No Reputation?

[Christ Jesus] made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

Philippians 2:7, NKJV

Jealousy does ugly things to people. Joseph’s brothers were jealous of his position as favored son and sold him as a slave into Egypt. Miriam and Aaron were jealous of Moses’ position among the Israelites and took it out on him by talking poorly about his Cushite wife. From the moment the Israelite women danced and sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands,” Scripture says, Saul kept a jealous eye on David (1 Samuel 18:7, 9). The rest of the book of 1 Samuel speaks of Saul’s jealous rage as he sought David’s life.

It was out of envy that the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be executed. Jesus’ popularity and reputation was eclipsing theirs, and like King Saul their jealous eye was set on seeking His life.

Jealousy is a sign of pride. Prideful people can’t bear hearing anyone else be praised, but themselves. The self-important get jealous when their position is threatened and their influence is minimalized. They don’t like playing second fiddle, especially if they’ve sat in first chair for any length of time.

Maybe it’s the new gal at Bible study that just may be the next Beth Moore, while you’re fumbling to find the book of Philemon. Maybe your best friend lost 25 pounds, your sister is remodeling her home again, or everyone in your social circle seems to have a Christmas-card perfect family except you. 

Jealousy, selfish ambition, pride, and envy share a horizontal perspective. It’s a comparison game among people that preys on insecurities, and is a fight for position, popularity, and power. It can get ugly or it can be subtle. However it plays out in life or the remote recesses of the heart, it’s more of me, and less of Him.

For God to increase and become greater in our lives we must learn from Jesus who made Himself of no reputation (Philippians 2:7). He emptied Himself of significance and made Himself nothing. He exemplified what it means to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves (Philippians 2:3). 

He>i: Is there someone you have a jealous eye on right now? Will you choose to have no reputation in this situation?

Reputation, image, prestige, prominence, power, and other trappings of leadership were not only devalued, they were purposefully dismissed. Jesus became such a man. Not by default or accident, but by intention and design.

Regi Campbell

grace and peace,

Lenae

As we prepare...

As we prepare our hearts for conference, here's another devotional on our new theme...

The Great Exchange

“Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are no gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their Glory for worthless idols. Be appalled at his, O heavens, and shudder with great horror,” declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 2:11

Currently there’s a Yoplait yogurt ad that features a women’s book club.  Ladies are sharing stories in a living room when one woman notices the table of goodies and faces a choice. Will she choose a heart-shaped cookie or Yoplait yogurt? She doesn’t miss what the advertisers define as a swap•por•tu•ni•ty. She swaps the opportunity to grab a high-calorie snack for the 90-calorie yogurt. Swap•por•tu•ni•ty.

What a swap•por•tu•ni•ty is for snacks is appalling sin when we exchange God’s greatness and glory for other gods. Israel abandoned the one true God for worthless idols, and we have to confess that we do the same.

Our idols may not look like a golden calf, Baal, or Asherah, but the exchange is as horrific. When someone or something takes God’s rightful place as Lord of our lives, it becomes an idol. Food, sex, entertainment, health, money, achievement, even good things like family and service to the Kingdom can become idols when we exchange them for God and His glory.

The question is asked, “Who’s the greatest?” And we answer rightly, “God, of course.”

Fill in the blanks and see if your answer measures plumb with your life:

• When I’m stressed out I ________________________.
• I’m happiest when ______________________________.
• My number one priority right now is to ___________.

Be honest. I don’t know about you, but my answers pain me. I want to always say I run to God when I’m stressed, I’m happiest when I’m aware of His presence and approval, and my number one priority is to love God and then people, but what I want to say and how I live can be very different.

If you also have to confess that God is not always the One who is sitting on the throne of your heart, through Christ we’re given undeserved opportunity to swap our sin for His grace. If we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will swap our sin and unrighteousness for His forgiveness and purification (1 John 1:9).

He>i: Have you exchanged God and His greatness for a worthless idol(s)? If so, what needs to take place next for your heart to be His royal throne?

The higher a man is in grace, the lower he will be in his own esteem.

Charles Spurgeon 

grace and peace,

Lenae

Fall Workshop 2013

Registrations for our Fall Workshops were mailed out this past Friday, so you should be receiving yours shortly! If you don't, or if you need more flyers or forms -- look no further! On the top of the right column of this blog, there are two links which will each give you a pdf you can print and use as needed.

Here's the basic rundown of our Fall Workshops this year: since conference is close by and we have 27 counselors planning to attend, we wanted to try something a little different for workshop, in addition to trying what some of you have asked for in the past. This year we will offer two, identical, EVENING workshops, BEFORE your GEMS season begins. The first will be held on Wednesday, August 21 at Bethel CRC in Lynden from 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm. The second will be the following evening, Thursday, August 22, at Everett First CRC from 6:30 - 9:30 pm. Each workshop will cost $20/person and snacks and beverages will be provided. We WILL review the theme, but there will be new information in addition to networking time with counselors from our area. Please prayerfully consider sending as many from your counselor team as possible as we are planning for a great experience for you, Lord willing.

Unfortunately, a third formal workshop on the east side of the mountains just was not an option this year. IF your club cannot attend either of these workshops due to travel time issues, please contact Tami or Julie privately and we will do what we can to provide you with information about theme or other ideas that we have for your clubs this year.

We have been praying for you, your clubs, your girls, and this Fall Workshop. To Him be the Glory for everything He is doing in our lives and in the lives of our girls through the GEMS ministry.

He>i

Devotional - Our Purpose

Our Purpose

Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

Genesis 11:4 

Within the 1989 movie, Field of Dreams, farmer Ray Kinsella is walking in his cornfield when hears a voice that whispers, “If you build it, he will come.” He then plowed under his corn to build a baseball diamond.

For the people on the plain in Shinar the thought was, “If you build it, they will notice.” Craving human praise and fame, they made bricks and began building. Their plan was to build a tower for the purpose of making a name for themselves (Genesis 11:4).

Their self-serving desire was to call attention to themselves. They wanted honor, renown, and fame.

Ironically, God had to come down to see their grand and glorious tower. It’s almost funny, if it weren’t so sad. It’s a moment of holy scorn: The LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building (Genesis 11:5). And God was not pleased. He confused their language and scattered them over the face of the earth.

Not only were their motives for building arrogant, their choice to settle together permanently was blatant disobedience. After the flood when God made a covenant with Noah and his sons he said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1). They defied God’s command. Instead of filling the earth, they congregated in a single location.

Prideful people defy God’s commands and put their wants before His will. They make themselves the greatest by purposing to make a name for themselves instead of exalting God’s great and glorious name.

What are you building today? Are you establishing a reputation, a business, a family, or a clientele? That’s good and wonderful if our purpose in building is to praise God’s name and not our own. May Psalm 115:1 be our prayer: Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory (Psalm 115:1a).

He>i: What’s on your to-do list today? Look at each line item and think through its purpose. Is it to make much of God’s name or are we hoping to make a name for ourselves?

Many of us are drunk right now, intoxicated with a desire to be respected, honored, and widely known. And yet this intoxication derails our ability to give God the respect, honor, and renown that He so rightly deserves.

Bruce Riley Ashford 

grace and peace,

Lenae