Posts Tagged ‘Humility’
Wednesday, May 15th, 2013
Humility, May 15
”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—extortioners, 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 afar 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.”
Luke 18:10-14, www.solascriptura.com
Father, we do “works” in Your name of all kinds and we sometimes we feel proud, when joy would have been a better response. Thank You for teaching us that our heart must be right with You for our works to be blessed. You teach us that humility and contrition must precede our efforts to please You.
Father, we each respond so positively when people praise us that we end up, at times, being tempted to take the credit for that which was intended to glorify You. Teach us today that even good works count for nothing if we act as though they stem from our own resources.
Father, bless our efforts but more importantly help us experience the humility that is indicative of a servant, grateful to be Your friend. Mold us and make us in Your image, afresh, every day. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: adulterers, breast, exalts, extortioners, fast, God, Heaven, humbled, Humility, merciful, Pharisee, sinner, tax, Temple, tithes, unjust
Posted in Christianity, Humility, Prayer, Religion | 10 Comments »
Monday, May 13th, 2013
Conscience, May 13
… I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.
For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
2 Corinthians 7:9-11, www.solascriptura.com
Father, You have taught us that humility and contrition precede repentance and now we see that it is accompanied by sorrow, genuine sorrow for our sins. This sorrow is not the sort of sorrow the world feels about having made mistakes but it is sorrow leading to repentance and to the joy of a changed heart.
You teach us that this sorrow leads to joy, a cleansing of the spirit, a clear conscience, a zeal to serve You and a sense of no longer being guilty, having been vindicated by You Jesus. Father, we are not always successful in forgiving ourselves for our sins. We tend to forget how much You suffered for our sins, taking them upon Yourself at the Cross.
Help us, this day, to know that our sin is as separate from us as the east is from the west, never to be remembered against us again. If You can, after much suffering, push our sins from Your sight, surely we can acknowledge and accept that cleansing.
The Scriptures say “east from west” because once you head east you will never be headed west unless you turn around and return to your sin. Not so, if You had said “north from south”, since if you go north long enough you will eventually be headed south, back to your sin. Thank You for the wisdom of Your Holy word. Keep us in it every day we pray. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: contrition, Father, fear, Humility, Jesus, joy, repentance, sin, sorrow, zeal
Posted in Christianity, Humility, Inspirtation, Perseverance, Religion, peace, salvation | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013
Humility, April 23
We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.
But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,
in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings;
by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,
by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;
as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed;
as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open.
2 Corinthians 6:1-11, www.solascriptura.com
Father, Paul is an example to us of one who has been severely tested, yet faithful in every way. Father, we also know that he persecuted Christians before his life-changing encounter with Jesus. Now here he tells us that “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
Father, the contrast between pride and humility is always before us. We have such an inclination to allow our ego to overcome us. Help us, today, to know that it is You we seek to please and that even when we do please You, it is due to the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, not our fleshly spirit. We pray that we can turn our pride into joy as we acknowlege your gifts.
O’ God, we know that serving You requires the death of our “old nature”. Help us be what You desire us to be, this day. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: dishonor, dying, fasting, God, grace, Holy Spirit, honor, Humility, killed, kindness, live, love, ministers, ministry, offense, patience, purity, salvation, sleeplessness, stripes, tribulations, truth, tumults, vain, workers
Posted in Christianity, Courage, Fidelity, Humility, Perseverance, faith | 22 Comments »
Sunday, March 31st, 2013
Humility, March 31
For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
…Do not be wise in your own opinion.
…”he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”
For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.
Romans 12:3; 16, 2 Corinthians 10:17-18, www.solascriptura.com
Father, we truly seek to be commended by You. We long to hear You say, “Well done, good and faithful servant”, noticing that the emphasis is on serving.
We are so tempted to remind others of how we have served You, that it embarrasses us when we reflect on our error. Please turn our tendency to be prideful into joyful humility in serving You. Joyful humility sounds like a non-sequitur but we know that You expect both of us. It is just a little tough to do both at the same time!
Help us O’God not to fail in recognizing that You are the Shepherd and we are the sheep, following Your voice. Call us today to do specific good works in Your name, not in order to gain “merit badges” but to honor You.
In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project P.O.Box 302 Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: faith, glory, God, grace, Humility, Lord, measure, opinion, soberly, wise
Posted in Christianity, Fidelity, Humility, joy | 40 Comments »
Tuesday, February 5th, 2013
Humility, February 5 … God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. …”God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. Galatians 6:14; 5:26, Philippians 4:5, James 4:6; 10, www.solascriptura.com Father, we know that to be like Jesus is our goal and we also know that our lower nature, our flesh, often causes us to act more like a goof ball than a saint. Give us the humility we pray to allow You to overcome that which is present in all of us. You promised to do so if we but ask. Boasting is such a natural instinct. We all want to do well but we sometimes get carried away in telling others how well we are doing. In the process, we become entrapped in a practice that You have warned us about. We know some of the disciples boasted now and then but we notice that You, Jesus, did not. Jesus, we should ask less and less for forgiveness of sins, such as bragging; it makes us look immature in our Spiritual journey. If we repeatedly make the same mistakes help us examine our hearts and make the changes we need to make. Remind us all that we should not even try to make corrections without the power of the Holy Spirit being our guiding Light. Our strength is in You and if we are inclined to boast, let it be of You and Your leadership in our lives. In Your Holy name we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: boast, Christ, conceited, cross, crucified, envying, gentleness, God, Humility, Jesus, Lord, Philippians 4:5, proud, provoking, world
Posted in Christianity, Conscience, Humility, Providence of God, faith | 424 Comments »
Wednesday, January 9th, 2013
Humility, January 9
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:3-11, www.solascriptura.com
Father,You teach us it is o.k. to look out for our own interests but we must esteem the interests of others as highly as we do our own interests. Father, we are instinctively selfish and ambitious. It is hard to imagine being otherwise. But here you teach us that when we obey You, we are doing so in Your power, not ours. Give us a humble and contrite heart as we seek to excel. Excelling and humility are a tough tandem but that is your expectation of us.
Father, the very notion that we could have the mind of Christ simply seems too hopeful, too good to be true. But in fact that is Your stated desire for us.
Jesus, You went to the Cross that we might be empowered and enlightened. We pray that You will direct us as servants, doing Your perfect will. We know Jesus that at some point in time every knee will bow and every tongue will confess. We pray that those we know will not wait until that action is accompanied by total fear. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O.Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: ambition, bondservant, Christ, conceit, cross, death, esteem, God, Humility, Jesus, mind, obedient, selfish
Posted in Christianity, Courage, Hope, Humility, Prayer, faith | 56 Comments »
Saturday, December 15th, 2012
Humility, December 15
…let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. O You who hear prayer, to You all flesh will come.
LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, nor with things too profound for me.
Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.
Though the LORD is on high, yet He regards the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.
1 Corinthians 10:12, Psalm 65:2, Psalm 31:1-2, Psalm 138:6, www.solascriptura.com
Father, You require that we come to you in humility, not proud of ourselves. Help us Father to be joyful as we seek to serve without having our joy turn to self-serving pride.
When it is time to stand before You we know we will do so in humility or not at all. Pride is such a subtle sin Father and surely one of Satan’s best devices. Give us wisdom and discernment about this matter while enabling us to experience the joy set before us.
Teach us when to be quiet and when to proclaim Your love and have those who observe our joy in You not see it as pride in ourselves. Help us today to find a way to declare our love for You, afresh. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O.Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: flesh, haughty, heart, Humility, lofty, Lord, Prayer, profound, proud, Psalm 138:6, Psalm 31:1-2, soul
Posted in Christianity, Humility, Religion | 82 Comments »
Sunday, October 7th, 2012
Humility, October 7
The LORD lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked down to the ground.
He does not delight in the strength of the horse; he takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy. The humble shall see this and be glad; and you who seek God, your hearts shall live.
When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom. He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety. LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; you will prepare their heart; you will cause Your ear to hear, The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way.
All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.
For Your name’s sake, O LORD, pardon my iniquity, for it is great.
Psalm 147:6,10-11, 69:32, Proverbs 11:2, Job 5:11, Psalm 10:17, Psalm 25:9-11, www.solascriptura.com
Father, You have repeatedly told us how important it is to You that we come to You in all humility and contrition. Help us this day to know how humbling it is to stand in Your Holy presence.
We want to be righteous in Your sight yet we know that any righteousness we might have is not ours at all. Only as we take on Your mantle can we experience Holiness and then only for too short a moment, it seems. We pray for more consistency.
We often wonder why, given the millions of persons on this earth, that You would notice us, individually. The fact that You do is both humbling and challenging, indeed. May we experience the enabling power of Jesus, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: contrition, humble, Humility, iniquity, Job 5:11, Lord, mercy, pride, Psalms 10:17, strength, truth
Posted in Christianity, Humility, wisdom | 10 Comments »
Saturday, September 15th, 2012
Humility, September 15
Bow down Your ear, O LORD, hear me; for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am holy; you are my God; save Your servant who trusts in You!
Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I cry to You all day long.
Rejoice the soul of Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.
Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.
In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, for You will answer me.
Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord; nor are there any works like Your works.
All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name.
For You are great, and do wondrous things; you alone are God.
Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name.
I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forevermore.
For great is Your mercy toward me, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
…You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.
Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give Your strength to Your servant…
Psalm 86:1-13, Psalm 86:15-16, www.solascriptura.com
Father, we know King David lived in a time when many false gods were worshipped and he reminds us here that You are the only true and living God. If it was not for your mercy, we would yet be judged harshly. We do not come to you with a perfect record. Quite the opposite. The miracle is that You extend a loving, forgiving hand to each of us. Your mercy exceeds reason and represents our only hope. By Your grace we are saved.
Father, we live in a time of many false gods and many are simply without any faith in any god. O’God, help us this day to show men who You are by our faith and obedience to You. We know You care. Give Your strength to Your servant…In Christ’s name, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: God, Holy, Humility, Lord, mercy, needy, poor, praise, servant, Sheol
Posted in Christianity, Forgiven, Hope, Humility | 28 Comments »
Wednesday, August 29th, 2012
Humility, August 29
Though the LORD is on high, yet He regards the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.
The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; your mercy, O LORD, endures forever; do not forsake the works of Your hands.
Surely He scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble.
When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom.
Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of the great;
For it is better that he say to you, “Come up here,” than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen.
It is not good to eat much honey; so to seek one’s own glory is not glory.
Psalm 138:6,8, Proverbs 3:34, Proverbs 11:2,Proverbs 25:6-7,27 www.solascriptura.com
Father, we thank you for the words of David and Solomon, his son. Just as your mercy perfected that which concerned David, that same mercy is ours. The Wisdom of Solomon, which You gave, can be our wisdom as well.
Father, is there any sin more likely to be in our lives than pride? It seems not as we observe the actions of some of your most committed people. Help us notice how pride can creep into our lives. Show us how to convert prideful tendencies into joy in Your presence, joy in victories made possible by You. We are so tempted to “seek the best seat” but here you teach us how embarrassed, before You, we will be when we are asked to yield that seat to another.
Teach us not to seek our own glory but to look to meeting Your expectations of us. It is Your praise that we desire. Boy, is it hard not to be proud! Bless us, we pray, in all that we do. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: David, Humility, mercy, proud, Proverbs 3:34, shame, Solomon, wisdom
Posted in Christianity, Humility, Providence of God, Religion, wisdom | 51 Comments »