I am humble...there, I said it...but now am I not humble because I said I was humble?...maybe now I am humble since I admitted to not being humble...but is being humble admitting that you are not humble?...if you think you are humble does that mean you are not humble?...is it just me or is the word humble starting to sound weird?
What does it mean to be humble?
Picture this..."I am humble...I am worth nothing, I have no strengths, I am useless and disgusting and I am nothing but dirt compared to God."
Now picture this..."I am humble...I know I am a sinner, I have no right to grace in light of who I am compared to God, I know my strengths, but I also know my weaknesses."
Which "humble person" sounds like they have a healthy relationship with God? See, being humble is not so much about having a state of mind of lowliness all the time so much as knowing what you are and who God is...but most importantly what he has done for you. That may throw you a little bit, but take a look aaallllll the way back to Isaiah 53 and see what a prophecy of Jesus says.
"He was despised and rejected- a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way, He was despised, and we did not care.
Yet it was our weakness he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down."
This may cause you to ask the question "what does this have to do with humility???" But understand that the author wrote this passage in military terms. Jesus in the surrounding verses and chapters is the Messiah who comes like a king leading the battle and destroys EVERYTHING that is evil and sin. Pretty epic huh?
But he also comes saving everything worth saving. Think about it...we see soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan who give up their lives for their fellow soldiers and we think "wow, what a humble hero!" and in good light.
Jesus came to take the bullet for all of his creation...and he is the commander and chief of the army. Not only did he die, "he was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word." Jesus was humble.
So sure, it's easy to call Jesus humble because he's Jesus and you know, perfect. So how can we call ourselves humble. I think being humble is knowing that you are a sinner, and yes, deserving of no grace. But grace is why we can be humble...because we know that we did nothing to earn or deserve redemption. You can be humble by knowing your strengths and weaknesses...as God made you to...in order to live a healthy Christian life and have a healthy relationship with God. We can be humble by knowing who we are in light of all that God is.
" And when he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all of their sins."
Isaiah 53:11
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Don't pray your will
I've learned a lot this past year when it comes to prayer, and not the easy way. For some reason my prayers always go like this..." God, forgive me my sins, thank you for all you have done, now can you just....?" I don't want to let on that my prayers are always selfish, because at times they really are! But when i go through really hard times, i always pray for God to take me away from my troubles and to save me, so on, so on. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing horrible about asking God for some help...but is it God's will? or yours?
In Haggai, the Israelites are attempting to rebuild the temple, God promises them that he will shake the heavens and the earth, and to the Israelites, the promise of glory into the new house (vs.7) seems like the glory of the temple they are rebuilding will be greater than before. But this prophecy was never fulfilled in their time. Haggai promised the people that that there would be a time when nations would bring their treasures to Israel, the new temple would be more glorious and peace would reign. But this was never fulfilled in their lives. I'm very sure that the Israelites were angry that after all they had been through, and after all the time they had spent waiting and praying for God to bring peace and glory, it never came.
...hundreds of years later...Jesus told his disciples, while looking down at that rebuilt temple, that he was and is the glory of God, he is the new temple and all of the nations bring their treasures to him, and in him, we receive peace.
when I pray, I ask God to provide, or to bless, to take care of the situation I am in. I know the greatness of my God and that he is capable of these things, and I pray these for strength and relief, but now I'm asking why my prayers and most likely yours, never end with "My father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as i will, but as you will."(Matthew 26:39) Why do we constantly pray our will and not God's? Did we ever stop to think that God is trying to teach us something, make us stronger by pushing us. After all, it is when we face struggle and pain that we are closest to God, because we are solely dependent on him.
How frustrated those Israelites must have been! Don't think that rebuilding a flipping massive temple was easy work, along with attacks from other people, fear and a serious lack of motivation. But who were they building for? Who did they put their trust in? Did they ever stop to think that maybe, just maybe God was putting them through all of this to bring them back together as his nation? To get their priorities straight? To bring them back to him? And he is the same God that we are praying to.
The only real promise of answer to prayer in the New Testament is found in Philippians 4:7. It is not an answer of blessing or prosperity, not even really any promise of a request granted at all. "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
God doesn't promise to give us an easy, blissful life once we submit to his will, and he's not a pot of gold we can tip over to have a prosperous, happy life. He does, however, promise peace, not the kind of peace that comes from the lack of sorrow or hurt or trial, but the peace that we have in a future with him, and knowing his will is far more superior then ours, whatever his will may be, and he is in control and has a plan.
God promised the Israelites peace, and they got it when Jesus took the cup God had given him, because ultimately, he wanted God's will to be done, and not his own. All the glory to God.
God promises peace, his peace, his son.
"Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for i am with you, declares the Lord of hosts, according to the covenant i made with you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. For thus says the Lord of Hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, i will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And i will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and i will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of Hosts...and i will give peace, declares the Lord of Hosts."
Haggai 2:4-9
In Haggai, the Israelites are attempting to rebuild the temple, God promises them that he will shake the heavens and the earth, and to the Israelites, the promise of glory into the new house (vs.7) seems like the glory of the temple they are rebuilding will be greater than before. But this prophecy was never fulfilled in their time. Haggai promised the people that that there would be a time when nations would bring their treasures to Israel, the new temple would be more glorious and peace would reign. But this was never fulfilled in their lives. I'm very sure that the Israelites were angry that after all they had been through, and after all the time they had spent waiting and praying for God to bring peace and glory, it never came.
...hundreds of years later...Jesus told his disciples, while looking down at that rebuilt temple, that he was and is the glory of God, he is the new temple and all of the nations bring their treasures to him, and in him, we receive peace.
when I pray, I ask God to provide, or to bless, to take care of the situation I am in. I know the greatness of my God and that he is capable of these things, and I pray these for strength and relief, but now I'm asking why my prayers and most likely yours, never end with "My father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as i will, but as you will."(Matthew 26:39) Why do we constantly pray our will and not God's? Did we ever stop to think that God is trying to teach us something, make us stronger by pushing us. After all, it is when we face struggle and pain that we are closest to God, because we are solely dependent on him.
How frustrated those Israelites must have been! Don't think that rebuilding a flipping massive temple was easy work, along with attacks from other people, fear and a serious lack of motivation. But who were they building for? Who did they put their trust in? Did they ever stop to think that maybe, just maybe God was putting them through all of this to bring them back together as his nation? To get their priorities straight? To bring them back to him? And he is the same God that we are praying to.
The only real promise of answer to prayer in the New Testament is found in Philippians 4:7. It is not an answer of blessing or prosperity, not even really any promise of a request granted at all. "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
God doesn't promise to give us an easy, blissful life once we submit to his will, and he's not a pot of gold we can tip over to have a prosperous, happy life. He does, however, promise peace, not the kind of peace that comes from the lack of sorrow or hurt or trial, but the peace that we have in a future with him, and knowing his will is far more superior then ours, whatever his will may be, and he is in control and has a plan.
God promised the Israelites peace, and they got it when Jesus took the cup God had given him, because ultimately, he wanted God's will to be done, and not his own. All the glory to God.
God promises peace, his peace, his son.
"Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for i am with you, declares the Lord of hosts, according to the covenant i made with you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. For thus says the Lord of Hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, i will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And i will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and i will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of Hosts...and i will give peace, declares the Lord of Hosts."
Haggai 2:4-9
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
What's my big fish?
When I was little I used to think that Jonah was swallowed up by the big fish because God just didn't want to deal with him anymore, or it was like a way of punishment. After reading the story once more it seems to me that God was actually rescuing Jonah from the sea. Jonah told the sailors of the ship to throw him over, knowing he would die in the stormy water. As he was drowning, a great fish came and swallowed him, and he lived. Everyone knows the story of Jonah... he was called to go to Nineveh and preach, he did not want to so he ran away...long story short, God found him and he ended up where he didn't want to be in the first place. Moral of the story-God always wins..so don't even try to fight? Maybe not.
So what did Jonah need rescuing from?
Really, i think the moral of this story is about serving our enemies. Jonah and the people of Nineveh did not get along, and it was the last place he wanted to go...so he ran, just like us at most times.
There are times and people in my life that i do not want to spend my time and effort on, and i would rather seem them brought down to what they deserve (not like i don't deserve the same). Just like Jonah, i would prefer them to be brought to justice. But our justice is not God's justice. We want revenge, God wants his children to be treated with generosity. God defines justice as taking care of the widows and the orphans, not putting ourselves above those we should love to keep our pride. Our justice is the very essence of sin itself, because it is founded on selfishness.
I think it is amazing how God still rescued Jonah from his sin not against Jonah's enemies but against God himself. He does the same with us, every time he disciplines us he rescues us from sinning further.
so who are your enemies and why is it so hard for you to show them love? and what is your big fish? how does God rescue you from you sin and selfishness?
Anyone who truly knows and has the love of God has generosity... because his love is capable of serving the hardest people to serve. Generosity defies greed. Greed is the root of all sin. Instead of falling to sinful nature by putting our selves and our pride first, let us put God's glory and who we are called to serve first.
We can only know what love and pure generosity is in light of who God is, and every time we love unconditionally even when it hurts us, the light of God is brought out in us.
So what did Jonah need rescuing from?
Really, i think the moral of this story is about serving our enemies. Jonah and the people of Nineveh did not get along, and it was the last place he wanted to go...so he ran, just like us at most times.
There are times and people in my life that i do not want to spend my time and effort on, and i would rather seem them brought down to what they deserve (not like i don't deserve the same). Just like Jonah, i would prefer them to be brought to justice. But our justice is not God's justice. We want revenge, God wants his children to be treated with generosity. God defines justice as taking care of the widows and the orphans, not putting ourselves above those we should love to keep our pride. Our justice is the very essence of sin itself, because it is founded on selfishness.
I think it is amazing how God still rescued Jonah from his sin not against Jonah's enemies but against God himself. He does the same with us, every time he disciplines us he rescues us from sinning further.
so who are your enemies and why is it so hard for you to show them love? and what is your big fish? how does God rescue you from you sin and selfishness?
Anyone who truly knows and has the love of God has generosity... because his love is capable of serving the hardest people to serve. Generosity defies greed. Greed is the root of all sin. Instead of falling to sinful nature by putting our selves and our pride first, let us put God's glory and who we are called to serve first.
We can only know what love and pure generosity is in light of who God is, and every time we love unconditionally even when it hurts us, the light of God is brought out in us.
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