Worship and Praise · Commitment and Service
Why do we believe and keep telling ourselves that we are useless?
6 min read, approximately
Matthew 15:15-20 (Being useful)
“Peter answered him: Explain this parable to us. Jesus said: Are you also still without understanding? Do you not understand that everything entering the mouth goes into the stomach and is expelled into the latrine? But what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this defiles a person. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immorality, thefts, false testimonies, and blasphemies. These are the things that defile a person, but eating with unwashed hands does not defile a person.”
From Genesis onward, God’s Word teaches us how Satan has used his cunning to seduce us, always presenting evil as good. Yet his aim is clearly to try to cause frustration, unrest, sadness, or some harm until he leads us to destruction. Let us not forget that his plan is clear, concise, concrete, and precise…
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” (John 10:10a)
Let us understand that there is no negotiating here
That is right, there is no negotiating here, because
“…He has been a murderer from the beginning and has not remained in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44b)
Therefore, if Satan is a murderer and the father of lies, why and for what purpose should we consider listening to his offers—or worse still, acting on them?
Let us read the reason…
“And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15)
But how is it possible that we do not realize it?
“Of whom we have many things to say, and hard of interpretation, seeing ye are become dull of hearing. For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food. For every one that partaketh of milk is without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. But solid food is for fullgrown men, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:11-14)
3 reasons why we say we are useless
\1. Slow to hear God’s Word
That is, a person lacks faith
“So belief [cometh] of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17)
and therefore has no shield
“withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil [one].” (Ephesians 6:16)
An easy target!
\2. “For although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of God’s words.”
It is vital for every child of God to read, meditate on, search, and learn God’s Word…
“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17)
A serious problem: no shield and no sword!
\3. “But solid food is for those who have reached maturity, who through practice have trained their senses to discern good and evil.”
Discernment is the ability to distinguish good from evil, what is right from what is not, the capacity for moral judgment about what we perceive… Without discernment, we are truly confused!…
No shield, no sword, and confused… Are we still asking how we fail to realize it?!!
Now, why do we believe and keep telling ourselves that we are useless?
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life. Put away from thee a wayward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, And let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Make level the path of thy feet, And let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: Remove thy foot from evil.” (Proverbs 4:23-27)
Unarmed and unprotected, our hearts are left exposed, but our lack of sound judgment makes us deliver the final blow to ourselves!
Our Lord Jesus clearly warned
“But the things which proceed out of the mouth come forth out of the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings:” (Matthew 15:18-19)
Today is a good day to understand that we are useful!
We were created by God! We matter! We are for the praise of God’s glory! We are useful!
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy and blameless before him. In love, he predestined us to be adopted as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he made us accepted in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished on us in all wisdom and understanding, making known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he had purposed in himself: to bring all things together in Christ in the administration of the fullness of time, both things in heaven and things on earth.
In him we also received an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of the one who works all things according to the design of his will, so that we who first hoped in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, after hearing the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believing in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of the acquired possession, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:3-14)
Let us reconsider: we are useful!
_**Remember to stop by the Songbook
May God continue to bless you, and may you continue to have an excellent day in Christ Jesus!