Deliverance From Self-Centeredness - Sunday Service

in Jesus name Amen praise God well let's get in the Word of God this morning and I pray your hearts will be open to receive what I want to talk to you about the day father we thank you for this another opportunity to minister to these your precious seat thank you Lord that revelation and knowledge will flow freely uninterrupted and unhindered buying a satanic or demonic force and I pray Lord that you will speak through my vocal cords and think through my mind none of me and all of you it's in Jesus name we pray and everybody said amen praise God well if you have your Bibles this morning go with me to the book of want to start off here in first Corinthians chapter 13 verses 4 through 5 and I want to talk about something because their their questions going around right now about why why why why are people doing what they do or why are people not doing what they should be doing and there's an issue that we want to bring out I've shared this before but it seems very timely to share it now the issue of self-centeredness the issue of being self-centered and what that causes and what happens when you begin to really take hold of self-centeredness because it seems like everybody in our country is really taking hold of that quality which is something that we should not want to have so we're going to talk about self-centeredness and I'm going to show you how self-centeredness is the key to grief this the key to grief a sense of loss a pain hurt and a sense of loss that occurs as a result of excuse me self-centered and it's being evolved in our life now every every everyone thinks that a teaching about self-centeredness doesn't apply to them that it always is applies to somebody else and not to them and so you have a self I have a self you know everybody has a self and you know you have a self and self is something you have to deal with self is something that you're going to be dealing with for the rest of your life the only way that you stop dealing with self is you die so that's something that we all have in common everybody has a self but our culture has become self-centered and self-centeredness and what I mean by self-centeredness I want you to imagine a circle and you're that you're the only one standing in that circle and you won't allow anybody to get in that circle with you our culture has become self-centered self-centeredness is promoted in our culture and contrary to popular culture self-centeredness is not or should not be a desirable quality and yet it is we should desire to become humble but I'm not talking about becoming a doormat and allowing people to walk all over you you can be a confident person and you can be strong in your convictions and still be humble now let me define how I'm using that word humble today i'm when i when i use the word humble this morning i'm talking about having a low estimate of of one's own importance having a low estimate of one's own importance and so you can have a low estimate of your importance and you can still have strong convictions and you can still be a confident person but you're not walking around thinking that you know you're more important than everybody in the room now you can never be delivered of self and the only way like I said before to be delivered from self is to die so until then you're going to struggle against being self-centered because it is the nature of self to want to satisfy its desires so somebody says well I don't see the problem I don't I don't see the problem with you know me time and all that kind of stuff well the problem with putting yourself first is that you end up hurting other people by ignoring their needs the problem with putting yourself first is that you're in the circle and you're only focused in on you in the circle and you hurt people because they have needs as well and you you walk throughout the day thinking about you know what about me what about my issue what about my pain what about what about my situation you know you know we got self-help books and self this and and and our society is just inundated with self-centeredness what happens when a society is so focused on self-centeredness what happens when a family or individualist so focus on on self well you end up hurting other people because nobody's in the circle but you and nobody's needs are being really you know you're dealing with those things except your own needs and yet 1st Corinthians chapter 13 verse 4 and 5 in the New Living Translation it says something here that it deals with pride and it deals with the certain demands and look what he says in verse 4 and 5 love is patient it's kind love is not jealous it's not boastful love is not proud or rude it does not demand its own way wow it is not irritable and it and and it keeps no record of being wrong and focus on it does not demand its own way number 1 and in verse 4 it's not so when you're really walking in love especially as a Christian then if you're so self in so self-centered that you're demanding your own way and you know it's all about you and it you're not concerned about anybody else's need that's it that's a problem that they're gonna be consequences for living that way there's going to be consequences for you abiding in the circle wind when in the Garden of Eden one of the reasons God made Adam and Eve was you know he he had to because the center of attention was on Adam and obviously God knew that was not the best position for Adam to be in in the circle all by himself look at this scripture in Luke chapter 23 and verse 34 I want to take my time to set this up because this is so very very important and the Holy Spirit will help you with this okay I'm not trying to bring I will not bring any condemnation to you this morning the Holy Spirit whatever I'm saying to you today and you say guilty as charged the Holy Spirit has been sent to help you with these situations Luke chapter 23 and verse 34 says then said Jesus Father forgive them for they know not what they do and they parted his raiment or his clothes and they cast lots now I want you to notice that this is Jesus on the cross this is Jesus dying for all of our sins and he's suffering on the cross and on the cross he was praying for others that they might be forgiven Lord forgive others that's powerful here he is suffering on the cross suffering the sins not committed by himself but suffering the sins of other people suffering the sins of people that were alive people who were not yet born yet and yet on the cross he is saying Father forgive them praying for others to be forgiven that's powerful and I believe this is the example that we need to follow to follow this example see Jesus became a man and because we needed something and he gave his life to save us please don't get it twisted Jesus didn't become a man because Jesus needed something Jesus became a man because we needed something and so Jesus was the most selfless person to ever walk the earth and that's the example that we have the most selfless person to ever walk the earth and I sometimes I wonder if people remember that and so that's the example we follow and he came so he could set an example for us and under this New Testament we can we can trust in the Holy Spirit to to help us and to give us the desires and and to help us come to the place where we can be self less self lists they're their blessings that there are things that can happen when we when we learn how to get out of the circle and put somebody else in the circle and so watch this in Philippians chapter 2 verses 3 Philippians chapter 2 verse 3 and I'm hearing somebody says well yeah brother dollar the Bible says but we got to love ourselves you know and before we love others I mean yeah yeah yeah you love yourself but you're not loving yourself for self for self reasons you're loving yourself so you can love other people you've got other people in mind that's why you're loving yourself you're not loving yourself for selfish reason you're loving yourself so you can be able to love other people okay so look what he says in Philippians chapter 2 verse 3 let's look at the King James and the New Living Translation Philippians chapter 2 verse 3 the King James and the New Living Translation he says let nothing be done through strife whoa stop right there let nothing be done through strife are you are you doing things through strife you know the Bible says where there's image strife there's confusion and every evil work so what happens when you have a nation doing things in strife what happens when when you've got division between the Republicans and the Democrats between whites and blacks between management and labor and then your doing things and he said don't do anything through strife or vainglory not only strife but you know vainglorious sometimes when you when you try to achieve or your warning glory its vain glory to kind of satisfy your ego I mean that strife don't do anything through strife he says but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself that's powerful let each esteem others better than themselves now I'm not I'm not up here preaching to you about all right now you need to do this in order for God to do that no I'm saying that there's some beautiful beautiful results and harvest that comes when we take heed to stepping out of that self-centeredness and esteeming other people more important or better than ourselves there's a there's a secret here that that the scripture is revealing to us now look at this in the New Living Translation he says don't be selfish Wow don't be selfish and yet we are living we are living in a society that is extremely selfish and the Bible prophesized that that's going to be a signal for the end times is that men will be lovers of themselves and selfishness will be this key characteristic in society and here in NLT and something of Philippians 2:3 says don't be selfish don't try to impress others that's all you see now you see selfishness and all you see is people being concerned about impressing other people are you are you concerned about impressing somebody other than God I mean what is it that you're working so hard to impress that's putting you in bondage but you're willing to do anything to impress somebody I mean you can even go on social media you know what is it that you're willing to show or share so that you can you know you can you can you can impress somebody he says don't do that don't try to impress others Wow don't try and I'm saying there senior thinking like that's going to be difficult to do because you know we we've allowed ourselves to get to the point where through our self-centeredness and our selfishness we we kind of subconsciously or unconsciously find ourselves trying to impress other people but he said be humble and I'm gonna show you in a minute that humility is all about a low estimate of your your importance pride is is an over-exaggeration of your importance humility is a low estimation of your importance could it be that we've come to the time where we think we are just so important and we're working to try to impress other people he says but be humble thinking of others as better than yourself be humble think of others better than yourself he defines humility here this verse of scripture as thinking of others better than yourself Wow some adjustments that I'm calling for this morning you see there are not many people who would even view this as a goal there are not many people that are listening to me this morning I pray that there are lots of people who view this other good as a goal but a lot of people because they're so deep in self-centeredness and selfishness they don't even view this type of life of humility as a goal much less trying to pursue that type of life but whether you realize it or not your self-centeredness is the root of all of the grief in your life yeah your self-centeredness is the is the key it's the master key it's the root to all of the grief in your life and I tell you right now there's a lot of grief in the world right now there's a lot of grief going on in the world and self-centeredness is the root of all of that grief well what do I mean by grief let's give a working definition for this word grief this morning it's a key mental suffering of distress over affliction or loss a keen mental suffering over affliction hard times God knows there's a lot of hard times going on right now he says it's are also dealing with loss it's a sharp sorrow or a painful regret when you talk about this area of grief grief is associated a lot of times wit loss but it can also be associated with affliction and so when you look at this grief is it's a mental suffering it's it's it's this attack on your your mentality and on your on your on your emotions and and it's and it's self-centeredness that's the key to it it's it's a it's a distress and a stress over these afflictions that are happening in your life or maybe over the loss of someone it's it's sharp sorrow it's it's painful regret look at proverbs 13 in 10 let me show you this we got to recognize its self-centeredness that's the key to that you know for Christians we know that when when we have a loss of a loved one we know that they're not lost we know they're in heaven but we've never really talked about the grief that comes from affliction and the grease that comes from painful sufferings and even sometimes at a loss of a loved one sometimes there are some people who make it all about themselves and they don't make it about you know really other things that are going on and the way we really ought to deal with that I know I had a friend of mine who lost a loved one and he's so busy encouraging taffy and I when we should have been encouraging him and I thought wow that that's how this thing should be done and there's a blessing for it for doing that look at this scripture this is a very telling scripture here that we need to check out proverbs 13 and 10 I want to look at it in the King James and NLT he says only by pride cometh contention Wow but with the well-advised is wisdom only by pride in other words if contention is there then pride is the reason why it's there you know I've been telling taffy all week I said first there it's gonna be pride and then after the pride you're gonna see the destruction pride then destruction ladies and gentlemen there are consequences for walking in pride there are consequences for walking and pride he says only by pride cometh contention so if contention is there if contention is in your life if contention is in your relationship if contention is in in the in your city if the contention is anywhere he says the only way it could be there is by pride only by pride look at this in the New Living Translation he says pride leads to conflict Wow pride leads to conflict but he says those who take advice are wise and you you got to understand that a prideful man is not gonna take advice pride leads to conflict conflict can only come by pride contention only comes by pride now what do I mean by contention so we're on the same page when contingent is there it's a struggling together in opposition so there's there's this division in opposition that goes on strife is there when contention is there you're quarreling your is a bitter struggle there's a discord there's debate constant debate and dispute there's competition there's arguments all of that describes contention so let's let's let's define how we'll deal with pride here this morning where we define humility as a low estimation of your self-importance pride is the direct opposite it is a high opinion of one's self-importance a high opinion or an exaggerated opinion of your your self-importance issue going on in the world people are fighting to to be accepted as being important and you know folks want to be important and you know there's sometimes there are people who say well you know I'm not gonna help this person because I'm too important yeah I'm not gonna walk in humility because I'm too important I'm not gonna cease in the argument because I'm too important I'm not gonna be the first one to back off the quarrel because I'm too important has it gotten like that where there's a fight to see who's important but he said that's what pride is pride is this exaggeration of your importance yourself importance I found a little scripture that really will humble you if you walk around thinking that you're important it's so important that you can help anybody look at Galatians chapter six verse three the New Living Translation especially when you think you're so important that you can't help anybody I just don't think that you're that important I don't think anybody's that important not a I don't think I'm that important and and sometimes I have to rebuke myself like who do you think you are you are not that important you know get out there and do that do this do that that's what we do as ministers but look what the scripture says he says if you think you are too important to help someone you are only fooling yourself you are not that important whatever humble you own it you are not that important if you think you're too important to help someone else but notice if you're in self-centeredness then you know you hurt people because you don't think their needs are that important you only are concerned about your own and he says you're not that important I don't want you to deceive yourself and and leave the earth thinking you're that important because you're gonna be so freaked out when when you get to heaven because you're gonna you're just not that important so go ahead and accept that right now I'm not that important let me let me humble myself in my importance and just learn how to serve somebody and humble myself and make them more important than me boy that's that's something that's something so proverbs chapter 13 verse 10 back there only by pride comes contention there is there is no other source no other reason no other explanation for contention other than pride and I know we'd like to think that there is another explanation there's there's pride somewhere there's no other explanation except for pride look at the script here and in Proverbs 1714 well you show Carlisle scriptures and I just want to stick with the word it's I don't want I want to stick with the word and and and you know that's that's just what I believe they meant look at this proverb 1714 he says the beginning of strife now that's that's that's cool that's something I need to know because our world is full of strife right now it's full of strife and you're never going to accomplish something mad you're never going to compass anything mad you're never gonna be able to tap in on the wisdom mad you know you can be angry and you got a right to be angry you know but you know if you get enraged and you get mad and everything you start doing you do because you're mad you're never gonna accomplish anything not at all you you just won't you won't do that and contention is the beginning of strife Wow see I'm telling people hey dude it's time for us to calm down it's time for us to get our emotions under control it's time for us to walk in love and then their other groups that say forget that we did that already well what else do you plan on doing will you what are you what are you planning on doing well we want to fight we want to kill we want to shoot we want to have a race water blacks again against the lights dude you do but need to calm down and think cuz you don't have airplanes and bombs and all that other kind of stuff and your daddy didn't take you hunting and I'll let you you need to chill your emotions about to take you somewhere that you're not gonna be you you you understand what I'm saying you can't cast a check that's not the answer an interview you weren't quick that it's still not the answer is it's not the answer we discovered that with the first silver war it is not the answer you're getting angry you get mad you retaliating and doing stupid stuff and it's not the answer you got to get this anger out the way you got to get this you got to get this this this this rage out of away and you've got to settle yourself down the weakest man on the planet is a man that cannot control his emotions you're gonna accomplish so much more with honey than you can with vinegar you're gonna cover so much more in love than you can in hate you got to calm down you got to calm down you got to walk in the love of God and where does that come from where where does this anger where does this strife come from he said the beginning of strife his contention contention is the beginning of strife and notice he says pride is responsible for contention and contention is responsible for strife and strife will produce confusion and every evil work you don't want to play with that devil I mean you go around and you think well I'm mad and I'm not sure about how mad that's a demon that's a devil you don't want to play with that devil because at the end of the day that devil will get you you walk around talking about how mad you are you want to but I'm telling you I'm telling you at the end of your strife you're gonna find confusion or you may be the victim of every evil work calm down walk in love the beginning of strife contention the beginning of contention pride now listen to me carefully pride and self-centeredness leads to contention pride and self-centeredness leads to contention which opens the door to strife and so most people think that they get angry because of the things that other people say to them or that other people do to them did you what I just said most of us think that we get angry because of things that other people say or other people do to us we don't think of ourselves as being the source of the strife in our lives we are that's the truth we don't think of ourselves oh I'm the source of the strife in my life no no but you are your social your this your the source of the strife in your life it's so easy to blame somebody else for the source in our life you'll find a later on we'll look at it that first thing that Adam did was blame Eve you are you are that's what I'm talking is because I'm I want every person to take responsibility so what other people do doesn't cause disharmony it's our own self-centeredness that does and pride is the root of it all I know that that's that shocking because like self-centeredness like selfishness we've become accustomed to always you know blaming somebody for the disharmony in our life well it's my wife's fault that's why we broke up or as my husband's fault that's why we brought you were just used to blaming somebody for the disharmony and and we never seem to get around to to you to us some would say well I don't have any pride issues I've seen I've hurt somebody to me I don't have any pride issues I have no self esteem I have no self-confidence at all and and then they walk around shy I don't have any pride issues I'm shy I don't have any self esteem I don't have any self confidence at all you see arrogance or exalting yourself is one way that pride shows itself but being shy and timid and having a low self esteem are also signs of pride oh they still they still come from the same place they are opposite behaviors but the source of both is the same pride your shyness and your timidity is on once end of the stick and your arrogance and pride is on the other end of the stick see let's just use that illustration of a stick like like stick has two ends on one end you have arrogance on the other end you have timidity you remember me talking to you about this in times fast one end of the stick gives arrogance of the end of the stick there is timidity or shyness there opposite ends on the stick but there opposite ends on the same stick there opposite ends on the same stick opposite behaviour but the source of those both of those behaviors is the same pride pride at its root is just self-centeredness that's all it is somebody says well I don't really know what pride is it's just self centeredness pride at it as is at its root is just you being in the center and not being concerned about anybody else's need that's that's just what it is it doesn't matter it matter whether whether you think you are better than everybody else or if you think you are nobody both attitudes are self-centered self-centered oh I just don't know I'm just I'm just so shy you just think about you somebody asking you to do something and you're very well capable to doing it you're just thinking about yourself look at look at this look at numbers chapter 12 and verse 3 this is interesting numbers chapter 12 in verse 3 listen to this very carefully this is a this is something that Moses wrote about Moses and look what he said look at what Moses wrote about Moses he says now the man Moses was very meek above all the men which were upon the face of the earth this is Moses writing this about himself now we've been taught a religious concept of humility that says we should knock ourselves down and have a low sense of self-worth but that that's not humility knocking yourself down and having a low sense of self-worth that's not humility at all now by the way thinking of Moses Moses could not have written that he was the meekest man on the earth and still have been meek even though he said he was the meekest man on earth but how how are you me and you're able to write that meekness or true humility doesn't mean you never have anything positive to say about yourself okay true humility means not clinging to an opinion of yourself one way or the other doesn't mean that you can't say anything positive about yourself true meekness says that you don't cling to an opinion of yourself one way or the other either side of those sticks you don't exalt yourself above what you should norther you did base yourself neither one humility is simply acknowledging what is true to think soberly to acknowledge what is true this is Who I am I'm acknowledging the truth of who I am religious ideas of humility I think that it could best be described in this illustration let's say you have a singer and that singer can sing and I mean they can absolutely sing the carpet off the floor but here's what that singer has to say about his or her self let's let's say her and she says something like you know I don't have a very good voice now she can she can blow and she knows she can blow but she says I don't have a very good voice so you know I'll just make a joyful noise unto the Lord so pray for me and I'll try to sing this song a man and she said all of that and as she's thinking in humility but let's just take something what if what if you decide all right I agree I agree with what you say it tell her you're right you can't sing a bit you'll find out real quick that she really didn't believe what she said we've just been taught that humility means debasing ourselves and that's not what it is I should see that all the time and when I was directing choirs you know people had this little this little you know untruth about themselves and they know they can say you know oh it's kind of like picking somebody up and you know they were walking and they got like 10 more miles to go and you pick them up off give them a lift and and and they say out loud well I sure don't deserve to ride in the car with such an anointed man of God I don't believe they believe what they say it's almost stop it kind of said we'll get out and you'll find real quickly they don't didn't believe that no no no I'm just playing no no no no you you've been trained that somehow you got to debase yourself in order to be humble that's not that's not what this is is about let's say a hundred people in a room and and let's ask God Lord who's who's the meek is everybody in room they say let's ask God who's the Mekas in the room and let's see if God's gonna tell you that you are and then you stand up and let us know if God says there so if God told you but but but but you're considering what others would think then you you think about yourself and and that's self-centeredness because you know you know by the Word of God that's your meek so you you'll stand up right away but instead of you standing up right away you know I'm not gonna do that I don't want people to think I got a self senators problem well you you do because now you're your if God's told you God says I I want to remind you I made you meek stand up and you ain't gonna do it because you're concerned about what somebody else is gonna think about so it's the same on the same stick but it's two extremes that are there and so we've got to understand and we've got to understand that a humble person isn't self-centered that's what I want to show you a humble person is not self-similar centered so if you're self-centered and even trying to debase yourself while we're making it all about you instead of about Jesus and what God has done for you then what happens is you're gonna be being warned about the people's opinions is it's an example of being self-centered I'm not gonna be able to do and be who I need to be because I'm so concerned about myself oh I can't go and preach this message because I'm concerned about myself I've been there before and after it was over whether I had to admit Lord I was that was self-centered I was more concerned about what people thought about me than being concerned about what you told me to do and it's gonna be very difficult for you to change anybody's life allowing that end of self-centeredness to come into your life we spend a lot of times on the pride in of arrogance but we spend very little time on this this this this false humility debasing yourself and and and calling it humility and it's not it's just plain pride so fear of others opinions and fear of embarrassment are just self-centeredness it's the same thing it's one of the tools that Satan uses to hold people in bondage he uses this whole thing about other people's opinion and you're gonna have to if God's gonna use you you're gonna have to step away from that circle I'm in this circle because I'm afraid of what people are gonna say about me I'm in this circle I'm not gonna say that because I'm afraid what they're gonna think about me the things people say and do to us are not what causes us to be angry and bitter it's our pride and self focus that causes us to be angry and bitter Jesus said something in mark chapter 8 verse 34 if you look up get that real quick mark chapter 8 verse 34 this is so cool and when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also he said unto them whosoever will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and do what and follow me to take up the cross means that we are supposed to die to ourselves and we're supposed to follow Jesus or we're supposed to not consider ourselves in that self-centered circle the reason it hurts so much when people insult you and reason why I hurt so much when people criticize us is because we are not in a sense come from ourselves or dead to ourselves because dead people don't take offense and if we're always taking offense whew listen it'sit's probably easier for you to hear then when you have to deal with something to have to say I'm not gonna take offense I'm not gonna take offense you know I can tell myself that's nice I can preach this but boy sometimes it's a challenging thing to say wait a minute I will not take offense I'm gonna be dead to this look at John chapter 14 and verse 12 John 14 and verse twelve he says verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also and greater works than these shall he do why because I've gone unto my father and so we should be imitating Jesus is selflessness instead of embracing a culture of self-centeredness we're Christians and as Christians this is what we supposed to be doing we're not going to embrace the culture of self-centeredness and you know like I preached a couple of weeks ago but the world should be revolving around the church to see what we do so they can copy us instead the church is revolving around the world and we're copying them and somehow we think well yeah we could do that now we could be angry like everybody else and then I have to catch myself like wait a minute I'm a Christian I'm a Christian I'm not gonna be going around here getting it raised and angry and every time somebody asked me a question about a certain subject I'm not just go go off that's not that's not what that's not what I'm supposed to be imitating so I'm just trying to get the Christians hey I'm trying to get your attention the head bro then ain't you come on back to what you're supposed to be that's not you you're the light of the world you're the salt of the earth don't lose your seasoning come on back be the salt of the earth come on back be the light of the world get out from under that bushel and let your light shine your Christians praise God you're not a Republican you're not a Democrat you're not a Pisces or an Aquarius you're a Christian bless God excuse me for screaming but I mean I hear all this stuff sometimes we exalt those identities above who we are as Christians I know where are you gonna exalt your political affiliation above your affiliation with Jesus haha see you won't take a newspaper and exalt your posses and you sit around try to get spirits with Pisces mmm you a Pisces you act just like a posse called Pisces do just what you do cuz i know cuz i'm a Pasi no no no before i'm in it I am a Christian because Christ lives on inside of me I am a Christian I am a saint not because I go to church I do good if any things I am a Christian because Jesus Christ moved on the inside of me praise God and I should not hear that you're a Republican or Democrat before I hear you're a Christian come on back home baby come on bring it on back bring it on back what you are remember who you are don't forget about who you are don't forget about who you are don't take on an identity that Jesus didn't give you come on back do what you need to do I'm telling you I'm telling you right now and I'm gonna say it loud and clear pandemic and politics they don't mix they don't go good together now politicians supposed to act like politicians because that's what politicians do but Christian people need to start acting like Christian people because that's what Christian people do bless God now don't write me no letters cuz I ain't read them keep it to yourself throw the paper and use it for something else I ain't reading it right on the paper instead of writing on yourself I ain't reading that it just need to be said we're Christians bless God with the light of the world it's time for the light of the world is shine Jesus has put us in a position to shine praise God so total selflessness is a level of perfection that isn't achievable in this life I know that but we can start heading in that direction I know I tell you it I tell you in my life as a as a minister of the gospel you're alive in our lives as Christians we're not gonna we're not gonna perfect selflessness just like we're not going to perfect anything but at least when you start headed that way and then let the Holy Spirit continue to change us and mode us and and then for us to receive by faith that as he is so are we in this world amen you know God's kind of love doesn't even notice a wrong suffered and when you're thinking more about the other person then you're thinking about yourself I don't believe you'll hurt that much I believe that something happens when you can and and and it's not an easy thing to do but when you can think about somebody else while you're in the midst of hail other than yourself I think there's something supernatural that happens and I think that's what I'm headed towards this morning something supernatural happens when you position and go towards what I'm preaching on this morning you won't think you won't take things to heart the way that most people do look at first Corinthians 13 4 through 9 but look at it in the amplified let's look at that one more time because I believe but when you start loving other people more and focusing on their needs somehow you you get this supernatural strength to go from yourself and and and I think you set yourself up for something very miraculous to happen in your life let's look at verse 4 through 9 maybe here he says love endures long it's patience kind love never is envious it doesn't ball over with jealousy it's not boastful it's not vainglorious it does not display itself hauntingly it is not conceited arrogant inflated with pride it's not rude unmannerly it does not act unbecomingly love God's love in us does not insist on its own rights or its own way for it is not self-seeking it is not touchy or fretful or resentful it takes no account of the evil done to it Wow it pays no attention to a suffered wrong it does not rejoice at the injustice and unrighteousness but it rejoices when right and truth prevails love bears up under anything and everything that comes is ever ready to believe the best of every person it hopes are faithless under all circumstances and doors everything without weakening in other words it's going to keep loving you love never fails it never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end as for prophecy the gifts of interpretation divine will and purpose of God it'll be fulfilled and pass away as for tongues they will be destroyed cease as for knowledge it'll pass away it'll lose its value it'll be superseded by truth for our knowledge it's fragmentary incomplete imperfect did you hear that it's fragmentary incomplete imperfect so next time you're accused meal wait yeah I agree what you said caused you to get the whole thing right listen I'm doing I'm preaching what I know and I'm preaching what the Holy Spirit reveals to me that's why it's pretty safe to preach what you knowing what the Holy Spirit is to you and it might not be 100 sin that when you do it but praise God it's incomplete it's imperfect our prophecy our teaching is fragmentary it doesn't I'm not saying it's wrong but I'm saying it may not be the whole thing I'm I'm preaching to you a fragment of something that's probably got another piece to it it's incomplete it's imperfect listen took me ladies and gentlemen the way the Bible just describes love I can't do this in my own natural ability I don't care how much knowledge you give me about I can't do that in my own dance with Billy in fact Jesus said first John 4:19 he says you love because I first love you I wouldn't even know how to love God right without him first loving me the first act of the Holy Spirit Romans 5:5 Szold spirit came and poured the love of God into my heart and gave me the supernatural bility to walk in love I need the Holy Spirit to make this happen so I'm not here to try to you know condemn you where this is concerned we're a selfless life is concerned but what I'm saying is head that way and let the Holy Spirit begin to help you just at least recognize when you're in the center when tap and I have had arguments of conflicts if I pause for a moment I recognize dude I'm in the center I'm not I it is I'm thinking totally about me and and it becomes easy to reconcile that arguments just so let me let me step out of the center and let me put her in the center and then I can see her from a whole nother perspective but if everything I see I'm seeing from the center of the circle dude this thing gonna be like it needs to be so I remember just starting to do this and drawing that circle and just kind of stepping out of that circle and I was so amazed of a level of pride that had seeped into my life and the level of self-centeredness that has seeped into my life Wow head that way head that way child of God I'm not gonna condemn you and beat you up when you know I catch you in the center of the soccer circle I'm not gonna lie I caught you in the center that just simply shows you how how much you keep how much you continue to need Jesus every day your life and make it a part of your prayer Lord help me to stay out at the center first of all lord help me to recognize when I'm in the center when I'm in Pride let's call it what it is it just sounds nicer to say when I'm in the center help me to recognize when I'm in Pride and then help me to get out help me to recognize when I am I've exaggerated my importance and helped me to get out I am being convinced every single day of my life that the Holy Spirit that's brought me this farm that's changed me this much and that has rearranged me on the inside this much he's able to get me to do all of the things that I've not been a hundred percent successful at but he's able to work in me and continue to work in me so I can go towards that place of selflessness lord help me to be selfless lord help me not to be in the center of that circle getting rid of self-centeredness is just like defusing a bomb you won't explode into anger anymore that's how it was like in my life the more I realize that I was a self-centered person as I step out of that circle it was like diffusing a bomb and the anger wouldn't come anymore and that desire to be a man of ease and a man of peace and a man of calmness it begin to manifest as I begin to go that way anger is simply another manifestation of pride you know that don't you and so it isn't in your your genes and it isn't in the way you were made it's a result of being self-centered you angry just like your daddy would know his daddy was in the center and he's in the center that that's why it happened it's not an it's not a DNA thing it's a thing that happens as a result of being self-centered I'm running out of time but let me give you one more scripture in the book of Genesis chapter 3 and 12 I mentioned this earlier about Adam and Eve Genesis chapter 3 and 12 notice and the man said though you know after they had sinned the woman whom thou gavest to me with me she gave me the tree and I did eat what he said was it's her fault not mine if you've never given her to me then this would not have happened you can see Adam was still struggling he was still in that circle and Eve should have been in that circle and he accepts responsibility for things that's really a true professional is when you when you've been given authority over something you accept responsibility for everything that happens you you don't put somebody else on the outside of the circle while you're inside trying to protect yourself it's just something about a responsible leader something about a responsible person something about a true leader of his household that says I'll get in a circle and I accept everything that happened aside from getting angry at other other people pride also brings up the issue of placing blame self-centeredness and pride brings up the issue of placing blame just like Adam and Eve did that was pride right there and when you're operating in pride and self-centeredness it's easy to place blame Adam started at all in the garden and when God asked Adam what had happened after he and Eve ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil Adam said Lord it's that woman that you gave me allow your self centeredness to cause you to place blame on other people and all the way that happens is that you have to be in the center of the circle and begin to place blame we're living in a very very interesting time a time where selfishness and pride is at all-time high on every level why did I preach this today because I don't want it to be on the level where we are with assault with a light I don't want it to be on our knowledge somebody's got to show the peripheral of our life if we are now surrounded by Jesus or we're surrounding Jesus we we as Christians are revolving around Jesus we as Christians are revolving around the Word of God and and see what the word dawn does and then we do that and then the world revolves around us and they see what happens and and so on but it's not gonna happen to where it's happening now nothing to be accomplished you may get little things to happen but nothing of great significance and impact will be accomplished from people who are in the center of the circle I tell you their consequences there's consequences for operating and political pride religious pride racial pride I'm talk about the pride where you've exhausted your importance you're you're more important than everybody else that that's that's detrimental to any type of successful plan I'm gonna do a god way I don't care about somebody disagreeing with what I'm saying if I spent most of my time being concerned about somebody disagreeing what I said I wouldn't have nothing to say it's right because this is what the word says it's right because this is the way to go imagine life where everybody is fighting to stay out of the center imagine relationships where you put your wife in the center and your wife puts you in the center and all your needs are being met let's come against the spirit of pride contention strife anger rage that's invaded our world and let God arise that's the key what's the answer for for all of this I was on a call with some pastors and Pastor Fred price jr. was on there and they asked him a question they asked what's the key to getting over the pandemic over the racial inequality issues and he said without hesitation Christ Jesus is the key and boy I'm almost shot Jesus is the key well what if you don't believe in Jesus well stay on in the other stuff but there's gonna come a time where every knee will bow every tongue will confess there's gonna come a time you didn't try the rest and it didn't work and now it's time to try to best Jesus is the best friend of mine who's gone be with the Lord Andre Crouch wrote a song years ago and he said Jesus is the answer for the world today and that was back then you know it's the same answer and in a lot of cases the same problem but Jesus is that answer why don't you give him an opportunity you've tried the rest now try the best Jesus is the best give him that opportunity to resolve the issue in your marriage give him that opportunity to resolve the issue in your family the issue where your job is concerned the issue where your ministry's concerned give him that opportunity to resolve it Jesus is that answer and he's the answer for you today he's the answer for whatever your situation is and maybe you struggle with being in the center of the circle like I described that idea maybe you struggle with pride I'll tell you what Jesus is the answer and I'm becoming convinced more more every day he's the answer for every issue I got dear God I don't claim to know everything I know that's right but I know Jesus and somehow I know that that'll get me through my life my personal relationship with him and he talks with many and he walks with me and he holds me and he encourages me and he he holds my hands he walks me through Fiery Furnaces and he brings me out he gives me peace in my mind when I think I'm about to lose it I don't know everything but I know him if you would like to have him Jesus as well as your Lord and personal Savior I'm saying to you you don't have to know everything but you can come to know him and he's a gang changer he makes things different pray this prayer with me repeat after me Heavenly Father I acknowledge that I'm a sinner but right now I repent of my sins I asked Jesus to come into my heart to be my Lord and my personal Savior thank you Lord Jesus for forgiving me of all of my sins past present and future and I declare by faith right now that you are my Lord and my Savior Thank You Laura in Jesus name Amen you know if you prayed that simple prayer with me today if you'll text the keyword I'm saved that's one word two five one five five five I want to provide some information for you if you'll provide some information for me if you'll provide your name and your email address we'll send you a free ebook as a gift to you today and god bless you and welcome to the family of God and again if you're in the comment sections if you'll come in I just got say world changes nation bombard them congratulate them welcome them to the family of God amen praise the Lord well it's offering time it's an opportunity for you to go before God and to have a flashback of all of the good that God has done in your life all of the amazing things that he has done this is the opportunity to thank him it's one thing to worship Him with lifted hands it's one thing to worship Him through singing but our worship is incomplete without a gift and so I want you to prepare a gift that you can bring to God that you can give to God and worship Him in in the beauty of his holiness that's what the Bible says worship the Lord and the beauty of his holiness give glory to him he says bring an offering bring an offering and so we're not giving to get God to do something for us we're giving because of what God has already done for us and I'm reminded again of this Scripture I want to just keep it in your mind 2nd Corinthians 9:6 he says but this I say he would sort sparingly shall reap also sparingly and he would sort bonsly shall reap also bountifully in verse 7 he says every man according as he's purpose in his heart so let him give give as he's purpose in his heart not grudgingly or of necessity so so two to two ways God says don't give grudgingly in other words to give grudgingly means I don't want to to give grudgingly it's also associated with a sense of loss but he says don't give grudgingly and don't give out of necessity don't give because you think it's necessary for you to give in order for God to do something for you he says but give out of gratitude give out of Thanksgiving give out of appreciation give out of reverence and thank God for the blessing that he's already given you and by faith you take it thank God for the victory is already given you about faith youyou take it and so what happens is if you'll make if you if you'll make God priority in your life and you're worshiping him with your gifts then all other things will be behind you all other things behind you the motivation is what I'm talking about what motivates your giving is that you're getting what motivates your giving is it because you know if you saw a seed you want to reap a harvest what motivates your giving what motivates your giving is your love and gratitude and Thanksgiving for God and now because you're in relationship with him you begin to worship him with your gifts and so we can do that at this time if you're texting your offerings this morning you can text world changers space and the amount two seven four four eight three or you can call eight six six four seven seven and seven seven six eight three and you can give on the phone they'll help you or if you'd like to go on your web but wherever you may be go to world changers or creflo dollar ministry you can give online and you can also use several different things credit cards PayPal and if you'd like to mail your offerings in twenty five hundred Burnett Road College Park Georgia and the addresses on your screen now in the name of Jesus even as you're sewing I believe and pray God with you father we are worshiping you with our gifts we're worshiping you with our offerings we bring before you these gifts we think of that every meet in this ministry is being met that we thank you Lord that there'll be no lack in this ministry and no lack in the life of the givers right now and father I think it's a supernatural release right now in the name of Jesus and we give you praise for that you are our mighty God and you are worthy to be praised in Jesus name a man praise God now you hang on to that you hang on that I'm a giver and I have given and my god is is is receiving my worship right now and as he receives that worship praise God if first things are first then second things would be second and you'll be so amazed at how you can jump in the water you'll automatically get wet well when you begin to worship God with your seed you automatically see those blessings show up in your life so be blessed in Jesus name I'm gonna ask taffy to come with our announcements and then we'll dismiss we want to thank everyone who attended this year's grace Life conference pray that you were blessed and that you really enjoyed it we are an agreement that lives were changed through the phenomenal messages that were preached this week and we certainly appreciate all the speakers and the volunteers and everybody the staff who made it a success and if you haven't already you can text CD em store to five one five five five to pick up some of the remaining conference series and you can shop the grace life store for all the conference needs the next announcement you don't have to be an inventor or a scientist or a member of Congress to shape the future of our community you just need to be someone who cares about our community so by being counted in the 2020 census you will help inform funding for local school programs job training roads in our communities and so much more we all can get a chance to shape our future by participating in the 2020 census and you can visit my 2020 census gov to register for that we're partnering with Family Health Centers this coming week to provide free covent 19 testing that's for all of our members whoever wants to come and be tested and the surrounding communities testing will be available and will begin this week on July the 15th I think that's Wednesday and July the 22nd from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the overflow parking lot located in our College Park campus across the street so that'll be across the street registration is not required but is highly suggested you can text WCC I test two five one five five five to register today so be sure to register by texting the information that's there on your screen if you want to come out and get a free kovat 19 test you can also give the gift of life there has been a dramatic drop of blood supply and so there's a blood drive that will take place on the 19th from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the fellowship hall and also our back-to-school event is taking place August the 1st from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. you can register your student for this event by texting B to school two five one five five five or if you'd like to make a donation towards this event text missions two seven four four excuse me seven four eight eight three seven four eight eight three and lastly there are employment opportunities available here at the church in the Department of customer service in the college park location to apply for this position and any other opportunities there you can send your resume to HR at world-changers org or you can stop by the human resources department during the day to complete an application Amen well we hope you enjoy today's service we pray that it ministered to your heart your life and to your family thank you guys for your continued engagement and your continued desire to connect and to stay connected with your church and we certainly appreciate that we love you so much we miss you so so so so so much morrow today he is a big God and just be an expectation all week long be an expectation for the things that you heard today and just know that just like God found damp David out in the wilderness with the Sheep God can find you his anointing can find you his favor over your life will finally and seek you out so we believe that something Goods gonna happen to you anyway praise God now in the helm who is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the Almighty God be glory Majesty Dominion and power father we thank you that you perfecting everything that concerns us and father we we believe we receive we are in expectation all week long so we declare grace grace of the lives of the world changes nation and we thank you that every mountain be reduced to a plane we thank you for your blessings and your protection and your anointing over our church over every member partner and friend and we declared that they are blessed in Jesus mighty name we pray and everybody said amen well god bless you have an amazing day today bye-bye

Channel: Creflo Dollar Ministries

Views: 82,469

Rating: 4.869627 out of 5

Keywords: creflo, creflodollar, worldchangers, taffi, taffidollar, grace, megachurch, collegepark, atlantachurch, sermon, gracelife, tbn, pastors, church, pastordollar, drdollar

Id: Us10VKqB3aI

Length: 67min 29sec (4049 seconds)

Published: Sun Jul 12 2020