Tag: humble yourselves
Humble Yourselves
Scripture reading for November 13: 1 Peter 5
“Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you. Be sober-minded, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.” 1 Peter 5:5-9
Peter was a brash and boastful person before he met Jesus Christ. He was humbled as he denied knowing Jesus three times as Jesus had predicted. Jesus restored him by asking if he loved Him three times. But Jesus taught us to humble ourselves rather than having to be humbled! Peter now concludes this letter to the church with encouragement to the elders to humbly shepherd God’s flock willingly with gentleness and modeling Christ’s example. (1 Peter 5:1-4)
Peter encouraged all younger believers to ‘clothe yourselves with humility.’ The reason is that God’s grace is only given and able to be received by humble hearts. God, Himself, opposes the proud. Pride is the mark of the devil who is constantly after believers to devour them. When we humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand, an act of humility is to cast all our anxieties on Him out of faith that He will care for us. We humbly watch and pray for ourselves and our fellow-believers. Pride and rebellion against authority are common attacks of our enemy Satan. He is a rebel himself and pride and self-exaltation got him kicked out of heaven. Peter promised the humble that God would exalt them in the proper time! Jesus lifts up those who willingly humble themselves!
Have you ever been humbled by God because of pride or rebellion? Do you find it difficult to humble yourself by praying or submitting to the elders who watch over you? Is there an attack of the devil in your life today that you need to resist? Will you humble yourself and ask for prayer?
Prayer: Father, in Jesus’ Name, I humble myself today under Jesus Christ the Great Shepherd. Thank You for His humble and gentle heart given to me by the Holy Spirit. Continue to teach me how to humble myself to respect my elders and each person and willingly serve them as Jesus called me. Amen.
God’s Mighty Hand!
Scripture reading for October 16th: Obadiah, Jeremiah 40-42, Psalm 147, 1st Peter 5
Key Scriptures: 1st Peter 5:6-9 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you. Be sober-minded’ be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”
The world of the last days is stressful unless we are fully submitted to the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter encouraged believers to humble themselves fully by casting their anxieties and fears on Christ as an act of trust that Christ hears and will act to strength us and deliver us through the trouble or out of it. It is Satan that is our true adversary. We must resist Him by staying firm in faith. Suffering is a normal part of standing firm in these last days and God’s mighty Hand can deal with all our anxieties.
Psalm 147:2-3 “The Lord builds up Jerusalem; He gathers the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, I am totally dependent on You and trust You for peace and deliverance from worry and fear in these last days. In Jesus’ Name, I resist Satan’s roaring and threats.
Obadiah 15: “For the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head.”
He gives more grace!
Scripture reading for November 5th: James 4
Because of the sins that James had highlighted, there were those who were always quarreling in the church of Jerusalem. Can you imagine that? People were showing partiality, trying to get what they wanted, listening to the word of God but not applying it, and their undisciplined tongues ran wild causing turmoil!
“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” (James 4:1-3)
James spoke plainly about the source of fights in the church. People were driven by their feelings and not by the word of God! Their motives were selfish and they wanted only what would make them happy instead of submitting to God, their leaders, and serving others. I am sure glad nothing like this happens in the church today!
“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the Spirit He caused to live in us envies intensely? But He gives more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 3:4-6)
God’s grace to those caught in the quarreling would be given only to the humble! Even today, we must resist the devil and humbly draw near to God, asking for His grace! He gives without condemnation!