Do Nothing out of Selfish Ambition or Vain Conceit
Philippians 2:3
The apostle Paul says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit” [so that you obtain personal recognition, man’s approval, and rob the glory for yourself] (Philippians 2:3 NIV) Listen and heed the heart cry of the Psalmist, “Not to us, O YAHveh, not to us, but to Your name give glory…” (Psalm 115:1). All of us are victims of that malady; we want a certain measure of recognition and glory. Do not touch what is His due! Do not touch His glory! Don’t desire for people to lift you up and rave about you or to even respect or admire you. But as His creation all the glory goes to Him our Creator.
The obliterating of the knowledge that there is a Creator of heaven and earth is one of Satan’s most deadly deceptions because the god of self steps in, takes over and sits on the throne of our hearts, and rules our lives. In reality it is Satan who has robbed us of truth and poisoned us to eternal death by putting ourselves on the throne, insanely thinking we could dethrone the King of kings, the Lord of lords and the Master of masters. For those unruly servants who did not want Me to rule over them He repeats “…bring them here and slay them in my presence.” (Luke 19:27)
When we come to faith in the atoning blood of YAHshua (Jesus) we are born again. “Therefore if anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are redeemed to live not for ourselves but for our Master whose bondservant we have been redeemed to be. A foreshadowing and emphasizing of this point is found in Exodus when Moses proclaimed YAHveh’s (the LORD’s) heartbeat to Pharaoh (symbolic of Satan), “Let My people go, that they may serve (and worship) Me” (Exodus 8:1). We cannot serve two masters we are either going to love the one and hate the other. It is impossible to please YAHveh and man.
Choose you this day whom are you going to serve, if YAHveh is the one true living God serve Him, if self is your god be self-serving, indulgent, and satisfied in all your ways. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7). If you live to please yourself you will reap eternal destruction. If you live to please your Creator, Master, and Savior you will reap eternal life and its infinite glorious cargos of treasure beyond comprehension— eternal joy in His glorious kingdom.
All the glory is to go to YAHveh, the minute we try and take any glory for ourselves we are robbing Him and this is the work of Satan who comes to rob, kill and destroy. If we dare to touch and rob the glory due to our almighty Creator, Satan is robbing us of blessings. As a serpent he (the devil) bites us when we touch YAHveh’s glory and infects us with deadly poison. The wise raise up their hands in holy reverential fear and will not allow any glory to touch them other than deferring it all to their Creator and King to whom it belongs. Don’t touch what belongs to YAHveh: “all blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever…”(Revelation 7:12)
Give Him the glory that is due His name; worship Him in holiness through repentant hearts, cleansed in the blood of YAHshua our Redeemer. If you do anything short of that, you are a thief; and according to His word, you will be eternally banished if you do not repent. He is the One you are to reverently fear; He is the One you are to glorify in word and deed.
Prayer: YAHshua (Jesus), You have spoken truth that has arrested me in my tracks. I lift up my hands in worship to You. You love me and died to redeem me from Satan and the wages of my sin and I give You control over my life. I am not my own, I belong to You for Your holy purposes and good pleasure. Forgive me for the pride and deception to think that I could live to please others and myself and thrive on the stolen glory that belongs to You. I have sinned. I have not truly recognized Your Kingship and sovereign rule over my life. Forgive and cleanse me. I give You my life as a living and holy sacrifice which is my spiritual service of worship, which is the least I can do for all that You have done for me. May all the praise, honor, and glory from my words and deeds, be a sweet fragrance before You, an acceptable sacrifice that is Your due.