Turning inward and constantly looking at yourself and be taken up in an inordinate, excessive way, and focusing on yourself and what good can it bring?
What focus on God can it bring? Self-pity, self-reliance, bitterness, keeping records of wrongs, the “love’ of comforting yourself in focusing on yourself and deriving something of a perverted “satisfaction,” in living in such sick sinful thinking, and having others “affirm” you in it and “love” it, surely something is wrong. Some people “love” to be the center of attention and will go to any lengths even the preoccupation of inordinate focus on self. The promotion of “self esteem” as the end when in reality- self is the root of the problem. Self crucified Jesus Christ. Living for self is manifested in sin against God and others. What is needed is to see who we are,”In Christ,” and our true esteem is who He has called us “In Christ”and to “bless Him who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ “– Eph 1:3 What does the Scripture teach is the primary focus of our MIND to be? “Love God with all of your…mind… renew your mind whatever things are true…let your MIND dwell there… Let the mind of Christ dwell in you…do not merely THINK of your own interests but ALSO the interests of others.”
- THINK ON THE TRUTH- JOHN 17:17
- THINK ON THE LORD JESUS- LUKE 24:27
- THINK ON THE PROMISES OF GOD- 2 PETER 1:4
- THINK ON THE CHARACTER OF GOD- Exodus 3:13-15
- THINK ON WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST- 1 COR 1:30
- THINK, THINK,THINK THROUGH…THE LENS OF THE SCRIPTURE, and PRACTICE THE TRUTH- Phil 4:8-9
- THE RESULT? “GLORYING…BOASTING…. IN GOD!”- 1 Cor 10:31
The self-seeking, self- pitying, self -bitter, self-arrogant, resentful occupied individual can never, never focus on the LORD and glory in Him. Like cudzu begins small and yet grows and before you know it left unchecked eventually takes over the trees or old buildings and eventually destroys, distorts, envelops and smothers the beauty of the trees because it takes over inch by inch. For example the person who is full of SELF BITTERNESS. Bitterness is such a deep seated resentment towards others and is a result of SINFUL THINKING and manifested in a life of un-forgiveness and resentment and the beauty of the life of CHRIST is blurred, by sin focused self!
“In Christ” focusing on Him will enable you to THINK on God, THANK GOD. THRILL IN GOD AND TELL OTHERS OF GOD AND REACH OUT TO OTHERS…LOVE FOCUS’S UPWARDS TOWARDS GOD who first loved us and OUTWARD to humbly submit to serve others for Jesus sake- 2 Cor 4:5
INORDINATE SELF FOCUS IS dishonoring to God, for it takes the focus of HIM and desires to take the SPOT LIGHT…and be ELEVATED…. it is sin sick THINKING. It is to say “Look at me! Think about me! Focus on me! Be occupied with me! ” It is to say in the secret place of the heart if not with the lips to GOD, “Hallowed be MY Name. MY Kingdom come, MY Will be done!” It is Idolatrous thinking.
CH Spurgeon said, “If there is anything you seek with greater fervency than the glory of God it is your idol!”
- SELF seeking is idolatry FOR IT DISPLACES God!
- It seeks to have PER-EMINENCE.
PERSONAL APPLICATION;
OWN YOUR SINFUL THINKING. REPENT OF IT …REPLACE THE FOCUS OFF SELF AND ONTO THE LORD JESUS! RELATE TO HIM, DERIVE FROM HIS WORD, HIDING TRUTH IN YOUR HEART AND WHAT WILL BE ONE RESULT? ” LET him who BOASTS, BOASTS IN THE LORD.”- 1 Cor 10:31
See the above verses and CHOOSE one verse a week and memorize, meditate and celebrate God and apply His Word. Write on a 3 by 5 card and carry with you and when you have chance, look at the verse word by word, phrase and ask the Holy Spirit to understand and fill your MIND with truth so that you may THINK Through the lens of Scriptures and renew your mind about God, his Word, and who you are In Christ and how to live FOCUSING UPWARD on God and FOCUSING OUTWARD to seek to benefit others!
- LOOK CONTINUALLY AWAY TO JESUS- Hebrews 12:2
- LOOK OUT NOT ONLY FOR YOUR OWN INTERESTS BUT ALSO THE INTERESTS OF OTHERS- Philippians 2:3-5