¨ Carnal or co-dependent (often
will cut off its nose to spite its face)
¨ Cares
more about their reputation than they do about the relationship (loses both).
¨ Operates on the survival mode.
¨ Reaping mode…needing others to love them (lacking capacity to love).
¨ Needs to victimize others to inflate their fragile
self-image.
¨ Self-centered (Demands its rights!).
¨ Highly emotional; spiritually and emotionally immature.
¨ Out-of-control.
¨ Needs to be right.
¨ In bondage – doesn’t believe they deserve to be loved and
will often self-destruct.
¨ Know-it-all attitude (infested
with superiority / inferiority complexes).
¨ Suspicious and cynical.
¨ Resorts to the use of force, fear, intimidation, and
manipulation.
¨ Dwells on the past…keeps records of wrongs (to feed its self-righteousness).
¨ Vengeful, self-righteous and intolerant.
¨ Controlling (demands
respect, while not respecting anybody).
¨ Superficial and a fair-weather friend (only there when it’s benefits their self-interest).
“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of
God, neither indeed can be.”
(Probably 95% of the World (including most Christians) is
unaware that this principle exists.)
¨ Born Again (truest
sense of the word).
¨ Cares
more about the relationship than they do about their reputation (obtains both).
¨ Operates on the sacrificial mode.
¨ Sowing mode…loves others without needing anything in return.
¨ Respects another’s right to be wrong.
¨ Others-centered (Concerned more about the rights of others
than its own).
¨ Driven by “Love Principle” – therefore is spiritually mature
and stable.
¨ Self-control…last fruit of spirit.
¨ Humble; spiritually and emotionally mature.
¨ Emancipated – found true self-worth at the Cross (Jesus’ death declares our true value;
if we were worthless He wouldn’t have come.).
¨ Teachable attitude.
¨ Trusting…treats people, as they would like to be treated.
¨ Love, trust, truth, and respect.
¨ Forgiving…realizes everyone is a victim in the war, ceases
to take anything personal (Lives in the
present). Keeps no record of
wrongs. Love covers a multitude of sins.
¨ Merciful, compassionate and understanding (tolerant, not tolerating).
¨ Real (deep) and an
all-weather friend.
“It is the love of self that
destroys our peace. While self is all
alive, we stand ready continually to guard it from mortification and insult;
but when we are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God, we shall not take
neglects or slights to heart. We shall
be deaf to reproach and blind to scorn and insult.” (When I was a
child I spoke at a child, I thought as a child, I reasoned as a child, but when
I became a man I put away childish things. I Corinthians
Thoughts from the
Mount of Blessings, page 16
©
Keith A. Johnson –