GOD’S WORD FOR AUGUST 2

We are reading from a daily devotional  called “Running To Win” written by Erwin Lutzer  and the late, great D.L. Moody.   Erwin Lutzer is a light in our day as D.L. Moody was in his.  Besides his many ministries, and many books, Pastor Lutzer was Senior Pastor at Moody Church in Chicago for 36 years and now serves as Pastor Emeritus there.  He is  Chancelor and a former professor at Moody Bible Institute, where he taught Theology and Ministry, and now has numerous radio teachings.

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STARVING PRIDE

1Peter 5:5

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for God opposes he proud but gives grace to the humble.” 

D.L. MOODY

A man can counterfeit love, he can counterfeit faith, he can counterfeit hope and all the other graces, but it is very difficult to counterfeit humility.  You soon detect mock humility.  They have a saying among the Arabs that as the tares and the wheat grow they show which God has blessed.  The ears that God has blessed bow their heads and acknowledge every grain, and the more fruitful they are, the lower their heads are bowed.  The tares lift up their heads erect, high above the wheat, but they are only fruitful of evil.

If we only get down low enough, God will use us to His glory.

ERWIN LUTZER

Yes, God is at war with the proud.  The proud person has to be the center of attention, seeing people as “ego supply,” evaluating how others can serve them.  They don’t seek wise counsel from God, believing they have, within themselves, all the wisdom needed to navigate life. 

They don’t learn from their mistakes and they blame others.

Jesus embodies true humility.  The proud disadvantage others to serve themselves, the truly humble disadvantage themselves for the sake of others. 

Read these words: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant then yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:3-5).

Jesus stooped to wash His disciples’ feet; He voluntarily went to the cross, tortured for the benefit of others.  He came to serve, not to be served.  As Moody said, you cannot fake humility.  When I meditate on this, I am personally convicted of my own pride, selfishness, and self-seeking.  Let us humble ourselves, asking God to forgive this great sin.

PRAYER

Father, forgive my pride and please give me the mind of Christ.

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    Proverbs 15:33

    The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom,

    And before honor is humility.

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    Matthew 20:25-27

    But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles domineer over them, and those in high position exercise authority over them.  It is not this way among you, but whoever wants to become prominent among you shall be your servant,  and whoever desires to be first among you shall be your slave;

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    Matthew 23:12

    And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

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    Romans 12:3

    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.

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    Hebrews 2:14

    Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,

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    Isaiah 66:2

For My hand made all these things,

So all these things came into being,” declares the Lord.

“But I will look to this one,

At one who is humble and contrite in spirit, and who trembles at My word.

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    Matthew 5:5

    Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.

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       Isaiah 57:15

    For thus says the High and Lofty One

    Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:

    “I dwell in the high and holy place,

    With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,

    To revive the spirit of the humble,

    And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

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