Philippians 1:11 “Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
Dear God,
You alone are God and most worthy to be praised, and reverenced, with my whole mind and body. I am sorry for the times I approach You as if You were due a much lower level of reverence, instead of all the reverence I am capable of giving to Almighty God and the King of Kings. It is a shameful thing to consciously and/or unconsciously bring you down to our own level as I allow my mind to wander onto all sorts of other subjects, when I am actually supposedly reading the scriptures, in prayer or listening to a sermon , with ‘half a mind’. Sometimes I am aware of it immediately, and sometimes not, but for any of these occasions, I sincerely repent and ask forgiveness.
Search my heart and mind, and then reveal to me my wrong thoughts and attitudes, as well as fill me with Your Spirit, so that I can willingly change, and become a true child of Yours in all ways.
Then I will be as, Paul has written of in Philippians 1:11, ‘filled with the fruits of righteousness’, which come from Jesus Christ. Then, and as I live them out, for all to see, my life and actions will be “to the glory and praise of God.”
As I read about Korah, Dathan and Abiram in the Old Testament, I realize how easy it is to get full of ourselves, when we are doing work for You. These three had, began to think they should be on the same level as Moses and Aaron in the temple, for after all they were also descended down through the Levitical genealogical line, and already worked at the temple. Their sin of pride and envy got them over looking just who You were, to the point that they interpreted Your requirements in their own way, which was not received by You. All mankind needs salvation and every repentant sinner will be equally received by You; but only You in Your unparalleled wisdom could know who is the best person to fulfil positions relating to doing the work of their God. The temple positions could not have been self-appointed positions; when You had already laid down the guidelines for who could be a priest serving in the Temple complex.
Moses and Aaron had humble hearts that willingly obeyed You, as opposed to Korah, Dathan and Abiram and their sympathizers, who apparently had prideful, rebellious hearts, which could not have been truly obedient to the requests of their God. Once begun on being jealous of the positions of Moses and Aaron, their stubbornness and rebellion grew, as did their lack of reverence for You.
They were given opportunity to repent, and humble themselves, but they would not, and so they and their families, paid with their lives, and the rebellion ceased.
At the end of time, it will be those who have humbled themselves before You, in genuine repentance, and then followed Your instructions in obedience; that will be granted eternal life. As it was with Korah, Dathan and Abiram, all those who have been rebellious and stubbornly will not heed God’s word or correction, will also pay with their lives.
I give You permission Lord, to continue to strive with me, and bring before me any hindrance that would prevent me from being counted as Your own, worthy of being taken to heaven by Jesus Christ, my Redeemer.
Amen