Showing posts with label James. Show all posts
Showing posts with label James. Show all posts

Friday, January 2, 2015

A Humble And Contrite Spirit



NLT)
15 The high and lofty one who lives in eternity,
      the Holy One, says this:
   “I live in the high and holy place
      with those whose spirits are contrite and humble.
   I restore the crushed spirit of the humble
      and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.

 This was one of the verses in my meditation of The Word this week, (Rom 12:2
 [ NLT] Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.) God reveals to us – line upon line precept upon precept His plans for us when we meditate on His Word.

Of interest words humble and contrite – in light of Fruit of Spirit in our study last week -  Gal 5:22  Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.


PRAY


Humble
1.
not proud or arrogant; modest: to be humble although successful.

2.
having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience, etc.: In the presence of so many world-famous writers I felt very humble.

3.
low in rank, importance, status, quality, etc.; lowly: of humble origin; a humble home.

4.
courteously respectful: In my humble opinion you are wrong.

5.
low in height, level, etc.; small in size: a humble member of the galaxy.
–verb (used with object)
6.
to lower in condition, importance, or dignity; abase.

7.
to destroy the independence, power, or will of.

8.
to make meek: to humble one's heart.


[Origin: 1200–50; ME (h)umble < OF < L humilis lowly, insignificant, on the ground. See humus, -ile]

Humus

the dark organic material in soils, produced by the decomposition of vegetable or animal matter and essential to the fertility of the earth.
Note: Essential for growth
I would submit that every fruit of the spirit mentioned in Gal 5, parallels
Humble and contriteness (deeply sorry or repentant)
____________________________________________________________________
Lets look at Isa. 57:15 – 15 The high and lofty one who lives in eternity,
    (God always has been, always will be – My habitation, no time needed, where I live)         
 the Holy One, says this:
   (The Great I Am – not was…not a has been, or will be – Jesus tells us Love God with all your heart and have faith that He will provide what we need, then He says -  “sufficient for this day are this days troubles” – In other words don’t worry, The Great I Am, who takes care of you in the present.
A. how many examples  of Jesus saying I Am can you think of :
1. Way, Truth and Life – Vine and you are branches…. – (class)
“I live in the high and holy place
   (My domain – where I live)  
He says to us:
those whose spirits are contrite and humble.
  (truly sorry and are righteous through My Only Begotten, and who are or have an attitude or mentality or lifestyle of meekness or teachable ness preferring others over themselves)
 I restore the crushed spirit of the humble
     (Take care of the ones who have a lifestyle of putting other first)
 and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.
(Bring back to life the boldness of those who truly have an attitude of repentance)
·        The idea is that if we have an attitude, or make a lifestyle of showing the fruit of the spirit.  We will live with Him and He will do al of these things for us.
He will prefer us – put us first – humble Himself to us!
(all about you to him, to you, etc.…. all about us to GOD! )
·        We have been equipped by the Power of God (His Word Of Power, not by the power of His Word – {explain diff}), and it is essential if Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior to put others first. God through Paul & Timothy tells us to put each other first
(read) Rom 12:10 & 1 Tim 5:21
·        We must choose to be humble / if we have a free will to worship God and to be saved, we have to choose to show the attributes of Him
2 Cor. 5:7 -  We live by faith, not by sight. – We do the right thing (have a humble attitude show the fruit of the Spirit) because we have faith that it is the right thing to do not because or when we feel like it.
There will always be times when we don’t feel like being nice or being humble, (examples) but when we do it because it is the right thing to do that is when GOD rejoices.
·        When we put other first, we will never be offended, we will arrest the offense by saying to ourselves (why should he … examples)

Thursday, June 19, 2014

The God Of Patience



  • Pray
  • Praise

Patience = Greek word “hupermone” – compound of “hupo” = under and “meno”  =  abide – together, literally means to abide under. The idea is enduring under a load.

Dictionary.com defines patience this way:

  1. the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like.
  2. an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay: to have patience with a slow learner.
  3. quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care; diligence: to work with patience.

James 2-6(read) out of KJV

Now out of NLT -  2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

  • James tells us that the only way for us to develop patience is to go through some stuff. Then he tells us to go ahead and take and let good, (patience) come out of it.
Romans 8:28 tells us this will happen if we love The Lord.

Roman 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, and who have been called according to his purpose. 
(ALL OF US CALLED TO HIS PURPOSE)

Romans 15:5   (God is the God of patience)

 5 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus
                       
  1. How does God show us show patience?
Encouragement - Jeremiah  33:3, James 1:5
Harmony with others -  1 John 4:8, Rom 8:39

God is telling us that patience, harmony and encouragement (of others) go together. Since love is the most important thing, 1 Cor a3:13 we can draw a parallel on how important patience is.

James 5:11              (Patience Exemplified)
11 We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.
1.    With regard to the definitions we have read, how does point to, and encourage us?
Job
Job 1:21 He said,   “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave.
     The Lord gave me what I had and the Lord
has taken it away. Praise the name of the   Lord
!”

 Hebrews 6:12        
Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance

 Heb 6:15 - Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised.

1.    How does this show patience?
2.      is faith involved?
3.      After reading about Job’s trials and Heb 6:12 &15  is faith / trust in God an element of patience?      

·       An example of patient faith:

ACTS 8:26 – 40
·        Phillip had patience with the Ethiopian eunuch to teach and endure his ignorance of The Gospel
·        Phillip patiently waited for the opportunity to fulfill the general calling we all have “to be ready in season and out of season”

 Lamentations 3:26 (New Living Translation)
So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord

Romans 12:12
12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

Galatians 6:9  

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. For our own good and well being.

  1. Why should we exercise patience?
  2. Do we benefit from showing patience?
  3. Do others benefit?
  4. Do we benefit from other benefiting?
  5. How?