A DISCIPLE OF CHRIST'S ATTITUDE

We are living in a world that is suffering from an 

overdose of self-esteem.  The pride of mankind

is damaging our relationships with each other.

Admittedly, as we watch these proud peacocks

running around trying to portray the image of;

an important business man or an intellectual

or a super model or a big bad biker or just

a good old boy or even a super saint - we 

scoff at them - to ourselves.  And might even

laugh out loud when they trip and fall.

God tells us that there will be a time when this

will all be brought down.  I confess, I'm looking

forward to it.

"Human pride will be brought down,

and human arrogance will be 

humbled.

Only the LORD will be exalted

on that day of judgment."

(Isaiah 2:11 NLT)

But as a Christian or a disciple of Jesus Christ 

what is to be my attitude?

The apostle Paul tells us;

"You must have the same attitude that Christ

Jesus had.

Though he was God,

he did not think of equality with God

as something to cling to.

Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;

he took the humble position of a slave

and was born as a human being.

When he appeared in human form

he humbled himself in obedience to God

and died a criminal's death on a cross.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of

highest honor

and gave him the name above all other

names,

that at the name of Jesus every knee 

should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under

the earth,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ

is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father." 

(Philippians 2:5 - 11 NLT)

Notice, 

the very creator of the universe, Jesus Christ

himself;

1. Voluntarily humbled himself.

2. He suffered for it.

3. And is now be exalted for it.

We are to have the same attitude.

Look how the apostle Peter addresses

the issue;

"So humble yourselves under the mighty power

of God, and at the right time he will lift you up

in honor.  Give all your worries and cares to 

God, for he care about you."   

(1Peter 5:6,7 NLT)

I love that.
If I humble myself,
at the right time God will lift me up in honor
and in the meantime - I am to give him ALL
of my worries and cares.

TODAY'S PROMISE

"So humble yourselves under the mighty power

of God, and at the right time he will lift you up

in honor.  Give all your worries and cares to 

God, for he cares about you."

(1Peter 5:6,7 NLT)

TODAY'S PROMISE

"So humble yourselves before God.  Resist the 

devil and he will flee from you.  Come close

to God, and God will come close to you.  Wash

your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts,

for your loyalty is divided between God and 

the world."  

(James 4:7,8 NLT)

TODAY'S PROMISE

"Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled;

and whoever humbles himself

shall be exalted."   

(Matthew 23:12 NASB)

TODAY'S PROMISE

 But He gives greater grace. Therefore He says: God 

resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 

(James 4:6 CSB)

TODAY'S PROMISE

"Better it is to be of an humble spirit

with the lowly, than to divide the 

spoil with the proud."

(Proverbs 16:19)

   

TODAY'S PROMISE

"Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly,

than to divide the spoil with the proud."

(Proverbs 16:19)

ANXIETY CURE

If you are a living breathing human, you have problems.

Life is filled with problems that in time can become over

bearing.  Then we become anxious and the anxiety can 

nearly kill us.

So what do we do?

Consider what "a man after God's own heart" did, David.

David was not yet king.  In fact he was fleeing for his life

and living as a refuge in a neighboring country.  He and 

his men had been off to war and returning home found their

families and possessions taken and the town burned to the

ground.

In their grief even his own men were beginning to talk

about killing David.  What would you do in a situation

like that?  What did David do?

"But David strengthened himself in the Lord his

God." (1 Samuel 30:6 NASB0  or as the KJV says'

"encouraged".   Take your choice.

God's word to us for today is:

"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty

hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper

time, casting all your anxiety on Him,

because He cares for you."

(1 Peter 5:6,7 NASB)

Got that?

God wants us to cry on his shoulder.

ATTITUDE

TODAY'S PROMISE

"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty

hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper

time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because

He cares for you."

(1 Peter 5:6,7 NASB)  

GETTING GOD'S ATTENTION

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Have you considered the many ways people attempt 

to get God's attention.  Favorable attention that is.

Nothing escapes his notice.  So in that sense, every

thing gets his attention.  But we do not want his attention

in the sense of something that would "make him sick"

and want to puke.  But we want his attention in the sense

that would make him feel favorably toward us.

Some things that people do in an attempt to get God's

attention, but his very word tells us would "backfire" on

us.

Standing on the street corner praying loud long winded

prayers does not get his attention.  In fact he does not 

pay any attention to them.

Giving large sums of money to the work of God does not

bring us into favorable attention with God.  We cannot buy

his favor with money.

Going through a set of rituals does not get his attention.

It might make you think you are doing something religious,

but it is a wast of your time.

Sitting in some goofy uncomfortable position and emptying

your mind so the Devil can put his thoughts in it does no good.

We could go on and on and on.  But you get the point.  What

we do does not necessarily get the attention we want from God.

What gets the attention of God?

He himself self said;

"But to this one I will look,

To him who is humble and contrite of spirit,

and who trembles at My word."

(Isaiah 66:2 NASB)   

Not an overdose of "self esteem",

but:

Humility,

remorse or sorrow for wrongs,

a fearful respect for God''s word

the Holy Bible.

GOD DOES NOT DWELL WITH PEACOCKS

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God does not dwell with peacocks,

or for that matter, banty roosters either.

You have met them, people who are as proud

as a peacock or as cocky as a banty rooster.

Most of us do not even like being around someone

like that.  Guess what.  God does not either.

"GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT

GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."

(James 4:6 NASB)    

Do you want God to work in your life?

Then consider His attitude about people.

"For thus says the high and exalted One

Who lives forever, whose name is Holy,

I dwell on a high and holy place,

And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit

In order to revive the spirit of the lowly

And to revive the heart of the contrite."

(Isaiah 57:15 NASB)   

 Our attitude is a good starting point

to allowing God to work with us.

TODAY'S PROMISE

"Therefore whoever humbles himself

as this little child is the greatest in

the kingdom of heaven."

(Matthew 18:4 NKJV)

DO YOU HAVE A THORN?

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Many of us know about the apostle Paul's thorn in the flesh. 

And the Scriptures make it clear that because of the revelations

God gave him, the thorn was given to; 1.  Keep him humble.

2. Keep him dependent on God, not himself.  Good advise

for all of us.

Now I am not near as perfect as you.  I would expect that 

your thorn in the flesh is something as serious as not 

being able to pronounce "Zerubbabel" correctly.  That of 

course is to keep you from feeling "over  smart".  But me,

 I live in a briar patch.

This morning in my devotional period the Lord seemed

to reveal to me clearly, and gently, that one of those 

stickers in the briar patch is "my thorn in the flesh".

Believe it or not, knowing that is a relief.  It has kept

me from being "super spiritual".  And it sure keeps me

dependent on God.  God loves me enough to give me 

a problem to keep me in my place.

Does God love you enough to give you a problem to

help develop you???

"Count it all joy, my brethren, when you 

meet various trials, for you know that the

testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

And let steadfastness have its full effect,  

that you may be perfect and complete, 

lacking in nothing."

(James 1:2-4 RSV)

WALKING WITH GOD.

I want God more involved in my life.

But as I search through the Scriptures

I find I must consider these requisites.

"So then, submit yourselves to God.

Resist the Devil, and he will run

away from you. Come near to God,

and he will come near to you."

(James 4:7,8 GNT)

"I am the high and holy God,

who lives forever.  I live in a high

and holy place, but I also live with

people who are humble and repentant,

so that I can restore their confidence

and hope."

(Isaiah 57:15 GNT)

"No, the Lord has told us what is

good.  What he requires of us is

this; to do what is just, to show

constant love, and to live in humble

fellowship with our God."

(Micah 6:8 GNT)

"God walks with the humble; he

reveals himself to the lowly; he

gives understanding to the little

ones; he discloses his meaning to

pure minds, but hides his grace from

the curious and the proud."

- Thos. a Kemis

TODAY'S PROMISE

"For the LORD takes pleasure in his people;
he adorns the humble with victory."
(Psalms 149:4 RSV)

****************

"The promises of the Lord can be trusted;

they are as genuine as silver refined

seven times in the furnace."

(Psalms 12:6 GNB)

1. Meditate on God's Promises.

2. Plead the Promises at the throne of Grace.

3. Act in Faith that God Will Perform His Promises.

(William Gurnall)