This Scripture ought to convict every believer, because we are all guilty at
times of placing our own will above God's will. The Word of God says that
the BACKSLIDER IN HEART shall be filled with his own ways. The word “filled”
is self-explanatory. The average born-again believer is consumed with his or
her own ways. It is in our human-nature to be selfish, to place our self
first above others. Philippians 2:21, “For all seek their own, not
the things which are Jesus Christ's.”
Every believer needs to work daily at crucifying the selfish flesh and helping others. It means caring. The hallmark quality, or character trait, of being a Christ-honoring believer is CARING. 1st Peter 5:7 tells us that God cares. If we are going to exemplify Christ in our life, they we must care also. Most people don't care. It is true that there are unsaved people who care, and saved people who don't. That ought not be!
If we care, then we will put forth the effort, and strive, to place others before ourselves. I had always read and quoted Philippians 2:5 where it says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” One day I decided to look at the surrounding verses, to see in what context this Scripture was made. So often people go around quoting verses without caring what the context is. I read Philippians 2:4, “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” I was amazed.
Thus, if we are to have the mind of Jesus Christ, then we ought to dwell on the things of others, i.e., look for ways that we can help them, be considerate, be a good neighbor, or meet the needs of the less fortunate. We ought to be concerned about the soul of others. Are they saved or not? We ought to be soulwinners (Proverb 11:30; 2nd Corinthians 5:10-11; Philippians 2:16). I helped someone one day and they said, “You must be a Christian.” Jesus cares! Caring and Christianity are synonymous. There is nothing Christian about apathy, indifference and lack of concern.
God says that the backslider in heart is filled with their own selfish ways. Notice that the Bible says “in heart.” Selfishness is a woeful spiritual condition of the heart. The same is true with other sins, such as being critical all the time. Many people are critical because their heart is in a condition of being critical. They aren't critical because they're having a bad day; but because they are a critical person. Hence, the backslider in life is backslidden first and foremost in heart. Evolution, Humanism and Atheism are rooted in rooted in a wicked heart of unbelief.
We further elaborate on the meaning of Philippians 2:5 in verse 3, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” So many people are self-righteous hypocrites. Anytime you find yourself publicly gossiping or talking about the sins or faults of someone else, it's only because you are overlooking your own sinfulness. If we keep in mind that we are all guilty sinners, deserving of Hell fire and damnation, then we won't criticize others for their faults. James 2:10 teaches that even the best Christian is as guilty in God's eyes as the worst unsaved sinner.
A hypocrite is a person who thinks that someone else is a bigger sinner than them self. When you magnify other people's sins, you are condemning them; taking the place of the Bible. God's Law condemns all mankind (Romans 3:19). It is not our place to condemn anyone. This is not to say that we shouldn't expose those who publicly parade and promote wickedness, such as gay parades and criminals in government who shamelessly steal trillions of taxpayer dollars. God tells us to expose them (Ephesians 5:11) and to rise up against the evil doers (Psalm 94:16). But it's not our place to condemn anyone on a personal level for their sins, because we are all guilty sinners (Romans 3:10-23).
The backslider in heart is filled with his own ways. He rises up and ends each day only thinking about himself. He spends all his money on himself and never helps anyone. He curses shamelessly in public, tells dirty jokes, gets drunk on weekends, looks at pornography, cheats on his wife, loafs at work, and lies on impulse.
The backslider in heart is the woman who wears pants in public and causes others to lust. She has no regard for God nor man. She is selfish and irresponsible, contributing to the moral deterioration of society. She laughs and scorns at the man of God who preaches modesty and fidelity. The backslidden women criticizes the preacher, watches adulterous television programs, wears a bikini at the beach, gossips every chance she gets, dishonors her parents, and envies other women.
The United States is a nation of backsliders who disrespect God's Word, do their own thing, indulge in Hollywood movies, frequent Las Vegas gambling casinos, watch adulterous soap operas, never tell anyone how to go to Heaven, and shame the Lord. Backsliders don't care about soul-winning, because it's all about them and their plans. James 4:13, “Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.” The Bible warns us that we may not live another day, so we ought to include God in everything we do, and live our life in such a way that God is honored.
Hebrews 11:6 says that it is impossible to please God without faith, and verse 5 tells us that Enoch demonstrated his faith by PLEASING GOD. That is what faith is, i.e., pleasing God. The backslider pleases him or her self. The faithful Christian pleases God. Self has no place in the Christian life.
This does not mean that a Christian is forbidden from enjoying life; but it means that God must be a part of all we do. God does not want to be first in our life, because then He's not second and third. God wants to be a part of all we do, as the center hub on a wheel. If you center your life upon your wife or children, then your world will come to a crashing halt if they're gone one day; but Jesus Christ will NEVER leave nor forsake you (Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5). When all you have is God, God is all you need.
May we all, as born-again believers, have the mind of Jesus Christ, who cared for the things of others and how He could help people. There is much we can all do to help the least of these (Matthew 25:40,45). We are living in an extremely selfish generation. It is a joy as a Christian to be different than the average uncaring person. Keep a bag full of Gospels of John in your car. When you see someone in need, whether it be a homeless person or someone whose car breaks down, hand them a Gospel of John, and help them a bit. Although we can't help everybody, we can help somebody.
The most important thing is that we consider God throughout the day. Proverb 3:5-7 are beautiful Scriptures, that promise divine guidance if we'll acknowledge (consider) God in everything we do. Proverb 3:5-7, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” Don't lean upon your own finite and human understanding; but rather, consider what God would want in all your ways, and He will guide you as He promised.
All God asks is that we remember Him and strive
to please Him in all we do. The Bible warns us to fear God, and to depart
from evil ways. We ought not be wise in our own eyes; but instead, trust
upon the Word of God, and what He tells us. No man can please God who
neglects to abide in the Scriptures (John 15:1-7). Just as Jesus Christ
abides in us as believers (Romans 8:9), even so must we abide in the Word of
God. Search the Scriptures (John 5:39).
Zephaniah—the Darkside of God's Love
Zephaniah is a Florida hurricane, a Texas tornado, a Mississippi river flood, a Minnesota snow storm and a California earthquake all rolled together. You'd think from reading Zephaniah that God hates His people; and He hates mankind in general; that He's vindictive and cruel; that He's brutal and unfeeling, and unmoved. Yet, we learn from Zephaniah that even in judgment God is still love.
What God Hath Promised
God hath not promised skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.
God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.
God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain, rocky and steep,
Never a river, turbid and deep.
But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the laborer, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.
–Annie Johnson Flint
One of the Scriptures that particularly struck me is Zephaniah 1:12, “And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.” I love Brother McGee's commentary on this Scripture. Like today, people during Zephaniah's time were saying that it doesn't matter what men do, because God doesn't do anything either way.
The final curtain of the human race is coming down upon the world. We're going to find out in eternity that what we endured down here was actually a blessing in disguise. God knows what He is doing. Whereas oftentimes it appears as if God doesn't care, He always does. 1st Peter 5:7 says that God cares. To doubt God's love and concern is a lack of faith in the Scriptures.
Hebrews 12:6-7, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?” \
John 15:2, “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” May I say to you, we must remember that the Father reaches into your life and mine and prunes out that which is not fruit bearing, and it hurts. But the the husbandman is never so close to the branch than when he is trimming it. The Father is never closer to you my friend than when He's reaching in and taking out of your heart and life the things that offend. Job 5:17, “Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.”
Is there no other way, Oh God,
Except through sorrow, pain and loss?
To stamp Christ's likeness on my soul,
No other way except the cross?
And then a voice stills all my soul,
That stilled the waves of Galilee,
Cans't thou not bear the furnace
If midst the flames I walk with thee?
I bore the cross, I know its weight,
I drank the cup I hold for thee.
Cans't thou not follow where I lead?
I'll give thee strength, lean hard on Me.
–Pastor J. Vernon McGee
You cannot do things your way and God's way. It's one or the other.
“It was (Charles) Spurgeon who noticed a weather vane that a farmer had on his barn. It was an unusual weather vane, for on it the farmer had the words, GOD IS LOVE. Mr. Spurgeon asked him, ‘Do you mean by this that God’s love is as changeable as the wind?’ The farmer shook his head. ‘No,’ he said, ‘I do not mean that God’s love changes like that. I mean that whichever way the wind blows, God is love.'”
