Take a Look at Yourself – Part Four

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12: 2).

In an effort to develop self-awareness as a gift from God there are four major blocks.

Self-hatred. Not being able to “walk on water,” we grow to dislike ourselves. That is, being less than perfect, we tend to not like ourselves.  This is a failure to accept your human nature.

Unresolved anger. Many people grow bitter and resentful because they feel unaccepted by others, or particularly a certain one.

Loneliness. The loneliest people in the world are mask wearers. People wear masks because they doubt their own importance. They think they are not interesting enough, as they are, to be liked. Or they imagine themselves to be more than they are and have to prop up the image. They live with a fear that people will find out they are different.  People only see their mask and try to relate to that person. The real person remains unknown and grows to feel lonely.  Remember, never think of yourself apart from God.

Fear.  Fear of rejection is defeating.  We are all rejected from time to time. However, an awareness of being accepted by the Lord stabilizes us. Remember, never think of yourself apart from God. His love is a safe port.

Remember, Tournier spoke of a “continual fear of not being loved.”  No person can be confident knowing he or she isn’t what is pretended. The strain gets worse and the person becomes more lonely and fearful.

Self-acceptance is closely tied to the capacity to accept forgiveness. A person who can’t accept God’s forgiveness can’t accept self.  When you accept yourself in light of God’s love then you are free to change and become the you He intends. You can’t love yourself in isolation.

Find a cause bigger than yourself and give yourself to it. The cause of Christ is the ultimate.

Notice that in the text “transformation” is associated with “renewing” of the mind. This means to think of yourself in light of your worth to God and conform to His divine image. This is a life-long process.  Let the Christ mind be in you (Col. 2:5).

The Greek word translated “present” consists of “para,” meaning “alongside of,” and “histemi” meaning to “place.” When combined, they mean to place yourself alongside someone to be an immediate source of help to that person.  When we are at God’s disposal for Him to help others through us, we are fulfilling our greatest role and have the best self-image. We then know our self-worth.

Being at God’s disposal is summarily spoken of as being “Holy.”  This doesn’t mean you have your portrait painted in oil with a halo around it. The word simply means “set aside.” When you set your life aside to be used of God, then there is real holiness and that produces the optimum of self-worth.

Take a Look at Yourself – Part Three

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12: 2).

What we think and how we think about it helps to establish our opinion of ourselves. A healthy self-image is in large part based on our thoughts.

A transformed mind, one modeled after that of Jesus, is foundational. “Let this mind be in you which was in Jesus Christ…”

The world wants to control your mind, so it exerts pressure from without. The Holy Spirit wants to control your mind, so He provides power from within.

If the world controls how you think, you are being conformed.

If Jesus controls how you think, you are being transformed.

“Transformed” means changing the outward by what is within.The idea of transformation means you can change. You are not a prisoner to your past or a puppet of your present concepts.

Pray with the Psalmist: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me into the way everlasting” (Psalms 139: 23, 24).

Ask the help of the Lord in self-awareness. Ask Him to help you look at yourself honestly, using the searchlight of the Scripture. This isn’t easy and can be painful. To put down your defenses and admit a weakness can even be confusing.

Repression is the capacity to put out of sight that which we don’t want to admit about ourselves.  In light of the fact God already knows you as you truly are, isn’t it absurd to play games with yourself and wear a mask before Him?

We need to be honest with ourselves. Certain traits tend to make us unacceptable to others. We need to be aware of any of these in our lives and correct them.  Dr. Charles B. Roth lists the ten most obnoxious personality traits: Lack of dependability, grumpiness, tendency to show off, sarcasm, sense of inferiority, bossiness, a tendency to criticize and find faults, self-pity, poking fun at people behind their backs, and a desire to dominate others.

If any of these appear in your personality, get them out. Not only do other people dislike these traits, the person doesn’t like them. They adversely affects our self-acceptance. If God accepts you regardless of what label you wear, with or without a college degree, regardless of your bank account, and with no regard for what vehicle you drive, can’t you accept yourself?  Once you accept yourself, spend the rest of your life giving yourself away to the loving Lord. Reflect on these lines from the old hymn “IS YOUR ALL ON THE ALTAR:”

“Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?
Your heart does the Spirit control?
You can only be blest,
And have peace and sweet rest,
As you yield Him your body and soul.

Take a Look at Yourself – Part Two

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12: 2).

Self-identity is a basic core value. In what do you find your self-identity?

Some have to drive a specific car or they feel bad about themselves.

Others become a workaholic, greedy, and hoarding in order to accumulate wealth because they have such a poor sense of self-worth, it is needed to give them a sense of status. 

For some, it is an academic degree that must be obtained  or there is no good self-image.

The approval of an individual or peer group is sought by many at all costs in order to feel accepted and have self-worth.

All of these attitudes are consideration of yourself apart from God.  Remember, never think of yourself apart from God.

Christian psychologist Lawrence J. Crabb Jr. observed, “The basic personal need of every person is to regard himself as a worthwhile human being.”

All of these things are attempts to make self feel worthwhile.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said, “Worthwhile people don’t just happen. You aren’t born worthwhile. You are born with the capacity to be worthwhile. It is your job to discover and develop the person you ought to be.” Romans 12: 1,2, gives us helpful insight in developing a good self-image and establishing balance in self-worth.  It speaks of – – –

“Do not be conformed” (Vs. 2a). This speaks of a conformed body.

Literally, “don’t be fashioned according to another pattern.” It refers to a person assuming an outward expression contrary to what is inside him or her.

“Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its mold.”

This is an appeal to avoid appearing to be something you aren’t. If you are a Christian, don’t let your conduct or appearance give the impression you aren’t.

Your self-worth is based on Whose and what you truly are inside, not on outward appearance.

“This world,” translated from the Greek “aion,” doesn’t speak of the universe, but a social order contrary to God’s will. It is a summary word for all that is contradictory to the will of God.

This is present passive indicative plus a negative meaning “stop being molded to the realm of worldliness.”  Worldliness is a mental attitude. It is what you think when controlled by the old sin nature. All a Christian can do when controlled by the old sin nature is imitate an unbeliever.

Don’t try to use camouflage to blend into the world’s environment.

Take a Look at Yourself – Part One

Jesus alone is capable of meeting one of the basic needs of your life.  If you are a normal person, you understand what the Swiss physician and author Paul Tournier meant when he said everyone has an “inexhaustible need to be loved and a continual fear of not being loved… The truth is that God alone can fill the affective need of men; God alone is always there, with His limitless love.”

When you enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, then you know you are perpetually unconditionally loved and He is always there when you need Him. ALWAYS!

You ought never to think of yourself apart from God. If you do, you get an incomplete and distorted concept of yourself.

Test this fact by answering one question: “Do you like yourself?”

Does your action contradict your answer?  Do you say “yes,” but do you so dislike yourself that you often wear masks because you are afraid people won’t like the real “you” professed by you to be liked?

Self-esteem is an expression so labeled in our present society. There are terms worthy of our use and which we need to consider. They are self-image and self-worth. Do you have a good wholesome self-image? That is, one neither given to self-inflation of self-effacement; not phoned to be egotistical or self-condemning.  Do you properly view yourself?

Dr. Robert Magee, founder of  “Rapha” in his book “Search for Significance,” says most people consider their self-worth by the formula: Self-Worth = Performance + Other’s Opinions.  Simply stated, I must be approved by certain others in order to feel good about myself. That is the prison in which many people are held hostage. Namely, your opinion of me and my performance determines how I feel about me.

Some people are so insecure they have to compensate for what they are by what they have or what they do.

Some have to wear a certain clothing label or they are timid about going out into public. After all, everyone else is wearing that label and if I don’t I will be different and disliked. It might even take a certain shoe in athletic or social circles.

Start today by setting the standard for self-acceptance based on your relationship with the Lord. Frame this theme on the wall of your memory, “God made me and God don’t make no junk.”

That leaves no room for egotism or cause for inferiority.

A Mega-Shift Is Underway or Is That a Mega MAGA?

God’s people prayed. God responded, and a God thing happened.

The election of Trump in such a convincing manner was a God thing. Pundits are offering numerous explanations as to why Harris lost. They don’t get it. God was present and at work November 4, 2024, and the potential transformation of America was begun and along with it a global shift transpired. Governments around the world took note.

Many believe in God having been the enabling force in the election. Those and others now need to pray more than ever.

When Regan was president there was international uncertainty until 11,000 air controllers threatened an illegal strike. President Reagan said, “If you do, I will fire you.” They struck and were unceremoniously fired. Russia principally, but other nations alike said we need to be cautious, this man means what he says.

Once more there is a global sigh resulting from knowing we have a president who means what he says.

Indications are we are about to be unfettered from a WOKE, DEI agenda. The best qualified persons will get the jobs regardless of skin tone.

The candidate with the fewest votes l-o-s-t. That is the way it has always worked. Inconceivable the current losers haven’t caught on as of yet. They are still in a lugubrious state of mind. By the time they work through their grief they will awaken to find themselves in a brave new world.

Then the battle will begin. There is no indication the losers are going to react constructively, but contentiously. They will be recalcitrant and tetchy.

The task before President Trump is a big one. Opponents can be expected to exploit even the slightest misstep. They will try to eviscerate every objective. The secular national media will be in the vanguard of efforts to degrade his administration.

The ladies on The View are already blaming the election results on X (formerly Twitter) and “misinformation.” The New York Times claims we’re experiencing a “dark turn in democracy.” Rachel Maddow cried on MSNBC about the dangers of Elon Musk and New Media.“Big Media” has been corrupt and one-sided for decades.

Rebuilding our military will be a major task. DEI has demoralized our armed forces. Some of our generals say that our equipment and munitions are so low we would run out of combat ability in two weeks in a war with China.

How to remove the thousands of illegal aliens will be an emotional task. Rebuilding our border defenses will at times appear to be a heartless endeavor.

Entire departments, such as the FBI and Justice departments will require time, money, and personnel.

In general, a governmental makeover is coming. Let’s not rule out God in this undertaking. Doing all this in His way is important. On this end of the line prayer is needed. Don’t fail our nation after such a miraculous time.