Jesus mentioned how the Pharisees loved to be noticed praying on the street corners to be seen by men and said they have lost their reward (cf. Matt. 6:1). We need to keep our righteousness between us and God as much as is our control. I remember the first time I witnessed of my faith after being saved in the Army and found out that being a braggadocio is a no-no. God is not impressed with our filthy rags and we shouldn't be impressed by them either. Caveat: "For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends" (2 Cor. 10:18, NASB).
Ironically, the way up is down like John the Baptist said: "He must increase, and I must decrease." The person who humbles himself shall be exalted, not the person who presumes to be someone when he isn't. We are not to have low self-esteem or to think less of ourselves, but to think of ourselves less! Like the actor who gets one role and thinks he is a star or the person who writes one poem and thinks he is a poet or the person who preaches one sermon and thinks he is a preacher, so we all tend to think we've arrived, even though Paul never assumed this: "I do not claim to have laid hold of it yet..." (Phil. 3:12).
When you've preached a hundred sermons dare call yourself a preacher, though others can and may--don't toot your own horn; or if you've witnessed hundreds of times call yourself a faithful witness--let others praise you and not yourself, or if you have done whatever God has called you to and been faithful in it--success doesn't come overnight. It is paramount that the Lord give His blessing to your endeavor and you be called to it, because you must have an anointing to do it in the Spirit--there are even preachers who do it in the energy of the flesh and are just great speakers or very scholarly, but not called by God or filled with the Holy Spirit. I do not think preaching is a production or a show but a calling that must be blessed by God. I know of storytellers, great public speakers, or even comedians who parade as charismatic preachers but are wolves in sheep's clothing and should get out of the ministry, despite their following--preaching is not just academics but spiritual.
Some people serve for the applause of man as people-pleasers (cf. Eph. 6:6, KJV), and some seek the glory of God and give it back to Him. Praise is merely the test of a man's spirit to see what he is made of. I make it clear when my Bible class claps for me that it is of God and He is the one to praise, but they still insist because they really believe it's a good Bible study; but I have learned not to trust the opinions of man and I seek only to please God and not man--I certainly don't want praise to go to my head. Watch out for those who want the approbation of man, and not God's favor and smile on their endeavors. We don't do favors for one another as if they might owe us one in return, but we are servants of Christ doing it out of the pure motive of love for Him. Soli Deo Gloria!
Ironically, the way up is down like John the Baptist said: "He must increase, and I must decrease." The person who humbles himself shall be exalted, not the person who presumes to be someone when he isn't. We are not to have low self-esteem or to think less of ourselves, but to think of ourselves less! Like the actor who gets one role and thinks he is a star or the person who writes one poem and thinks he is a poet or the person who preaches one sermon and thinks he is a preacher, so we all tend to think we've arrived, even though Paul never assumed this: "I do not claim to have laid hold of it yet..." (Phil. 3:12).
When you've preached a hundred sermons dare call yourself a preacher, though others can and may--don't toot your own horn; or if you've witnessed hundreds of times call yourself a faithful witness--let others praise you and not yourself, or if you have done whatever God has called you to and been faithful in it--success doesn't come overnight. It is paramount that the Lord give His blessing to your endeavor and you be called to it, because you must have an anointing to do it in the Spirit--there are even preachers who do it in the energy of the flesh and are just great speakers or very scholarly, but not called by God or filled with the Holy Spirit. I do not think preaching is a production or a show but a calling that must be blessed by God. I know of storytellers, great public speakers, or even comedians who parade as charismatic preachers but are wolves in sheep's clothing and should get out of the ministry, despite their following--preaching is not just academics but spiritual.
Some people serve for the applause of man as people-pleasers (cf. Eph. 6:6, KJV), and some seek the glory of God and give it back to Him. Praise is merely the test of a man's spirit to see what he is made of. I make it clear when my Bible class claps for me that it is of God and He is the one to praise, but they still insist because they really believe it's a good Bible study; but I have learned not to trust the opinions of man and I seek only to please God and not man--I certainly don't want praise to go to my head. Watch out for those who want the approbation of man, and not God's favor and smile on their endeavors. We don't do favors for one another as if they might owe us one in return, but we are servants of Christ doing it out of the pure motive of love for Him. Soli Deo Gloria!
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