How do I humble myself before God?

Humble pie   #FlattenTheCurve

Definition of humble pie. : a figurative serving of humiliation usually in the form of a forced submission, apology, or retraction —often used in the phrase eat humble pie. Mirriam-Webster.com

James is a very straightforward practical book. The proverbs of the New Testament - focused on doing. Although doing and living in a manner worthy of our calling as God’s own is important, our living is not for show. It involves people, but it is not for the people.

In Chapter   4:7 he calls us to humble ourselves before God. We sometimes confuse this by trying to live humble before people. That’s just it. People don’t see the heart, but God does. Before people you can pretend...but before the all-knowing God it is impossible to pretend.

It may even be easy to be humble before God, for there is no holding up of appearances. We stand spiritually and emotionally naked before Him. He knows how many hairs are on your head, let alone what’s in your heart and mind.

That’s why you can just sit at His feet. Speak to Him about your flaws, your concerns, your heartache and your dreams, without trying to impress Him – for He already knows, but longs for you to trust Him.

Prayer: Father, today I open my heart before you without pretending that I have everything together – because I don’t. I need you comfort, your love and your intervention in my life.

How can everybody be equal ?

by Christo Jovner

We once had a family gathering and talked about our experience visiting Home affairs. One statement was that “Home Affairs is such an Equaliser”, meaning no matter what your social status, race or gender is, everybody gets the same treatment… and everybody wants that much needed commodity – that ID card, passport or unabridged birth certificate.

With the COVID19 pandemic on our doorstep, it also “such an equaliser”, because the virus doesn’t ask you permission to infect you based on your social status, gender or race… And everybody wants that much needed commodity – health!

When it comes to our spiritual life, there is also “such an equaliser”. His name is Jesus Christ. And the much needed commodity is to know Him!

Paul of the Bible is in lockdown for three years and writes a thank you letter to the Philippians. In chapter 3 he writes about his past, his accomplishment as a spiritual elitist and his zeal in persecuting the church.

Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!5I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.  Phil 3:4b-6 (NLT)

But then Paul meet the spiritual Equaliser: 

Jesus Christ. No effort of your own can suffice, only faith in Jesus. From a lockdown prison cell, Paul writes about his primary persuit in life: To know Christ and to obey Him!

I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Phil 3:7-8 (NLT)

And when wrapped in time and seclusion, Paul is liberated from his past – his religious superiority that hardened his haughty heart as well as his church-persecuting-mistake that could so easily paralise him emotionally.

Today, in our lockdown, we are also wrapped in time and seclusion, and our past also might need some liberation, from the haughty hardened heart to the emotionally paralised heart…

 

Only one thing is needed: that I might know Jesus and obey Him. Don’t you want to join me on this liberating journey that only “such an equaliser” – Jesus Christ can do in us?

How can I Keep going?

With so much going on social media, my mind is almost constantly preoccupied with things. Mostly things of this world.

The thoughts mixed with fear, makes it hard to focus on what God is saying. Being this hyper –connected, makes it hard to connect to God.

And that is the secret right there.  Being connected to God, according to Isaiah lays our strength. Our ability to keep going. The Psalmist says as he waits for God, his whole being waits and in God’s word is his hope.

We need to set aside a time to turn off all forms of social media so that we can spend time praying, worshiping and reading scripture, and waiting on the Lord. The more you practice the better you will become.

Prayer: Holy Spirit help me to wait in God’s presence.  To set aside my phone and the things of this world so that I can hear you speak.

Isaiah 40:30,31    Psalm 130:5-8

Anxious about finances?

A lot of people experience anxiety right now...most of it is over finances. 

Many people that work for themselves, for commission or on a no- work no- pay basis don’t have positive prospects right now. How will we get through the next month  – many stare the realization in the face that bills will not be paid, causing a domino effect in the long list of payments that need to be made for others as well.

What do I do as a child of God in these circumstances? Do I just give in to fear?

For a start we need to work on what we think and then what do we pray.

Believe that God is good and will look after you. God says in Matthew 6: 26 onward we  

have great value and He will look after us, we don’t need to be anxious about anything. 

What we rather need to do is focus on Him and His rule and reign over our lives. 

Do you believe He is good and will provide?

You need not be anxious about tomorrow...

The Revelation

This morning as I was trying to spend time with God (yes, we can try and feel as if we don't connect) I was thingking about John and the Revelation...the Revelation of Jesus Christ. 
Did you know that the greek word for Revelation : Apocalypse mean just that - revelation or uncover. Apocalypse does not mean the end. Back to the point, what did John saw?

What do you see?

What was John actually seeing? Did he saw it with his natural eyes as an open vision or with his spiritual eyes? (some of the vision is about future events.) In Revelation 1: 10 he says ...'I was in the Spirit".
Do we even know what it means to be in the Spirit? Have you ever paused and think about being in the Spirit? Do you practice being in the Spirit or is it too spiritual - to far fetch for you?