SEPTEMBER 24: “UNCRUCIFIED FLESH 2: SELFISHNESS”

When individuals or groups prioritise their own interests over the needs of others, the result is always mistrust, conflict and eventual division, breaking intimacy and the expected care, one for another. The act of Ananias and Sapphira in the early intimate church community, through the keeping of portions of funds from sold possession and claiming that it was the total sum rendered at the feet of the Apostles, was met with spontaneous death, indicating how much God abhors selfishness within His church because of its cancerous multiplying effect of truncating intimacy.

Phil 2:4 – “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others” clearly suggesting that you should not let your care and attention be totally absorbed by your own concerns, or the concerns of your own family alone, but let the welfare of others be in your heart. No one in Christendom is at liberty to live for himself alone, or disregard the wants of others in the body of Christ as further admonished in 1 Cor 10:24 – let no man seek his own but every man another’s – promoting the need to seek the welfare of others and not permitting private gratification, disturbing the peace or injuring the soul of another. No member of the body of Christ should regard it as any more a burden and hardship to aid a less endowed or afflicted brother in the church.

As a member of the body of Christ, we ought to emulate Christ in all our engagements. Christ, who was co-equal with the God head, but took a lesser form of humanity, a sacrifice for others’ sake. You must consider prioritizing selflessness and humility serving others, rather than personal gain or recognition and while in the process, prioritize others’ needs and feelings, at the same time, being accountable for your actions and attitudes. That will make you an overcomer in the matter that drives divisions and barriers within the body of Christ.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I repent of all forms of selfishness that I have exhibited knowingly or unknowingly. Help me to live like you Christ, preferring the welfare of others over my conveniences. Purge me of flesh today and forever, Amen.