Humble and Pray

It may have just hit me. I've heard it before, just never really thought about it much... or simply meditated on the meaning of the phrase. And then I heard it in a movie (Faith Like Potatoes). Humble yourself and pray. Simply put. Not simply done. I've read it over and over again and I have been told by so many people. What does it really mean? What really is prayer and why should we pray? Is it necessary to humble ourselves and what does that look like, humbling myself before God?

Being human, I try to do so much alone. I try to do it all on my own or rely too much on others to do it for me. I can be pretty stubborn and block headed... who knew right? I know that it is difficult for me to admit that I need help. Being human, though, means that I can not do it alone. Life requires faith. Real life requires faith in God to do what I can not do alone... the miracles, faith in the things unseen so that the things seen might be real. It is humbling to realize a need for help. To me, prayer, deep heart felt prayer is humbling because it is a cry for help. It is all over the book of Psalms... cry after cry for help. Prayer is humbling. Not only is it giving thanks for all that was once impossible being made possible by God, it is also acknowledging the fact that I am a weak individual who will always need help. It is a cry of faith to the one who has made all in His image and can do all in his infinite power and wisdom. Humbling is the realization that I can not do it all, but the Almighty, my Heavenly Father can do it all. Humble yourself and pray.

Matthew 5:14-16

How do lights shine? How do they keep shining when all else goes dark? How are they re-lit if at some point they go out? Something, some power is feeding into that light. Something feeds the light so that it shines. It is not easily hidden when placed in a dark place. Usually lights are lit or turned on so that we can see and not only us but others can see as well. We don't usually shut lights off in order to see. If you do, to each their own. BUT, lights... so it is with the Word. We are called to be lights for Christ. We are to be a light for all to see, that they might know God and praise Him. He is our strength, our source of power keeping us from going out. The Word keeps us going, lit to His way. Let light shine. Don't try to hide it. Light for all to see Christ in this dark world.
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"You are the light of the world -- like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father."

~*Matthew 5:14-16 (NLT)*~

Galatians 6:9-10

I must admit a few things. First off, I am writing this halfway through the day (on my lunch break) as opposed to in the morning before I even step foot into work (generally written in my car in the parking lot every morning). Second, I have been kind of an angry person today. Things haven't gone quite right. The work ethic and communication of some people irritates me and it is hard to bite my tongue but I do to at least keep me from yelling at that person. Instead of yelling at them, I complain. It is one of those days when nothing seems to go quite right, trucks are unorganized, another truck shows up unexpectedly, I am exhausted, and the heat is making me sick for the fifth time in two weeks.

And then it happens... just as it usually does. God hits me with Scripture I need to hear. He throws out the words that apply to this day, how I feel, and what I need to hear or, in this case, read. It pops into my head that it is hard not to get angry at God for his usual perfect timing... for words that come as a punch to the gut. And I realize it is God who made me bite my tongue and who kept me from doing more damage than I've already done. It was in response to Him and his love that made me bit my tongue. It was my response/emotions to the fleshly desires and Satan that made me complain and get angry.

Sometimes you can do so well and then lose it all when you lose focus on Christ and become near-sighted, focusing only on yourself. Such is the case with my heart today. I can see it and as I sit here and think about it I can feel that ache in my heart. It is the ache of disobedience to the One I love. "Do good to others..." says my heart. And I pray that can be a motto to live by from now on.
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"So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone -- especially to those in the family of faith."

~*Galatians 6:9-10 (NLT)*~

Romans 4:20-21

Doubt sucks. It is a killer, a stealer of joy, a buzz kill really. It sucks the life from people. I do not like doubt but yet it is so prominent in my life even if I do not want it to be. Satan usually hits us where it hurts and doubt just happens to be one of the primary weapons in his arsenal against me. I doubt me... I doubt God even though I know he is the Almighty. Satan uses doubt on many people in spiritual warfare. Doubt... it sucks.

So how do we fight doubt? What do we pick up to fight with? Simply put and easier said than done, the answer is Faith in Christ. So simple to say even if it isn't so simple to do. But faith and trust in Christ is the best weapon to pick up. Thanksgiving to God for the victory given to us and glory to Him who has already won the battle. The only one who can defeat that doubt is Christ Jesus our Lord. That is a promise, no doubt about it.
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"Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises."

~*Romans 4:20-21 (NLT)*~

Hebrews 11:1 & 6

Recently there have been a few situations that have left me with a lot of questions for God and for myself. The main one would be a question of faith and what it is that I put my faith in. So many good conversations have stemmed from the difficult ones... you know, the ones that you never want to have or you do not want to sit and listen to. So what is it that I truly trust in? What do I put my faith in? Then follows the "possibilities" or "options" as to what I could put trust in other than God. Sometimes I wonder, am I trusting in a doctrine, tradition, or book... or is it something bigger and more important? Is it the words that flow from our Savior King, Christ Jesus? These would be some of the questions floating around in my head. So many things were brought up, but I seem to have hardly scratched the surface. Things that once were given very little thought by yours truly have now obtained a new understanding.

So what is it I believe in? The answer: Jesus!! The words of my Savior are the words that soak into my heart... the words that I trust in and want to live for. It is not about "the book" but instead the message it contains: Christ loves me and lived to save me through death from death. He died for me. Christ gave his life in words and followed with action, that I might live and believe in something much bigger than myself... bigger than anything mankind could ever think up. Nothing needs to be changed or added to the words of our Savior. It is not a tradition, a doctrine, or a book. It is the Way, the Truth, and the Life... the only way to God our father (John 14:6). That way is Christ Jesus and the place to begin is the Word. He is the Word, always has been, always will be (John 1:1-5). Nothing can change that.
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"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see... And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him."

~*Hebrews 11:1 & 6 (NLT)*~

Acts 24:16

So I sometimes wonder if people feel convicted as often as I do if I happen to not tell the truth or in some way deceive somebody. I often wonder if people known as "chronic liars" ever feel a twinge of guilt or if they are completely numb to that type of conviction. I read a devotional this morning that talked about two plants that were the same except one was growing and beautiful but the other plant was dying. They were cared for the same, sat side by side, yet one would not grow. The reason? The growing plant had holes in the bottom of the pot, but the dying one did not. The dying could not drain the excess water from the pot and as a result was not growing.

How do people hide the deception? How do they manage to keep quiet and live a bit of their life in secret? I sometimes catch myself holding every thought in, not talking to others about the convictions I have. What is silly is at times I catch myself thinking I can hide those thoughts, those "secrets" from God, even though it is through his Spirit I am convicted. Silly, right? The thing is, He knows even without us telling Him. It is different hearing something come from my mouth than it is just a thought in my head. God knows our thoughts... and the words before they are on our tongue. So "leak" out that conviction to Him. Let Him take the excess and rid you of it. There is something freeing about putting conviction into words with God, even if He already knows. I just know that there is freedom in God and Him alone!!
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"Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people."

~*Acts 24:16 (NLT)*~

Leviticus 19:11-18

So there are a few great rules in life that I hope I live by. The obvious one would be to love God with my everything. The other is to love others the way I want to be loved, doing only to them what I want done to me. We also call that the Golden Rule. I used to think that the first time that was mentioned in the Bible was in the Gospels. I now realize that I was obviously incorrect, especially since it is in the book of Leviticus very near to the beginning of the Bible. It is a reoccurring statement, request, and command throughout the entire Bible. Over and over again God spoke in the Old Testament about loving others. Jesus echoed those commands in the Gospels. All throughout the New Testament the request of loving was reiterated.

So why do we fail so often to love others? Why do we not always love others more than we love ourselves. Why do we treat some in ways we would never want to be treated? As I sit and read and meditate over this concept, my heart is convicted because I know my own selfishness. I am jabbed by the answer that it is simply because I am looking out for me over everybody else. It definitely cuts down to pride and selfishness. It is a concept to think on and work out. We preach loving others and even that we should love them more than ourselves. So let's do it. Let's love more selflessly and humbly. It is what we have been called to do since the beginning of time!
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"Do not steal. Do not deceive or cheat one another."

~*Leviticus 19:11-18 (NLT)*~