We are servants.
None is above another, not a single person is above another, not one. No matter what society says, the truth is that we are equally servants. The lie told by Satan and believed by so many is that we can be masters. Masters of ourselves, masters of others, both are lies.
Jesus- a true Master- made Himself a servant!
As servants we are called to SERVE.
Satan has twisted our thinking so completely that the majority of people believe they should come first before all others, most others, some others.
What we believe we need should come first, Satan has taught us this. Satan has schooled us well at convincing us that our desires should be first, and met, that we are worthy of having our wants met simply because we want them.
We have ALL sat in the school of Satan because this is his world, he rules this world. No one is exempt from Satan's classes. People joke about Satan, they make a satire of him or they twist it so he should be pitied, that he's really not all that bad, just misunderstood. There are so many lies out there about Satan they are too numerous to count. The truth is that he is evil through and through, beyond redemption by his own choosing. Satan dominates this earth and if we are deceived into not believing that, then just another of his deceptions is in play.
God would have us learn of Christ's ways. Learn of me, Christ tells us. Daily we are to seek a life with Christ. A life of prayer, a life of worship, a life of glorifying God in all we do. We aren't to set aside a half an hour a day to pray and study and then say that's that, I did what Jesus wanted me to do. He has to be a part of all we do.
1Co 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
WHATSOEVER you do…. That includes ALL THINGS… we are to DO ALL to the GLORY OF GOD! This leaves no room for indulging Satan.
Satan wants to destroy us and he'll do it any way he possibly can.
We are SERVANTS.
We serve God and we serve ALL people! There isn't a single person we are not to serve the love of God, not one. Yes, we may be told to leave alone those who reject us and we can do that but not because we are refusing to serve them the love of Christ. Should they turn around days, weeks, months, years later and come to us seeking to know Christ we must serve them. We are not to put ourselves in dens of iniquity willfully partaking and condoning any sin. We are to love all and in all situations reveal the love of our Savior and eternal life that He alone offers to us. We are to serve, we are not to condemn any.
Satan would have us serve self before any other and he's taught this objective to all. It's only by clinging to Christ and learning of Christ do we comprehend we are to serve God and others, we are last on the list, and yet…. So many refuse to give up their first place in their own heart. God help us to do so! Help us! Keep us from the evil of Satan's self serving ways he would cement in our lives. Over and over, daily please LORD teach us Your ways above any of our own! Please, Lord, please!
We are but servants….
(Excerpt)
Articles on Romans by E. J. Waggoner Chapter 14
The Pupils Not Masters. It is not for the pupils to say who shall attend school. It is true that in this world there are schools that are exclusive, in which only a certain set of pupils are allowed. If one inferior in wealth and standing in society should seek to enter, there would be at once an uproar. The students themselves would make so strong a protest against the entrance of the newcomer, that the masters would feel obliged not to receive him. But such schools are not the schools of Christ. "There is no respect of persons with God." He invites the poor and needy, and the weak. It is he, and not the pupils, that decides who shall be admitted.
He says, "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely," and he asks all who hear to extend the invitation. The only qualification necessary for entering the school of Christ is willingness to learn of him. If any man is willing to do his will, God will receive him and teach him. John 7:17.
Whoever sets up any other standard, sets himself above God. No man has any right to reject one whom God receives.
Master and Servant. Christ said to his disciples: "Be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your Master; and all ye are brethren." "Neither be ye called masters; for one is your Master, even Christ." Matt. 23:8, 10. It is the master who sets the task for each pupil or servant. It is to the master that the servant looks for his reward. Therefore it is the master alone who has the right to give orders, and to pronounce judgment if there is failure. "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant?" If you have not the power to reward his success, you have not the right to judge his failures.
"God Is the Judge." "He putteth down one, and setteth up another." Ps. 75:7. "For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will save us." Isa. 33:22. "There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy; who art thou that judgest another?" James 4:12. The power to save and to destroy determines the right to judge. To condemn when one has not the power to carry the judgment into effect, is but a farce. Such an one makes himself ridiculous, to say the least.
The Spirit of the Papacy. The apostle Paul describes the apostasy as the revelation of "that man of sin," "the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God," or, "setting himself forth as God." 2 Thess. 2:3, 4. In Daniel 7:25 the same power is described as speaking great words against the Most High, and thinking to change times and laws.
To set one's self up against or above the law of God, is the strongest possible opposition to God, and the most presumptuous usurpation of his power. The end of the power that thus exalts itself is this: to be consumed by the Spirit of Christ, and destroyed by the brightness of his coming. 2 Thess. 2:8.
Now read in James 4:11: "He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law; but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge." That tells us that whoever speaks evil of his brother, or judges or sets at naught his brother, is speaking against the law of God, and sitting in judgment upon it. In other words, he is putting himself in the place and doing the work of "that man of sin." What else can result, but that he receive the reward of the man of sin? Surely there is enough in this thought to give us all pause.
We have learned that the members of the church of Christ are not judges one of another, but fellow-servants of one common Lord. We are not taught that it is a matter of indifference whether or not we keep the commandments of God; quite the contrary, since we are all to appear before the judgment seat of Christ, and be judged by them but we are taught that in those things concerning which the law of God does not speak particularly, one man's ways are as good as another's. We learned even further that even one who may be faulty with respect to an express commandment, is not to be dealt with harshly, and condemned. Such a course can not help one, and, besides, we have no right to do so, since we are but servants.
None is above another, not a single person is above another, not one. No matter what society says, the truth is that we are equally servants. The lie told by Satan and believed by so many is that we can be masters. Masters of ourselves, masters of others, both are lies.
Jesus- a true Master- made Himself a servant!
As servants we are called to SERVE.
Satan has twisted our thinking so completely that the majority of people believe they should come first before all others, most others, some others.
What we believe we need should come first, Satan has taught us this. Satan has schooled us well at convincing us that our desires should be first, and met, that we are worthy of having our wants met simply because we want them.
We have ALL sat in the school of Satan because this is his world, he rules this world. No one is exempt from Satan's classes. People joke about Satan, they make a satire of him or they twist it so he should be pitied, that he's really not all that bad, just misunderstood. There are so many lies out there about Satan they are too numerous to count. The truth is that he is evil through and through, beyond redemption by his own choosing. Satan dominates this earth and if we are deceived into not believing that, then just another of his deceptions is in play.
God would have us learn of Christ's ways. Learn of me, Christ tells us. Daily we are to seek a life with Christ. A life of prayer, a life of worship, a life of glorifying God in all we do. We aren't to set aside a half an hour a day to pray and study and then say that's that, I did what Jesus wanted me to do. He has to be a part of all we do.
1Co 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
WHATSOEVER you do…. That includes ALL THINGS… we are to DO ALL to the GLORY OF GOD! This leaves no room for indulging Satan.
Satan wants to destroy us and he'll do it any way he possibly can.
We are SERVANTS.
We serve God and we serve ALL people! There isn't a single person we are not to serve the love of God, not one. Yes, we may be told to leave alone those who reject us and we can do that but not because we are refusing to serve them the love of Christ. Should they turn around days, weeks, months, years later and come to us seeking to know Christ we must serve them. We are not to put ourselves in dens of iniquity willfully partaking and condoning any sin. We are to love all and in all situations reveal the love of our Savior and eternal life that He alone offers to us. We are to serve, we are not to condemn any.
Satan would have us serve self before any other and he's taught this objective to all. It's only by clinging to Christ and learning of Christ do we comprehend we are to serve God and others, we are last on the list, and yet…. So many refuse to give up their first place in their own heart. God help us to do so! Help us! Keep us from the evil of Satan's self serving ways he would cement in our lives. Over and over, daily please LORD teach us Your ways above any of our own! Please, Lord, please!
We are but servants….
(Excerpt)
Articles on Romans by E. J. Waggoner Chapter 14
The Pupils Not Masters. It is not for the pupils to say who shall attend school. It is true that in this world there are schools that are exclusive, in which only a certain set of pupils are allowed. If one inferior in wealth and standing in society should seek to enter, there would be at once an uproar. The students themselves would make so strong a protest against the entrance of the newcomer, that the masters would feel obliged not to receive him. But such schools are not the schools of Christ. "There is no respect of persons with God." He invites the poor and needy, and the weak. It is he, and not the pupils, that decides who shall be admitted.
He says, "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely," and he asks all who hear to extend the invitation. The only qualification necessary for entering the school of Christ is willingness to learn of him. If any man is willing to do his will, God will receive him and teach him. John 7:17.
Whoever sets up any other standard, sets himself above God. No man has any right to reject one whom God receives.
Master and Servant. Christ said to his disciples: "Be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your Master; and all ye are brethren." "Neither be ye called masters; for one is your Master, even Christ." Matt. 23:8, 10. It is the master who sets the task for each pupil or servant. It is to the master that the servant looks for his reward. Therefore it is the master alone who has the right to give orders, and to pronounce judgment if there is failure. "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant?" If you have not the power to reward his success, you have not the right to judge his failures.
"God Is the Judge." "He putteth down one, and setteth up another." Ps. 75:7. "For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will save us." Isa. 33:22. "There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy; who art thou that judgest another?" James 4:12. The power to save and to destroy determines the right to judge. To condemn when one has not the power to carry the judgment into effect, is but a farce. Such an one makes himself ridiculous, to say the least.
The Spirit of the Papacy. The apostle Paul describes the apostasy as the revelation of "that man of sin," "the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God," or, "setting himself forth as God." 2 Thess. 2:3, 4. In Daniel 7:25 the same power is described as speaking great words against the Most High, and thinking to change times and laws.
To set one's self up against or above the law of God, is the strongest possible opposition to God, and the most presumptuous usurpation of his power. The end of the power that thus exalts itself is this: to be consumed by the Spirit of Christ, and destroyed by the brightness of his coming. 2 Thess. 2:8.
Now read in James 4:11: "He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law; but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge." That tells us that whoever speaks evil of his brother, or judges or sets at naught his brother, is speaking against the law of God, and sitting in judgment upon it. In other words, he is putting himself in the place and doing the work of "that man of sin." What else can result, but that he receive the reward of the man of sin? Surely there is enough in this thought to give us all pause.
We have learned that the members of the church of Christ are not judges one of another, but fellow-servants of one common Lord. We are not taught that it is a matter of indifference whether or not we keep the commandments of God; quite the contrary, since we are all to appear before the judgment seat of Christ, and be judged by them but we are taught that in those things concerning which the law of God does not speak particularly, one man's ways are as good as another's. We learned even further that even one who may be faulty with respect to an express commandment, is not to be dealt with harshly, and condemned. Such a course can not help one, and, besides, we have no right to do so, since we are but servants.