JIMMETS; SPEAK TRUTH – NO BOASTING

Time with Jesus - 1 Oct 2013

Hi all,

Praise is one of those things we all enjoy. Praise for having done something well. The little boy who has begun with piano lessons needs some form of encouragement to continue practising his scales and finger exercises. No matter how far he/she has proceeded on the road to being a competent pianist, he/she needs praise and appreciation. A simple “Well done!” is often quite sufficient.

A good illustration of this goes back to infancy. Do you remember playing “peek-a-boo” with a small child? Mom or dad peers over the cot and says something inane such as “coo-ey” After a couple of repeats, the child responds with a giggle of some sort. It then becomes a game for the child. Soon the adult and the child have developed the game into something meaningful as well as amusing. The child is rewarded by laughter and the expression on mom’s face. Mom is rewarded by the child’s response to the little game. In a way, both are being praised for responding to each other in such a delightful way. 

As the infant grows and begins to understand the things happening around him/her, mom and the child will develop the game into something more meaningful. In time, they will talk to each other and perhaps remember the “fun” times they had with “peek-a-boo”. I suppose we could say that praise is their joint reward!

As we grow up, we find that praise plays an ever-increasing role in improving our competence in the things we do. If it we aren’t praised, we tend to wane in enthusiasm and ability. Now I’m not talking about appreciation like that in “The Music Man”. Seventy-six trombones led the big parade, with a hundred and ten cornets close at hand. They were followed by rows and rows of the finest virtuosos, the cream of every famous band. All that is needed is a sincere “Well done young lady/man!”

School sports and competitions play an important part in developing talent in young people. At that age, few things in life are more rewarding than knowing mom and dad are watching from the side-lines. All the way home in the car the youngster will relive every moment of personal or team success. The youngster knows his/her parents are listening and offering encouragement. Even when the team lost the match, parents listen to their kids and do their best to take away the sting of defeat. The result may have been disappointing or worse. The youngster will always do better next time if mom and dad listen with understanding and a few words of, “Next time you’ll do better!”

As the youngster goes through puberty, praise becomes vital. The young woman will want to know she looks the very best and that her clothes go with shoes and handbag. It’s not much easier for the young man either. He may have cut himself accidentally when experimenting with his first shave. 

What about the braces the orthodontist insists are only taken out when the youngster goes to bed? What about her fear that she may spend the entire evening dancing with girlfriends and not with the one she has her eye on? What about his “fear” that if he approaches her and asks her to dance with him, she will say no? What if she spills purple cool drink on her white dress? What if she notices that when it comes to dancing, he has two left feet? What if she is “stood up”? What if he doesn’t have the courage to ask her to dance with him?

All these “fears” are quite normal at this time of life. She may gather with a group of her friends and sob because she has been ignored. He may “sidle off” with a couple of buddies bemoaning the fact that girls don’t like him! There is only one way to resolve “growing pains” of this nature. Appreciation and praise from parents, brothers and sisters. What the youngster doesn’t know, is that his parents were there themselves not many years previously.

We all need praise, provided it is genuine. One of the first lessons we need is to learn to distinguish between praise and flattery. It’s not an easy lesson. Furthermore, looking for motives behind what you are being told tends to make you cynical. Nevertheless it is a vital lesson we must learn as we mature. Very often we can spot it by listening carefully to the person as he/she praises you. If they are too effusive; excessively emotional, what you are hearing may be flattery. 

Another clue is to see if you can find a reason why they are saying what you have heard. If you detect a possible financial connection, you would be well advised to take what is being said with “a pinch of salt”. Accolades are worth receiving only when these are well founded and deserved.

There is a danger today of overdoing “self-talk”. Most of us have been told that attitude is one of the key components of success. Athletes are told to say, “I can do it!” repeatedly until it becomes part of who they are.

Self-talk can easily become self-praise. Those who indulge in self-praise, also begin to harbour the illusion that all others have a faulty make­up. They can think that others lack merit and talent and are inferior beings when compared to themselves. A man who either praises himself all the time or loves to hear praises from others soon becomes conceited. Praise soothes, quietens and comforts the listener, creating a false sense of pride.

Christians have not been “vaccinated” such that they don’t need praise. It’s essential, provided it is genuine. It is no coincidence that Jesus in Matthew’s gospel stated: ²¹ "The master was full of praise. ’Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together!' Mat 25:21 NLT. For His followers, that’s really what makes life worth living!

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – 1 Oct 2013			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
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	INTRODUCTION		DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	JIMMETS; SPEAK TRUTH – NO BOASTING
In the early 1980’s, Christianity went through a time of great transition. Here in South Africa, what is now called the “Faith Movement” arrived in Johannesburg with the emergence of “Rhema”. It was not really a denomination in the sense that the Methodist Church or the Anglican Church were. But this movement “took off”. Many of the people who joined Rhema or several similar churches were men and women who felt underutilised in the denominations. Many were rebelling against the inflexible “Clergy” and “Laity” attitude. They recognised that Scripturally there is no such distinction and were not prepared to continue as a “second class” citizen in that denomination. As a result, many “Charismatics” are former Anglicans or Methodists etc. There was also a move toward believing the Bible and accepting the contents at face value. Phyllida and I were and still are convinced of the veracity of God’s Word. Yes, it was necessary to read God’s Word with due regard to context, who is “speaking” to whom, along with common sense and understanding. For example when Jesus said, 9 I am the gate. John 10:9 NLT, we did not go round hunting for handles and hinges. We understood He was speaking figuratively. One of the books we devoured back then was “What You Say Is What You Get” by Don Gossett. It was a revolutionary idea. We immediately put it into practice. At that time we had a golden spaniel called Pippa. She was one of the smelliest dogs we’ve ever come across. It was so bad, we started to call her “stink dog”. We tried a variety of solutions, all without success. The smell was unbearable. Then we came across Don Gossett’s book. We read it with great enthusiasm. At that point we decided to change our confession over Pippa. We began to call her a sweet smelling dog. In spite of the unbearable smell, we stuck with our “confession”. About two weeks later we had to consult a new vet. We had moved away from the area so it was not possible to consult the previous one. The new vet took one look at Pippa and said he knew exactly what the problem was. He asked us to leave Pippa with him until the morning and the smell would be gone. The next morning we went to collect our sweet smelling dog! He was right. He had discovered what he called “lip-fold eczema”. All that needed doing was to cut the affected tissue away, apply a disinfectant and all was well. He was right. We had no more “stink dog” problem! Since then, we have been very particular about the things we say. The main difficulty is to distinguish between telling a lie and making a positive or negative confession. It can be something of a tightrope. But there is a way! Ask the Lord! He will always tell you! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of His body, the church. Ephesians 4:15 NLT	Speak the Truth in Love Speak the truth in love. That’s how we grow, In every way, to be more like the Lord. We will always reap the crop we sow. This is stated clearly in God’s Word No one plants tomatoes and gets beans. Horticulture doesn’t work that way. If you stop and think what all this means, You could be a better man today. Every word you say is like a seed, Planted in God’s rich and fertile ground. It could satisfy your deepest need, Or cause all life’s problems to abound. Prosperity or massive mounds of debt? What you say is always what you get. Jim Strickland  Written 1st Oct 2012 Reflect His Glory If you want to boast, boast in the Lord! Without Him, there is nothing you can do. Pride in what you’ve done will bring a sword, That will quickly cut your life in two. Men have seen this time and time again. “Look at all the things which I have done”. Understand your boasting is in vain. Stealing glory from God’s only Son, Surely will bring canker to your soul. Very soon you’ll falter and will fall. You will lose your purpose and your goal. You may even miss God’s Holy call. Give Him all the glory! You will see, His reflected glory come on thee. Jim Strickland  Written 1st Oct 2012
			28 All by itself the soil produces grain. First the stalk comes up. Then the head appears. Finally, the full grain appears in the head. Mark 4:28 NIrV
			13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Ephesians 4:13 NLT
			12 Oh, don't worry; we wouldn't dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant! 2 Corinthians 10:12 NLT
			17 As the Scriptures say, "If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD." 18 When people commend themselves, it doesn't count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them. 2 Corinthians 10:17-18 NLT
			17 For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ Himself is that reality. 18 Don't let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud, 19 and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For He holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it. Colossians 2:17-19 NLT
			18 Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen. 2 Peter 3:18 NLT