Self-Sacrificing Love
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Galatians 2:20
When you are forgotten or neglected or purposely set at naught, and you sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight, but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ --- that is dying to self.
When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient loving silence --- that is dying to self.
When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, or any annoyance, when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and endure it as Jesus endured it --- that is dying to self.
When you are content with any food, any offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any attitude, any interruption by the will of God --- that is dying to self.
When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, or to record your own good works, or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown --- that is dying to self.
When you see your brother prosper and have his needs met and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and in desperate circumstances --- that is dying to self.
When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself, can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart --- that is dying to self.
- excerpt from an unknown source
Indeed, the standard of God is that high and let us not fall into the trap of the devil thinking puritanism is just a thing of the past and is not applicable in the age today. Throughout the Bible, God's command for us is to be HOLY than to be HAPPY. Yes God does want us to be joyful, but in the right things that is... especially the preservation of the saints, without which i find no joy at all to be a Christian knowing that my salvation is not assured. Pray for grace that we will continue to strive hard in this pilgrimage towards Heaven and may we learn to encourage as well as strengthen one another along the way. =)
Galatians 2:20
When you are forgotten or neglected or purposely set at naught, and you sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight, but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ --- that is dying to self.
When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient loving silence --- that is dying to self.
When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, or any annoyance, when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and endure it as Jesus endured it --- that is dying to self.
When you are content with any food, any offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any attitude, any interruption by the will of God --- that is dying to self.
When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, or to record your own good works, or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown --- that is dying to self.
When you see your brother prosper and have his needs met and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and in desperate circumstances --- that is dying to self.
When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself, can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart --- that is dying to self.
- excerpt from an unknown source
Indeed, the standard of God is that high and let us not fall into the trap of the devil thinking puritanism is just a thing of the past and is not applicable in the age today. Throughout the Bible, God's command for us is to be HOLY than to be HAPPY. Yes God does want us to be joyful, but in the right things that is... especially the preservation of the saints, without which i find no joy at all to be a Christian knowing that my salvation is not assured. Pray for grace that we will continue to strive hard in this pilgrimage towards Heaven and may we learn to encourage as well as strengthen one another along the way. =)
posted by Japheth at
12:13 PM
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