Monday, November 23, 2015

Being Humble

What Does It Mean To Be Humble

What does it mean to be humble.  Well, being humble is the exact opposite of being prideful.  Pride is when we think too highly of ourselves and seek to glorify our own self instead of seeking to give God all the glory for whatever he does with our life.  Everything we have comes from God.  All our gifts, talents, or intellectual abilities such as wisdom and knowledge, have all been given to us by God, so we have nothing to boast about.  
Romans 12:3: For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.  That means we should not think we are anything great and wonderful in ourselves because we are absolutely nothing without God. All our ability we have, all the material blessings we have, our families, our home, everything, has been given to us by God, and we should be humble and thank him for his good gifts he gave us.  
James 1:17: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 
1 Peter 4:11: If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Also, the bible teaches that we should not praise ourselves, but instead let other people praise us.  Proverbs 27:2: Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.  If you are praising yourself that is called bragging, but we should not brag about ourselves, but when other people praise us that is okay.  Other people can encourage us and help us to do more for God’s glory.

Being humble is also like being a little child.  In the same way that a child trusts his mother and father to take care of him, a humble persons trusts in God to take care of him.  Matthew 18:4: Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  A proud person would say “I can do this on my own, I don’t need God,” but a humble person would trust in the Lord to help him and guide him and show him what to do, for Jesus even says that without him we can do nothing.  
John 15:5: I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bright forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.  
On the other hand, God calls the proud and boastful people wicked.  Psalm 10:3-4: For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.  4: The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.  (Abhorreth means to hate.) 

The bible also teaches us that if we get too prideful and think too much of ourselves, that God will abase us (abase means to bring down), but if we are humble, then God will exalt us (lift us up).
Luke 14:7: And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them.
8: When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him;
9: And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
10: But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher; then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
11: For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

So if we humble ourselves before God by going to him in prayer and seeking his will, seeking him to be glorified in our life and admitting that we need him and can’t do anything without him, then the bible says he will lift us up. 
James 4:10: Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.  
God also says that he will give us good success.  Psalms 1:3: And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doth shall prosper.  Then when God gives us good success, we can thank him and glorify him through it, knowing that he is the one who did it through us.  If we are humble and depend on God instead of ourself, then he will give us grace to help us.  James 4:6: But he giveth more grace.  Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.  I Peter 5:5: Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder.  Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Another thing proud people like to do is sound a trumpet before them so they can be seen of men.  Sounding a trumpet is like saying to everyone, look at me, look how great I am.  
Matthew 6:1: Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.  2: Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men.  Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
We should do everything we do for God’s glory and not to be seen of men.  Of course, we will be seen of men in some things, but that doesn’t mean we should do it to be seen of men.  Whatever we do we should do it as if God is the only one watching and he is the only one we are trying to please.  But when we are doing everything we do as if God is the only one watching, people will actually see our good works and glorify God. It is what the bible says is letting our light shine to men.  
Matthew 5:15-16: Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

God hates pride.  Psalm 8:13: The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.  Arrogancy means bragging and thinking you are better than other people.  
Proverbs 16:18: Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.  Haughty spirit means the same thing as arrogancy.

And lastly, I would like to say that all my grandchildren have been given special gifts and talents from the Lord, and I pray everything you do you will do for God’s glory so that the name of Christ will be magnified through your lives.  By being humble with your special gifts, people will know that you love God and you will be letting your light shine.  I Corinthians 10:31: Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Colossians 3:23: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.

Being A Christian Warrior

Being A Christian Warrior

Normally, when you think of the word soldier, you think of someone who is fighting for their country, but being a Christian soldier is a much higher calling because in fighting for the cause of Christ you are fighting to add souls to the heavenly country which will last forever.  The life here on earth is only temporary.  We have to keep eternity in view and that is much more important than fighting for your country.  
Hebrews 11:6: But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
II Timothy 2:10: Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus.

The elect means a saved person, so a soldier of Christ will endure all the hardships of the battle in order to get more people saved so they can go to the heavenly country to spend eternity there.  

A good soldier fights in battles, but thankfully we are on the winning side and we will be victorious, just like when David defeated Goliath with just five small stones and a sling.  He won because God was on his side.  
I Samuel 17:45-47: Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the  God of the armies of Israel, whom thou has defied.
46: This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
47: And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.

A good soldier needs to put on his armor.  Armor is special clothing that a soldier wears to protect his body in the fight.  So the bible tells us to put on the whole armour of God to protect us from all the wickedness in the world, for we are actually fighting against the devil who wants to damn as many souls to hell as he can. 
Ephesians 6:10: Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 
11:  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13: Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14: Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15: And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16: Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17: And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

A good soldier marches forward and onward to the battle; he is not a coward, especially knowing that there is going to be a great reward in the end and that he will win the battle for the Lord and gain the prize. Philippians 3:14: I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

In being a warrior for Christ, you must not be tied to the things of this life on earth, such as temporary riches or fame, but you must dedicate your life to laying up treasures in heaven instead.  II Timothy 24: No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who has chosen him to be a soldier.
Being dedicated to Christ also means going through hardships and trials, but it will be worth it all when we see Christ face to face someday, and hear him say “well done thou good and faithful servant.”  
Matthew 25:21: His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou has been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

A soldier for Jesus must be tough because it is not a bed of roses, but oh so worth it and the reward is great, with great joy in this life and even more joy when we get to heaven.  Jesus did so much for us and now all he asks is that we get on his side and live for him and bear his burden for a lost and dying world.
II Timothy 2:3: Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

Being a soldier is also being a workman by studying God’s word.  Just like an earthly soldier trains and works out, a soldier for Christ trains by studying God’s Word, since God’s word is the sword of the spirit. Ephesians 6:17: And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
II Timothy 2:15: Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Apostle Paul was a dedicated servant to Christ ever since he got saved until the end of his life, and when he knew his life on earth was almost done and that he was going to heaven soon, he said the following:
II Timothy 4:6: For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.  The departure means he was leaving this world and going to heaven.
7: I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.
What a great joy and blessing it will be to come to the end of our earthly life and be able to say, like apostle Paul, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course.”

I Timothy 6:12: Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto, thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Let’s keep pressing on and serving Jesus with all our hearts until we finish our course and see him face to face.