I want to talk with you about a very important topic; a topic that has been misunderstood and twisted for centuries. Our perception of this topic has been warped, perverted, corrupted. Thousands have passed through life as if they had no great object for which to live, no high standard to reach, because they did not see this topic as God sees it. The lack of understanding this topic is one of the reasons for spiritual feebleness today. Our misconceptions of this topic slight our Creator, disappoint Jesus, question His wisdom, and are like telling God that He has messed up. Until we see this topic as God sees it, we will not become the people He wants us to be. Our whole outlook on life hinges on this topic! It’s vital, and yet, so few neither see its importance nor believe its truth. It’s time to change that. It’s time to change it in your life and mine.
Let's look at Luke chapter 1. Here we find the story of Zacharias. He and his wife were “righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless”; they were well stricken in years but were without a child. We pick up the story in verse 11 while Zacharias is offering incense before the Lord in the Temple. “…there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord…And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John....And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.” Skipping down in the chapter we read a similar account. The angel visits a woman named Mary and delivers unto her a message much like the one to Zacharias. She will have a child. But her response is different than that of Zacharias. Verse 38, “And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” What are we talking about this morning? What is one of the lessons we can take from this story? Do you understand your value? Your worth? “Zacharias well knew how to Abraham in his old age a child was given because he believed Him faithful who had promised. But for a moment the aged priest turns his thought to the weakness of humanity. He forgets that what God has promised, He is able to perform. What a contrast between this unbelief and the sweet, childlike faith of Mary, the maiden of Nazareth…The birth of a son to Zacharias, like the birth of the child of Abraham, and that of Mary, was to teach a great spiritual truth, a truth that we are slow to learn and ready to forget. In ourselves we are incapable of doing any good thing; but that which we cannot do will be wrought by the power of God in every submissive and believing soul.” (E. G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 98) Only those who accept their value in God’s sight are able to do great things for Him. Zacharias said, “Who am I? God wouldn’t do that for me!” Mary said, “Who am I? may God’s name be glorified in me!” Do you see the contrast? Only those who accept their value in God’s sight are able to do great things for Him. “Thousands pass through life as if they had no great object for which to live, no high standard to reach. One reason for this is the low estimate which they place upon themselves. Christ paid an infinite price for us, and according to the price paid He desires us to value ourselves.” (E. G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 498) “The reason of the spiritual feebleness of today is the low estimate the believer is constantly inclined to form of his spiritual character. But he is of that value that the Lord Jesus has paid an infinite price for his salvation, and Christ would have His chosen heritage value themselves according to the price He placed upon them. In view of this do not let any one of us disappoint Jesus by placing a low estimate upon ourselves. Let us embrace the opportunities and privileges which will increase our value with God, by using all the treasures of His grace to become precious and lovely in His sight. If this were done, many more souls of solid moral worth would be seen, because by uniting with Jesus, our lives become imbued with His spiritual likeness. Practical holiness would run like threads of gold through our lives, and as they beheld the wholeness of character to God, heavenly angels would say, ‘I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir!’ “All heaven rejoices over the weak, faulty human soul that gives itself to Jesus, and lives a life of purity. Those who overcome much, love Jesus the most, and are put next to Christ, next to the great white throne, within the inner circle; yes, greatly honored.” (E. G. White, Bible Training School, May 1, 1915) But what about self-exaltation? “O how much evil has been committed by placing a high estimate on human talent, when the possessor was unconsecrated, unsanctified. All human talent is valueless before God until the superscription of Jesus is placed upon it.” “But while we are to humble ourselves, we are to have a true sense of our value as God has estimated us, in the price paid for our redemption. We are to value every capability, every talent entrusted to us, as the Lord's most precious endowment, that we may use them to His name's glory. When we look upon ourselves as purchased at an infinite cost in order that we might have every advantage in the strife for immortality, eternal life, we will make every gift a treasure of influence, whereby we may reach perfection, completeness in Jesus Christ.” (E. G. White, 6 Manuscript Releases, p. 103) “God wants us to respect ourselves. In our families and in the church, we too often seek to destroy self-respect. Do not do it….It is not pleasing to God that you should demerit yourself. You should cultivate self-respect by living so that you will be approved by your own conscience, and before men and angels. It is not an evidence of true humility that you go with your head bowed down, and your heart filled with thoughts of self. It is your privilege to go to Jesus and be cleansed, and to stand before the law without shame and remorse….While we should not think of ourselves more highly than we ought, the Word of God does not condemn a proper self-respect. As sons and daughters of God, we should have a conscious dignity of character, in which pride and self-importance have no part.” (E. G. White, Daughters of God, p. 141-142) We are utterly unworthy, yet of infinite worth. “You should not place too low an estimate upon your ability to act your part in the various callings of practical life. Where you are aware of deficiencies, go to work at once to remedy those defects.” (E. G. White, Daughters of God, p. 143) “…Let no one belittle their efforts, for the Lord will be with those who labor with Him in self-denial and self-sacrifice.” (E. G. White, Daughters of God, p. 135) Our value in God’s sight. This is a very important topic; a topic that has been misunderstood and twisted for centuries. Our perception of this topic has been warped, perverted, corrupted. Thousands have passed through life as if they had no great object for which to live, no high standard to reach, because they did not see their value as God sees it. I don’t want to be spiritual feeble; I don’t want to disappoint Jesus anymore by doubting my value. We live in a world that is unsatisfied—we don’t like our hair, our eye color, our body shape, our height, our voice—all these things and so much more; we think we don’t have any talents or natural gifts; we constantly compare ourselves to someone else who appears to “have it all together.” Truth is, we all have flaws, we all need improvement, and we all have been given talents and gifts. God knew what He was doing when He created us just the way we are. God didn’t mess up. Sin does mar His ideal, but He oversees all. God made you who you are for a reason, for a blessing. “My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand….” (Psalm 139:15-18) Until we see our value as God sees it, we will not become the people He wants us to be. Consider a gemstone. “Identified as one of the unique gems in the world, a flawless blue diamond was honored in 2007 as the most expensive gemstone in the world. The 6.04-carat diamond was sold for $7.98 million at” an “auction in Hong Kong.” (Google) “A gem is given value in terms of what people are willing to pay for it. By that standard, what is a man or a woman—any human—worth? How much did God pay to redeem a person?” (Tucker, In His Hands, p. 360) “…See in every soul, rich and poor, a value that cannot be measured by human estimate. The world sinks into insignificance in comparison with the value of one soul.” (E. G. White, Welfare Ministry, p. 83) Utterly unworthy, yet of infinite worth.
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SolominaEverything in life has meaning. There's a lesson in every object, every situation, every process. I want to go deeper, in a higher way. I want to listen, to understand, to know. Archives
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