E.G.O. (Edging God Out) by Margaret Slaughter

E.G.O. (Edging God Out)

 Humble Service in the Body of Christ

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” –Romans 12:3 NIV

I’m sure we all know someone who brags about everything.  They always have to ‘one up’ every story you tell.  Every statement or story begins with ‘I’.  And in all of that bragging, they never seem to acknowledge God for what they have, or what they have accomplished.  They have essentially become their own god.  That’s a dangerous place to be.

I was watching Pastor Carl Lentz, and he described ego as edging God out.  Merriam Webster says the Latin word for ego is ‘I’.  How appropriate.

What if this story describes you?  What now?  The answer can always be found in the Word.  The title of this passage says, ‘Humble service in the body of Christ’.  Humble is defined as having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s own importance. 

-First, acknowledge God for who He is. 

-Second, acknowledge God for what He does. 

-Third, acknowledge that we are nothing, and we can accomplish nothing without Him. 

-Fourth, pray and ask Him to convict you each time you become your own god.

The Message version of Romans 12:3 puts it this way, “it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God.  No, God brings it all to you.  The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.”

So, don’t ‘think of yourself more highly than you ought’, and edge God out.  Give Him the praise He is due.

Margaret Slaughter

“Where Is Your Compassion?” by Margaret Slaughter

³ As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. ⁴ “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵ The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”  ⁶ They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. ⁷ They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” ⁸ Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.  ⁹ When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. ¹⁰ Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”  ¹¹ “No, Lord,” she said.  And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

John 8:1-11 NLT

I was caught in an indiscretion.  My accusers wanted me to be publicly punished.  They appointed themselves judge and jury.  Ready to persecute me.  They had no mercy.  No, this isn’t my life story, but God’s Word.  When you thought the story was about me what did you think?  Were you also ready to condemn me, or were you ready to show me forgiveness and compassion?

As the body of Christ, many of us have become like this woman’s accusers.  Devoid of empathy, sympathy, or compassion.  When someone is caught in a sin, or they confess a sin, we’re quick to quote the scriptures pointing out the punishment for the sin, but rarely the scriptures on forgiveness or God’s love.

How are we ever to grow the kingdom of God if we fail to restore our brothers and sisters in love?  There are many instances in the Word where sinners were shown compassion by Jesus.  In Matthew 7:12 The Golden Rule, we are called to, “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.”  If you want forgiveness, give forgiveness.  If you want compassion, show compassion.  Don’t be like the Pharisees.  Extend some compassion to the fallen, and restore them in love.

Margaret Slaughter

“Can You Hear Me Now?” by Margaret Slaughter

“And the Lord came and called as before, ‘Samuel, Samuel!’

And Samuel replied, ‘Speak, your servant is listening.’”

1 Samuel 3:10 NLT

Several years ago the cell phone company, Verizon, had the slogan, ‘Can you hear me now?’.  The ad guy would go all over the world, in the most remote places asking the person on the phone, ‘Can you hear me now?’.   The idea was no matter where you went in the world using Verizon’s service, you would be able to hear him.  Is your Father asking you that same question? ‘Can you hear me now?’

In our subject scripture, the Lord called Samuel four times!  Samuel heard the voice, but he had mistaken it for someone else.  By the fourth time, Samuel made himself available by responding, ‘Speak, your servant is listening’.

Is the Lord speaking to you?  Is He calling you to do something?  How many times will He have to call your name before you recognize His voice?  Four times?  Five?  How many times will He have to call your name before you make yourself available?  Don’t miss the call.  Be like Samuel by responding, ‘your servant is listening’.

Margaret Slaughter

“Jesus, Take the Wheel!” by Margaret Slaughter

“We plan the way we want to live,

but only God makes us able to live it.”

Proverbs 16:9 MSG

“Jesus, take the wheel!”  We hear people say it all the time.  I’ve said it myself.  Singer-song writer, Carrie Underwood even made a song about it:

Jesus take the wheel,

Take it from my hands,

‘Cause I can’t do this on my own,

I’m letting go,

So give me one more chance,

Save me from this road I’m on,

Jesus take the wheel

We say it, but do we really mean it?  What if we actually did let Him take the wheel?  What would our lives look like?

When I’m working on a project, I’m a planner. I plan, and plan, and plan again.  I have to admit, the times that I have relinquished control of any project to the plan of God, things have turned out better than I could have ever imagined.  We have to learn to strengthen our ‘faith’ muscle, and let go, and let Him take the wheel, trusting that His plan for our lives is better than anything we can come up with.

In the morning when you rise, try saying, “Jesus, take the wheel”, and mean it!

Margaret Slaughter

"The Blame Game" by Margaret Slaughter

“The man replied, ‘It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.’  Then the Lord God asked the woman, ‘What have you done?’  ‘The serpent deceived me,’ she replied.  ‘That’s why I ate it.’”

Genesis 3:12-13

Has God ever told you something that you heard very clearly?  There was no mistaking it was from Him, for you, yet you disobeyed.  And when He calls you into account, you blame something, someone for your disobedience?  Then you’re just like Adam and Eve.

In Genesis 2, God gave Adam the instruction, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden – except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”  (Genesis 2:16-17) Now that’s pretty clear.  Eat it, and you will die.  Adam is alone with God.  There’s no one else on the earth, literally.  So there is no mistaking God is talking to him.  Eve is not created until verse 22.  So how was Eve to blame for Adam’s disobedience?

Ok, let’s get to Eve.  Your husband has relayed a clear instruction to you, directly from the mouth of God.  There’s only you and him on the earth, literally.  Again, no mistaking the instruction was from God.  Who does Eve blame for her disobedience?  The serpent.

Let’s not even explore how different the world would be if Adam and Eve had just obeyed God’s clear instruction.  But what blessings did they miss by lying and not accepting responsibility for their disobedience?  One we know for sure – they were banished from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:23).  A lush paradise created by God.

⁹ If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose]. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned [refusing to admit acts of sin], we make Him [out to be] a liar [by contradicting Him] and His word is not in us.  (1 John 9)

Don’t play the blame game like Adam and Eve.  Confess your sins, and receive God’s forgiveness.

Margaret Slaughter

"Hello, My Name Is . . ." by Margaret Slaughter

“. . . you are a chosen people.  You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession.  As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light."

1 Peter 2:9 NLT

What do you call yourself?  I’m not referring to your given birth name, but what you believe about yourself in the recesses of your mind.  The negative, degrading things you call yourself.  Fat.  Ugly.  Stupid.  Loser.  You know the names.  Stop It!

Let’s begin to replace those names with what God calls us:

Hello, My Name is ‘Royal Priest’ – 1 Peter 2:9

Hello, My Name is ‘Holy Nation’ – 1 Peter 2:9

Hello, My Name is ‘God’s Own’ – 1 Peter 2:9

Hello, My Name is ‘Child of God’ – John 1:12

Hello, My Name is “In His Image’ – Genesis 1:27

Hello, My Name is ‘Friend of God’ – John 15:15

Hello, My Name is ‘Justified’ – Romans 3:24

Hello, My Name is ‘Free’ – Romans 8:2

Hello, My Name is ‘New Creature’ – 2 Corinthians 5:17

Hello, My Name is ‘Chosen’ – Ephesians 1:4

Hello, My Name is ‘Holy’ – Ephesians 1:4

Hello, My Name is ‘Blameless’ – Ephesians 1:4

Hello, My Name is ‘Redeemed’ – Ephesians 1:7

Hello, My Name is ‘Saved’ – Ephesians 2:5

He thought you were so special, that He died for you.  Who’s report will you believe?

Margaret Slaughter

"The Other ‘F’ Word" by Margaret Slaughter

“For if you forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins], your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others [nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.”

Matthew 6:14-15 AMP

Forgiveness.  The other ‘F’ word.  The perfect gift if we’re receiving it.  But what about when YOU have to give it?  If we’re honest, it’s sometimes one of the hardest things to do.  Our flesh’s natural reaction is to get revenge.  Repay the offender.  However, that’s contrary to God’s Word.

‘But you don’t know what they did to me’, you say.  Unfortunately, God didn’t put an escape clause on this forgiveness thing.  It’s full on all or nothing!

‘But how many times do I have to forgive’, you ask?  Let’s go to the 18^th Chapter of Matthew and see what He says about that: ²¹“Then Peter came to Him and asked, ‘Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? Up to seven times?’  ²²Jesus answered him, ‘I say to you, not up to seven times, but seventy times seven.’”  Really?  Yes, really!

Our subject scripture explains that refusing to forgive “interferes with your relationship with God”.  It further explains “if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your trespasses.”  Essentially, if you expect Him to forgive you for your sins, then you are required to forgive others.

Now what?  Pray!

Matthew 5:44 NLT “But I say, love your enemies!  Pray for those who persecute you!”

Romans 12:20 NLT “If your enemies are hungry, feed them.  If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”

Philippians 4:13 NLT “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

Margaret Slaughter

"No Leftovers" by Margaret Slaughter

“Only be very careful and diligently observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord has commanded you to love the Lord your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul [your very life].”

Joshua 22:5 AMP

 

In this fast-paced world, we’re all over committed.  Careers, hobbies, extra-curricular activities, sports, business ventures, and the list goes on and on.  With all that we have on our plates, where does God fit in?  Many of us give Him what’s left – the leftovers.

God always, without fail, gives us His best.  So, why should we give Him anything less?  Our subject scripture says, “serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul [your very life]”.

One thing I’ve learned is if I take care of God’s business, He will surely take care of mine.  I strive to give God my best, and not leave Him with the leftovers.  I admit sometimes it’s a struggle.  Things can crowd in quickly and monopolize my time.  But I continually pray that the Lord will pull my coattails (convict me) when that happens.  Will you join me in the pledge to never give God the leftovers?

Margaret Slaughter

"Don’t Break Your Vow" by Margaret Slaughter

“When you tell God you’ll do something, do it – now.  God takes no pleasure in foolish gabble.  Vow it, then do it.  Far better not to vow in the first place than to vow and not pay up.  Don’t let your mouth make a total sinner of you.  When called to account, you won’t get by with ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean it.’  Why risk provoking God to angry retaliation?  But against all illusion and fantasy and empty talk there’s always this rock foundation:  Fear God!”

Ecclesiastes 5:4-7

 

Remember when you were a kid, and you and your friends made a promise, and you would do the ‘pinky promise’.  That meant you were absolutely, positively going to keep your word.  One of my biggest pet peeves is people promising or agreeing to do something, and not keeping their word.  Unfortunately there is a lot of that in the body of Christ.  We commit to a ministry or committee with our words, but we are severely lacking in the actual work.  Other ‘things’ take priority over the commitment or vow we made.  We have a real lackadaisical (lacking enthusiasm and determination; carelessly lazy) attitude towards the work of ministry.

As much as I am aggravated by this type of behavior, just consider for a moment how God feels.  If you had to stand before God today and explain why you didn’t keep your vow, what excuse would you give?  What if God treated our prayer requests the same way we treat our vows to Him?  We would be a sorry bunch of Christians!

The Word says, “Don’t let your mouth make a total sinner of you”.  Let’s begin today with a renewed commitment to the vows we’ve made.  The body of Christ needs your service.  Jesus laid down His life for us, the least we can do is keep our vow to Him!

Margaret Slaughter

"Don’t Miss Your Blessing" by Margaret Slaughter

“Do you think all God wants are sacrifices— empty rituals just for show?  He wants you to listen to him!  Plain listening is the thing, not staging a lavish religious production.  Not doing what God tells you is far worse than fooling around in the occult.  Getting self-important around God is far worse than making deals with your dead ancestors.  Because you said No to God’s command, he says No to your kingship.

1 Samuel 15:22-23 MSG

Has God ever told you to do something, given you clear instructions, and you disobeyed?  If so, you’ve missed out on the best God has to offer you.

In 1 Samuel, Chapter 15, Samuel was sent to Saul with clear instructions from God, “Go to war against Amalek.  Put everything connected with Amalek under a holy ban.  And no exceptions!”  No exceptions means everything and everybody, that’s pretty clear.  However, Saul revised the instructions to fit his preference, forewarning the Kenites and letting them go, sparing Agag and his choice sheep and cattle.  The Word says, “but all the rest, which nobody wanted anyway, they destroyed as decreed by the holy ban.” (verse 9).  And after Saul’s disobedience to God’s clear instructions, he has the audacity to set up a victory monument in his own honor, and used the plunder for a burnt offering to God.  Wait, it gets worse.  He then declares to Samuel, “I accomplished God’s plan to the letter!”  Not!  Because of Saul’s disobedience, Chapter 15 closes with the statement, “But God was sorry he had ever made Saul king in the first place.”

When God gives you clear instruction, you cannot alter it, revise it, or change it to fit your desires.  The King James Version says, “to obey is better than sacrifice” (verse 22).  God doesn’t want your “lavish religious production” (what looks good), “He wants you to listen to him!  Plain listening is the thing” (obedience).  Don’t make God sorry He’s anointed you to do a thing.  Don’t miss your blessing walking in disobedience.  Get in alignment with what has been spoken, and do it!

Margaret Slaughter

"Just Do Something!" by Margaret Slaughter

“Just as each one of you has received a special gift [a spiritual talent, an ability graciously given by God], employ it in serving one another as [is appropriate for] good stewards of God’s multi-faceted grace [faithfully using the diverse, varied gifts and abilities granted to Christians by God’s unmerited favor].  Whoever speaks [to the congregation], is to do so as one who speaks the oracles (utterances, the very words) of God.  Whoever serves [the congregation] is to do so as one who serves by the strength which God [abundantly] supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified [honored and magnified] through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen”

1 Peter 4:10-11

‘Many hands make light work’.  ‘Team work makes the dream work’.  We’ve all heard them.  Sayings designed to inspire people to work together.  How does this fit into the body of Christ you ask?  In churches all across the country, there are more spectators than there are workers.  Jesus puts it this way: “The harvest is great, and the workers are so few,” he told his disciples.  “So pray to the one in charge of the harvesting, and ask him to recruit more workers for his harvest fields.” –Matthew 9:37-38 TLB

We’ve all ‘received a special gift [a spiritual talent, an ability graciously given by God], employ it in serving one another.  All gifts are not meant to be out front (i.e., everyone can’t be a Pastor).  Maybe you enjoy cleaning.  Offer your ‘gift’ to your Church.  Maybe you enjoy singing.  Join the choir.  Maybe you have great organizational skills.  Lend your gift to a committee.  You might enjoy the open road.  Volunteer to drive the Church van.  You love serving others.  Assist in outreach.  Assess the needs of your Church, identify your passion, and ‘Just Do Something!’  God needs you.

Margaret Slaughter

"What Shapes You?" by Margaret Slaughter

“And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].

Romans 12:2 AMP

I’m sure everyone has heard the phrase, ‘show me who your friends are, and I’ll show you your future’.  Basically, the company you keep, says a lot about who you are and where you’re going.  Your company usually shapes your ideas, morals, and values.  If you hang around people that see no problem with breaking rules, eventually that will become the norm to you.  What’s the big deal, right?

The big deal is once we accept Jesus Christ, we become a new creature.  Old things, habits, attitudes, speech and behaviors should ‘be transformed and progressively changed’.  What shapes you?  The company you keep, or Christ?  The new creature should show some signs of ‘the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes]’.  The only way to do that is to know the mind of Christ, His attributes, and His way of doing things by reading and studying His Word, ‘so that you may prove what the will of god is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].’

Start today, and let Him re-shape you.

Margaret Slaughter

"The Best Gift of All" - by Margaret Slaughter

 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

Romans 12:1 KJV

 

Have you ever agonized about buying a gift for a person that has everything?  You mull it over in your mind for weeks.  You’re completely stumped.  Cash is always good, but you think that’s too unoriginal and impersonal.  You eventually settle on a gift, hoping they can use it.

As I was thinking about this, I thought to myself, what do you give God, He owns everything?  His Word says so . . . “Everything belongs to God, and all things were created by his power.” –Hebrews 2:10 CEV.  So, again, what do you offer someone that owns everything?  Well, your life, of course!  Let’s look at our subject scripture in The Message version:

Romans 12:1-2

Place Your Life Before God

^1-2So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you:  Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

The title alone gives you an idea: Place Your Life Before God.  If you love God the way you say that you do, and you want to give him “The Best Gift of All”, place your life before Him. Be available to Him.  Let Him use you for His service.  He’s waiting.

Margaret Slaughter

"Man in the Mirror" - by Margaret Slaughter

“My grace is all you need.  My power works best in weakness.  So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”  --2 Corinthians 12:9 

In the late 80’s Michael Jackson had a hit song titled, Man in the Mirror.  The song starts, “I’m gonna make a change for once in my life.  It’s gonna feel real good, gonna make a difference, gonna make it right.” 

Many times I’ve felt like the beginning lyrics of the song.  I set a goal, I’m pumped and excited, and after a few weeks I self-sabotage and never reach the goal.  Ever heard the old saying, ‘you are your own worst enemy’?  Well, I’ve recently come to the realization that ‘I’ am the barrier to me reaching my goals. 

Now that I’ve admitted the problem, I’m moving toward the chorus of the song, “I’m starting with the man in the mirror, I’m asking him to change his ways.  And no message could have been any clearer.  If you wanna make the world a better place take a look at yourself and then make a change.”  How do I plan to do that? Through the power of Christ.  Philippians 4:13 tells me, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13).  My subject scripture tells me Christ’s power works best in my weakness.  I’ve identified the weakness, now I must surrender, and let Christ help me quickly recognize when I’m tempted to self-sabotage.  I can do it with His help, His Word tells me so.

Margaret Slaughter