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Selfishness
The only thing necessary to change heaven into hell -- if God were to allow it -- is selfishness.
Selfishness is mankind's fundamental defect. Selfish means: self-centered, self-serving, self-important.
At the root of every problem is selfishness.
JAMES 3:16 TEV
16 Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also disorder and every kind of evil.
Every selfish person is potentially your enemy.
All sin is selfish. No one ever sins for someone else -- we do it for selfish reasons.
Divine love is the opposite of selfishness. Giving is the opposite of acting selfishly.
We are products of a corrupt culture that teaches selfishness, so it's not unusual for us to think it's not so bad.
But you must die to selfishness -- or self-destruct. However, you're unable to change by yourself. You can't change the fruit without changing the root. That's why you must be born again! Only by receiving Jesus Christ and letting Him change you inwardly can you become a truly unselfish person.
No other "religion" teaches to put others first, to love your enemies. Only Christianity teaches you can be totally changed and become a person with a new nature. There is no cure apart from Jesus!
SAY THIS: Jesus, please cure me of being selfish.
Free Your Faith
"And when ye stand praying, forgive,
if ye have ought against any."
Mark 11:25
Few people realize just how closely connected faith and forgiveness are. Jesus taught about that connection in His sermon on mountain-moving faith that's recorded in Mark 11:22-26.
He said, "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive."
Jesus backed those two sentences up together on purpose. He wanted us to know that releasing those who have wronged us is fundamental to receiving from God. He wanted to impress on our hearts the fact that we connot have our prayers answered and hold grudges in our hearts at the same time.
Unforgiveness clogs the faith channel and keeps you powerless against the mountains in you life!
If You've been praying for something and you just can't seem to get an answer, check your heart for unforgiveness. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring any grudge that's hidden there to light. Unclog the channel of faith and you will soon see things you've been praying for come to pass.
Scripture Reading: Matthew 18:21-35
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]
23"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents[b] was brought to him. 25Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' 27The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.[c] He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.
29"His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
30"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
