THE
SLAVERY OF SELFISH AMBITION
BREAD
3 Do
nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider
others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own
interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your
attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality
with God something to be grasped, 7 but
made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human
likeness. 8 And
being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to
death--even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him
the name that is above every name, 10 that
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under
the earth, 11 and
every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:3-11 (NIV)
12 Before
his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor. Proverbs 18:12 (NIV)
24 Also a dispute arose among
them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Luke 22:24 (NIV)
36 Turn
my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. 37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my
life according to your word. Psalms
119:36-37 (NIV)
1 An
unfriendly man pursues selfish ends; he defies all sound judgment. Proverbs 18:1 (NIV)
4 Humility
and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life. Proverbs
22:4 (NIV)
4 Do
not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. 5 Cast
but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle. Proverbs
23:4-5 (NIV)
20 A
faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go
unpunished. Proverbs 28:20 (NIV)
22 A
stingy man is eager to get rich and is unaware that poverty awaits him. Proverbs 28:22 (NIV)
25 A
greedy man stirs up dissension, but he who trusts in the LORD will prosper. Proverbs 28:25 (NIV)
23 A
man’s pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor. Proverbs 29:23 (NIV)
19 The
acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and
debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy,
fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and
envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that
those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21 (NIV)
13 Who
is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds
done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But
if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast
about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is
earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there
you find disorder and every evil practice. James 3:13-16 (NIV)
BUTTTER
“How
quickly the moon of selfish ambition eclipses the Sun of Righteousness. But where sin increased, Jesus’s grace
abounded all the more.” Jon Bloom
“It
is another one of those ‘immutable laws of the universe’ where sharing, caring
and giving trumps self-centered, narcissistic and selfish every time.” Anonymous
“Empty me of the selfishness
inside. Every vain ambition and the
poison of my pride. Empty me of me so I
can be filled with You.” Chris Sligh
“Instead
of being unhappy, just let your love grow as God wants it to grow. Seek goodness in others. Love more persons more…unselfishly, without
thought of return. The return, never
fear, will take care of itself.” Henry Drummond
“Grumbling
and complaining denotes a dissatisfied heart with God’s plan for our
lives. When we murmur and wail over our circumstance
we demonstrate our lack of contentment with His provisions for us and, as the
“rabble” complained about the manna, it incites God’s anger. So often we are consumed by selfish ambitions
and vain conceits with a penchant for every sort of self-indulgence. Comfort becomes not a luxury but a necessity
and almost a “god” in our eyes. Our
giftings are meant to lead us into selfless service with a pure heart. Indeed, that is where the abundant life is
found. Watch your hearts and guard
against dissatisfaction – whatever that may look like in your life.” BHY
“If I really love God, my innate and
persistent selfishness will have received its death blow.” Alexander
Smellie
“There is something contagious about a heart of love. People who are
selfless with their love can make giant waves in this world where those who
cling to selfish desires cause only ripples. In fact, those who have hearts of
love view the people around them as being most important. A heart that bears
the marks of God’s intimate love is not a selfish heart. When we look directly
into God’s heart of love, we are transformed forever. The selfish desires that
once dominated our heart’s landscapes vanish in an instant, replaced by a
desire to lavish love on others. As God begins to transform our hearts through
His grace and kindness, we become vessels willing to reciprocate this type of
love. Something happens inside of us. We begin to realize the twofold effect of
loving God and loving others - not just friends and family, but others who
cross our paths every day. Hardened hearts begin to melt beneath the warmth of
Christ’s love overflowing from our lives. People who we never thought would let
the name of Jesus roll off their lips suddenly praise Him because we have taken
the time to love them the way God has commanded us to love. Once we learn how
to abide in His love, our feelings of jealousy, greed, and anger die a quick
death. A true champion extends grace and kindness
because he knows the transformation that has taken place in his own heart, and
he realizes those who receive God’s love and grace have no other course of
action but to give God’s love away.” Michael
Youssef
“Holy obedience puts to shame all natural and selfish desires.” Francis
of Assisi
“One act of war against pride is to marvel at the
army of grace at our side, all the other grace-filled, grace-empowered members
of the body of Christ. Pride selfishly
sets itself — its wisdom, its gifts, its experience, its potential — above
everyone else. It focuses on its own strengths and minimizes its own
weaknesses, while at the same time magnifying others’ weaknesses and
downplaying their strengths. And when it is confronted, pride tends to cave in
on itself in self-consuming introspection and self-pity. Paul won’t allow the
proud to retreat into ourselves, though. He draws our eyes, instead, away from ourselves to
the awe-inspiring grace God has given to others. True humility does not quietly
despise graces that are not its own, but loves them just as much, and even
more.” Marshall Segal
HEART
SAVOR
- ·
We are to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain
conceit rather in humility.
- ·
Selfish ambition is an act of the sinful nature.
- ·
Obedience puts to death fleshly desires.
