Humbled

 Philippians 2:8

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.

1 Peter 2:21-24

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps:  “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.” / When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. 

    In Psalm 40 David writes the hope that his enemies, those who are against him, would turn their hearts to God. He does not retaliate, nor seek vengeance upon them. He, like many others who follow God before him and after him, has the love of God -- which includes compassion and mercy -- in his heart and mind. 

    In Matthew 5:1-12 describes the beatitudes of a Christian's behavior as we walk in the power of God's Holy Spirit with Christ. To be humbled is to surrender what we want for what God wants. It is to live a righteous life that glorifies God, and not a selfish life which only glorifies ourselves. 

    MATTHEW 5:1-12

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you."

    To humble ourselves means we choose obedience to God's Word: we choose to walk in love and light. We show mercy where none is deserved for we are given undeserved mercy by God. We speak peace and forgiveness to everyone we interact with, for the peace of Christ and the forgiveness of our sins were given to the believer when we believed on The Name of The Only Begotten Son of God JESUS CHRIST.

    To humble ourselves means we submit our thoughts to His Word, as well. In order to do that, we must fill our hearts and minds with His Word and His worship (the worship we give Him when we sing His praises and testify in word and song of the glorious things which He has done for us). Let His worship and Word and Spirit abound so thoroughly in each of us that Christ fills us up with even more of Himself, leaving no room for anything not of Him. 

    We must choose this side of eternity to humble ourselves. For the day is nearly here when God will forcefully ensure that all will be humbled by Himself (Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10-11). The believer willingly kneels before God in adoration and worship, testifying by our actions and our words -whether spoken or unspoken-that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD OF ALL, even ourselves. 

    Rebellion against God and His Word and His Spirit is the opposite of humbleness and humility. Rebellion is arrogance, pride, selfishness, evil, wickedness. To deny God is rebellion, for GOD IS. To live a life of "I want what I want when I want it" is rebellion and disobedience to God's Word. One cannot accept the act of communion and then go out and continue to live in sin. For this brings condemnation upon that person. 

    A life of humility is a righteous walk with Christ. It is to live a life of surrender and submission to our heavenly Father. I've read some good books in my time that have helped me in my walk. Too many to list, but I'll give you a couple examples, which are still on my bookshelves:

Good Morning, Holy Spirit - Benny Hinn

The Real Holy Spirit - Cortland Myers, D.D. (read this book for free online)

The Pursuit of Holiness - Jerry Bridges 

    In 2 Chronicles 7:14 God tells us that we must humble ourselves (kneel only to Him), pray (only to Him) and seek His face (His presence), then He will hear us, forgive us and heal the place where we live. Every Word of God is for everyone. In the Old Testament it was for God's elect: the Jew, the Hebrew nation. But since we are now living in New Testament times, it is for the Gentile, as well. A Gentile is anyone who is not born Jewish. But when we all believe that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, then we are all in God's family. And His Promise is for All Who Believe. 

    Therefore, we must, we absolutely must, willingly and decidedly choose to live lives of humility and humbleness, being aware at all times that Christ is with us; that His Spirit teaches us and guides us in this life in order to prepare us for the life we will live after death. 

    Joshua (Joshua 24:15) wrote that the decision to follow God is personal, it happens to each of us on an individual basis. The call goes out, "Choose this day whom you will serve." For the humble life of the believer has an impact on the soul, the mind, the heart. Choose. This day. Whom you will serve. Yourselves? or God? 

    Are we willing to die for what we believe? If not, then we need to get into the place where we are fully surrendered to a life lived for the glory of God. Absolute Surrender by Andrew Murray is a good place to start. 

COVERED Planetshakers

 I SURRENDER ALL  

TIS SO SWEET TO TRUST IN JESUS 

 

Cistern vs. Fountain

A man I deeply admire and respect, and yes, even love, went home to be with our Lord and Savior a few years back. But before God called him home, I was privileged to hear one of the last sermons he preached. And after re-studying it just now, I would like to share it with you here.

Cistern vs. Fountain

June 16, 2002

PM Service Rev. Barker, Full Gospel Ministry

[first we came together in prayer, in Scripture (Matthew 18:19 "Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven"), and agreed that God's will be done concerning the pastorate at River of Life (the church I attended where his daughter and son-in-law then pastored]

     Jeremiah 2:13 "For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters,and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water." The clearest example is pictured in this verse. A fountain is filled from the deep and below. A cistern is built and holds only what is put into it. For instance, the woman at the well filled Jesus' request for water. John 4:6,7 Yet Jesus offered her water which would quench her thirst forever John 4:9-14

6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well:and it was about the sixth hour. 7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saithunto her, Give me to drink   9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me,which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 10 Jesusanswered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Giveme to drink ; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 11 Thewoman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence thenhast thou that living water? 12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, anddrank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 13 Jesus answered and said unto her,Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that Ishall give him shall never thirst ; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of waterspringing up into everlasting life.

     Luke 24:13-21 The Road to Emmaus. 13 And, behold , two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened . 15 And it came to pass , that, while they communed together and reasoned , Jesus himself drew near , and went with them. 16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk , and are sad? 18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. These followers had become cisterns. They knew only the teachings which Jesus had put into them. At His death, they turned away to unbelief.

     Galatians 1:6, 7 6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert thegospel of Christ. An attempt at building cisterns. Turning away from the Gospel of Salvation through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ will create a broken cistern. It will hold nothing.

     John 7:38 38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said , out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. Rivers of living water flow out of the belly, which is deep within or below the heart. For what is in the heart will come out of the mouth. What is in the belly will come out in your life. Through your stomach you receive nourishment, that your body might be made strong and do the works that God has given you to do. 

     The choice is yours: Do you want to be a cistern? Or do you want to be a fountain?




*the reason Brother Barker chose Matthew 18:19 to pray together with is because he and I were the only two people who came to church that night. I think the pastor and family were on vacation that night. Perhaps other congregants believe there to be no church that evening. I am so glad I was there.*

Decision Determines Destiny

Decision Determines Destiny

Joshua 24:15

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY

WHOM YOU WILL SERVE; whether the gods which your fathers served that were

on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land

you dwell: BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.

Colossians 3: 1, 2

If ye then be risen with Christ, SEEK THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE ABOVE,

where Christ sits on the right hand of God.

SET YOUR AFFECTION ON THINGS ABOVE,

not on things on the earth.

As we read our Bibles, we need to remember that every word of God applies to all of us, not just some of us. So, when we read the Word of God, read it as applicable to yourself. For example, the first verse given is plain and simple: As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. We choose not to serve the gods of our ancestors, nor the gods of this land where we live. My household chooses to serve the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We choose to live under God's authority and God's mercy. My house chooses to serve in God's house.

The second verse, Colossians 3:1, 2 reads to me: I am risen with Christ, and my affection, my love is on the things of God which God desires for me. The things of this world will pass away and god of this world will cease to exist.

By choosing to place my hope in Christ and my faith in God, my decision has determined my destiny.

What is your decision?