|
Author
|
Topic: DID JESUS TEACH MEN TO LOVE THEMSELVES? Part 2
|
TEXASGRANDMA
Advanced Member
Member # 847
|
posted
Linda,
thank you. You are very kind. I had a blast in Houston with my family but I always come back feeling inferior. I have never measured up to my sister. She always finds a way to make me feel badly about myself. This time, she pointed my problems with my thighs ( a big issue with me)
I know that she is more spiritual and more pretty than me. So I don't need her remdinding me of my failures.
But, I know I need to stop trying to live up to her expectations and be more like Jesus instead.
I know how much your husband loves you and I bet he thinks you are the most beautiful woman he knows. Pictures don't tell the truth so remind yourself that you are beauitful lady both inside and out!
betty
--------------------
Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
Posts: 4985 | From: Washington State | Registered: Jan 2003
| IP: Logged | 
|
|
helpforhomeschoolers
Advanced Member
Member # 15
|
posted
This is so awesome... David just posted this in the Christian Quotes section and this is exactly what I am taking about:
quote:
God is so immediately near and so immensely strong that I get more and more joyous in my confidence in Him and less and less careful how I feel.
Chambers, O. (1999, c1968). Run today's race : A word from Oswald Chambers for every day of the year (electronic ed.). London: Oswald Chambers Publications Association, Ltd.
Less and less Care - ful....
Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Posts: 4684 | From: Southern Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: Jun 2002
| IP: Logged |
|
|
helpforhomeschoolers
Advanced Member
Member # 15
|
posted
I have seen your picture sister and you are sooo pretty! You are cute as can be! You have gorgeous hair (I love the color and the style!) and a radiant smile and a nice figure! You are not even fat and you certainly are not ugly!
I really think that Godly women have a glow that comes through.
I do know what you mean though. I absolutely cannot stand myself in a picture. When I look in the mirror.. I do not see what I see in a photgraph. You know when I gained all this weight 14 years ago, it made me to hate the way I looked in a photo. I used to be a poser! Our albums are like oh.. theres mom, theres mom, there's mom... then.. ugh not a single picture of mom! I have not had a single one since that I liked the way I looked. SO I just dont look at photos of me and I avoid cameras.. cause I dont feel like those pictures and I dont see that woman when I look in the mirror and thank God I have not experienced anyone in my life telling me that I am fat and ugly! I do know that I am fat... but ugly? Only in a photograph! ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
Posts: 4684 | From: Southern Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: Jun 2002
| IP: Logged |
|
|
TEXASGRANDMA
Advanced Member
Member # 847
|
posted
I am trying but it is hard. The other day I was listening something on the radio and the person said to describe yourself in a sentence. The first thing that popped into my head was "I am fat and ugly." I rejected that, but I know that deep inside that is how I see myself. Even after losing 50 pounds (I still need to lose at least 20) I find myself at Church noticing how other women are much slimmer and prettier then me. I know God looks on the inside, but the truth is there is so much work needed there too.
I hope you did not think I was targeting you as the Christians that hurt people like me. I was actually thinking of a former Preacher's wife who only spoke to me when no one else was around. Simply because I was not apart of their clique.
I finally stopped speaking to her first. If she spoke to me I was nice, but I realize that it was harmful for me to seek her out only to be shunned.
I hope this explains what I am trying to say because I am all over the board as far as my thoughts are going. ADD is bad today.
betty
--------------------
Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
Posts: 4985 | From: Washington State | Registered: Jan 2003
| IP: Logged |
|
|
helpforhomeschoolers
Advanced Member
Member # 15
|
posted
Betty: ![[hug]](graemlins/hug.gif) I love you. I wish I had the words to convey what I am trying to convey.
You think I am confident and that is so funny to me. I am not self confident. I used to be very self confident.
My husband married a girl that was self confident... she walked into a room with presence....she could go anywhere, speak to any one, and be intimidated by no one. She was bold and brassy and full of herself. Nothing she could not do that she set her mind to.
Today, he has a wife that is shy, and has no self confidence. She doesnt even like to go to the grocery store without him, much less walk into a function or event or even the home of a group of friends alone without him.
Yes, I can still speak in public and no I am not intimidated by people's degrees or positions in life or financial statements.... but that is only because those things just dont impress me and before speaking in public if I spent even 5 minutes thinking about me I would be shaking in my boots!
You think that I am bold but that is because you hear me speak about HIM. I am bold about HIM. I am confident IN HIM. I know and I can rest IN HIM.
What has changed in the woman that my husband married and the wife that he has today? Today I know that I am NOT worthy and GOD loved me any way. He loved me enough to give me Christ and I was not worthy. I know that I was junk.
I was Worthless trash junk and not because my father abused me, but because I was BORN OF ADAM and ADAM is the procreator of sinful dirt (pun intended) but even though I was not worthy God loved me enough to beget me of himself and yes you are right GOD does not create or beget junk!
God begat me a child of the living GOD.
Apart from that... what would I be? Adam's dirt. But I am no more Adam's dirt. His dirt is still there for now on the outside, but that is my body it is not me.
But my esteem is not in me.. it is in HIM... It is his righteousness that I have... it is HIS goodness that I am... It is HIS worthyness that I wear.
I learned that my own self esteem failed me;it could do nothing less... it was esteem in something that was from birth faulty. but HE will never fail me. Why would I need to esteem me? I have HIM.
GOD does not love us because we are worthy of HIS love; God loves us because he created us to love.. he created us to love him. We were not worthy and GOD still loved us enough to give us CHRIST.
God loved us enough to take Adam's dirt and change it to be an earthen vessel that hold's God's Gold and treasure. That does not make me to esteem myself... it makes me to esteem GOD.
I do not encourage self esteem... because I know that self esteem is a lie. It will fail you. IF you dont have any be glad... give thanks...that means that GOD will not have to work all that gross pride and junk out of you. That is such a blessing that you do not even know.
The problem with having no self esteem is not a need for self esteem... it is a need to esteem GOD more ... to grab hold of what LOVE he had for you in spite of your worthlessness that was given to you BY ADAM. EsTEEM GOD... when HE lift you up no man can put you down. If you are born of HIM, he has already lifted you up above all power and principalities and seated you in HIM in the heavenly places. Not because you were worthy, but because CHRIST was/is worthy and you are in Christ and HE IS in you.
All the self esteem in the world cannot do that. Cannot make you more worthy and cannot rightly give you more confidence. It can only lie to you and keep you from esteeming the ONLY one that is worthy of esteem.
I love you sister and I think you are beautiful and precious and wonderful and I wish that you could grasp what I am trying to say to you.
The next time the devil says to you Betty you are worthless... you need to say thank you God your grace and mercy and glory that took Adam's worthless dirt and made inside it a new creature that is God's gold... precious and blessed beyond all measure and seated far above all powers and principalities in the heavenlies with Christ and you need to know that you are not your flesh... the devil sees your old dirty flesh and bones that are going to return to the dirt from which it came and he tries to tell you that this is you... that is because he cant see you... you are far above HIM in Christ.
Posts: 4684 | From: Southern Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: Jun 2002
| IP: Logged |
|
|
TEXASGRANDMA
Advanced Member
Member # 847
|
posted
I agree with should find our self worth in God, but some of us it is daily battle. The devil will even use Christians to make people like me to feel worthless and useless. I try to see myself as worthy because of God, but these little voices tell me how everybody else is much better than me all the time. I realize that there are lot of prideful people who need to read post like me, but when I see them it makes me feel stupid, ugly and worthless. I know there are others like me.
betty
--------------------
Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
Posts: 4985 | From: Washington State | Registered: Jan 2003
| IP: Logged |
|
|
Aaron
unregistered
|
posted
Hello by_grace,
I just noticed your signature. I like it. To the last part:
quote:
It is expressed by hearing, obeying and proclaiming the whole council of God regardless of whom it might offend.
..I think it's important to add: even if it offends our self.
Since following God I am acutely aware of two truths operating in my life: death and resurrection. For God to use me He leads me to my own death...this is my cross. Then, having brought an end to the dead works in me He gives me life. He doesn't raise me to life, rather, He raises Christ to life in me.
So, it is true to say "(love is) expressed by hearing, obeying and proclaiming the whole council of God regardless of whom it might offend." in so far as we include "self" as one of the "targets" of offense. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Bless you,
Aaron
IP: Logged |
|
|
by_grace
Advanced Member
Member # 5340
|
posted
The Devil is a liar...we are to abide in God's love alone.
I spent many yrs being into trying to boost my own self esteem....it was not until I let God's love of me take over that I started having confidence through Him and His saving grace.
It does not matter what men think, but God.
We tend to think our self esteem is dependent upon other's view of us...wrong wrong wrong. been there-not worth the ticket.
Yes, we all have SOMETHING in our pasts that we could use as a crutch- but that is because the devil is busy with distracting us from what Christ finished on the cross.
My mom-n-law had a horrific upbringing...and she is hateful and bitter to this day- all the while a professing Christian.
She has this excuse to act the way she does 'because' of her bad life...not taking into account what all God has given her now...what she has been freed from! she dwells in the past and blames.
The devil loves this...he wants us to focus on things that we see as "explanations" for our bad behavior----when the explanation is simply "SIN".
I had to come to the realization that it is not about "me". It is about Him, and he supplies my strength to do whatever I am called to do rather than relying on "my" self esteem to move forward.
bygrace
--------------------
To "love thy neighbor as thyself" is not expressed by forfeiting, twisting or reinterpreting the Word of God for the cause of unity. It is expressed by hearing, obeying and proclaiming the whole council of God regardless of whom it might offend.
Posts: 25 | Registered: Dec 2005
| IP: Logged |
|
|
TEXASGRANDMA
Advanced Member
Member # 847
|
posted
I don't think the Pastor meant to excuse my sister's husband but to explain to my sister why her husband is the way he is. I do believe that her husband could change if he wanted to but he is too proud (I believe he hides a sad little boy behind false pride) to admit that he has a problem.
I have seen so many people react differntly because of poor self esteem. My husband is very appreciative of anything anyone does for him, but because of his self esteem issues he always jokes that he has people fooled into thinking he is a nice guy. I have always felt unworthy so I can't really understand the desire for people to destroy other's self worth. I think there should be a happy medium from feeling that you are lower than dirt and being proudful. If I shut myself up in my room and never leave my apartment because I feel worthless, then I am no good to God. I guesss I am saying that I have to fight all the time just to have the nerve to speak to people so, I honestly do not need people to tell my how much more unworthy and useless I am. You are very confident. This allows you to be used by God in so many ways. I don't think you can understand what it is like to grow up your whole life feeling less than others. I like the saying that "God did not make junk"
betty
--------------------
Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
Posts: 4985 | From: Washington State | Registered: Jan 2003
| IP: Logged |
|
|
helpforhomeschoolers
Advanced Member
Member # 15
|
posted
That is a very psychological and worldly way of describing your brother in law's treatment of his wife.
The Bible would say that he is if he is Christ's a new creature and would call his ill treatment of his wife sin.
Betty, I pray that I dont offend you, but this is such a peave of mine. It really puts me on a soap box. This pastor's response is shameful! There is so much psychology in our churches and not enough Bible.
It makes me ill that a pastor would excuse a man's ill treatment of his wife in this way. He should be holding him accountible and telling him to repent and walk in the spirit not the flesh.. is that not what the Bible teaches regarding how a man should treat his wife?
The world wants to make an excuse for everything... my dad abused me so I will abuse my kids.. no one loved me at home so I dont know how to love... I dont like myself enough to like anyone else...
THose are all things that are the view of the world and of Psychology.. they are not the Bible's view of things.
Today the church... a good part of the church.. tries to live with one foot in the world and one in the Bible and it does not work that way.
The whole self esteem movement that began back when I was a young mother and told us that the answer to all the world's ills was to produce children with high self esteem has produced a generation of children that are spoiled rotten think that the world owes them something and they wshould be praised and lauled over for doing the most basic of things that are expected of any responsible adult citizen. It is nauseating!
Man's problem is not self esteem. It is lack of God esteem. We dont need more esteem of ourselves we need more esteem of Christ!
When we come to esteem Christ, HIS love in us transforms us and changes us in such a way that we know that we are loved and precious because we know what God did to reconcile us to HIMself. Further, when we take our eyes off ourselves and put them on him, we no longer worry about ourselves... no longer focus on our haves and have nots, are not limited by weaknesses; are not controled by our circumstances; are not inhibited by our shortcomings because what is impossible with man is possible with God.
In this life we can wallow in our excuses or we can put our eyes on Christ.
That pastor should repent! oooh it makes me mad to hear a pastor preach the world's view of things.
Does this man believe that God sent HIS ONLY son to die for him or not? You cant have that deep down in your soul and wallow in worthlessness!
You cant love God and treat HIS precious gift to you of a wife or husband like trash... you are lying to yourself if you think that you can.
There are no excuses with God.. God has done everything divinly possible to give us victory over sin in this life an to free us from bondage to it. I do not have to lose my temper; I do not have to be selfish ; I do not have to yell or scream or be demanding; I dont have to be jealous; I dont have to be ugly; I dont have to feel oh woe is me; I do not have be rude or uncaring....not if I am a born again child of the living God... I do not have to be conformed to the desires of my flesh or the ways of the world! If I chose to do that it is not God's fault... it is sin.
Posts: 4684 | From: Southern Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: Jun 2002
| IP: Logged |
|
|
TEXASGRANDMA
Advanced Member
Member # 847
|
posted
my sister's husband who is a Christian, treats her terribly. Their Pastor said part of the problem is that her husband is not capable of loving himself or others. He has feels he has no self worth and at the same time he doesn't see anyone else as worthy of love.
betty
--------------------
Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
Posts: 4985 | From: Washington State | Registered: Jan 2003
| IP: Logged |
|
|
by_grace
Advanced Member
Member # 5340
|
posted
quote:
The human instinct is one that will preserve his own person at all costs....
Yes! that is how I see it, He was saying that we should love others as we loves ourselves...Because we DO THAT anyway whether we are supposed to or not....He did not say that we ARE to love ourselves,
He said that we should love others THE WAY that we tend to greedily love ourselves!
I do not believe that He taught self-love at all, that is a man thing.
bygrace
--------------------
To "love thy neighbor as thyself" is not expressed by forfeiting, twisting or reinterpreting the Word of God for the cause of unity. It is expressed by hearing, obeying and proclaiming the whole council of God regardless of whom it might offend.
Posts: 25 | Registered: Dec 2005
| IP: Logged |
|
|
helpforhomeschoolers
Advanced Member
Member # 15
|
posted
Good point Betty...
Jas 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
Ga 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Ro 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
So what does that mean and how is it not a contradiction to this sermon?
Ephesians explains:
Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
The human instinct is one that will preserve his own person at all costs....
Christ loved the church the way the carnal man loves his life... his person... his flesh.
We are not to love ourselves this way for we are supposed to be willing to give up our lives that Christ life is manifest in us... BUT, we are to love our brother enough to care more for him than the carnal man cares for his own life.
Christ did not love his own life.. He loved the church enough to die for her.... that she could live in HIM.
This is at least my understanding of the harmony of this.
Posts: 4684 | From: Southern Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: Jun 2002
| IP: Logged |
|
|
TEXASGRANDMA
Advanced Member
Member # 847
|
posted
I thought there was a commandment in the Bible about loving others as we love ourselves. I can't find it so maybe I immagined it.
--------------------
Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
http://www.indieheaven.com/artists/mm (son-in-law)http://www.myspace.com/mireles
Posts: 4985 | From: Washington State | Registered: Jan 2003
| IP: Logged |
|
|
Kindgo
Advanced Member
Member # 2
|
posted
Luk 9:23 And he said to [them] all, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Luk 9:24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Luk 9:25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
--------------------
God bless,
Kindgo
Inside the will of God there is no failure. Outside the will of God there is no success.
Posts: 4320 | From: Sunny Florida | Registered: Jun 2002
| IP: Logged |
|
|
helpforhomeschoolers
Advanced Member
Member # 15
|
posted
DID JESUS TEACH MEN TO LOVE THEMSELVES? Part 2 of 6
The motto and pride anthem of Satan is I, I, I, I, I – and anyone who is not in the love of God. The self-love message is clearly Luciferian. As with Lucifer who became Satan and the devil in his state of eternal condemnation, hell will be the result of all who teach and buy into the self-love message that is being taught in "Christian" books, pulpits and media.
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments (selfish thinking) of the world, and not after Christ...And ye are complete in him (Jesus Christ)..." Colossians 2:8-9
The age-old and classic message of the pied piper solicits saints to forsake the Savior for temporary, self-serving comforts and earthly gain. Concerning this prevalent love of self message, Oswald Chambers said:
“Self-realization is anti-Christian. All this is vigorous paganism, it is not Christianity. Jesus Christ’s attitude is always that of anti-self-realization. His purpose is not the development of man at all; His purpose is to make man exactly like Himself, and the characteristic of the Son of God is not self-realization but self-expenditure.”
Self-love is sinful pride. Self-love has caused every sin ever committed against a holy God in 6,000 years of history. This teaching is now being taught on an epidemic level within the church world by men who are deceived and claim that this diabolical message is a Bible doctrine. Astounding!
Conformed to His Holy Image
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:29
This is an important verse to memorize. We are informed here of the very reason for which He as predestined us - “to be conformed to the image of His Son” who came to give His life - to be a giver and not a taker. Those who are born again are no longer their own. They are Christ’s - bought by His precious blood and called to serve Him not self.
“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price…” 1 Corinthians 6:19
There is no freedom or blessing in learning to love ourselves more. Such is blatant disobedience to the whole Word of God. We are finite, sinful, “desperately wicked”, and in utter need of God and His divine mercy, not more knowledge of ourselves (Jer. 17:9). The Almighty is infinite. The finite must seek the infinite not the finite (itself). The fallen creation must seek His perfect Creator who bled to give him reconciliation and restoration and set the example of serving others not self.
"Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah." Psalms 39:5
"Vain is the help of man." Psalms 60:11
"Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man (including self), and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD." Jeremiah 17:5
According to the words of our God in Jeremiah 17:5, all those who "trusteth in man (self)...depart from the LORD."
Christ taught those who would follow Him to "DENY...SELF, and take up his cross (implement of death) daily, and follow me." (Luke 9:23-24) Following Jesus means doing what He did - serve others not Himself.
The false gospel of self-love, peddled by so many leaders today, is the antithesis of the Gospel of Jesus Christ who called us to lay down our lives.
The Gospel of our LORD is to learn to "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment" and to "esteem others BETTER than ourselves. Look NOT every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus...(who) made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant...he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2:3-8)
Friend, what reconciliation does this text (above) have with the satanic, self-love message? Obviously, the two messages are completely opposite…
Posts: 4684 | From: Southern Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: Jun 2002
| IP: Logged |
|
|
|
Printer-friendly view of this topic
