Most men love themselves. I did not say worship. Nor did I say idolize. But I did say love. There is a difference.
The Pharisees (the religious leaders) were continually trying to entrap Jesus, and they came to Him one day and said, “What is the greatest commandment of all?” And He answered them this way:
…Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
(Matt. 22:37-40 KJV)
If you do not love yourself, you certainly cannot love your neighbor. Your neighbor is not just the person who lives next door to you. Your neighbor is everyone else in the world but you.
Paul said it very clearly, He who does not love his wife does not love himself. He who does not love himself does not love his wife.
Most men take care of themselves. Most men spend time on themselves.
Let me say it this way: I surely take care of me. I found out that “me” is somebody. Jesus made me somebody. He told me that I was a priest and a king, a member of a royal priesthood. He told me I was the head and not the tail, above and not beneath.
He told me that Father God loved me so much He sent His only begotten Son to redeem me. I must be worth something. In the sight of God, I am. I bathe myself, shave, and put on cologne. I comb my hair. I buy good stuff to put on me, because I love myself and God loves me.
If that is true, then I cannot love my wife less than I love me. Yet some men never buy anything for their wives, never do anything for them.
Paul said in Ephesians 5:29 (KJV): “For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church.”
Do you hate your own flesh? I have never seen a man ball up his fist, hit himself, and give himself a black eye. I have never seen that. But I have known of Christian men who gave their wives black eyes. Now, what kind of man is that?
What kind of love is that? That is not the way Jesus loves.
by Harrison House Authors
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Apostle Frederick K.C. Price is the founder of Crenshaw Christian Center (CCC) in Los Angeles, California. He began CCC in 1973 and shepherded it into a ministry of world renown, with services held in the 10,000-seat FaithDome.
In 1978, Apostle Price received instruction from God to begin a television broadcast and, as a result, Ever Increasing Faith Ministries (EIFM) began broadcasting in five major television markets. Thus, the television broadcast soon after became global.
EIFM can be viewed on many television stations in all 50 states and in many foreign countries. Apostle Price is also heard on numerous radio programs and 19 Internet broadcast stations. Additionally, he can be seen on most social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and others. In 1990, Apostle Price founded the Fellowship of Inner-City Word of Faith Ministries (FICWFM), which later became the Fellowship of International Christian Word of Faith Ministries before disbanding in 2017. And in 2001, he established an East Coast church, Crenshaw Christian Center East.
A visionary and prolific author, Apostle Price is the author of some 50 books on faith, healing, prosperity, and the Holy Spirit. How Faith Works is a classic on the operation of faith and its life-changing principles.
Although he had already operated in the fivefold ministry gift of apostle, in 2008 Apostle Price was publicly affirmed as an apostle of faith. Under the mantle of the teaching gift, Apostle Price established several schools for ministry and formal education at CCC. Among them are Frederick K.C. Price III Christian Schools (preschool to 12th grade); the Ministry Training Institute in 1985; a CCC Correspondence School; the Frederick K.C. Price School of the Bible; and in 2008, the Apostle Price Ministry Training Center. Over the years, Apostle Price has received many prestigious awards, most notably the Horatio Alger Award and the Kelly Miller Smith Interfaith Award.
A year after his affirmation and after more than 35 years of service, Apostle Price stepped aside as pastor to formally install his son, Frederick K. Price Jr., as his successor. For years he served as the presiding prelate of both CCC West and CCC East and as the chairman of CCC’s board of directors. Having retired from his position as pastor and all other official duties, he restricts much of his travel.
A devout husband, Apostle Price has been married to Dr. Betty Price for 67 years. They are the proud parents of four children, ten grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.