Before we moved into my parents house (which has been such a blessing...but thats a whole other blog post) we used to listen to Mark Driscoll the Pastor of Mars Hill Church. Every morning we would play a message while we got ready for work. We haven't been listening to them as much because we've been busy playing mommy and daddy and the routine of living on our own has changed a little since we moved into my parents. The other morning, Shelden turned on a message...oh man was I in for working on my heart before the day even started. Pastor Mark was talking about righteousness and works righteousness and truth righteousness. He is a passionate speaker that hits relevant issues and doesn't care if he offends people with the truth of the gospel. I like the way he preaches because he unveils the Word for what it really is saying. This day and age we are so consumed with being careful about everyones "rights" and what we can and can't say. Because of this the American church has forgotten that the Word God gave us is offensive to this world.
Anyways...Pastor Mark was talks about the story Jesus tells in Luke 18:9-14. He talks about how we spend too much time comparing ourselves to others instead of to Jesus. He talked about those who see themselves better than others. And my heart dropped as I am guilty of looking at others and feeling better about myself. Pastor Mark talks about how God gives us compassion for others yet we turn it around and have contempt on people, it might be for a specific group of people. I am guilty of doing that very thing...and I hate it. I look down on certain people because I have judged them before knowing who they truly are. Pastor Mark pointed out two verses on how God feels about me bringing him this unrighteousness. Isaiah 64:6 talks about how it is like a dirty feminie rags and Philippians 3:8 says its like animal dung. Works righteousness is me thinking that my doing good and being in a leadership position is giving God a pretty wrapped up box but when he opens it gets a pile of nasty rags and literally crap. He isn't pleased with that, that doesn't smell good to Him, He doesn't want to be near that. ouch....that seriously breaks my heart that I actually think I am better than someone else. No one is better than another. We have all sinned and fallen short....but there is hope. I can only please God by allowing Jesus to work through me. Jesus' blood covers me....God sees me through Jesus.
Then to nail it in...Pastor Rob talked about pride this morning. He covered pretty much the same thing as Pastor Mark did in his message. Self righteousness (works righteousness) which is the same as pride because they both put me first...is detestable to the Lord. James 4:6 says, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Ummm...I do not want to be in oppostion of God. I like how Pastor Rob put it this morning, "When I can only feel good about myself when I am feeling good about myself, then I am a captive to feeling good about myself, and the only hope for me is to always...feel good about myself!" Here is the big idea: ITS NOT ABOUT ME!!!
Sometimes it seems like I am so far off from being anywhere near acceptable to God. There is always something to work on and an attitude to adjust, but that is what makes God so amazing. He has poured out his grace on me...I do not have to be perfect, Jesus is perfect and that is how God sees me, through Jesus. I am acceptable through Christ.
