KEY SCRIPTURE: John 8:36 KJV” If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

Man is under siege by all kinds of powers, seeking to make a mess of him. From the beginning of creation man has been under siege.

 God crowned man over His creation, and so the arch enemy of God schemed to dethrone man from his exalted position to make nothing out of him.

Satan has succeeded with lies to capture the whole world into his grips, except those who submit to Jesus. Rev 12:9 KJV “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Satan has succeeded in sowing the seed of selfishness in man.

 Selfishness or self-centeredness makes man place himself at the centre of his life.

It tends to make a man feel and live independent of God. Man is a dependent being.

 He is dependent on air, water, and food and effectively dependent on God.

For a man to live independent of God is like a plant trying to survive without the earth.

 This selfish tendency makes man so inward-looking that he loses the great importance of his neighbour and tries to do away with him.

God said from the beginning that, it is not good, that man should be alone. Selfishness indirectly makes men isolate themselves from one another to be alone.

 Hatred, envy, lust, greed, cheating, and lies are all babies of selfishness, which inevitably make men to isolate themselves from others.

They act to refute what God said, that is,” it is not good that a man should be alone”. The result of such acts is pain, hurt and sorrow in the hearts of men. This is a sad state for most people

These tendencies have destroyed marriages, broken nation’s survival, raised armed robbers, corruption at all levels and virtually a decay of our world. Man has become enemies of one another

Jesus came as an answer to this great deception of all men, selfishness. He said you shall love one another as I have loved you (John 13:34,35). How did He love us? He gave His life for us. He was absolutely selfless.

 On the cross, that, old nature of self-centeredness was destroyed, so we could have a new man of selfless love.

If a man would bow to Jesus, he would receive this new man, of selflessness.

 This kind of love, will not steal, it will not envy, it will not commit adultery, it will not curse, it always values the second person and does not take advantage of him or her.

This is the life of laying down love for your neighbour. Only Jesus can do this for you. This kind of love takes away fear and emotional hurts.

It fills you with joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness and self control. This is true freedom. Indeed, if the son will set you free, you shall be free indeed. Marriages would be made strong, armed robbers will lay down their weapons of robbery and men will live harmoniously with one another.

CONFESSION

Jesus has indeed made me free from every selfish nature. He has made me to love my neighbour with His kind of love. I have lasting relationships with my brothers’ sisters, associates, spouse and with every other person. Life has a better meaning with this kind of love.

THOUGHT: JESUS GIVES US A NEW MAN, THAT IS FULL OF THE GOD’S KIND OF LOVE, AND ALSO FREES US FROM SELFISHNESS

FURTHER STUDIES

Galatians 5:22,23 KJV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

John 13:34 KJV A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.