Posts Tagged ‘humility’

Dear Friends,

Greetings in the Glorious Name of Jesus Christ!  Another week begins with worship, prayer, and gathering with the people of God.  I pray that you are motivated to gather today to worship!  We need each other and God commands us to gather together, all the more as we see the day approaching of His sudden return.  It could be today!

As we look back on the last week, I am impressed by the strength of Ezra and Nehemiah as leaders of God’s people.  Their strength is evident in ways that men in our day would not easily relate to.  Ezra was strong because he was a priest and student of God’s word.  He studied and taught the law of God.  He was a man of faith who lived by what he believed and this took him into a place of leadership.  (Ezra 7:10,12)  When you study God’s word and desire to apply it, God gives you wisdom and insight.  He puts others of a like heart around you to accomplish His work.  (Ezra 7:25-28)  God gives you humility and courage to lead the people in repentance when there is a spiritual problem.  Ezra’s holy fit took humility and courage to walk through!  (Ezra 9:3-4)

Nehemiah was a man with a heart for God and for Jerusalem.  His sensitive heart and willingness to fast and pray took him into a place of leadership he never expected.  His life of prayer opened him to incredible opportunity to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls.  His focus on God’s will and direction gave him courage to face opposition and succeed!   His holy burden brought a miracle of restoration to Jerusalem and it’s discouraged people.  The work of God was quickly accomplished to His glory!

As you gather today with God’s people, listen for the word of God to show you a holy burden.  Begin to pray and seek the Lord, offering yourself to God.  Watch and see what He will do!  Praying leaders are what God is watching for!  Have a great week in the Lord!  In His Love, Pastor John

Scripture reading for April 26th: 2nd Chronicles 10-12

God doesn’t take rejection lightly.  He is a jealous God and loves His children enough to discipline them when they need it.  He allows consequences to come that He has foretold so that His people understand His Father’s heart and grace.  In today’s reading, consequences of sin bring humbling and repentance.

King Rehoboam was a young son of Solomon who was given rule of Judah.  He began his reign by consulting the elders who had served Solomon for some advice on how to govern the people.  The people had been under a heavy load of taxation because of the requirements of King Solomon in building the Lord’s house and then his own house.  The elders recommended that Rehoboam lighten their load and treat the people kindly.  (2nd Chronicles 10:7)

King Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders and next consulted some of his younger friends.  They recommended harsh treatment and a heavier yoke!  This response caused division among the people instead of unity.  The people grumbled against Rehoboam.  Rehoboam sent Adoniram, one of his overseers of the forced labor out and the people stoned him!  Rehoboam was going to muster an army and fight against his own brother, but was warned by God not to do it.  He did listen.

Rehoboam grew strong and then lead the people in departing from the Lord.  The Lord allowed Shishak, king of Egypt to attack Jerusalem.   Shishak had a large army and many horse and chariots.  The prophet Shemaiah gave the word to Rehoboam, “This is what the Lord says, ‘You have abandoned me; therefore, I now abandon you to Shishak.’” (2nd Chronicles 12:5b)  Rehoboam acknowledged that the Lord was just and that he needed to humble himself.  God relented from totally destroying Rehoboam but still allowed Shishak to attack and plunder the temple.   The reason given was so that Israel and Rehoboam would learn the difference between serving God and foreign kings.

There are some lessons for us in this passage.  First, it is good to listen to wise advice from the elders.  The wisdom from above brings peace and unity, not strife and division.  When we depart from the Lord, He wisely allows consequences.  He warns of what is ahead and hears when we humbly ask for mercy.  Living under His rule is always better than captivity!  Let’s learn by reading and not by experience!

Scripture reading for December 2nd: Philippians 1-4

I can wake up on the wrong side of the bed!  Sometimes my attitude stinks!  I am occasionally withdrawn, grumpy, and irritable.  I can be centered on myself and what I want that day.  I am in need of an “attitude adjustment”!  The Word of God provides that for us.  As we take it into our minds and hearts, it can do surgery on us.  (Hebrews 4:12)  It is Spirit and life to us from the heart of God.  (John 6:63)  Jesus Christ, Himself, modeled for us the kind of attitude that would please God.  We read about it today in Paul’s letter to the Philippians!

Paul prayed a lot for those in Philippi.  There was a church there with saints, overseers, and deacons that he had helped to set in place.  He was confident that God would complete the work He had begun in each of them that had believed.  He prayed that the love of these believers would abound more and more.  (Philippians 1:6-11)  He wanted them to be filled with the fruits of righteousness so that the Lord would receive glory!

These saints and leaders were encouraged by Paul to be united in love and purpose.  (Philippians 2:2-3)  Unity comes from fellowship with the Holy Spirit and a humble spirit towards God and each other.  We must learn to bear with one another and try and look out for others rather than focusing on ourselves.  The best example of this is Jesus Christ.

Jesus had a perfect attitude.  He was God and owner and ruler of the universe, but He humbled Himself and took on human likeness through the incarnation.  He willingly laid down all the power and privilege of royalty to be obedient to the Father.  He even obeyed the Father by laying down His life on the cross, enduring the death of the lowest criminal.  Because of His obedience, God exalted Him to the highest place of all after the resurrection.  His Name, Jesus Christ, is the highest name in the universe!  Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord!  Those who bow their knees now and confess now will enjoy eternity with Him!

We are working out our salvation while God is at work in us.  We humbly obey Him and do all we do without grumbling or complaining.  We know that God has given us the task of sharing the Word of life in Christ.  Our reward is sure!  We rejoice always!  (Philippians 4:4)   We pray about everything and enjoy the peace of Christ!  (Philippians 4:6-7)  We can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us!  (Philippians 4:13)  We know that our God will supply all of our needs according to His riches in Glory in Christ Jesus!  (Philippians 4:19)  What an attitude of victory and joy when we imitate Christ!

Scripture reading for May 28: Job 25-28

Bildad opened his final argument by citing the power and dominion of God.  He then questioned that in light of God’s greatness, how can man who is born of woman be right with God?  (Job 25:4)  This is a good question and finds the answer implied by Bildad in other writings of Scripture.  Romans 3:10 says that there is none righteous, not even one (Psalm 14:1) .  Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  The problem with Bildad’s statement is in his understanding of God and man’s relationship.  Bildad stated that man was like a maggot in God’s sight, only a worm.  (Job 25:6)  This view is neither encouraging or accurate!

Job refuted Bildad by asking him what spirit was speaking through him!  Job’s counter-argument was that he would continue to trust God, even if he didn’t understand!  (Job 27:2-6)  God was his only source of hope and encouragement!  God’s character and wisdom were worth more to Job than anything this earth had to offer.  Finding this wisdom is not easy! (Job 28:12-13)

The bottom line for Job was that the fear of the Lord was wisdom and understanding was to depart from evil!  (Job 28:28)  Let’s think about this for a minute.  Respecting God and His power and authority is the very core of wisdom.  We can only live our life successfully if we have this wisdom in operation in our life.  Respecting God is the character trait of humility.  God, Himself, is humble!  Jesus Christ taught his followers to come and learn from Him, because he was humble of heart!  (Matthew 11:28-30)  By respecting God and being humble we are able to follow God and live successfully by faith and not be destroyed by our sight!  We know from God’s word and character that there is a definite “good” and a definite “evil”.  We walk in understanding when we depart from evil and do good!

God is the most precious one in our life.  Job came to this conclusion as he was forced by the circumstances of a trial to live by faith.  He did not have all the answers, but he knew the one who did and who would help him!  He steadfastly held on to what he knew and persevered!  We can, too!  What a precious Lord we have!  Don’t let go!