Being Someone The Lord Would See As Special

 

1 Samuel 16:7 KJV But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

 

Which is more important in life… How people see us? Or, how God perceives us?

 

People spend great amount of times to look good

 

Groom themselves (or what they have)

Clean up

Brush hair

Do their nails

Wear special/nice clothes

 

“Cut” themselves (or change what they have)

Dye & bleach their hair

Cosmetic surgery

Special bridgework

Insert jewelry

 

Build on what they have

Buy glamour eyewear

Special haircuts

Apply makeup

Wear contacts

Work out/exercise

 

People often do little to change how they are perceived by God

 

Worry more about the outside than the inside

Worry more about what others think than what God knows

Worry more about what they see than what is there

Worry more about what is theirs (what they own or have) than what’s His

Worry more about their today than His tomorrow

 

What do we need to do to be the best that God sees?

 

James 4:1-17 KJV 1From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?
2Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
4Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
5Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
6But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
9Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
11Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
12There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
13Go 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:
14Whereas 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.
15For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
16But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
17Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

James advice:

Lose the lust (in this case, self-interest) or put God first – vs. 1-3

Chose God and His ways, not the world’s – 4

Don’t envy others – 5

Grab grace and be humble – 6

Give yourself to God and His ways - 7

Draw close to Him – 8a

Prayer

Meditation

Word

Worship

Seek His forgiveness – 8b

ASK

Seek aloneness with Him – 8c

In Christ alone

Do not be double-minded

Trust God in all things – 9-10

Treat others right – 11-12

Plan God’s way – 13-16

Do good (and sin not) - 17

 

What is the advantage or result of our “fixing” what God sees?

 

We are His to bless

We are His to increase

We are His to trust

We are His to share

We are His to know

We are His to show others who we know and what we are

Like Dr. Eagleton mentioned this morning

What are they calling us?

Gary Marcum – New Beginnings Church – 112608pm