Filled To The Brim: Gods Glorification or Self Gratification

An indicator of my satisfaction in Christ is seen best when my cup (my heart) is frustratingly bumped. What spills over shows what I’m satisfied in; Gods glorification or my self gratification. If bitterness is the overflow in my frustration, then I am feasting on my own glory. I am feeding the endless appetite of my own ego with the stale leftovers of self significance.

However, if love for mercy and passion for forgiveness eagerly spring forth; and a sweet enjoyment of Gods sovereignty in the moment, regardless or my circumstance, erupts out of my heart like a dam that is overcome by the pressing water; then I know I am filled with the Spirit of God. I am feasting on His glory and enjoying Him in the fellowship of His Son Jesus.

The Fruit of Both of These Are Significant.

The root of self gratification is vanity. Vanity is the belief that indulging in yourself is more gratifying, more pleasurable, and more satisfying than God. It is a pursuit of "self-seeking"( self interest, self glory, self pleasure, self-gain, etc.) This is blasphemy and very deadly. This is deadly because it is rooted in unbelief; namely that God is not our all in all. Paul warns of self indulgence's deadliness in 1 Timothy 5:6 “ but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.” Jesus warned the Pharisees of their self-indulgence in Matthew 23:25. In verse 27 he said they “…are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.” A life of self-indulgence is a dead life. And when your cup is pushed, deadness is what pours out of it. The world sees this on a regular bases and is unimpressed. A cup full of deadness is a dime a dozen and not worth even a sip.

The fruit of God’s glorification is eternal joy. When God call us to “Taste and see that the Lord is good,” he promises a blessing to the man that trust in Him. That blessing is an absolute and eternal fulfillment in satisfying every dark corner of our vast heart. In Psalm 16:11 we see a glimpse of what awaits us when we empty ourselves and come into the presence of God; “ You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” In His presence we are promised joy and eternal pleasures. All of these pleasures are at the right hand of God. And it is Christ who is seated at His right hand. In Christ "we have the confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God.”(Hebrews 10:19)

The only way to draw near to God with confidence is through Christ. The only way to Christ is to be empty of yourself. There is no room for self-indulgence in Christ. This is what it means to crucify yourself daily. It is so that you may be filled with more of Christ and less of yourself. In doing so God pours His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). The result is His love spilling out of us and onto those who around us; even those who frustratingly bump our cups; intentionally or unintentionally. The world marvels at this and is drawn to drink.

The question I pose to myself and to you is, “What is your cup filled with? Is it Godliness or Godlessness?” If you don't know, watch and see how you react when you are "bumped." Be good and God bless.

Six Charges For My Graduating Senior (Rusty Collins)

1. Trust in the Lord with all your heart.

To trust in the Lord with all of your heart is to be undeniably sold out to God through His Son King Jesus. It is to be unapologetically committed, without reserve, to the Lord in the salvation of your soul and the direction of your life. To be sold out is to be confident in His leading, careless in your loving, secure in your yielding, and sure in His salvation.

2. Lean not on your own understanding.

To trust in the Lord with all of your heart is to have a healthy distrust of your self. It is to submit your limited and finite understanding to the infinite wisdom of almighty God. Worship in the words “ I don’t know” and plea for God give you understanding. Hear the words of Jeremiah the prophet as he proclaimed in verse 23 of the 10th chapter; “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.”

3. In all your ways acknowledge Him.

In all your ways submit to the Lordship of Christ. In everything you do, whether you eat or drink, you do it all for his glory and by his grace. You have no ownership in your life. You have been bought with a price. You are not your own. You must have no will of your own, only a single pure desire to put Christ on display by abiding in His will. (Believers Bible Commentary pg 798)

4. Do not be wise in your own eyes.

Satan’s self-righteousness banished him from the eternal pleasures of His maker. He believed he was wise in his own eyes. He tried to elevate himself above God. God will destroy the proud. Just as Satan was banished from God’s presence for his pride, so shall you be banished in your self-righteousness from your eternal joy; namely Jesus. It is hateful to God and to Christ to walk in self-righteousness. In doing so you call the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit a liar. Humble yourself before the Lord and He will exalt you. Ask for wisdom and He will give it freely. Heed the warning from Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

5. Fear the Lord.

“The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! Clouds and thick darkness are all around Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. Fire goes before Him and burns up His adversaries all around. His lightening light up the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim His righteousness and all peoples see His glory!” (Psalm 99: 1-6) Be in awe of His power. Be enthralled by His majestic beauty. Live knowing He can kill your body. Die believing He can destroy your soul! Do this that you may live. He is God and there is no other; He is the Lord and there is none like Him!

6. Depart from evil.

Departing from evil is committing treason against your will and aligning yourself with the omnipotent God. It is setting a course to confront the evil tidings of your heart and to prevail in the command; “ Be holy, for I Am Holy.” (Lev 11:44) The world is evil. Therefore to depart from evil is to detach yourself from the world; which is a holy convocation. R.C. Sproul said in his book The Holiness of God, “ We are to be purified daily in our pursuit of holiness.” Your life will be marked by what you pursue. If you pursue the world, it will be marked with worldliness. If you pursue Christ, it will be marked by holiness.

There is a promise neatly tucked in these charges. If you do these things God promises to direct your path, or literally “make your way smooth and strait.” This does not mean that trouble will not seem to triumph at times in your life. What it means is that no matter what, “All things will work together for the good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)