Self evaluation by LOVE

 

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. (1 John 2:15-17).

Love of the world and God’s love can not be present at the same time in one’s soul. Why? Because they have different sources and different influences on the soul. Love of the world makes your heart narrow and tight. God’s love expands your heart. Love for the world makes you dependent and wants to control you, but God’s love gives you freedom from any kind of slavery.

Still both kinds are love and a soul needs love. Why? Because love helps us to evaluate ourselves and create a desired good self image, high self esteem. Before Adam and Eve have sinned, they had God's perception of themselves. They saw themselves as God was looking at them. After sin ruined a perfect image of man, people started searching for self identity, self esteem, wanted to evaluate how much they are worthy of love, using as a tool meaning of other people.

All the created systems of marks, ranks, levels, by measuring people’s successfulness help us to feel love. Evay became a necessary part of our life: we look at the mirror every day, we buy nice clothes desiring to underline our beauty, we want only good marks at school, best diploma at the university, sport trophies and appreciation at work. All these things assure that we are worthy of love. Money is the other option for measuring your success. Nice clothes, new cars, exotic vocations are not available for everyone, that’s why you may feel you are unique and more worthy of love than others.

How is God’s love acting in our heart? God immediately evaluates you so highly, as He is ready to give the most precious what He has - His the only Son for your salvation: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). God the Father incredibly highly evaluates the ugliest sinner and it is astonishing. You may be a killer, pervert, immoral person with a rotten soul but all these sins Jesus took up and died on the cross, suffered for you may be righteous before God. “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood” (Romans 3:21-25).

Your soul may still feel the heady taste of fornication, deception, pride and hypocrisy and at the same moment the Holy Ghost will be asking and begging with tears  your soul to repent: “God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” 2 Timothy 2:25-26. 

The Divine nature of the Holy Ghost won't get dirty of the impurity of your soul because your sins lost their power after the cross. Jesus Christ has paid for all our sins. Sins may still control your soul but don't influence the Father’s love to you. God’s “love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned” Song of Solomon 8:6-7.

Father sees you in Christ and calls you His child. He does not blame you and wipes away your tears, He does not shy away but publicly declares you saint, “ a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people” if you believe in Jesus' sacrifice. 1 Peter 2:9.

All that you have to do is to choose how you will esteem yourself: by money, kilogrammes, properties... or to accept God’s perspective. God sees all believers as perfect in Christ, but not all of us look at yourself the same way. We ought to live for a 100 % as God has planned for us.

Your self esteem and self identification is very important. Your system of belief is very important. You all have different backgrounds, education, you attend different churches and have your own way of acknowledging God and His will. 

I have a task for you: please notice during the next week your most important thoughts, emotions, convictions and check them with the Scriptures. 

Our self identification depends on such dailys spiritual practices as prayer and mind renewal. Even if you don’t see the importance of prayer, try to start and finish your day on your knees. God knows everything and He does not need your words but your soul needs them. Repentance is also important, we read in the New Testament: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” 1 John 1:8-10. Pray for deliverance from your sins and repent not because God needs your words, but because it will cleanse your soul. 

Read your Bible and consider so the word may become a part of your heart: “After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” Jeremiah 31:33-34. 

Come (connect online services) to church on Sundays not because you are used to or you are ashamed of people, but search for spiritual blessings in the body of Christ and ask the Holy spirit for the gifts and church growth. Testify your faith to people: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” 1 Peter 3:15.

What spiritual practices do you consider the most impactful in Christian life? Please share with us your thoughts.