Confronting with Humility

“When men’s eternal souls are at stake, the church cannot be passive and indifferent. Nor can it hide behind false humility that fears being judgmental or behind false love that fears offending. Christ was supremely humble, yet He never called evil anything but what it was: evil. Christ was supremely loving, yet He never withheld a warning that might save His hearers from hell. And he had nothing but intense anger for those who by their false teachings led men away from God and directly toward hell.” John MacArthur

We may be very adept at identifying false teachers, but, what is our response to these people? I am afraid that too often I have been indignant and arrogant—not how Christ would react to them. Remembering the humble attitude of Christ helps me adjust my response to those who are in error. Jesus was never proud, yet He could speak directly concerning what was wrong and He expressed anger when the truth was twisted. What a great challenge for all of us to learn as we faithfully follow Him.

This Thursday morning we will be finishing up our Bible study time together for 2021 as we discuss together the second half of Lesson 11 in our books—”Know Your Adversaries.” I’m looking forward to seeing you. We are working on having our class online—if you don’t see it live, you should be able to watch it later under Livestream Ladies Bible Study on the church website. Last week’s class is posted there.

THINKING OF YOURSELF LESS

"Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honor is humility."—Proverbs 18:12 

The following quote from C.H. Spurgeon refers to the verse printed above.   

 —Almost every event has its prophetic prelude. It is an old and common saying, that "coming events cast their shadows before them;" the wise man teaches us the same lesson in the verse before us. When destruction walks through the land, it casts its shadow; it is in the shape of pride. When honor visits a man's house, it casts its shadow before it; it is in the fashion of humility. "Before destruction the heart of man is haughty;" pride is as surely the sign of destruction as the change of mercury in the weather-glass is the sign of rain, and far more infallibly so than that. "Before honor is humility," even as before the summer, sweet birds return to sing in our land. Everything hath its prelude. The prelude of destruction is pride, and of honor, humility. There is nothing into which the heart of man so easily falls as pride, and yet there is no vice which is more frequently, more emphatically, and more eloquently condemned in Scripture. Against pride, prophets have lifted up their voices, evangelists have spoken and teachers have discoursed. Yea, more; the everlasting God has mounted to the very heights of eloquence when he would condemn the pride of man; and the full gushing of the Eternal's mighty language has been most gloriously displayed in the condemnation of the pride of human nature.—

Do you consider yourself to be pretty humble? This Thursday morning at 9:30 we will look deeply into what God has to say about real humility, as well as, pride. Please plan to be with us for this valuable and timely class from the book of Proverbs.

I'M NOT IN CONTROL, BUT GOD IS

God continually works good things in our lives through the dark days and the bright days.

A couple of times each year I sense as starting points for the days and months ahead. One of those dates comes around on my birthday and the other on New Years Day. Do you get that fresh start vision at such times, or like many people, do you find yourself sliding in the direction of discouragement, or even depression. Just in the past couple of days I’ve heard well-meaning people in the media repeating New Year’s mantras such as “I’m a winner,” “I can do anything,” and “I’m in control.” Observation of life over the past 71 years convinces me that this kind of self-talk brings great discouragement sooner or later because they are not true of people, only of God. This is what I find to be so encouraging and uplifting in my life! God is in control, He can do anything, and He is a winner.

Recognizing God as my loving heavenly Father who loves me, directs my steps (through His Word) and perfectly cares for me through the hard and easy days of life gives me great peace, joy, and anticipation of the year ahead. I specifically said “hard” days of life because those days trip us up the quickest. But, “hard” days benefit us in countless ways that “easy” days cannot. Particularly, the difficult days should cause us to realize our need to lean hard on God and be dependent on Him, not ourselves, for everything. “Everything” includes all that pertains to our daily life now and forever.

As I have been reading the Bible in the past week, God’s call for us to be humble has really stood out to me. Isn’t this the real answer to living life fully? “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,” (Colossians 3:12)

Beginning on January 10th at 9:30 a second study on Psalms will begin. You may pick up your study book in the foyer this coming Sunday morning. Please plan to have the first 3 days of Lesson 1 completed for the 10th. If you would like to be encouraged as the New Year begins, please plan to be part of this great study of Psalms.