HUMILITY

Devotional for Sunday 9/23/12

Humility means to have a modest opinion of your own importance.  It does not mean that you have a low opinion of your own self worth. Nor is it the same as being humiliated, which is the painful loss of self-respect or dignity. True humility comes with a feeling of peace within yourself and honor for God.  Being humble before others is being happy with the gifts God has given you without bragging about them, giving God the credit for making it all happen. 

Being humble before our fellow human beings is one thing, but being humble before God means so much more.  God is so great, one would think it would be very easy to be humble before the Lord. But pride has a way of sneaking into the picture without us even realizing it.  Sometimes we look down on other people in a church for not being "good Christians" because of things they have done or not done, said or not said, taught or not taught, etc.  At other times we may feel thankful that we are not like "those other people" who don't obey the law, or don't believe in God, etc. Or perhaps we feel if we are a good enough person, we will make it to heaven. These are all prideful things before God.  Being humble before the Lord is admitting that we are never perfect, that we are always sinful human beings, and that we can only rely on God for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  When we practice this kind of humility, then we receive God's grace and are lifted up by Him.

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble...  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.  James 3: 7, 10 NIV

written by Jan Andersen

Saturday Devotional and Food for Thought about...

                                ...Reaping…Sowing…Dealing

“Karma” is the new phrase of choice, but as a concept, it has been around for centuries. Though out of style in common use today, the phases “they got what was coming to them,” or “they had it coming” are common variations of the “you get what you deserve” concept. “Karma” is really just a new age, twenty-first century reinvention of Galatians 6:7, that “a man will reap what he sows.”

Recently, one of my friends was horribly insulted by someone. It was an insult of such proportion that we were astounded anyone drawing breath was capable of it. Everyone who witnessed it and everyone who heard of it (and who didn’t hear of it?) agreed my friend had every right to verbally grab a machete and lop off the offenders head.

So, like spectators at an auto race waiting for the inevitable crash, we waited for “karma” to kick in, for the offender to reap what she sowed. We all knew she deserved it and had it coming, and coming big.

The offenders fall was enormous, the emotional crash heard round the world by virtue of tweets, texts and postings. A cyber-space happy dance was celebrating the “karma” of it all. Yeah, she got what she deserved. And I was right there, dancing along with the rest, doing my best fist pump and high fives in the thrill of vindication.

Until I decided to read that old sowing and reaping Bible verse that sparked it all, just to see how the real “karma” worked. So, I read all of Galatians 6 to get the full perspective.

Smack! The shovel hit my head.

 


Galatians 6:7 is not written for the offender but for how the believer responds to the offender! I groaned as I read through it again and felt a lesson coming that I really did not have the slightest desire to learn.  I looked at the verses in different Bible versions. The Message Bible explained it best.

If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.

Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.

Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.

As usual, God’s perspective was at opposites with the “karma” of our human nature. Jesus told us to pray for our enemies. Who really wants to do that? We relate more to the country song where the singer prays his ex-girlfriend’s brakes to give out at the top of a hill. Now that’s a prayer we’ve all wanted to pray at one time or another. 

But now I have a decision to make. Will I enjoy the triumph, rolling around in this glorious “karma” mud bath. Or will I do something completely against my nature, something no one will understand or support. 

Will I forgive?

Forgiveness is what God instructs us to do and expects us to do. In Matthew 5, Jesus said,

 “You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.” Message Bible

For me, there is really no choice to make. Each day I wake up glad God does not give me what I deserve. Each day I am thankful that by His mercy, grace and love I do not have to live with my own “karma.” I may have it coming, but God didn’t send it. He chose to forgive me and, even though it is not always easy or enjoyable, I choose to follow Him.

Jody Ward

Friday Devotional...Women's Prayer

I remember when I was a young girl, our family vacations would be to drive back to Oklahoma to visit my Grand’ma, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins.  I was probably about 12 years old when I remember going to the Tulsa church with my Aunt Christine.  We’d go early to church on a Sunday night to be sure that we went into the prayer room before we went into the main sanctuary for Sunday night service.

What I remember was that the women had a separate prayer room than the men….and I can remember going in with my Aunt Christine and following suit (getting on my knees to pray) at either chairs that were set up or maybe it was an alter, I can’t quite remember.  But, the lighting would be low and women would be in prayer as they would weep, moan and cry before the Lord with the burdens of their heart and what they carried.

I was young, and inexperienced in this type of prayer, but in my young heart and spirit I could actually feel the presence of the Lord and it never scared me.  After we’d spend twenty or thirty minutes in prayer…. I can remember going into the main sanctuary where the choir would already be in song.  No one, not even the Pastor would have to say let’s all stand for song service or stand to our feet to worship the Lord….because most all had already been to the alter, leaving their burdens behind as we all gathered to sing, dance or shout the victory!  There was no pumping to the beat of the drums to get everyone to their feet or in the mood….The mood had already been discharged with the fire of the Holy Ghost from the alter of the prayer room.

 To this day, this is what drives me still.  The burden of prayer, the anointing of the Spirit of God to meet me at an old fashioned Holy Ghost Revival of just plain ole church!  I do believe that in this day and age, we’ve lost a lot of what the scripture says in Romans 8: 26 – 27, and I long for our children to feel and experience what should still be burning in our souls.

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities, 

for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, 

but the Spirit itself  maketh intercession for us with groanings 

which cannot be uttered.    And he that searcheth the hearts 

knoweth what is the mind  of the Spirit, 

because he maketh intercession for the saints 

according to the will of God.  

Romans 8: 26 – 27  

Written by:   

Glenna Williamson

Thursday Devotional...9/20/12...It Is All Relative...

                                            ...or Who is my Neighbor?

I have seen the light, and it comes in strands of 200! It is mid-September and as I stroll down a few special aisles I am enjoying the sights of fun to come for this Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love the holiday season because I am committed to doing what is important to me. I make the time to reach out to family and friends. Then I try to create an atmosphere of delight and relaxation in my home. 

The whole world seems to help with the feeling of festivity by decorating the outside of their homes with hundreds of lights, adorable blow ups, and special displays of Jesus’ birthday. Rich and poor get in on this effort to light the world: from expansive homes decked out in thousands of lights to apartment windows trimmed with a single light strand with a star displayed in the center. There’s another reminder of the holiday season that has started arriving in my mailbox: requests for help from shelters and kitchens who feed the homeless, near-homeless and impoverished. 

It is very impressive what these organizations accomplish. First, they feed hundreds of people each night of the year, and on the holidays they feed a lot more. While I buy specialty items for a yummy holiday meal, very poor families depend upon the shelters to enjoy a taste of what many of us would consider a traditional holiday dinner. What I spend on a gathering for 15 friends they can use to feed 150 people!

I believe the Lord is reminding me that though these are hard times in our economy, it is all relative. What is hard for me is a different kind of hard for someone else. When gas prices shoot up to $4 a gallon, all of us must have gasoline anyway, so we adjust our spending. For a poor family, there is less money to adjust, but still the same needs.

Luke 10:27 (NEV) 

"The man replied, 'The Scriptures say, 

‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.’

 They also say, ‘Love your neighbors as much as you love yourself.’”.

Proverbs 22:9 (NLT) 

Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor.

Dear Lord, I have just finished clothes and book shopping for school and I feel like there is no end to my list of things to do. But I admit that my list may not line up perfectly with Your list. Please flood me with mercy and compassion. Please help me to hold on to Your perspective that I will be able to recognize which things on my list are Your priority for me each day. In Jesus name, amen.

Written by Mary M. Wilkins

To find food pantries and shelters near you: do an internet search for homeless shelters and soup kitchens with your city and state listed last. There are small places striving to do what they can, and large places who are able to do more but they all need our support.

http://www.bayarearescue.org/

http://www.openheartkitchen.org/

http://cityteam.org/san-jose/

Wednesday...9/19/12..."The Power Of The Message Of The Cross"...

             ...sometimes can only be accpted because of your prayer
                        for someone and not by debating with the doubter.

I recently had a conversation with a person who was extremely adamant against the message of the Cross. They saw my belief and everything Christ stands for as foolish. They were certain that I had no proof and that serving and living for Christ was a waste of my time. They were out for an argument that they were absolutely convinced they would win.

I chose not to argue and to just let them blow off their steam and views while listening quietly. I knew arguing was not the answer and that it would only add to the fuel and antagonize this person more. Scripture tells us in

1 Corinthians 1:18

"For the message of the cross
 is foolishness to those 
who are perishing,

but to us who are being saved 
it is the power of God."

Only by the Power of the Holy Spirit revealing truth to this person would they be able to grasp the message of the Cross. It is my job to pray for this person and to allow God's love to flow through me onto them. The rest is up to God. I am on my knees believing someday for radical transformation in their life and that they will allow Jesus into their heart so they may spend eternity with Him. It is then and only then that they will know the Power of the Cross!

In His Radical Love,

Sandy Billingham