"God Humbles Himself"

"Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!" Psalm 113:6 

Each time that the Lord looks on the things that are in heaven and earth, He has to humble Himself to do so. As Creator, it places His creation so far beneath Him. He is so highly exalted far above everything else. If He humbles Himself just to look at us, there is no way that we can fully comprehend the depth that He went to to humble Himself and become a man and walk the earth. 

 

The Creator humbled Himself to the level of His own creation and became one of us-- born of a woman, nursed as a baby, grew as a child, learned to talk, walk, read and write. The One who created flesh, blood and bones, became flesh, blood and bone. The One who created language had to learn to speak. The One who puts strength in bones, had to develop the ability to walk on bones. The One who calls the stars by name had to look up in order to gaze at the stars.

 

The question is not, "How did He do it?". The question is, "Why did He do it?" Why would He leave His exalted place and humble Himself so low as to become like His own creation? The answer is found in the third level of His humility. He humbles Himself just to look at us. He humbled Himself even further and became one of us. But He humbled Himself further yet and became obedient to the death of the cross. "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2:8) The answer to all three levels that God has humbled Himself to for us can be summed up in one word-- LOVE.

 

Everything that God has done. Each time He humbles Himself to even look at us is all because He loves us. He loves us so much that He was willing to come to earth, willing to leave heaven, will to be born of flesh, willing to walk the earth, willing to be rejected, ridiculed, beaten, spit on and crucified, all because of His love for us. 

 

We can't understand the depth of His humility in coming to earth to save us from our sins. But on the other hand, we can't understand the depth of the love that He has for us. And since we can't fully comprehend either, we just have to accept and believe that He does love us. He loves you this morning, even though you can't comprehend it. 

 

Have a great day. God has to humble Himself in all His dealings with mankind. But He does so because He loves us. 

 

For further reading:

John 1:1,14; 3:16

Psalm 97:9

Ephesians 3:17-19

 

"Included Through Prayer"

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15 

Some of you who are reading this may be hindered because of various reasons from being able to "go" and "fulfill" what the Lord told us to do in the Great Commission. Your health, a transportation situation, weather, etc., may be a hindrance to you. But all though you might be hindered in one way, there are other ways in which you can "go". 

 

If your internet is working, you can send an email that lifts Jesus up, or post it on Face Book. If your phone is working, send a text and tell someone that Jesus loves them- or make a phone call. If none of that is available to you-- pray. Pray for laborers to be sent- those who are able to go. Pray for those who are in the harvest field. Pray that the Word of the Lord when spoken by someone else will have liberty and free course to accomplish the purpose for which it is sent. Pray for hearts to be soft, tender and receptive to the gospel message. Pray that all hindering forces would be bound and not prevail against the laborers and those who hear. 

 

You have to plow the field before it can be planted. What we do has to be bathed in prayer first. Prayer "plows" the field of the heart and gets it ready to receive the "seed" of God's word. So don't feel that you can't do anything because of your present condition or circumstances. You can "go" through prayer. It takes both-- prayer and preaching. Paul asked the church to pray for him to have utterance to open his mouth boldly and make known the gospel to others. 

 

Just because we pray doesn't excuse us from "going" physically when we can. But at the same time, when we can't go, prayer keeps us from being excluded in the commission.

 

Have a great day. If you can't fulfill the commission to "go" physically, you can fulfill it spiritually through your prayers for those who can go. 

 

For further reading:

Ephesians 6:18,19

Matthew 9:38

Luke 10:2

 

"It's Not New"

"The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun." Ecclesiastes 1:9

 

"No new thing under the sun." In other words, there is nothing new. They say history repeats itself. Fashion tends to run in cycles-- just hang onto your old clothes and in about twenty years they will be in style again. The same is true with the trials and temptations that we face. They aren't new, and they aren't restricted to you only. Jesus was tempted in all points just like we are. He was tempted in the same areas and same things that you and I are tempted in today-- two thousand years later. In 1 Peter we are told that our brothers and sisters in the faith are suffering the same afflictions as we are. (1 Peter 5:9)

 

Because what you are going through is nothing new-- although it may be to you, and it may come in a different "flavor"-- it means that Jesus, having faced it Himself is touched by the feelings of your weaknesses. "For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning." (Hebrews 4:15- Amplified Bible)

 

Take heart this morning in whatever you may be going through. Jesus knows what it is like. He understands what you are going through. He is with you in it. He was victorious over it having gone through it Himself. He will help you, guide you, and walk with you through it. Be of good cheer, because He has overcome.

 

Have a great day. What you are going through is nothing new. Jesus has already gone through it and will be with you helping you to go through it as well.

 

For further reading:

John 16:33

"The Right Conditions"

"He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap." Ecclesiastes 11:4 

This verse in "plain" English means-- if you wait for all the right conditions, you will never do anything. Human nature is to wait until everything in our lives is "perfect". Sadly, many feel this same way when it comes to starting a relationship with Jesus. They are waiting until they have raised their families, are financially stable, gotten an education, lived their lives, when they feel better or have straightened up their lives. Jesus addressed this in one of His parables. A man made a great supper and sent his servants to invite the people to come. Each of the guests made excuses as to why they couldn't come. One bought a piece of land and had to go see it. Another had bought some oxen and had to go look at them. The other had just got married and had to stay with his wife. These all missed out on the supper. You can't wait for the "perfect" conditions/time, you have to accept the invitation when it comes, waiting will be too late.

 

We also tend to wait for all the right conditions before we will do what the Lord calls us to do. Jesus addressed this too. There was a man who said that he would follow Jesus, but wanted Jesus to let him go bury his father first. Jesus' reply was to let the dead bury their dead. Jesus wasn't being cruel or heartless. He was telling the man not to wait, do it now while you have the opportunity, not when you have all things taken care of and in order.

 

The bottom line to what we are saying is this: we are waiting for "when" before we will either give our lives to Jesus, follow Him, or do what He has called us to do. We are waiting for "when" we are old, "when" we are smarter, "when" we have lived, "when" we have made a lot of money, "when" we have got it all together... "when" all the conditions in my life are right.... then, I will. 

 

If we wait on all the right conditions- when we think it is the right time- we will always be waiting and never do it. We must seize the opportunity when it comes to us. We must follow Him today. We must give our lives to Him now. David couldn't wait to kill Goliath until he was grown and a well trained soldier. That would have been the "right condition" in our way of thinking, but not in God's. He would have missed the perfect plan of God waiting on what he thought was the right time and perfect conditions. 

 

Have a great day. Don't wait for all the right conditions before you give your life to the Lord and follow Him. There will never be a right condition or time. Therefore, do it now. 

 

For further reading:

Luke 14:18-20

Matthew 8:19-23

"It Makes No Sense"

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." Isaiah 55:8 

God has a way of doing things and we have a way of doing things. God's ways don't always make sense to us. How much sense did it make to march around the walls of Jericho for seven days without saying a word? How much sense did it make to go out to battle against a hundred thousand with only three hundred men? How much sense did it make to build an ark when there was no rain; or strike a rock to get water? None of it makes any sense to our natural understanding, but that is just it, God doesn't work from our understanding, He works from His own. 

 

When God is working in your life and you know that it is Him, but what He tells you makes no sense- you can't figure it out- what do you do? You listen to the words of Mary, "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it." It doesn't have to make sense to us, we don't have to understand it all, we won't always understand it-- that is why it is called "faith". Our part is to do what He says-- trust and obey. When we do the task God's way, we will be victorious in the outcome. Everyone in the Bible who followed the Lord and did what He said- though it made no sense to them- was victorious and achieved the desired outcome, it was only when they did it their way that they failed. So whose way are you going to follow? 

 

Have a great day. God's ways don't always make sense to us, but if we will follow His instructions, we will be victorious in the outcome.

 

For further reading:

John 2:5

Isaiah 55:9