those who weren’t jumping through hoops. 

It’s all such a fine line.  We are to please God, we should study the Word of God, train others how to walk with God.  Right?   But it all comes down to our motive. Why are we doing those things?  What are we trying to attain?

My motive was to be one of God’s favorites—I wanted to be noticed by Him.  I also needed to control those around me so they could please Him, too.  Even as I write that, I realize how messed up that is!  But it was hidden so deeply within me that I could never have given words to it when I was in the middle of it.  But God in his mercy began pulling back the curtains so I could see it and change it.  It’s the heart of a Pharisee—measuring the tithe of mint, anise, and cumin—and passing over justice, mercy, and love. 

I’m a recovering spiritual perfectionist.  I know I could never have attained God’s favor—because I already had it!!  Even in my messed up state. 

Grace.  God’s matchless, unfailing, unlimited grace. 

Ripening

I stayed with a friend this week who had this beautiful blackberry bush in her backyard.  One evening, we picked every ripe blackberry off of the bush.  And the next evening…all of these new berries were ripe to pick!

The Holy Spirit whispered to my heart.  “Becky, don’t be quick to judge people who aren’t following hard after Jesus.  Ask…and then trust that I’m pursuing them with the light of Christ.  Their time is coming; they will be fruitful!  Watch and appreciate the beautiful ripening process which happens at a different time for everyone.”

Silenced

Has Satan tried to silence you lately?   Yeah…me, too.  It was so sneaky, I didn’t even realize what he’d done!   All it took was one post on Facebook which illicited a backwash of responses to shut me up.  I didn’t even realize it had silenced me until this morning.  

Here’s what happened.  I was teaching our youth in Sunday School yesterday and asked them a series of moral questions so they could tell me if they were true.   One question was, “Is it wrong to live together before marriage?”   Most of the kids didn’t answer.  But the few who did, didn’t know the truth of God’s Word.  They didn’t even try to give me the “Sunday School answer.”  And I was devastated.  

Since then, I’ve been having a conversation with God.  Our youth minister is teaching truth—I hear him every week.  Why are our kids not getting it?  What is our response now after hearing what these kids believe?   How do we fill them with truth before they leave us?  I was consumed with a new urgency to teach them truth.  

God used this one experience to reveal to me that I’ve been silenced by one stupid Facebook post and a myriad of negative responses.  Satan hates truth.  He doesn’t want it taught.  And if he can silence truth-speakers, he will.  

Have you been silenced?  It’s one of the oldest tricks in Satan’s playbook.  He hates freedom.  

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  John 8:32