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| Complacency and Using God’s Blessings On Self-Indulgence |
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What is complacency? Webster defines it as “quiet satisfaction; contentment; often, specifically, self-satisfaction, or smugness.” Things are going well, FOR YOU, so you don’t want to “rock the boat”. Therefore, you turn your back on the oppressed, the down and out, and the downtrodden. Ancient Israel was very much like modern America, the wealth and good-life was abundant for all to enjoy. While they didn’t have the technology we have today they had their winter homes and summer homes and mansions, and they too were complacent, not wanting anyone or anything to “rock their boat”. God not only rocked their boat, He capsized it, Amos 3:13-15 "Hear this and testify against the house of Jacob," declares the Lord, the LORD God Almighty. "On the day I punish Israel for her sins, I will destroy the altars of Bethel; the horns of the altar will be cut off and fall to the ground. I will tear down the winter house along with the summer house; the houses adorned with ivory will be destroyed and the mansions will be demolished," declares the LORD.
God warns both men and women about complacency, Isa 32:9-13 You women who are so complacent, rise up and listen to me; you daughters who feel secure, hear what I have to say! In little more than a year you who feel secure will tremble; the grape harvest will fail, and the harvest of fruit will not come. Tremble, you complacent women; shudder, you daughters who feel secure! Strip off your clothes, put sackcloth around your waists. Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vines and for the land of my people, a land overgrown with thorns and briers-- yes, mourn for all houses of merriment and for this city of revelry. We are further warned, Zep 1:12-13 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, 'The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad.' Their wealth will be plundered, their houses demolished. They will build houses but not live in them; they will plant vineyards but not drink the wine. Zion is our example again, Amos 6:1 Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come! We in America had better learn from ancient Israel or we too will be judged.
God will not accept us taking the neutral position, sitting on our comfy cozy tucuses while a lost world goes from bad to worse. We must be actively out there serving the Lord and bringing the lost into the Kingdom of God. Jesus teaches us, Luke 11:23 "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.” Do you understand what Jesus said? If you are so busy, busy, busy with your job, your business, your hobby, your “down time” that you refuse to serve God then you are actually driving people away from God. There is no neutral zone with God, you are either for Him or you are against Him. There is no Switzerland when it comes to God. In Revelations God warns those who are complacent, or “luke warm”, Rev 3:15-17 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
Paul instructs us to emulate Jesus Christ, and to stop thinking only of ourselves but to look out for each other as well, Phil 2:3-4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Both church and secular historians of the first 400 years of church history wrote about the quick growth of the infant church because Christians not only looked out for each other, but even worked for the betterment of non-believers as well. Peter teaches us that the reason God gives us gifts is so that we can serve each other, not to squander it all on ourselves, 1 Pet 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. Paul tells us that the reason God gives the church various offices is to equip us, the people, to serve Him by serving each other, building each other up so that we become more and more like Jesus Christ, building up the body of Christ, Eph 4:11-13 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. It is clear that we are not to squander God’s gifts on ourselves, and we are not called to live this comfy, cozy American lifestyle. This is why so many people fall away, there is no support. A shaft of wheat standing alone against a mighty wind will collapse every time, but a field of wheat, stalks supporting and upholding each other will stand. If you find it burdensome to support you brothers and sisters in Christ than I strongly advise that you sit back and evaluate who you are in Christ, and whether or not you are truly born again.
Look at the heart of the Psalmist who wrote, Psa 116:12-14 How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD. I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people. The one who is born again understands what Jesus Christ gave up to become as we are, and to suffer and die that we might have eternal life, and in love and gratitude serve the Lord and each other. We rather have the tendency to wear our “faith on our sleeve”, and so did the religious leaders in the time of Christ, Mat 6:5 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.“ It is as if we want to world to say, “Look what a great Christian he is!” We relish hearing this, but this will be all the reward we will get. Let us truly serve God from the heart and the world will be attracted to God and praise Him. Paul emphasizes this so please study these words, 2 Cor 9:11-15 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
James warns us what happens when we seek to use God’s blessings for our own self-indulgence, James 4:1-4 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Far too often the American Christian is more worldly than the world, and we wonder why the world rejects our “religion”. Paul warns us not to misuse our freedom and God’s blessings for our own self-indulgence, Gal 5:13-16 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature ; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Here lies the key to freedom from alcoholism, drug addiction, pornography, etc. It is the rebirth, being born and led by the Spirit of God, and in obedient service to Him. This requires that you say “no” to yourself and “yes” to God, and the one born again will do so willingly, happily, and lovingly.
Next blog: Faith and Love Compels One to Act |
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| To add a comment to "Complacency and Using God’s Blessings On Self-Indulgence" |
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| June 07, 2007 |
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| Who is complacent? |
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| June 08, 2007 |
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| Who? According to George Barna it is 80% of American Christianity. These are things I have learned during a 5 day fast and prayer, listening to jpeople who have left Christianity for other religious faiths, and listening to people who have left various churches. Things I have done myself, and things I have observed, and things I have experienced. I have also seen the sad games people play when they don't want to hear this message because they don't want to face it. |
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| June 08, 2007 |
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| No games from me brother. Just a question. :-) |
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| June 08, 2007 |
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This is a great message & one many christians need to hear and take action on. |
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| June 08, 2007 |
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| I know me darlin' bird, I'm just in a hurry. I'm trying to find drivers for an old computer to help a friend get online. He was given an older computer and it was reformated with nothing on it. I got some drivers for it, but I still have a few to find. |
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| June 08, 2007 |
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| Thanks for the encouragement racumpoodle. I have to ask, do you have a poodle? |
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| June 08, 2007 |
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| Okay you handsome bloke :-) |
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| June 08, 2007 |
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| Yes,I have a black standard poodle & a golden doodle.I can't be owned by anything less than 75 lbs.that doen't end in oodle. |
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| June 08, 2007 |
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| too much print! |
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| June 09, 2007 |
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Hey recon77, just read the title and extrapolate from there, LOL!!! |
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| June 09, 2007 |
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| I"ve always been fond of collies and shelties. The last herd I had were shelties. I got attached to all the puppies and kept them so I had to stop mating them. |
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| June 13, 2007 |
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| A very timely mesasge. |
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| June 13, 2007 |
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Thanks |
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| June 13, 2007 |
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| Yes, Mary Ann, I guess I'm just too complacent to read all that print! LOL. |
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| June 14, 2007 |
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| This is another GREAT blog in your series! Keep it up, you are sharing one of your gifts at the moment :) |
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| June 14, 2007 |
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| Thanks hopefaith, I need the encouragement. Means alot to me. |
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| June 15, 2007 |
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| Excellent as always. |
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| June 16, 2007 |
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| Glad to see you mucking about these parts again Senior Keith. |
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