Pride or Humility

Did I tell you a while back that I was reading about pride in a devotional? The writer suggested spending one month in concentrated prayer asking God to expose and remove every kind, form, and degree of pride from your heart whether from evil spirits or your own corrupt nature. Then ask God to awaken in you the deepest depth and truth of that humility which can make you capable of His life and Spirit. Serious stuff and you better mean it. The revelation of pride is painful and humbling...but that's the point. Humility is the root of repentance and salvation just as pride is the root of sin. It is so subtle and deceptive that we can be born again, living for Christ, and still be full of pride. When that is the case our victories are few and fleeting, and we feel a chasm in our soul...a gulf between what we believe with all our hearts and what we live in reality. The clincher is that humility must be our position, not only with God, but with every human relationship and encounter we have, as well. We MUST be the servant of ALL. That's hard stuff in ourselves...not easy to hear, and impossible to perform. Therefore, we are helpless, which is the only condition in which God can finally become our ALL.
Are we brave enough to believe that God means what He says? He tells us to lose our lives (our pride and glory) in order to save them. When we put ourselves in His hands and trust Him, seeking His glory over any given to us by man, He will keep His word and every promise He has made.

More Quotes

I have a few more quotes to share from Andrew Murray.
1. "It is easy to think we humble ourselves before God; but humility towards men will be the only sufficient proof that our humility before God is real; that humility has taken up its abode in us, and become our very nature; that we actually, like Christ, have made ourselves of no reputation."
2. "The lesson is one of deep import: the only humility that is really ours is not that which we try to show before God in prayer, but that which we carry with us, and carry out, in our ordinary conduct. The insignificances of daily life are the importances and the tests of eternity, because they prove what really is the spirit that possesses us. It is in our most unguarded moments that we really show and see what we are."
3. "Let us look upon every brother who tries or vexes us, as God's means of grace, God's instrument for our purification, for our exercise of the humility Jesus our Life breathes within us."

Are we really interested in living the life that God has provided for us and will supply in us? Do we actually want to settle for less?

Humility

I'm trying to live out the "thought" in my last post in regard to a very daily issue in my life. I've finished my Tozer book and have started "Humility" by Andrew Murray. More and more I come to realize that EVERY issue has a spiritual aspect (as per my last post). I am having trouble figuring out what my responsibility is in the situation and how to address it. I know this is vague, but I'd appreciate your prayers when God brings it to mind. God knows all the details whether you do or not. I'm trusting that He will give me wisdom as I seek Him, but it can look a little overwhelming. "Humility is the only soil in which the graces root; the lack of humility is the sufficient explanation of every defect and failure." (Andrew Murray)

Harvestfest

Yesterday was Harvestfest in Harlan. Tabbi and the boys were over for a while for costume contest, games, free hot dogs, and trick or treating uptown. It was colder than we thought and finally started raining so we left before the parade...I'm not even sure whether they had the parade as it kep raining. We went to see "Where the Wild Things Are" last night...didn't like it much. Certainly not for young kids. Don't think we'll be buying that one, but the good news is "Ice Age 3" comes out on DVD this week...now THAT'S fun! Firiday night we went to the Step Up To Life banquet in Omaha with Poggensee's and Dallas, meeting Jim Greve there. Lois had to work and Kathy had a migraine :( Very nice evening. Tonight we may be going to a concert at Hansen Bros Coffee.

Thought for the day

Everything I read is pointing me to humility and loving and serving others unreservedly. I was reading 1 Peter chapter 2...lay it all aside...that being offenses, sins, misjudgments, bad choices, stupidity, malice, deceit, envy, slander, hypocrisy...mine and everyone else's. Exteding grace. Having tasted His love, "now drink deep". Don't indulge my ego at the expense of my soul. (The Message) That really gets my atttention. In the NASB it reads "abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul." That makes me think of more obvious outward sins, but "don't indulge your ego at the expense of your soul" puts things in a different light. Now (again) we're talking about my ego, my pride, and my attitude. We are to honor all, love the brotherhood, and submit. All of this helps to contribute to the joy of obedience and fellowship and dependence on Jesus.