A HUMBLE SPIRIT?

WHAT IS REQUIRED OF US

What the Lord require of us as His people is a humble spirit (Mic. 6:8) “He has shown you O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God?” What the Lord requires of us believers first, is to do justly in dealing with others and in our businesses, justice. Second when we are just in our dealings and in our businesses, then loving to show mercy to the hurting and less privileged won’t be a challenge but will remain part and parcel of a believer. Third, when these two principles are met then walking humbly with our God will automatically fall into place as the humble Spirit dominates in one’s life.  And walking humbly with our God becomes a key opener to all things that we ever imagined, wished or think to have in this life.

A  KEY CHRISTIAN QUALITY

A key Christian quality is humility. Paul in his epistle to the Corinthians, he states (1 Cor. 1:27-29) “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things that are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.” Being spiritually blind, and lost in iniquity, the sinner has no realization of the seriousness of sin in God’s sight. If they feel the need of some correction in their lives, they usually employ processes of self-reformation, which being human in origin, seldom succeed for long. Man cannot save himself, and that is why unbelievers perish. But those who have accepted the atoning work of Calvary in penitence and faith are already following the path of eternal salvation, which will find it is fulfillment after death. They are sustained daily by that same power that raised Jesus from the dead, and had made the Gospel of forgiveness a reality in their own lives. Only the believer can evaluate Christ’s death correctly.  Jesus answered and said to Nicodemus (John. 3:3) “Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Therefore, salvation is a must to qualify for humility. Much of the hostility between different functions in the Corinthian church stemmed from pride and boasting; Apostle Paul challenged them to put away arrogance and to live in humility. He countered their pride in worldly wisdom with the simple, life-changing message of Christ crucified. Knowing that some were proud of their knowledge and of their spiritual gift of tongues, Paul urged them to build up the church in humility and to boast only in the Lord and not one’s own gifts or traditions. It’s very unfortunate that the church still struggles today with the sin of pride; its unity depends on each member’s commitment to humility.

WHAT DOES HUMILITY INVOLVES?

First and foremost humility involves a childlike attitude: How? Let’s find out (Matt. 18:1-4) “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” As the disciples of Jesus, and as many born again Christians, always we fight for power, for recognition and for titles in the body of Christ to a point whereby some may defect because they are no recognized. As the disciples of Jesus, instead of being concerned by the welfare of the peoples and that of the body of Christ, they became busy-bodies in the matters of who then is greatest in the kingdom of God? But the answer was, “whoever humbles himself as a little child becomes the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Period!

Second, humility involves repentance: (Isa. 66:2) “For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,” says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.” A broken contrite spirit before Him is what the Lord requires from us. Isaiah the prophet pictures the eternal God standing with outstretched hands, pleading for His people to forsake their evil ways and return to Him. But all this is to no avail. Israel refuses and is indicated for the hypocrisy perceived in their idol worship, consulting with the dead, and eating forbidden swine’s flesh, all the while professing to be unapproachably holy. Christians should strive to remain in a true state of humility before God and man, thus being protected from the pitfall of hypocrisy. Jesus again said that (Matt. 5:8) “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”  And the gospel according to (Luke 18:13-14) “Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men-extortions, unjust, adulterers or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector standing a far off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner!” I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Good works and ritual observance do not matter before God until one becomes as a sinner and humbly asks forgiveness. Only then can a person express his nature, a changed nature, in a way pleasing to God. A humble outward life before God results only when there is full submission to Him in the inner life as well.

Third, humility involves submission before God: (2 Chr. 34:26-27) “But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, in this manner you shall speak to him, ‘Thus says the God of Israel: “Concerning the words which you have heard-because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place  and against its inhabitant, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you,” says the Lord.” Josiah was only eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty one years in Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of his father David; neither turned aside to the right hand or to the left but was righteously seeking the Lord. During his days, the book of the Law was found and he tore his clothes and sought guidance and direction from Huldah the prophetess of that time.

Fourth, humility involves seeking Gods face (a) in prayer: (2 Chr. 7:14) “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” If we pray to God, He listens and harkens. We seek God’ face (b) by fasting: (Ezra 8:21-23) “Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horse men to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.” So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.” When we seek God in prayer and fasting, indeed He shows up. The son of Jesse cried to God concerning His enemies thus (Ps. 35:12-13) “They reward me evil for good, to the sorrow of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; and my prayer would return to my own heart.” We ought to reward good for evil through prayer and fasting; therefore the evil intensions of the wicked shall return on their own heads while our good intensions shall return back unto us.

Firth, we must follow God’s law: How? (Jer. 44:10) ‘They have not humbled, to this day, nor have they feared; they have not walked in My law or in My statutes that I set before you and your fathers.” And Zephaniah wrote (Zeph. 2:3) “Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, who has upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger.”  All of us live by believing in something and if the Lord does not receive our worship, then something else will be worshiped instead of Him. The Jews departed from bowing before the Lord, ignoring His pleas, and trusted in pieces of wood they call gods. We can do the same thing in effect. Therefore beloved, let’s take care to nourish daily our love for God as we live a humble lives.

Jesus word to us is (Matt. 11:28-29) “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

“Grace to you and Favor from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with us all. Amen and Amen and Amen.”