Just yesterday I was watching a video about the most popular heretic/false teacher on TV and possibly in the states today. Every week over 52,000 meet to praise a god who is not God. Every week they gather from all over to worship the god of self. The “I am” mantra they recite is not the great “I AM.” All in all, a perfect example of today’s devotion.
Don’t buy the false gospel of self-reliance. If I could make it without help, Jesus would not have needed to come.
The gospel of self-reliance was used in the Garden to deceive Adam and Eve. It was used to deceive Abram and Sarai about having a child= Ishmael. Throughout the OT and into the New and into 2018, the gospel of “I got this” has spread its tentacles.
In direct contrast to the mantra spoken at the beginning of every one of his TV shows/events, the real gospel is one of humility. It is one of dying to self. It is one of recognizing that I am nothing; He is everything. It is one of sacrifice not “I deserve this.” No. The gospel-the true gospel-is not at all about this life; it is about the life to come. It is about the inability to pull myself up by my own bootstraps and total reliance on the Spirit.
“Father, I don’t need to quote an “I am” mantra. You are the great “I AM.” The gospel is all about my need for you, not my own ability to become better. I accept your offer of love and grace, knowing I cannot and will not make it on my own.”
We certainly cannot make it on our own; we need the Lord. Relying on Him today, Bill, and not my meager, undeserving self.
Blessings!
You have it exactly right Martha.
This is one of the more difficult issues I deal with. Self-reliance. I tend to rely much too heavily on what I can accomplish vs relying on what others can accomplish with me or what God can accomplish through me.
I have not stepped out nearly enough in faith to really even give God an opportunity. There have been occasions, “steps of faith” at times that I have seen God move and my family and I have been taken care of.
There have been times where I have witnessed an event that was clearly God’s timing. Power company building a facility across the road from OVCF. This construction required that the sewer be extended allowing OVCF the opportunity to connect and grow vs spending thousands of dollars on building a new septic/mound system… God’s timing and completely out of our control.
AMAZING…
I believe God will intervene when the time is right for Him to achieve what He wants to achieve. I also believe he wants to use his followers in ways that can only be explained as miraculous. I am often just to “busy” doing what I want vs allowing God the time to do what he wants through me.
Ryan S.
Self-reliance is a tough one to overcome Ryan. It is so easy to just “do it myself” and expect God’s blessings. Your example of the way God worked in OVCF’s plans was a phenomenal lesson to learn. Thanks for bringing that up.
The ugly tentacles of eastern mysticism is being used by the enemy to infiltrate the church.
It’s so easy to take verses from God’s word and twist them into lies.
May they wake from the lies and delusion.