“The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.” Proverbs 22:4 ESV
We can do nothing worthwhile until we choose to walk down the path of humility.
We can do nothing worthwhile until we choose to walk down the path of humility. Those who are humble will find riches, honor and life. They will be led towards a proper perspective of God and will continue to grow in the faith and in the knowledge of Him. Without humility, there is no dignity. It takes humility to initiate and act upon the reality that we are sinners. It then takes humility to continue down the path of faith and deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Christ. It is only in humility where pure love may be found.
We cannot love properly, until we have humility.
We cannot love properly, until we have humility. Humility gets our focus off of ourselves and guides us into the presence of God. Once there, we will forever be drifting and dwelling in Him. As born again believers, we will never escape God’s presence; however, in the abstract realm, we can drift towards the outer borders of His presence. If sin captivates us or self begins to take over, we will be deeply convicted and will drift from the Nucleus of Goodness Itself. We therefore must remain humble each and every day and fight the temptations of sin and self by the power of the Holy Spirit.
It is in humility when we are graced with strength to press on in the faith.
When we fall, we must immediately confess we are in the wrong. When this is done through humility, we once again drift towards the Center of God’s Love. This Love fuses with our soul and empowers us to love with pure intentions. For love is not just a feeling, but an action. The purest love is love that loves without need of receiving anything in return. It loves simply because of what God has done. When this love develops, we become more aware of when we drift. The more we become aware, the more we learn to immediately draw back to the Source of Life Himself. It takes humility to become aware of one's weaknesses and shortcomings, but it is in humility when we are graced with strength to press on in the faith.
As humility draws us towards fearing the Lord, we will ultimately continue loving the Lord.
Humility not only leads us to God’s Love; it teaches us the fear of God. As we humble ourselves, we fixate our minds on our descension and Christ’s ascension. We see ourselves as nothing and God as everything. When this mindset truly lingers within, we begin to respect and revere Him Who breathes life into each and every man. For as humility draws us towards fearing the Lord, we will ultimately continue loving the Lord. We will continually seek God's will and have a desire to obey Him in all facets of life. Rather than giving into fleshly motives and carnal gain, we will grow in wisdom and understand just how Perfect, Magnificent, and Mighty God is.
In order to accept what Christ has done, we must first accept what we have done. We are sinners in need of a Savior.
As our love and fear of the Lord continually develops over our progressive walk with God, we can then be properly used by God. For God will not use a proud spirit. “But He gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”” (James 4:6 ESV). There is an unlimited supply of grace to those who are saved by the Blood of Christ. In order to accept what Christ has done, we must first accept what we have done. We are sinners in need of a Savior.
Only humility can help a person cast aside their goals and dreams and take up God's vision. Only humility can draw us closer to God and help us to both love and revere Him.
It takes humility to recognize our depraved, wicked state. Once we enter into the covenant, however, we will receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit then guides us into a disposition of walking down the path of faith in humility. For God can only use a woman or man fully when that person desires to live with humility. Their heart cry must be "not my will, but Yours, O Lord." For it is only humility that helps a person cast aside their goals and dreams and take up God's vision. It is only through humility when we can draw closer to God and to both love and revere Him.
Those who continue in humility will be the greatest in Eternity.
Without humility in the Christian life, we can be saved, but have nothing to show for our salvation in this life. This is not works based, but rather a recognition of what the Holy Spirit could have done in and through us. For God cannot bless and teach deeper Truths to the Christian who is content with where they are and what they have learned, and who refuse to go further in the faith. God can only do and move in us, in so much as we open ourselves to Him through a humble heart. Clearly, God can do anything; however, the Holy Spirit will not force His will within us. It takes a humbling and a surrender of one’s own desires and will to be overpowered by the Holy Spirit. It is those who continue in humility who will be the greatest in Eternity.
“Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way” (Psalm 25:8-9 ESV). God will teach the essential truths to all Christians, but the deeper truths and revelations will only be given to those who desire nothing but God. It will be given to those who continue to see themselves for what they were apart from Christ and who they are because of Christ. We must therefore constantly reflect on what lingers within and desire nothing but to be more like Him. For the Logos descended from the Heavens and became the God-man, Christ Jesus. He was willing to enter into our world as a baby. It was the Logos Who was the most humble being because He had descended from His Ownership of all that exists. For it was the Logos Who created the entirety of all that we see. Yet, He chose to enter into His creation and provide a means of salvation. We must therefore desire to follow Him down the same path of humility, if we are to live with Him for eternity.
God does not look at the work. Rather, He looks at the spirit within the work.
It is easy to perceive a man based upon what he does. It is difficult to assess a man based upon what lingers within. For what lingers within can be kept quiet and hidden from man. It is only what is spoken and heard, or done and seen by which man judges another man. This form of comparison is disastrous as it does not assess the main component - namely, the soul. Whatever lingers within the soul, seeps into the mind. As the mind is controlled by the conscience, we may think of doing good, but with wrong motives. For God does not look at the work. Rather, He looks at the spirit within the work. The spirit is our personality and motive within each action. Therefore, if our spirit is corrupt, so is everything else. We must, therefore, pray that our spirit might be humble in all things, in order that we may truly possess all things in Christ Jesus.
We must pray that our spirit would be humble in all things, in order that we may truly possess all things in Christ Jesus.
May we listen, then, to 1 Peter 5:6 (ESV) and “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you”. May we walk in light of Colossians 3:12 (ESV) and “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience”.
By God’s grace, may it be so, until we depart from this life.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, You are the God of all things. Through a spoken Word You created the universe. Your Words alone are beyond comprehension. The creativity, complexity, meaning, beauty and life You create with Your Words is worthy of praise. Lord, may we honor You for Who You are - You are God Almighty! Lord, gift us with hearts and spirits of humility. May we continually walk throughout this life with full dependency upon You. May we not look to ourselves, but look to You for all things. O God, may we never become proud or boastful. Help us to possess a natural and consistent humility until we are called Home. Change us and make us like Christ, O Lord. We long for deeper revelations of Who You are. We want everything You have for us. We desire everything You want to do in and through us. We humbly accept all that is to come. May Your will be done above all things. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lance VanTine