If anyone wishes to
come after Me, he must deny himself, - Mark 8:34b (NASB)
As many of you may know, Louie
Blackwood is sort of a quiet person and is often overlooked. By many
of the kids he is looked at as being unimportant. It could be
because of his red hair, it could be due to his freckles and it might
even have something to do with the fact that he is an orphan. On the
other hand, might just be the people he knows, like one Stella
Peterson.
As Louie sat by himself on the
merry-go-round at the play ground, minding his own business, he was
rudely interrupted by a loud trumpet blast. “Now entering – Queen
Stella” Came a loud call after the trumpet blast and on to the play
ground walked Stella wearing some kind of make shift crown. “All
bow before your queen.” she called out as she came towards Louie.
“Stella.” Louie started
complaining but was cut off. “ That’s Queen Stella and you will
address me as such.” Stella said smugly. “Okay,” Louie
wondered, “What have you been watching?” “Alice in
Wonderland.” Stella answered, “And I am going to be just like the
Queen of Hearts.” “Isn't that the one who wanted Alice's head cut
off?” Louie asked.
“That is correct.” Stella replied,
“And I am going to have the same thing done to Harold. Not only
that but I want it on a silver platter.” “Isn't that going a
little too far?” Louie asked. “For Harold? Never” Stella said
with a sinister laugh, “Besides, I am a real Queen.” “Since
when.” Louie quipped, “There's no way you could ever be a
queen.”
“But I am.” Stella assured him,
“My Family is of royal descent and I can even prove it.” “How”
Louie wanted to know. “I bought a computer program that lets me
trace my family history and see who I’m related to.” Stella told
Louie. “And you found your name in it?” Louie asked. “Well,
no, not really.” Stella replied, “But it did have Peterson, sort
of. He was Peter the Great.”
“And you're related to him?” Louie
asked in disbelief. “Yeah,” Stella assured him, “And that makes
me a queen and since I am a queen, I am number one and everybody is
suppose to serve me.” “Something is not right here.” Louie
injected. “Everything is right.” Stella went on, “And I can't
wait until I tell Harold that he must worship me and no other because
I am a queen.”
“Worship you?” Louie exclaimed, “I
can't do that!” “Yes you will!” Stella ordered, “In fact,
Everybody will fall down and worship me. Praise be to Queen
Stella!” “Well,” Louie said smugly, “If you're a queen than
that makes Harold a king.” When Stella heard that she froze. “And
I can't wait to tell him.” Louie finished.
“You wouldn't” Stella said with a
scowl, “Do you know what will happen if you do that? He’ll let it
go to his head.” “Just like you.” Louie said with a grin.
After a few rather awkward moments of silence, Stella said, “I
think I need to do some more research.” and then quietly left.
Are you like Stella? Wanting to be the
center of attention? Wanting to be praised? Wanting to be worshiped?
Is it all about self?
In the last chapter of 2 Kings, the
kingdom of Judah went into captivity. The Babylonian king was now in
control but, it was not for the reason he thought. Romans 13:1b
tells us No one rules unless God has given him the power to rule,
and no one rules now without that power from God. (NCV)
The Babylonian king needed to
be reminded of that, you may have heard of him and this story. His
name is Nebuchadnezzar and his story is found in Daniel 4
King Nebuchadnezzar sent this
letter to the people, nations, and those who speak every language in
all the world: I wish you peace and great wealth! The Most High God
has done miracles and wonderful things for me that I am happy to tell
you about. His wonderful acts are great, and his miracles are mighty.
His kingdom goes on forever, and his rule continues from now on. I,
Nebuchadnezzar, was happy and successful at my palace, but I had a
dream that made me afraid. As I was lying on my bed, I saw pictures
and visions in my mind that alarmed me. So I ordered all the wise men
of Babylon to come to me and tell me what my dream meant. The
fortune-tellers, magicians, and wise men came, and I told them about
the dream. But they could not tell me what it meant. Finally, Daniel
came to me. I told my dream to him. … Then
Daniel was very quiet for a while, because his understanding of the
dream frightened him. So the king said, “Do not let
the dream or its meaning make you afraid.“... You saw a tree in
your dream that grew large and strong. Its top touched the sky, and
it could be seen from all over the earth. Its leaves were beautiful,
and it had plenty of fruit for everyone to eat. It was a home for the
wild animals, and its branches were nesting places for the birds. O
king, you are that tree! You have become great and powerful, like the
tall tree that touched the sky. Your power reaches to the far parts
of the earth. “O king, you saw an observer, a holy angel, coming
down from heaven who said, ’Cut down the tree and destroy it. But
leave the stump and its roots in the ground with a band of iron and
bronze around it; leave it in the field with the grass. Let him
become wet with dew and live like a wild animal for seven years.’
“This is the meaning of the dream, O king. The Most High God has
commanded these things to happen to my master the king: You will be
forced away from people to live among the wild animals. People will
feed you grass like an ox, and dew from the sky will make you wet.
Seven years will pass, and then you will learn this lesson: The Most
High God is ruler over every kingdom on earth, and he gives those
kingdoms to anyone he chooses. “Since the stump of the tree and
its roots were left in the ground, your kingdom will be given back to
you when you learn that one in heaven rules your kingdom. So, O
king, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right.
Stop doing wicked things and be kind to the poor. Then you might
continue to be successful.“ … Twelve months later as he was
walking on the roof of his palace in Babylon, he said, “I have
built this great Babylon as my royal home. I built it by my power to
show my glory and my majesty.“ The words were still in his mouth
when a voice from heaven said, “King Nebuchadnezzar, these things
will happen to you: Your royal power has been taken away from you.
You will be forced away from people. You will live with the wild
animals and will be fed grass like an ox. Seven years will pass
before you learn this lesson: The Most High God rules over every
kingdom on earth and gives those kingdoms to anyone he chooses.“
Immediately the words came true. (NCV)
The first of the ten commandments
reads - "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the
land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. "You shall have no
other gods before me. Exodus 20:2-3 (ESV) God wants 1st
place not 2nd, 3rd or what ever. But all too
often we put other no-name gods before Him. God is to be number one
in everything.
- In our giving - Deuteronomy 17:1 "You shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep in which is a blemish, any defect whatever, for that is an abomination to the LORD your God. (ESV)
- Above our families - Matthew 10:37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. (ESV)
- Over our wealth- Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (ESV)
- And let's not forget self - Mark 8:34b If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. (NASB)
Here's Something To Ponder
- What does the first commandment mean to you?
- What no-name gods -including self - are you putting ahead of God?
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