Are you selfish?

Selfish:

1. : concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others

2. : arising from concern with one's own welfare or advantage in disregard of others <a selfish act>

 My husband Ron is known for saying, "It all goes back to selfishness" whenever dealing with issues.   So it's funny when we're discussing something with all the family and one of us will chime in,  "I know Dad, it all goes back to selfishness!"

But it really does.

The Bible starts out with examples of Selfishness.  From Lucifer's escapades to Adam and Eve in the garden.

I think it's so much a part of our nature that we don't even realize how often we are operating in it.

When I say it's part of out nature I meaning it's a a natural tendency for our flesh.

I have a challenge for all of us.

Let's look closely at our lives and evaluate where we are being selfish.

I think we might be surprised.

It isn't always obvious to others...

even ourselves.

We've been talking a lot at Amplify about living a spirit filled life.

One that is led by the Holy Spirit.

Which would be opposite of living according to our flesh :)

I think we as Christians get a bad rap because we wear the Christian label but aren't active in "the follow".

Meaning...

We made a decision to follow Christ at some point, but are we still following?

Because in case you haven't noticed He is the ultimate in

unselfishness.

I'm blown away by His unselfishness on a daily basis.

 1-4If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends.

Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

 5-8Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all.When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.

Philippians 2-The Message

Let's be faithful in the follow!