Humbleness And Humility

·        Pray

• Review:        

                     1.         God Chooses to draw near to us – up to us

2.          We hunger for what we feed on. Regularly feed on the Word.

3.         Protect hunger - meditate on Word daily.    -  Prov. 4:23 …guard your heart …   - (issues of life)

4          We need to want to be in God’s presence because of who He is – not what He can do.

5.            We need to have holy reverence – the fear of the Lord

                            ·        Humility

Our text scripture has been James 4:8 – but lets look at what God say to us through James before and after this verse – the entire passage.

James 6-10   6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.  7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.  10 10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Lets also look at Isa 57:15  For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

1.            God loves humble people

2.            hates pride

·        Most have a misconception of Godly humility –

1.            as used here means to make oneself lower than the other person on purpose

                     a)    Blessed are the humble (Matt 6)

b)    He who is first will be last -

c)    Defer to others –

d)    We are supposed to put other’s needs as a priority – help people – James calls this “true religion”

·        Let’s  take a look at another form of Godly humility –

2.        

            agreement with God – being in tune with Him : example 1 Sam 17:26-28      

 many confuse being in agreement with God with being conceited

1.            Little Shepard boy arrives on scene bringing supplies

2.            finds mighty warriors of Israel hiding behind rocks

3.            finds all are afraid of Goliath

4.            who is this uncircumcised Philistine? – (what is going on here?)

5.            Brother’s reaction

6.            God calls David man after His own heart

 other examples:

1.            Moses – Numbers 12:3

Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)

Who wrote Numbers? – Moses!

2.            Jesus – Matt 11:28-29

28 Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Humbleness here consistent with the idea of

1.            obedience  - Jer. 29:11 -  links obedience and humbleness

2.            dependence on Him – 2 Cor 3:5 – 2 Cor. 12-9-10 – giving all the credit to God

3.            our view of ourselves – 1 Cor 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

Humbleness and fear of The Lord the aspect of Christian life that God is looking for –

If you know nothing else, but truly Seek His Presence showing these two things: you automatically will – be obedient in truth – because of who He Is,

You will be in agreement with Him.

Proverbs 22:4-5 tells us He will then reward us with His presence:

            4 By humility [and] the fear of the LORD [are] riches, and honour, and life

5 Thorns [and] snares [are] in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

         

(Amp says He will reward with his presence)

If you want to be in agreement with God, you must get to know Him, much easier to agree with someone when you know them.

-         Meditate on Word – Josh 1:8

·        End meeting in prayer

Edify, Build Up And Encourage Your Brother

·        Pray

 Definitions of “edify”:

Edify – to build up morally and spiritually, to uplift, to instruct, encourage or 

improve. To build, establish or construct, strengthen. To inform or enlighten or

teach

• one of the definitions for meekness = teachable,
• how many times does the Bible mention meekness? (the meek shall inherit the world  etc.)
• is their only one definition?
• Do we always assume the Bible is always talking about letting ourselves get ran over?) to improve. To promote growth or happiness.

Strong’s # 6035 – Poor, needy, humble – need God – God looking for humbleness (Psalms 147:6) God uses us in this state because then we HAVE to rely on him. When we are week HE is strong

Everything about God is to building up.  He created – heaven and earth, man, all things good. He gave us His Word to do nothing but these things.

 

Fruit of spirit Gal 5:22 -

2 Tim 3:16

All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: He gives us good thins (Matt 6 :26)

God only wants to encourage, build us up and teach us so we do the same for each other. (agape)

Eph 4:11 – 15 tells us how and why God has equipped us to take care of each other or build each other up.

Eph 4:11-15

11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,     (How)

12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

13 Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.    (why)

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

15 Instead, speaking the truth in love (strengthen), we will in all things grow up into him (construct or build) who is the Head, that is, Christ.     (14 & 15 = result)

·who – God

  

 how – placed pastors, teachers, prophets, evangelist, apostles  - many versions include “helps” into this list – (Christ was ALL things listed) (If you do not fall into anything on this list, you are called to helps – local church/community ; some translations list this part of the ministry  – examples (class)

   

  why – to do the work of the ministry (build up the Kingdom by building up people – “do The Kingdom”)

 Rom 14:19

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

1 Cor 10:23

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

·        Account of witness by example

1 Thes 5:11 (New living Translation)

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

                 

( how can we do this? – encouraging words, help, set example)

In every believer, God, by virtue of His Free Gift (Ehp. 2:8) of salvation to each of us that ask  (Rev. 3:20 - Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.)

God has deposited what He calls The Fruit of The Spirit.

Paul compares in Galatians 2 for us the effects on our lives when we live by the Spirit vs. not. The NLT puts it this way

Living by the Spirit's Power

16 So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict. 18 But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are no longer subject to the law.

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, 20 idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

22 But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or irritate one another, or be jealous of one another.

In this passage Paul tells us to do as God does and put other people first.

By doing that, God takes care of us – That’s how The Kingdom works (Matt 6:26)

1.    God

2.    other people

3.    all things added to us (we are taken care of all things added to us)

·        Notice these traits are called the “fruit of the Spirit” - singular not plural. Even though 8 traits, God looks at it as one quality or fruit that the believer bears.

·        Some parts of the fruit may be undeveloped, but it is still there,

·        We must develop traits ON PURPOSE

·        Do the things that are right – bear our Godly fruit on purpose

·        WILL NOT BE EASY! Most difficult thing to do is to act like a Christian and set the example that you know you should, especially when the rest of the world acts just totally opposite.  (that is one reason to be around believers, so that you can encourage each other, we will prob. Have to hang with new people)

 Christ summed it all up for us 281 times for us in The Word. Just one example of this is found in Mk 12:31-

And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Love is absolutely the hardest thing for Christians to do. Satan does not want us to be like this.

Here’s why – Love does not mean that we let people run over us. We don’t go keep going back for more when some one is ugly to us. We can stay away – love them from a distance, just treat people the way we would be treated. -  Golden rule

One of the ways we tie into treating the way we would be treated is to stay humble ourselves. (read Rom 322 - 25,)  

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.

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[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)

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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)