Pride versus Poor in Spirit

Perhaps the most destructive attitude of all is pride. It has damned not only Satan and his angels, but also men and women throughout history. Pride is worthy of condemnation because it violates the first commandment: having no other gods before God Himself (Ex. 20:3). God alone is to be worshiped and served because His will is supreme. But pride asserts that man should take supremacy over God. God proclaimed through Isaiah, "My glory I will not give to another" (Isa. 48:11, NASB). God will not tolerate a usurper who attempts to rise above Him. John MacArthur Believing in God is not enough. He also wants us to obey Him. James 2:19 says, "The demons also believe, and tremble." Why then aren't they redeemed? Because even though they believe in God, they do not love or obey Him.John MacArthur With this great commandment, Jesus unmasked the Pharisees and their hypocritical love for God. In fact He called them hypocrites seven separate times in Matthew 23 (vv. 13-15, 23, 25, 27, 29). A hypocrite is someone who pretends to have something but really has nothing. The Pharisees did not love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. They went through the religious motions, feeding their pride while trying to appear righteous. .John MacArthur (Regarding the First Commandment) What is God calling for? He wants us to love Him, which is to obey Him, and to love your neighbor as ourselves. If you haven't done that, you need two things: A Savior to forgive you of your past and divine enabling to help you love God in the present and future. If you are a Christian, you are already loving God and your neighbor, but you also recognize that sin hinders you from loving in the fullest sense. You need to starve the flesh and ask God to allow you to conquer sin. You will then begin to love Him and your neighbor more than ever before. .John MacArthur Blessed are the poor in spirit (Thomas Watson) Observe how Christ’s doctrine and the opinion of carnal men differ. They think, ‘Blessed are the rich.’ The world would count him blessed who could have Midas, wish, that all he touched might be turned into gold. But Christ says, ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit’. The world thinks, Blessed are they on the pinnacle; but Christ pronounces them blessed who are in the valley. Christ’s reckonings and the world’s do not agree. Observe the certain connection between grace and its reward. They who are ‘poor in spirit’ shall have the ‘kingdom of God’. They are as sure to go to heaven, as if they were in heaven already. Our Saviour would encourage men to religion by sweetening commands with promises. He ties duty and reward together. As in the body the veins carry the blood, and the arteries the spirits, so one part of these verses carries duty, and the other part carries reward. As that scholar of Apelles painted Helena richly drawn in costly and glorious apparel, hung all over with orient pearl, and precious stones; so our Lord Christ, having set down several qualifications of a Christian, ‘poor in spirit’, ‘pure in heart’, etc.’ draws these heavenly virtues in their fair colours of blessedness, and sets the magnificent crown of reward upon them, that by this brilliance, he might the more set forth their unparalleled beauty, and entice holy love. Well then, what are we to understand by ‘poor in spirit’? The Greek word for ‘poor’ is not only taken in a strict sense for those who live upon alms, but in a more large sense, for those who are destitute as well of inward as outward comfort. ‘Poor in spirit, then signifies those who are brought to the sense of their sins, and seeing no goodness in themselves, despair in themselves and sue wholly to the mercy of God in Christ. Poverty of spirit is a kind of self-annihilation. Such an expression I find in Calvin. The poor in spirit (says he) are they who see nothing in themselves, but fly to mercy for sanctuary. Such an one was the publican: ‘God be merciful to me a sinner’ (Luke 18:13). Of this temper was St Paul: ‘That I may be found in Christ, not having mine own righteousness’ (Philippians 3:9). These are the poor which are invited as guests to wisdom’s banquet (Proverbs 7:3, 4).

The Problem with Christian Pride

Pride magnifies the faults of other Christians and diminishes their graces, while it diminishes the faults and magnifies the graces of its subject. Spiritual Pride drastically hinders revival because it padlocks the spirit, shutting the soul off in its own darkness and blocking it from dealing not only with pride itself but with every other area of the flesh. Because spiritual pride is so secretive, it is hard to detect except through its effects. Under the guise of prophetic righteousness, pride can move awakened believers to censorious attacks on other Christians. Richard Lovelace PRIDE, then, is more than the first of the seven deadly sins; it is itself the essence of all sin. For it is the stubborn refusal to let God be God, with the corresponding ambition to take his place. It is the attempt to dethrone God and enthrone ourselves. Sin is self-deification. But God says that, since he is God and he alone, he will not share his glory with any other (e.g., Isa 42:8, 48:11). A neglected but indispensable ingredient of Christian spirituality is humility. As Richard Baxter put it, "humility is not a mere ornament of a Christian, but an essential part of the new creature." Indeed, perhaps at no point does the gospel come into more violent collision with the world than in its insistence on humility as the paramount virtue. The wisdom of the world despises humility. Western culture has been greatly influenced, often unconsciously, by the power-philosophy of Nietzsche, who envisaged the emergence of "a daring and ruler race." His hero was the Übermensch, tough, brash, masculine and overbearing, who would become a "lord of the earth." But if the ideal of Nietzsche was the superman, the ideal of Jesus was the little child. There is no possibility of finding a compromise between these alternative models; we are obliged to choose.John Stott Yahweh is the only God and Savior, and there is no other, that he desires — even requires — every knee to bow to him (Isa 45:22-23). Worship is due to him; it is not due to us. Taken from Alive to God, edited by J.I. Packer and Loren Wilkinson. Sanctification and Humility The same double epigram, which Jesus applied to justification, James went on to apply to sanctification, although in slightly different words: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (Jas 4:6, quoting Pr 3:34). Again, "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up" (Jas 4:10). The context of this summons is the temptation to be a friend of the world and so an enemy of God. James is clear that God's grace is amply sufficient to enable us to live a godly life and to keep ourselves "from being polluted by the world" (Jas 1:27). But God gives his grace only to the humble, who admit their dependence on it. If, therefore, we hope for his grace to lift us up to holiness, we must "humble [ourselves] before the Lord" (Jas 4:10). Taken from Alive to God, edited by J.I. Packer and Loren Wilkinson. The pride of life: The Greek word alazoneia refers to being proud when you really have nothing to be proud about. For example, it would have been used to speak of a pauper who showed his friends when they came to town a fleet of ships that he claimed to own, when in reality none of them belonged to him. He would be bragging about something he didn't have. It's one thing to have something great and brag about it; it's something else to have nothing and brag about it. The pride of life puts on a big show for other people. A person might be able to get by with a certain item, but he may want to get a better item to impress people with. People often live just a little beyond what they can afford because they want others to think they have more than they have. Such a motive is boastful. John MacArthur We live in a proud and egotistical generation. People continually promote themselves. John MacArthur People are now twisting the Bible to promote pride and self- esteem. John MacArthur The Bible is very clear about the sin of pride. a) The definitions of pride (1) Proverbs 21:4--"A proud heart ... [is] sin." (2) Proverbs 16:5--"Every one who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord." (3) Proverbs 8:13--"The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride, and arrogance." (4) Romans 1:30--Pride is a mark of the reprobate mind. (5) 1 Timothy 3:6--Pride comes from the devil. (6) 1 John 2:16--Pride is a part of the world. (7) 1 Timothy 6:3-4--Pride characterizes false teachers. b) The downfall of pride (1) James 4:6--"God resists the proud." (2) Isaiah 23:9--God brings the proud into contempt. (3) Psalm 31:23--The proud will be judged. (4) Exodus 18:11--The proud will be subdued. (5) Psalm 18:27--The proud will be brought low. (6) Daniel 4:37--The proud will be abased. (7) Luke 1:51--The proud will be scattered. (8) Malachi 4:1--The proud will be punished. 2. The exaltation of humility Humility is exalted as a virtue in the Bible. We need to understand that in terms of our experience as well. a) Micah 6:8--"What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" b) Psalm 138:6--"Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly." c) Psalm 10:17--"Lord, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble." d) Proverbs 15:33--"Before honor is humility." The Lord lifts up the humble (James 4:10). Colossians 3:12 instructs us to put on humility. First Peter 5:5 tells us to be clothed with humility. And Ephesians 4:1-2 says we are to walk in humility. If you desire honor and glory from God, you must display humility first. That is contrary to our earthly philosophy, which exalts pride. Jesus emphasized humility in Matthew 18:3-4 when He said that anyone who would come into His Kingdom must humble himself as a little child. They needed to learn to deny themselves. That's a mark of a true follower of Jesus Christ. He tried to get the same message across to the rich young ruler when he said, "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasures in heaven; and come and follow me" (Matt. 19:21). But the man wouldn't do it. That was a profound lesson about the requirements for entering into the Kingdom--humility, self-denial, and abandonment. John MacArthur John Piper--"Today the first and greatest commandment is, `Thou shalt love thyself.' And the explanation for almost every interpersonal problem is thought to lie in someone's low self- esteem. Sermons, articles, and books have pushed this idea into the Christian mind. It is a rare congregation, for example, that does not stumble over the `vermicular theology' of Isaac Watts's `Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed': `Would He devote that sacred head/For such a worm as I?'" ("Is Self-Love Biblical?" Christianity Today, 12 August 1977, p. 6). People don't like that. One of the letters written to the editor at Moody Monthly in response to an article I wrote on Robert Schuller's book Self Esteem said, "MacArthur has become a victim of worm theology." That's not a popular thing in a day when men promote themselves. John Stott--"A chorus of many voices is chanting in unison today that I must at all costs love myself" ("Must I Really Love Myself?" Christianity Today, 5 May 1978, p. 34). Saint Augustine--"Two cities have been formed by two loves; the earthly by the love of self, even to the contempt of God, the heavenly by the love of God even to the contempt of self. The former, in a word, glories in itself, the latter in the Lord" (The City of God XIV, 28). John Calvin--"For so blindly do we all rush in the direction of self-love that everyone thinks he has a good reason for exalting himself and despising all others in comparison" (Institutes of the Christian Religion, trans. Henry Beveridge [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1966], 2:10). Calvin offers a cure for the problem: "There is no other remedy than to pluck up by the roots those most noxious pests, self-love and love of victory .... This the doctrine of Scripture does. For it teaches us to remember, that the endowments which God has bestowed upon us are not our own, but His free gifts, and that those who plume themselves upon them betray their ingratitude" (Ibid). Our Lord tells us not to seek greatness by political power play. Don't try to climb the ladder of success based on who you know. Don't seek it by audacious ambition--don't overstate your abilities. Don't seek it by dominant dictatorship--don't try to pull rank on people. And don't use your personality to manipulate others. If you want to be great, learn the lesson that Jesus teaches in Matthew 20:22. Before honor comes humility. Before you can wear the crown, you have to drink the cup. The way to exaltation is the way of humility. Seek to know God and walk humbly with Him. Matthew 20:26-28 gives us the way to greatness in the Kingdom: "It shall not be so among you, but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister, and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant; even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." John MacArthur

First Commandment and Pride

Q. 45. Which is the first commandment? A. The first commandment is, Thou shalt have no other gods before me.[119] [119] Exodus 20:3 (KJV). Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3 (New International Version) "You shall have no other gods before me. Deuteronomy 5:7 (KJV). Thou shalt have none other gods before me. Deuteronomy 5:7 (New International Version) "You shall have no other gods before me. Q. 46. What is required in the first commandment? A. The first commandment requireth us to know and acknowledge God to be the only true God, and our God; and to worship and glorify him accordingly.[120] [120] 1 Chronicles 28:9 (KJV). And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. 1 Chronicles 28:9 (New International Version) "And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever Isaiah 45:20-25 (KJV). Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory. Isaiah 45:20-25 (New International Version) "Gather together and come; assemble, you fugitives from the nations. Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood, who pray to gods that cannot save. Declare what is to be, present it— let them take counsel together. Who foretold this long ago, who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the LORD ? And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me. "Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. They will say of me, 'In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength.' " All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame. But in the LORD all the descendants of Israel will be found righteous and will exult. Matthew 4:10 (KJV). Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Matthew 4:10 (New International Version) Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" Q. 47. What is forbidden in the first commandment? A. The first commandment forbiddeth the denying,[121] or not worshiping and glorifying, the true God as God,[122] and our God;[123] and the giving of that worship and glory to any other, which is due to him alone.[124] [121] Psalm 14:1 (KJV). The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. Psalm 14:1 (New International Version) The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. [122] Romans 1:20-21 (KJV). For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Romans 1:20-21 (New International Version) For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. [123] Psalm 81:10-11 (KJV). I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. Psalm 81:10-11 (New International Version) I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. "But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. [124] Ezekiel 8:16-18 (KJV). And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD'S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them. Ezekiel 8:16-18 (New International Version) He then brought me into the inner court of the house of the LORD, and there at the entrance to the temple, between the portico and the altar, were about twenty-five men. With their backs toward the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east, they were bowing down to the sun in the east. He said to me, "Have you seen this, son of man? Is it a trivial matter for the house of Judah to do the detestable things they are doing here? Must they also fill the land with violence and continually provoke me to anger? Look at them putting the branch to their nose! 18 Therefore I will deal with them in anger; I will not look on them with pity or spare them. Although they shout in my ears, I will not listen to them." Romans 1:25 (KJV). Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. Romans 1:25 (New International Version) They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Q. 48. What are we specially taught by these words before me in the first commandment? A. These words before me in the first commandment teach us, that God, who seeth all things, taketh notice of, and is much displeased with, the sin of having any other God.[125] [125] Deuteronomy 30:17-18 (KJV). But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. Deuteronomy 30:17-18 (New International Version) But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. Psalm 44:20-21 (KJV). If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. Psalm 44:20-21(New International Version) If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart? Ezekiel 8:12 (KJV). Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth. Ezekiel 8:12 (New International Version) He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? They say, 'The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the land.' " Additional Verses: "David son of Jesse is a man after my own heart, for he will do everything I want him to do." Acts 13:22 & 1 Samuel 13:14 (NLT). Jeremiah 3:15 Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding. Deuteronomy 4:23 Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden. Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 4:39 Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. Isaiah 42:8 "I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.” Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Luke 16:13 "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." 2 Samuel 22:28 You save the humble, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low. 2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Psalm 18:27 You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty. Psalm 25:9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. Psalm 147:6 The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground. Psalm 149:4 For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. Matthew 18:4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. James 4:6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. 1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor. Negative Verses: Deuteronomy 8:14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Psalm 10:4 In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. Christian Quotes: ...the eyes of God will always be attentive to guard those who shall be attentive to his instructions. John Calvin The Lord will not save those he cannot command. A.W. Tozer Humility is the secret of fellowship, and pride the secret of division. Robert C. Chapman God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves. Dwight L. Moody Pride is at the bottom of all great mistakes. John Ruskin Pride consists in an unduly exalted opinion of one's self. It is, therefore, impatient of a rival, hates a superior, and cannot endure a master. Edward Payson When men stand high their heads do not grow dizzy till they look down; when men look down upon those that are worse than themselves, or less holy than themselves, then their heads turn round; looking up would cure this disease. The most holy men, when once they have fixed their eyes awhile upon God's holiness, and then looked upon themselves, have been quite out of love with themselves. William Gurnall Proud hearts breed proud looks and stiff knees. Charles Spurgeon Many ask good questions with a design rather to justify themselves than inform themselves, rather proudly to show what is good in them than humbly to see what is bad in them. Matthew Henry Pride is at the bottom of a great many errors and corruptions, and even of many evil practices, which have a great show and appearance of humility. Matthew Henry Pride meets covetousness, and compliments it as wise, thrifty, and prudent. Unknown Christ's definition of Beatitudes (Matthew 5) contradicts the world's standard of happiness. True happiness can only come from one source which is Jesus Christ. True happiness begins in my heart, mourning over sin which leads to meekness. From the attitude of meekness, I hunger and thirst for righteousness. Through Jesus Christ, I can receive God's mercy and righteousness that my heart will be pure. When I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit came into my heart and cleansed my sins and purified my heart. Only God can provide happiness when I have Jesus Christ in my heart and only Jesus Christ can give me true happiness. Jim Beaton Jesus reserved his hardest words for the hidden sins of hypocrisy, pride, greed and legalism." Philip Yancey "Whatever makes us feel superior to other people, whatever tempts us to convey a sense of superiority, that is the gravity of our sinful nature, not grace." Phillip Yancey In Proverbs 21:2, "People may think they are doing what is right, but the Lord examines the heart." (NLT). Our flesh search for pleasure, pride, passions and selfish motives therefore God is looking for Christians who will worship and obey Him from their hearts, minds and bodies. Jim Beaton If I am seeking God for my own selfishness (self-interest), that is pride. Jim Beaton Romans 5:3-4 ".....I also rejoice in my sufferings, because I know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." I suffer to keep down pride (2 Cor. 12:7). A.W. Tozer’s Beatitudes Instead of poverty of spirit we find the rankest kind of pride; instead of mourners we find pleasure seekers; instead of meekness, arrogance; instead of hunger after righteousness we hear men saying, `I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing'; instead of mercy we find cruelty; instead of purity of heart, corrupt imaginings; instead of peacemakers we find men quarrelsome and resentful; instead of rejoicing in mistreatment we find them fighting back with every weapon at their command. Of this kind of moral stuff civilized society is composed.

Miracles: Temporal and Spiritual

Based on a doctrine that is being taught: "God's will to heal". Does that mean people who are healed are more superior than those who are not healed? Does this also mean people who are wealthy are more superior than those who are living in proverty? Bible clearly teaches that God do not compare Christians that way. He looks into our hearts and see how spiritual and obedient we are. How Christians who teaches such doctrine treat and worded words to those who are not healed or wealthy? Let me say this: God does heal but only according to His will, not ours. Those who are not healed are not at fault. Its not about lack of faith or our sins or anything like that. By saying that those who are not healed are less superior spiritually than those who are healed, is mean and un-Christlike. The Bible contains a number of examples of Spirit-filled people who were not healed. Paul admits that "Trophimus I left sick at Miletus" (2 Tim. 4:20). Paul had to rely on God's mercy that his friend Epaphroditus' deathly illness had run its course sparing his life (Phil. 3:25-26). It appears that Paul was unable to help Epaproditus himself. Moreover, Paul was unable to heal himself. In Gal. 4:13-14, he writes "As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself." Paul also suffered from a "thorn in the flesh" which he unsuccessfully petitioned to have the Lord remove (2 Cor. 12:7-9). Human emotions, the ways of God and His mysterious movings of His Spirit. In view of doctrine of healing and doctrine of faith, emotions are being used to place fear on those who "appear to be lacking faith" when God sees otherwise. God does not play on my emotions to bring me to the point of spiritual decision. People are using emotions rather than spiritual to make their decisions. Bible teaches that we are to walk by faith not by sight, mood or feeling. Faith is at the foundation of all Christian living, and because faith has to do with the character of God, not our feelings about God. God accepts our faith in Him and worship in Him spiritually soundly and effectively even when our emotional mood is low, so low that we arehardly aware that we are alive emotionally at all. I get more motivated from reading the Scriptures and prayers. When I read the scriptures and pray, God is with me spiritually. Emotionally and physically, I am motivated by people around me who loves me, like my wife, my kids, my co-workers, fellow Christians and other people. The scriptures where Christ says in John 14:16 (KJV): And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. This is scary when people are relying on temporal miracles more than eternal miracles to determine who spiritual a person is. God is control and He will heal those that is part of His will.

Tithe based on gross pay or net pay?

If Christ is reigning in us, we will be giving joyfully and generously regardless the word "tithe" is being used. I know "tithe" is not being used in the New Testament. We never see the word "tithe" in the New Testament because it is from the Old Testament (the Law). Therefore tithe is from the Law. In the New Testament, we see the words "give" or "giving" or "cheerful giver" because they are related to grace. (see Mark 12:41-44, Romans 12:8). Two kinds of giving are taught consistently throughout Scripture: giving to the government (compulsory), and giving to God (voluntary). Keep in mind, the government takes % of your gross income, why God be excluded from this? Why put give God based on after-tax income when the Government takes from Gross (pre-tax) income? The issue has been greatly confused, however, by some who misunderstand the nature of the Old Testament tithes. Tithes were not primarily gifts to God, but taxes for funding the national budget in Israel. Because Israel was a theocracy, the Levitical priests acted as the civil government. So the Levite's tithe (Leviticus 27:30-33) was a precursor to today's income tax, as was a second annual tithe required by God to fund a national festival (Deuteronomy 14:22-29). We in America pay between 20 and 30 percent of our income to the government--a figure very similar to the requirement under the theocracy of Israel. Matthew 22:21 "Caesar's," they replied. Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." After reading the scriptures, I believe we are to give based on "pre-tax" income. If you felt that you did gave 10% based on after-tax income, this is where God looks in the heart and the motives. (Hey, I am an accountant ). I am just saying is to allow the Holy Spirit have convince you to give from the heart. Remember, this is between YOU and God. No one around us will know EXCEPT God. 2 Corinthians 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Anyway, we are under Grace and that we are to obey God and follow His Word (the Bible). God wants a pure heart from us and He does not need to give us rules in order for our hearts to be pure. Jesus Christ cleaned our sins and all God wants us to do is be Christ-like. Jesus said in Matthew 5:8 "God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God." God wants our hearts more than He want us to follow rules. We all have to realize that a local church's accomplishments will depend upon members' spiritual condition. The church's financial health will be healthy if the people are submitting to the Holy Spirit, who will give them fruit. I want to point out another view that may help us understand. The concept of 2 Corinthians 8:9 is actually about giving and sharing. If you look the whole chapter (8), you will see how the topic of wealth came up. We all are capable of working, earning money and provide our family's needs. God gave us opportunities for us to be successful in our lives and at the same time, God do not want us to forget those who are not. There were those who made a lot of money wanted to help those who did not make a lot of money. 2 Corinthians, Chapter 8 is about giving. Those early Christians in the early church did a remarkable thing; no one told them they had to share and give in the manner that they did. They had just been filled with the Holy Spirit who would help them to be more like Jesus and to walk and live as He would in a loving and giving manner. While we as Christians are not under a legalistic law that gives us specific details on our giving, again, we are indeed commanded to be giving people, and we ought to look for opportunities to give. "And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity." (Second Corinthians 8:1–2) I know "tithe" is not being used in the New Testament. We never see the word "tithe" in the New Testament because it is from the Old Testament (the Law). Therefore tithe is from the Law. In the New Testament, we see the words "give" or "giving" or "cheerful giver" because they are related to grace. (see Mark 12:41-44, Romans 12:8). In the Old Testament, God gave us an example of giving to God by the word "Tithe" but we are not required in the New Testament. When we are talking about percentages (%), keep in mind, the government takes % of your gross income, why God be excluded from this? Why put give God based on after-tax income when the Government takes from Gross (pre-tax) income? 2 Corinthians 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Anyway, we are under Grace and that we are to obey God and follow His Word (the Bible). God wants a pure heart from us and He does not need to give us rules in order for our hearts to be pure. Jesus Christ cleaned our sins and all God wants us to do is be Christ-like. Jesus said in Matthew 5:8 "God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God." God wants our hearts more than He want us to follow rules. We all have to realize that a local church's accomplishments in the Great Commission will depend upon members' spiritual condition and financial support. The church's financial health will be healthy if the people are submitting to the Holy Spirit, who will give them fruit. I want to point out another view that may help us understand. The concept of 2 Corinthians 8:9 is actually about giving and sharing. If you look the whole chapter (8), you will see how the topic of wealth came up. We all are capable of working, earning money and provide our family's needs. God gave us opportunities for us to be successful in our lives and at the same time, God do not want us to forget those who are not. There were those who made a lot of money wanted to help those who did not make a lot of money. 2 Corinthians, Chapter 8 is about giving. Those early Christians in the early church did a remarkable thing; no one told them they had to share and give in the manner that they did. They had just been filled with the Holy Spirit who would help them to be more like Jesus and to walk and live as He would in a loving and giving manner. While we as Christians are not under a legalistic law that gives us specific details on our giving, again, we are indeed commanded to be giving people, and we ought to look for opportunities to give. "And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity." (Second Corinthians 8:1–2) Important note to add: We are to give as reasonable in God's point of view. We need to look at our motives and how we are managing our money. Are possessions first in my life or God (Church)? Does the money put ourselves first before God? Do have large debts? How much are we spending that God thinks we are spending unwisely? Our stewardship of our money is an effective barometer of our spirituality. What we do with our money God gives us is a reflection of your thinking. As Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:21). "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:17). Your local Church's financial income and expenditures do not determine the quality of her ministries. Quality is measured by the Christlike living of the church members. If Christ is reigning in us, we will be giving joyfully and generously. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says that Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. We all have to realize that a local church's accomplishments will depend upon members' spiritual condition. The church's financial health will be healthy if the people are submitting to the Holy Spirit, who will give them fruit. If a family do not have debts and not spending foolishly that they are surviving paycheck to paycheck, God knows their hearts that they tried and understands that family comes first. But when He knows a family spending money unwisely, this is where He will search our hearts. In Proverbs 21:2 says, "People may think they are doing what is right, but the Lord examines the heart." (NLT) Everything belongs to God, who calls the church to live in faithful stewardship of all that God has entrusted to us, and to participate now in the rest and justice which God has promised.

Biblical Verses regarding God's Sovereign

Dictionary: Cause: to serve as a cause or occasion of : MAKE; to effect by command, authority, or force. Allow: To approve, to consent to expressly or formally. Direct: To regulate the activities or course of, to carry out the organizing, energizing, and supervising of, to dominate and determine the course. Scriptural Examples: Genesis 48:11 Israel said to Joseph, "I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too." Judges 2:23 The LORD had allowed those nations to remain; he did not drive them out at once by giving them into the hands of Joshua. Job 1:8-12 Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Job 2:6 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life." Hebrews 6:3 And God permitting, we will do so. God's Sovereign: Job 37:15 Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash? Proverbs 20:24 A man's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way? Proverbs 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases. Jeremiah 10:23 [ Jeremiah's Prayer ] I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps. Ezekiel 7:5 "This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Disaster! An unheard-of disaster is coming. Revelation 16:9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him. God governs the world (Isa. 40:22-24), the nations (Isa. 40:15-17), and us (Proverbs 16:9). The Bible talks about that God give and take away. He allow the good and the bad to happen. Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains. There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. There is a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. Therefore, God do NOT cause however He does allow things to happen. God is in control.

Eternal versus Temporal

There is a difference between we are spiritually whole and physically whole. We are spiritually whole which is eternal. We live in a body that is decaying and dying which is temporal. If our bodies are decaying as Paul said, where does it say we are physically whole while our bodies are slowly dying? We are to make our own decisions as to the eternal world we are going to inhabit. We must decide to take Jesus for what He is Savior and Lord. God gave us the positive promises and prospect that heaven is the place of all loveliness, all harmony and beauty. As long as we are living here, we will have to consider the extreme-much that is good and much that is bad. As believers, we are held firm in the knowledge that the eternal Son came to save us and deliver us to a beautiful heaven and everlasting fellowship with God! What comes into our mind when we think about God's eternal blessings? All life is at root spiritual and God is spirit. The whole Bible magnifies the inner and eternal part of man and lays correspondingly lighter emphasis upon the external and temporal. Everything of lasting value in the Christian life is unseen and eternal. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, they are not our own. It is through our bodies that we express our spirit-soul-mind-heart. Our bodies are vehicles by which we disclose our real being. The emphasis for us believers is to live to gear ourselves into spiriitual things eternal and to live the life of heaven here upon earth. The Spirit-filled and Spirit-led Christians will focus on spiritual matters more than temporal matters that are useful and caring and compassionate to others! A Spirit-filled Christian is spiritual when he or she sees everything from God's spiritual viewpoint. God's gaze does not rest on the surface but penetrates to the true spiritual meaning of things while the carnal Christian looks at temporal. Spiritual Christian is able to look through things as God looks and think as God thinks. We need to see all spiritual things as God sees them even if this means God humbles us and exposes our spiritual ignorance to the point of real pain. This is clearly a problem debating about our spiritual wholeness and physical wholeness. Romans 12:1 [ Living Sacrifices ] Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 1 Corinthians 15:44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 1 Corinthians 15:46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. Ephesians 1:3 [ Spiritual Blessings in Christ ] Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 1 Peter 2:5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Luke 10:25 [ The Parable of the Good Samaritan ] On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Luke 16:9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. 2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 2 Corinthians 5:1 [ Our Heavenly Dwelling ] Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Thessalonians 2:16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 1 Timothy 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 9:14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! Hebrews 9:15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. 2 Peter 1:11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 1 John 2:25 And this is what he promised us—even eternal life. Eternal and Temporal Bodies First Corinthians 15:35-58 But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?" How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor. So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven. I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.