Humility

 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 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. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. As for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, and do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments, then I will establish the throne of your kingdom, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man as ruler in Israel.’  2 Chronicles 7:12-18

Verses 14 and 15

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.  Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place

This verse has come before me several times in the last several weeks.  And all my mind keeps coming to is the 11th word in verse 14. HUMBLE.

I have blogged about humility before (Humility is a Verb 9/19/2019, What Does the Lord Require Of You 8/24/20)

But I can't shake this and so figured it needs to be shared..

People have been quoting this verse especially in times of divisiveness and discord.  

the main points:

1. Humble themselves

2. Pray

3. Seek my face

4. Turn from their wicked ways

If we can truly humble our self....I am not using the plural because it isn't a plural action...each one of us has to individually humble ourselves before our God.

If we can have a humble heart the rest would follow automatically pray, seek His face and turn from our wickedness.  

Humility...true humility of the heart and soul must pave the way for Christ like behavior that has to be evident

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
     even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place 

and gave him the name that is above every name,  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,  for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”  Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.  But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Philippians 2:1-18

AMEN!

In these times we must HUMBLY serve our God each day, however that looks for each of us.  

MLK Day (Rerun)

Originally posted Monday Januray 15, 2018 (with a couple alterations)

MLK Day, Martin Luther King Jr Day, Martin Luther King Jr Day of Service, MLK Jr. Day of Service

It has many names  but ...
Martin Luther King Jr Day was signed into law in 1983 and first observed in 1986....1994 the King Holiday and Service Act  was signed into law challenging American citizens to volunteer or do other acts of service to honor Martin Luther King and his accomplishments in civil rights and  non violence.

So I hope that today...whether in your job or where ever ...you are able to volunteer or are able to perform some acts of service to help your community or others.

As Christians let's take that further!

Christ came to serve ...and we are called to do the same!

"just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  Matthew 20:28
He gave many examples of how to serve those around us...but one of my favorites is;

 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.  After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 
“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.  “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.  Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. John 13:4-17
In humility, love and compassion we are called to serve those around us, our "fellow man"  whom ever that may be; the clean neat and tidy or the stinky, dirty beggar.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. Galatians 5:13

Can we all say we have the same "dream" as the Reverend Dr. King?

"I have a dream today ... I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. " (I Have A Dream copyright 1963 Martin Luther King)  which comes from Isaiah 40:4-6.

Do we not dream that one day ALL will see the Glory of the LORD!?!  

Until that day....we can show the glory of the Lord by serving all those around us humbly, in love and in Jesus' name!

Some Things Never Change

 In this time of upheaval and change, our lives..not just globally, nationally,  but right here at home in our work lives and our personal lives, things have changed and we dont know what "getting back to normal" is going to look like.

There is a song in the animated Disney movie Frozen 2 sung by one of my favorite singing snowmen Olaf. The tag line runs through my head frequently;

🎶 "Somethings never change" 

But if we look around us that seems a joke...everything has changed!

BUT there is one thing that is forever, constant;

Our heavenly Father 

📖 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8

If we feel He is distant it is us who have stepped away or stepped back.

📖  “I the Lord do not change.  Malachi 3:6a

He is always there.

📖 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
 

and the light become night around me,”

12 even the darkness will not be dark to you

the night will shine like the day,

for darkness is as light to you.

Psalm 139:8-12

Though everything around us (or at least it seems that way) is changing and much of it not for the better, we can have faith in our God who never changes!

📖 God said to Moses, “I am who I Am. Exodus 3:14a

Who is always there for us, cares about us, loves us!

📖 The Lord appeared to us in the past,  saying:                  “I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. Jeremiah 31:3

Has even secured our place for eternity;

📖 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish  but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

John 3:16-18

📖 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.” Lamentations 3:22-24

AMEN

So no matter how upside down and sideways things are...He is faithful, we just need to hold on!

🎵 We Will Hold On Paul Baloche

Resolutions

 New Year's resolutions:

1. Loose those pesky 10 ...15....20 pounds.

2. Exercise more

3. Eat healthier

4. Get those projects done that carried over from last year.

5. Start a new projects list

6. Reach out more 

7. 

8. 

The list can go on and on.

And all noble good goals...

But are they what should be at the top of our lists? our main goals?

1. Love God a little more each day.

📖 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Deuteronomy 6:5-6

📖 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. Mathew 22:37-38

2. Learn a little more about Him every day.

📖 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. John 8:31

📖 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.  2 Timothy 3:16

3. Put both in to action 

 📖 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. John 14:12

📖 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:17

"Dear God, 

If I don't get anything else done today

I want to know You a little bit better and I want to love You a little bit more." 

Rick Warren.  Purpose Driven Life

If I don't accomplish anything else in 2021 but this each day....it will be a good year!❤🙏