Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked
Rich.
Increased with goods.
Need of nothing.
How many people believe this of themselves? How many believe they are spiritually rich? Spiritually filled with knowledge. How many believe they have need of nothing spiritually? Encountering this sort of person is extremely commonplace nowadays. You go back in time and the majority of people had some sort of faith in they were a part of. Most had a *religion*, a *church* to go to. Children were raised to believe in God, but all that has changed. Today it's a sign of enlightenment not to believe, but that is tinged with something else- a need to find something other than *God*. There are more wiccans, more pagans, more satanists, more cults, more nature worshippers, more druids, more spiritualist, more scientologists, people ARE looking for something and make no mistake, they'll find it. Some are even grasping at intellectualism seeking to hold on to their belief in evolution, in what they call logic- they're too enlightened to believe in what they call fables. So many of these people when faced with very trying situations will however seek a higher power to help them. While so many believe they have no need of God, that they can take care of themselves there is a internal contradiction in most of them.
Those who believe they are rich, increased with goods, and in need of nothing DON'T know that they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked! They don't know! They don't…know! They are counseled though, counseled to buy all they need to live in Christ. Because we know they are counseled we know that they are warned. People everywhere are warned, no one is left able to say they weren't told- no one.
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Php 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Php 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
We can do all things through Christ which strengthens us. While many might not believe they need Christ for anything at all, that they are doing fine without Him, the truth is- their ability to do fine without Christ is because Satan is more than willing to let people believe they are fine without Christ. You are one or the others and Satan loves when a person chooses not to believe in Christ and for that matter- he loves it when people choose to not even believe in him. As long as a person doesn't believe in Christ they are His and he's happy as can be to let them believe whatever they want.
As Christians, to learn to be content in whatsoever state we are in can only happen through Christ which strengthens us. We will NEVER find contentment in ourselves, by ourselves, or in others. If we seek to have contentment as a Christian we have to be prepared to be content even in the most awful times of our lives. Seriously.
When we are abased, when we are hungry, when we suffer we MUST find contentment. When life is at its worse can we find contentment? Should we be able to do so? When we have all the right in the world to be upset, angry, devastated - we can be content. But that contentment is only found Christ - a deep, deep faith in Christ, a real faith in Christ.
Isa 5:21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Are you wise in your own eyes?
Are you prudent in your own sight?
People are taught that to have SELF-esteem they must believe in THEMSELVES. People teach their children to be wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight. Teachers teach them this too. And it's not that we don't want our children to have confidence- but we have to want them to find that IN CHRIST! We have to teach our children self-esteem through Christ which in fact makes it Christ-esteem. We have to esteem Christ!
Php 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
We are not often taught to esteem OTHERS better than ourselves, are we? Usually when we do think others are better than we are it's in the way of jealousy - in a negative manner. We LAMENT that they are better. But we are supposed to esteem others better than ourselves! This is a good thing. When people are better, or we perceive them as being better it is GOOD. How can we get this into our mindset? We need Christ to do it for us, we need Christ to fill us, to fill that part in us that wants self to rule. To help us not to look to self but look to Him and when we look to Him know that our believing in others - even that they are better than we are is a very good thing.
By the grace of God may we EVER realize our need of Him, never even imagining that we have any hope without Him. By His grace He has saved us and promised us life eternal in Him. All the suffering we endure we do so knowing we can have contentment in Him and the hope of a future in Him without any of this pain and anguish.
In His LOVE! Always In HIM!
Amen.
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