Presented at Curwensville Alliance Church by Pastor Steve Shields on 10/20/2019
Most of us feel like we are overly aware of our shortcomings. And, indeed, self-condemnation is commonplace in the graceless culture in which we find ourselves.
But along side of this, the very same people who struggle with being overly critical with themselves often miss the real problems in themselves. It turns out that self-reflection isn’t being done with a well polished mirror, but with a fun-house mirror — giving distorted perspectives of every kind.
Robert Burns noted our failures at self-assessment with the words:
O wad some P’wer the giftie gei us To see oursels as ithers see us.
If you’re struggling with that phrasing, this is what he meant:
O would some Power the gift would give us, to see ourselves as others see us.
I’d like to one-up Rabbie and say that the Power has done so. But it’s even better. God, by his Spirit and his word gives us the ability to see ourselves objectively — as he sees us.
In this, there is a paradox, for he sees those who are in Christ as pure and holy — yet as needing to grow in our walk with him.
This podcast looks at Revelation 18, sees the End Time Kingdom, Babylon, and looks into our hearts to see if there are elements that need addressed there.
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