My Best

I must say from the start that this material may well be confusing to you the reader without preparation. If you have not yet read the article on "Faith," please lay this one aside until you have done so. This writing is an extension; the Faith article is foundational; it is a necessary underpinning for the building upon of "My Best." My sincere apologies for my lack of insight to those who may have read the earlier work. An ( * ) designates a quote from the "Faith" article.

There is an old expression, "Just give it your best." Similar are the words of persuasion used in trying to get someone "involved" in some ministry of the church: "The Lord needs your help! You can do it. Just do your best! That's all we expect and that's all God expects!" (This person may be found giving unknowledgeable advice about other things also.) Many times the person that has been "volunteered" becomes disillusioned and ends up in the valley of discouragement. What is sad is that the person is unknowingly unaware of what has happened to him or her. (MY best may well be the self-efforts of the flesh.") Are there any who are unaware of the abilities of the "old man" to cunningly adapt himself to the piousness of religion?

Those who are called of God are equipped of God. It is He who enables the believer to "do his best." The problem may be that our focus is on "doing OUR best" when we should fall before the Lord confessing our finite inabilities and our utter weaknesses in accomplishing anything "for the Lord." * The difficulty is in the sin-prone, imperfect and untrusting creature called man. Quoting a friend in the ministry, 'Our tendency is to put our faith in OUR faith, rather than putting our faith in THE Faith.'" Likewise our tendency is to put OUR faith in OUR best in an attempt to do THE best. In John 15, the "Vine and the branch," we are admonished at least 10 times of our Lord to "Abide in Me." And we are fruit bearers, NOT fruit producers! Nevertheless, we are oft found striving to do OUR best in an attempt to do "THE best!" If we would do THE best, we of necessity must put our faith in THE faith, rather than our faith in OUR faith in an attempt to do OUR best!

We must have faith if we would do our (THE) best, and the object of faith must consistently and continuously be the Lord Jesus. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son - His Best! And it is His Best in us, working through us, and not we ourselves that is essential. Even a fleeting thought of operating independently of the understanding, wisdom and strength of Almighty God may prove disastrous. Fleshly attempts cannot produce heavenly results. Let us cast ourselves upon Christ as our only help, trusting not in the arm of the flesh. It is "Christ in you, the hope of glory!" If our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, then also must be "our best" apart from the abundant mercies and grace extended to us by our Lord.

"Dear Lord, according to your grace, give me singleness of eye; cause my focus to be fixed upon Christ alone. Knowing that without faith it is impossible to please God, may I be found trusting You, being obediently submissive to your Divine Purpose. In regard to "my best," I pray that You might engrave upon my heart; yea, plant within my heart the same mindset that You planted within the apostle Paul: "Not I, but Christ!"

(It is interesting to notice that earlier in his ministry Paul, in writing to the Corinthian church, referred to himself as "the least of the apostles." Later, to the Ephesians, he was "less than the least of all saints." When approaching the latter days of his ministry he wrote to Timothy, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.")

Well written are the words from the pen of Charles H. Spurgeon in a little book called "Faith." And we quote:

"No, Lord, if I am not condemned, it is Your free grace, for I have deserved to be condemned a thousand times since I sat down to write this. When I am on my knees and I am not condemned, I am sure it must be sovereign grace, for even when I am praying, I deserve to be condemned. Even when we are repenting, we are sinning, and adding to our sins while we are repenting of them. Every act we do as the result of the flesh is to sin again, and our best performances are so stained with sin that it is hard to know whether they are good works or bad works. So far as they are our own, they are bad; and so far as they are the works of the Spirit, they are good. But then, the goodness is not ours, it is the Spirit's, and only the evil remains to us. Ah, then, we cannot boast! Be gone, pride! Be gone!"

In all of the scripture, I can find but one place that deals with "man" and his "best:" "verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity" Psalm 39:5.

See below some of the difficulties that may arise out of attempting to do “MY Best!”

"MY best" is to include and put a dependence upon the flesh.

"MY best" is a product of self esteem; it allows for fleshly pride.

"MY best" follows the way of Cain, as I think it well to present the efforts of my hands to God.

"MY best" is apt to give me a false sense of accomplishment.

"MY best" is only wood, hay and stubble; unworthy of reward; fit only to be burned up.

"MY best" regards my talents and fleshly abilities.

"MY best" supposes human strength can accomplish eternal tasks.

"MY best" causes me to scheme rather than trust.

"MY best" regards my desires, seeks the fulfillment of my will.

"MY best" looks to human reasoning, rather than seeking infinite wisdom.

"MY best" may cause me to overlook sin in my life; to be unwilling to acknowledge such.

"MY best" will cause me to "think of myself more highly than I ought to think."

"MY best" may cause me to look upon others in a judgmental way, comparing "my best" to their "best."

"MY best" may stir up a spirit of envy as I observe the talents or position of another."

"MY best" may cause my testimony to be weak and ineffectual.

"MY best" may cause me to use poor judgment in dealing with family members, other Believers, and also with unbelievers.

"MY best" will rob me of a deep settled peace; it will bring about unrest; it will steal away my joy."

"MY best" may be a hindrance to both my Bible study and my prayer life.

“MY best” will keep me from a much needed communion with God.

“MY best” will cause me to allow glory to myself rather than rendering it to Whom it is due.“

“MY best" may cause me to desire to live in the "limelight" rather than to live in the "Lamblight."

"Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself. . .I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me" John 5:19a,30b. He could do nothing of Himself because He would do nothing of Himself. (Of course, there was perfect unity: Jesus placed himself as a servant in total submission to the Father; there was never to be found even a hint of contention or rivalry in the Triune Godhead!) Our Lord, being sinless and perfect, even in a body of flesh, placed full dependence in the Father and in the power of the Spirit. He has set the example; shall we not follow Him? How can we do that!?! Well, certainly not by trying OUR best (the self-efforts of the flesh) to do our best! Let us be reminded of those words penned by our brother Paul: "That I may know him. . .I follow after. . .reaching forth. . .I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" Phil. 3. Would any dare ask Paul what or Who was the object of his faith? And who among us will dare to say to that patriarch, "I did my best; I gave my best unto the Lord?"