Humbleness
James 4:6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
I must intentionally make this short, for if I write on pride it will be at length, for it is still a great struggle of mine. I work alone; I have many reasons, but the primary is a horrible experience with one of my last employees. I experienced a ton of emotions that were all bad, and it took an act of God in me to experience forgiveness for them. It was a great turning point in my life, and an example of how God can use even the worst situations in life for good. I forgave him, but still carry that weight today and the fear of people that offer to help. With the problems of my shoulder, and the physical demands of my work, it puts great strains on me. Can you see pride still rooted in that?
Pride is the root of all sin. It can be traced back down to the root of all you fail in. It can be traced all the way back to the Garden of Eden; all the way back to Satan’s fall from heaven in the desire to be like God. There is evidence of it in your life too; even the denial of a struggle with it is a prideful statement. James is putting it as plainly as he can in the scripture above; God wants nothing to do with the prideful person; God loves and provides for the humble. It is only through that humble heart that you come to Salvation through repentance. At the beginning of Christ’s ministry, he spoke of this same repentance as John the Baptist. Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Repentance will never come to a heart that is filled with pride. In your pride you will always fell that you CAN accomplish it on your own by works of some sort.
In a heart that comes to the realization of it’s need for Christ; there is a humility found there. The realization of a life steep in sin and the need for a Savior will bring the forgiveness in it; or the condemnation in the pride of it. If you feel that you can ever earn it, you will die in it. You must understand the concept of grace, God giving you something that you cannot earn, and do not deserve. You sin because you are a sinner, you are not a sinner because you sin. Your pride wants you to believe the secondary; Satan lives there. Pride will always be a struggle, but pride can be kept at bay by the grace of God. Look at the promises found in the next verses. James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8a Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. A humble heart is a heart close to God.
oneminuteministry 
Does your faith have feet?
Does your faith have feet?
Matthew 10:7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
In the commentary on Matthew 10, Matthew Henry calls this an “ordination sermon”. Jesus is ordaining the apostles to the work they are called to do; to spread the Good News that our Savior brings to this dying world. They are to go out into the world, to put feet on their faith. My church is doing that today; going out into the community to knock on doors and invite people to church; to spread the Good News that Jesus Christ brings into the world. The community like any other may not receive it, may reject it, may downright deny it and be angry towards it. We can never argue a person to Salvation, we can only present the Gospel in the hope that God has prepared their hearts to receive it. We are told by Christ how to handle those that deny. Matthew 10:14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.
The Apostles were told of what their futures held; to be persecuted before men as preachers of Christianity. They were to expect imprisonment, torture, even unto death. They were to always stand for Christ to the end; to not worry for their suffering would be rewarded eternally. To not worry what to say when they were brought into the courts; the Holy Spirit would be with them to provide the words He wanted them to hear. 19 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. That same Spirit lives inside you and will give you the words to speak when you step out in faith to share, or to defend your faith in Christ. It is He who provides when we know not how to answer. If you stand before someone who’s heart God has prepared, He will deliver just the right words for them through you.
Have you ever went out and put feet on your faith to evangelize? Going into environments or situations that make you uncomfortable in your own abilities? How can you see God work in your life if you only go where you are comfortable? The power of God rests in the abilities that you have not; the answers you have not; the situations in life where you fully rest on Him is where you see the greatest work by Him in your life. Getting out of your comfort zone and into the power of God. There is no fear that should lie in these situations. There is heavenly power and strength that lies in the feet of an evangelist; for they know that nothing is to fear here, for they know they are in the center of God’s Will spreading the Good News to those who will receive it. Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Step out, and step into, the power of God to spread hope into a dying world.
Posted by oneminuteministry on February 23, 2013 in Daily Devotions
Tags: commentary on matthew, heart god, kingdom of heaven, kingdom of heaven is at hand, religion, theology