The6’i’sPART-1
(Part# 1 of six “i’s” that lead to desp’I’sing God)
1 Sam 2:36 “for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed”
DESPISE = TO ESTEEM LIGHTLY
TO ESTEEM LIGHTLY = DESPISE
If you really know me, you will know I am not naturally gifted to be a missionary. My natural character isn’t compatible with what most people think a missionary should be. Even my natural (relaxed) expression on my face is a frown. I was not designed to be a very big dog/cat/pet lover. People that are afraid used to bother me for some reason. I didn’t like school, I didn’t like teaching. I used to get totally stressed out at Christmas/birthdays/holidays and even by kids. I used to get annoyed at people constantly knocking on my door, ringing the doorbell all hours of the day and night asking for stuff. You know what? It doesn’t matter now.
I have become a born-again, Spirit filled Christian. God has given me His Holy Spirit to deal with it all. I am now filled with joy, peace (usually) and love. It’s a growth process, not overnight. It’s still your decision, but He will help you,ii. I now love dogs, scaredy cat people, disasters, interruptions (opportunities), teaching (especially english which I detested), crazy out of control birthday parties/giveaways and unruly children. Still working on loving unruly parents and having a permanent smile plastered to my face though.
The first of six ‘I’s’ that lead to despising God is the word itself, ‘I’. As a new Christian, ‘I’ doesn’t matter anymore IF you have surrendered your life to Christ. ‘I’ is now dead, crucified with Christ. You can’t honor God and yourself at the same time. If you put yourself first and try to steal the glory from God, you are despising Him. For that you will be esteemed lightly. Look what happened to King Herod. He got all dressed up and gave a flowery speech and the people said he was a god.
Acts 12:23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
If all you think about and talk about is you, it is impossible to honor God. Your despite for Him comes out in your self glorifying conversations. God even says not to brag.
Proverbs 27:1-2 Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
Try not to use the words ‘I, me, or mine’. You will sound more persuasive and interesting. You’ll be amazed to find how many more people actually start to like conversing with you. It’s a process, take your eyes off of yourself and put them on the Lord.
When God steers me to do something, He sometimes speaks to my soul (never audibly but I hear Him inside me, kind of like me thinking to myself). The difference is He never focuses on me or nor uses the word ‘I’. When people sin, or dishonor God, most times they justify it with the Word “I”. I know it’s my own thought process (my own imagination) if I hear the word ‘I’. That’s my mind, ego, self preservation mode talking to me. When God shows me things, it’s always about others, and how to honor others. As I honor others in obedience to God’s leading, I am honoring God. I may make a mistake but I don’t care if I heard wrong or misunderstood. I am obeying what I perceive to be from Him. He sees my heart. I find that even my prayers for myself and my ministry aren’t as satisfying as praying for others, and other ministries.
I tried using a professional ‘fund raiser’ once for PureHeart. (Big mistake!) I arranged for a meeting between him and a wealthy philanthropist. The generous man called me afterwards and said ‘no way Jose!’ He went on to say, “man, I couldn’t get a word in edgewise! All your fundraiser wanted to talk about was himself, his goals, his family. Only his own personal and financial goals! Absolutely no mention about God nor PureHeart”. My fundraiser claimed to be a christian. The philanthropist wasn’t. It embarrassed me.
When someone isn’t right spiritually, they are totally self centered. When you aren’t right spiritually, you can not honor God. If you are not honoring God, you are despising Him, and He will lightly esteem you. If you truly want the best for you and yours, it would behoove you to honor God and not to despise Him. Honor God and He will honor you, despise Him and you’ll be lightly esteemed. God will bless your life as you honor Him, IF you believe in Him and honor Him instead of yourself. I love the story of the religious guy and the sinner praying….
Luke 18:11-14. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
How many times did the Pharisee use the word ‘I’? 4! The sinner tax collector? 0!! See the pattern????
Sin is most often accompanied by pride, and the words ‘me’ ‘mine’ ‘myself’ and ‘I’. When justifying your sin to yourself or others, be aware of how many times the words ‘me, myself, mine or I’ comes up. ‘I have a right to be mad’. ‘How could I refuse’. ‘I hate to be disrespectful but,,,’’Don’t disrespect my house!’ ‘You will respect me!’ The list goes on.
Say the word despise out loud. The main sound is ‘I’. Idolize? ‘I’. ‘My rights? ‘I’. Suicide? ‘I’. Whenever you hear the word ‘I’, it’s usually not from God, nor is even very edifying.
Here is an example of God pleasing ways to use the Word ‘I’.
Referring to God as the ‘Great I Am’. Quoting Jesus in ways like ‘I am the Way and the Truth and the Light’ or reasoning in your mind like the prodigal son or any sinner wanting a relationship with the Father in terms of a confession.
Luke 15:17-18And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
Have a good night, Purehearts!
Dean andWinnie Peters
