5:01 PM EST USA, Tuesday, Aug 17, 2004
I did a search in the New Testament for the word "self" at gospelcom.net and it returned only the following "8" verses. (I combined and added some for context. I also did the search using their "Find whole words only" filter.) I was having one of my bad rants on an internet game and wondered what I was doing? So I looked into myself and realized that on the surface the rants are: "I want justice in the world."

Looking deeper still I saw it was more like: "I want...." But the want was only a superficial carrot leading me to rant. So going deeper and deeper I finally realized that it all stems from one source: I.

My 'self' is held up as more important than God's commands. It was such a revelation that I now consider it a blessing. [Yes, I ranted and accused a guy of cheating (The name he chose was "JewBeater" - it got me caught up in seeking justice. After I saw his name and joined the game his score was 50 while others had only single digits... then he started ranting about how superior Nazis are... my blood boiled as I entertained his temptation to sin against God and "take things into my own hands." I'm such a moron! :/)]

Regardless, may God forgive me, and open the eyes of that poor lost soul who is so full of hatred and anger, in Jesus' name, amen.

So here I am now writing this out for myself and anyone else who may benefit from such tyrads as I display. It is the love of the 'self' which causes us to sin against God. May He teach us His ways and allow us to drop this love of the 'self', in Jesus' name, amen.

Luke 9:25 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?

Romans 6:6-7 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

Ephesians 4:22-24 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Colossians 3:9-10 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

I didn't see the above verse until just now. I feel there is hope for me... if God is willing.

Philemon 1:19 I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back–not to mention that you owe me your very self.

1 Peter 3:4 Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

(Also, see flesh.)