HUMILITY BEFORE HONOR :
Matthew 18:4 "Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
It is interesting that Jesus used a little child to illustrate humility. Although it is true that little children have a purity and humility that is many times missing in adults, they certainly are not selfless. A child comes into the world totally self-centered, wanting what he wants when he wants it. Parents are to train children out of this self-centeredness.
One of humility's dominant characteristics is a God-dependency and not a self-sufficiency. The truth of humility being the key to greatness or success was not new. Jesus gave this truth new meaning by walking in humility as no one ever had before.
This path of self-denial to greatness is exactly opposite to the world's path of exalting self at everyone else's expense. The path of humility could not possibly work if there was no God. We would simply be trampled underfoot.
Humility is a step of faith - faith that God is the judge and that promotion comes from Him (Ps. 75:6-7), and faith that God will resist the proud but give grace unto the humble (1 Pet. 5:5). Humility is trusting in God and not in ourselves. This is why it is easy to be humble when we've failed, and conversely, hard to be humble when we've achieved great success. This is precisely why Paul commanded Timothy not to put a novice into a position of leadership in the church. Pride is self-sufficiency and self-exaltation while humility is self-denial and dependence upon God.
God's kingdom is founded upon this principle of humility before honor. God's kind of love is selfless as can be seen by Jesus' own actions. Pride is the only reason that strife comes (Prov. 13:10); so remember, humility is the key to walking in love with our brothers and sisters in the Lord.
WE MUST BE CHRIST-CENTRED!
'You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power.' Revelation 4:11 NJKV
In the book of Revelation, Christ stands knocking on the door of the last of the seven churches, asking them to let Him in. Amazing! Did the people inside not miss Him? Here's a frightening thought: it's possible to build a large institution, call it a church, and yet for Jesus to be marginalised in its emphasis and activities. The measure of a ministry is how it treats Christ. Even in emphasising the importance of Spirit-filled living, we can produce believers who are Spirit-filled but not Jesus-thrilled! We can reduce Christianity to principles that work as effectively in the secular marketplace as they do in the church. John the Revelator saw Christ sitting upon a throne. Next he heard the voices of a multitude singing, '...Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honour and glory and blessing!' (Revelation 5:12 NKJV) And it was a mixed multitude. 'Every creature which is in Heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honour and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb, forever and ever!"' (Revelation 5:13 NKJV) London once had two great preachers. When a lady went to hear the first, Dr Joseph Parker, she left saying, 'What a preacher!' When she went to hear the second, Charles Spurgeon, she left saying 'What a Christ!' Do you love the Lord supremely? Is His name written on your heart
HIGH PRIEST OF YOUR CONFESSION :
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession[or confession], Christ Jesus. – Hebrews 3:1
Very few believers today understand the mystery of the apostleship and priesthood of Jesus. We think that an apostle is some kind of supersaint. But "apostle" actually means "sent one." So, Jesus has been sent from God to do something for us.
He's been sent to serve as our High Priest. Again, many believers don't have the first idea what a high priest does. They picture a person walking around in strange clothes performing religious rituals.
In reality, a high priest is much more than that. He is one who is authorized to administer, to execute, to implement and to carry into effect. Now, you may wonder what it is that Jesus is authorized to administer, execute, or carry out on your behalf. Hebrews 3:1 says that Jesus is the High Priest of our confession. He's been sent to put into effect, to execute, to carry out the words that you say.
But have you been speaking what you feel, instead of speaking words of faith? If, for example, you're speaking sickness, what's He going to do with that? He's not High Priest over sickness. He can't execute that. If you're saying, "I'm so weak, I'm so tired," He can't carry that out. The Bible says, "Let the weak say, I am strong!" The minute you say that, Jesus can administer STRENGTH.
Jesus is not going to administer sickness or disease or poverty or sin. He's defeated all that. He is High Priest over deliverance and righteousness and freedom.
Consider that. Then as you come before Jesus, don't speak words of defeat. Speak words He can implement-- words of victory. That's what He's been ordained by God to bring to pass in your life.
OUR DAILY BREAD - D-DAY
Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . . But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. —Joshua 24:15
Recently I asked my older sister, Mary Ann, if she remembered when our family moved into the house where we lived for many years. She replied, “You were about 9 months old, and I remember that Mother and Daddy stayed up all night packing boxes and listening to the radio. It was June 6, 1944, and they were listening to live coverage of the Normandy Invasion.”
Today marks the 70th anniversary of what has become known as D-Day—a military term for the day on which a planned operation will begin. Over the years, D-Day has also come to mean a moment of decision or commitment in our personal lives.
At one point in ancient Israel, their leader Joshua, now an old man, challenged the people to another kind of D-Day. After years of struggle to possess their inheritance in the land God had promised them, Joshua urged them to faithfully serve the One who had been so faithful to them (Josh. 24). “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,” he said. “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (v.15).
The day we decide to follow the Savior is the greatest turning point in our life. And each day after, we can joyfully renew our commitment to serve Him.
Lord, what a privilege it is to say “yes” to You each day. Thank You for loving me and forgiving me. Guide me in all my choices today and help me to serve You faithfully.
Life’s biggest decision is what you do with Jesus.
SEE JESUS JUDGED FOR YOUR SAKE
1 PETER 2:24 …Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed
To see God’s grace toward us when we are sick is to see what Jesus did for us at the cross. Just as it was important for the Israelites to eat the lamb roasted on that first Passover night before they walked free the next day, God wants you to see His provision for your healing—Jesus, the true Lamb of God—“roasted”. He wants you to see Jesus smitten by His judgment for your deliverance and redemption.
Beloved, see Jesus carrying your symptoms and diseases on His own body. See Him taking one lash after another until His back was shredded to ribbons. See Him falling again and again under the brutality of the scourging, only to rise again and again for more beating until ALL your diseases were healed! Receive your healing as you receive what His perfect finished work at the cross has accomplished for you
Matthew 18:4 "Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
It is interesting that Jesus used a little child to illustrate humility. Although it is true that little children have a purity and humility that is many times missing in adults, they certainly are not selfless. A child comes into the world totally self-centered, wanting what he wants when he wants it. Parents are to train children out of this self-centeredness.
One of humility's dominant characteristics is a God-dependency and not a self-sufficiency. The truth of humility being the key to greatness or success was not new. Jesus gave this truth new meaning by walking in humility as no one ever had before.
This path of self-denial to greatness is exactly opposite to the world's path of exalting self at everyone else's expense. The path of humility could not possibly work if there was no God. We would simply be trampled underfoot.
Humility is a step of faith - faith that God is the judge and that promotion comes from Him (Ps. 75:6-7), and faith that God will resist the proud but give grace unto the humble (1 Pet. 5:5). Humility is trusting in God and not in ourselves. This is why it is easy to be humble when we've failed, and conversely, hard to be humble when we've achieved great success. This is precisely why Paul commanded Timothy not to put a novice into a position of leadership in the church. Pride is self-sufficiency and self-exaltation while humility is self-denial and dependence upon God.
God's kingdom is founded upon this principle of humility before honor. God's kind of love is selfless as can be seen by Jesus' own actions. Pride is the only reason that strife comes (Prov. 13:10); so remember, humility is the key to walking in love with our brothers and sisters in the Lord.
WE MUST BE CHRIST-CENTRED!
'You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power.' Revelation 4:11 NJKV
In the book of Revelation, Christ stands knocking on the door of the last of the seven churches, asking them to let Him in. Amazing! Did the people inside not miss Him? Here's a frightening thought: it's possible to build a large institution, call it a church, and yet for Jesus to be marginalised in its emphasis and activities. The measure of a ministry is how it treats Christ. Even in emphasising the importance of Spirit-filled living, we can produce believers who are Spirit-filled but not Jesus-thrilled! We can reduce Christianity to principles that work as effectively in the secular marketplace as they do in the church. John the Revelator saw Christ sitting upon a throne. Next he heard the voices of a multitude singing, '...Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honour and glory and blessing!' (Revelation 5:12 NKJV) And it was a mixed multitude. 'Every creature which is in Heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honour and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb, forever and ever!"' (Revelation 5:13 NKJV) London once had two great preachers. When a lady went to hear the first, Dr Joseph Parker, she left saying, 'What a preacher!' When she went to hear the second, Charles Spurgeon, she left saying 'What a Christ!' Do you love the Lord supremely? Is His name written on your heart
HIGH PRIEST OF YOUR CONFESSION :
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession[or confession], Christ Jesus. – Hebrews 3:1
Very few believers today understand the mystery of the apostleship and priesthood of Jesus. We think that an apostle is some kind of supersaint. But "apostle" actually means "sent one." So, Jesus has been sent from God to do something for us.
He's been sent to serve as our High Priest. Again, many believers don't have the first idea what a high priest does. They picture a person walking around in strange clothes performing religious rituals.
In reality, a high priest is much more than that. He is one who is authorized to administer, to execute, to implement and to carry into effect. Now, you may wonder what it is that Jesus is authorized to administer, execute, or carry out on your behalf. Hebrews 3:1 says that Jesus is the High Priest of our confession. He's been sent to put into effect, to execute, to carry out the words that you say.
But have you been speaking what you feel, instead of speaking words of faith? If, for example, you're speaking sickness, what's He going to do with that? He's not High Priest over sickness. He can't execute that. If you're saying, "I'm so weak, I'm so tired," He can't carry that out. The Bible says, "Let the weak say, I am strong!" The minute you say that, Jesus can administer STRENGTH.
Jesus is not going to administer sickness or disease or poverty or sin. He's defeated all that. He is High Priest over deliverance and righteousness and freedom.
Consider that. Then as you come before Jesus, don't speak words of defeat. Speak words He can implement-- words of victory. That's what He's been ordained by God to bring to pass in your life.
OUR DAILY BREAD - D-DAY
Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . . But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. —Joshua 24:15
Recently I asked my older sister, Mary Ann, if she remembered when our family moved into the house where we lived for many years. She replied, “You were about 9 months old, and I remember that Mother and Daddy stayed up all night packing boxes and listening to the radio. It was June 6, 1944, and they were listening to live coverage of the Normandy Invasion.”
Today marks the 70th anniversary of what has become known as D-Day—a military term for the day on which a planned operation will begin. Over the years, D-Day has also come to mean a moment of decision or commitment in our personal lives.
At one point in ancient Israel, their leader Joshua, now an old man, challenged the people to another kind of D-Day. After years of struggle to possess their inheritance in the land God had promised them, Joshua urged them to faithfully serve the One who had been so faithful to them (Josh. 24). “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,” he said. “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (v.15).
The day we decide to follow the Savior is the greatest turning point in our life. And each day after, we can joyfully renew our commitment to serve Him.
Lord, what a privilege it is to say “yes” to You each day. Thank You for loving me and forgiving me. Guide me in all my choices today and help me to serve You faithfully.
Life’s biggest decision is what you do with Jesus.
SEE JESUS JUDGED FOR YOUR SAKE
1 PETER 2:24 …Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed
To see God’s grace toward us when we are sick is to see what Jesus did for us at the cross. Just as it was important for the Israelites to eat the lamb roasted on that first Passover night before they walked free the next day, God wants you to see His provision for your healing—Jesus, the true Lamb of God—“roasted”. He wants you to see Jesus smitten by His judgment for your deliverance and redemption.
Beloved, see Jesus carrying your symptoms and diseases on His own body. See Him taking one lash after another until His back was shredded to ribbons. See Him falling again and again under the brutality of the scourging, only to rise again and again for more beating until ALL your diseases were healed! Receive your healing as you receive what His perfect finished work at the cross has accomplished for you
JESUS IS STILL JEHOVAH RAPHA :
EXODUS 15:26 - …I am the Lord who heals you.”
Do you know that the first compound name that the Lord revealed to the Israelites after they came out of Egypt was Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals you? It was as if He was telling them, as they began their new life with Him, that He had already healed them of all the diseases and pains they suffered when they were in bondage in Egypt. Indeed, when He brought them out of Egypt, “there was none feeble among His tribes”. (Psalm 105:37)
Today, just as the Israelites were delivered from their bondage in Egypt and from slavery to Pharaoh, you have also been delivered from the bondage of sin and sickness, and from slavery to the devil, by the blood of the Lamb. And the Lord, who is the same yesterday, today and forever, still says to you, “I am the Lord who heals you.”
A church member, who was experiencing pain in her womb for several months, looked to Jesus as her healer even as she went to see a doctor, who performed an ultrasound scan on her womb. When told that she had two big tumors and several blood cysts in her womb, she continued to look to Jesus as her healer. The doctor then had her blood tested to see if the tumors were cancerous.
Three days later, she saw the doctor again and was told that the tumors were not cancerous. Not only that, but a second ultrasound scan also showed that all the cysts and one of the tumors had completely disappeared! The other tumor had also shrunk. Although she had taken medication, the doctor told her that based on the original size of the tumor, it should have taken months to shrink that much. He commented that this was the quickest healing he had ever seen!
Beloved, if the doctor has given you a bad report regarding your health, don’t despair. Look to Jesus and expect healing for your body. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is still Jehovah Rapha—the Lord who heals you!
PRAYER FOR THE DAY :
“Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul.” (Psalm 143:8)
Dear Lord God, I praise You. I honor You. The law of the Lord is perfect; reviving my soul this morning. May God impart me wisdom and knowledge and nourish my life with Your holy words throughout each day I live! Bless me grow strong in Christ day by day and make me more Christ-like for this is Your desire to create me. I humbly pray that God strengthens me like pine trees that have strong cold endurance in winter, bestow upon me power of resistance to temptations and against all trials; then I will come forth as gold afterwards.
“But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10)
Gratefully, in Jesus’ holy name. Amen !!!
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