PSALM 25 HUMILITY LEADS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS

March 5

PSALM 25

8 Good and upright is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right,
    and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
    for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

                                                                                  – Psalm 25:8-10

PSALM 25 HUMILITY LEADS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When we serve the Lord Jesus Christ

We begin to think less of ourselves

Christ himself gave up his divinity

So that he could redeem all of humanity

We ought to follow his example of meekness

It is the only path that leads to righteousness.

King David wrote this psalm. It is a heartfelt prayer for guidance, forgiveness and protection from the enemy. We witness David’s intimate knowledge of his God. He recognizes that he is good and upright and that he ultimately knows what is best for him. He sees his God very well and never forgets to praise and honor his character. He talks about God’s steadfast love and faithfulness to keep his promises.

David mentions humility as the path to righteousness. Without it, we will not be able to do what is right and learn the ways of the Lord. Have you ever heard of a proud person with much wisdom? Proverbs 16:18 tells us that pride directly leads to folly and destruction. Talk to a haughty person and you will not be heard. He has no room for learning because he is so full of himself. He cannot take anything that doesn’t come from himself. In Proverbs 23:9, we are advised by Solomon not to speak in the hearing of fools for they will despise the wisdom of your words. Proud people are no different from fools. They have an unteachable spirit. They elevate themselves too much for them to hear anything from anyone. How can you teach anyone who thinks they already know everything? They are so full of themselves to allow anything that can be good for them. They despise anyone that will make them feel that they are lesser than them. The haughty people are driven by control and power. They have to be superior over everyone else.

Pharaoh, King Nebuchadnezzar and Haiman are some examples in the bible who were very proud and foolish. Their pride led them to destruction and ruin. Pharaoh manifested his extreme haughtiness by refusing to acknowledge God which led to the ten plagues in Egypt. King Nebuchadnezzar boasted of building Babylon by his own power which led him to a period of madness. Haman demanded reverence from Mordecai and plotted to annihilate the Jews.

REFLECTION

  • Share some insights on how humility is the path to righteousness.

ROMANS 12 BE HUMBLE & NOT WISE IN YOUR OWN EYES

March 4

ROMANS 12

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. – Romans 12: 14-21

ROMANS 12 BE HUMBLE & NOT WISE IN YOUR OWN EYES

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Jesus sampled to us what it looks like to be humble

It is to be other-centered rather than self-centered

It is not partial to the simple-minded, poor and lowly

He is interested in others and never proud and haughty

He pursues peace at all cost and aim to live with others in love

He does not avenge the wrong done to him but leaves it all to God

The humble does not think highly of himself or elevates his ego

He does not boast but shares his knowledge to build others.

In this account, Paul gives us an illustration of how the believer can be humble. Here are some of his instructions to them:

  • Bless those who maltreat you and do not curse them
  • Rejoice with those who are suffering and also those who are joyful
  • Live harmoniously with others and do not be quick to react
  • Do not boast, but especially associate with the poor and lowly
  • Don’t think highly of yourself or boast about your knowledge or achievements
  • Be genuinely interested in others to starve your ego
  • Do not avenge anything wrong done to you, instead pray for them and leave vengeance to God
  • Be honest and think and do only what is honorable and true and what builds others up
  • Pursue peace at all cost and guard your heart and mind and mouth
  • Do not be quick to anger or react because that shows your ego being triggered and you are catering to your flesh
  • Love your enemies and attend to their needs
  • Respond with good deeds when someone is wicked to you.

Looks like we only need to focus on what Jesus Christ sampled for us so we can live a humble life.

REFLECTION

  • Among the instructions to be humble Paul gave us, which one are you struggling the most?

PROVERBS 18 HUMILITY PRECEDES HONOR

March 3

PROVERBS 18

12 Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty,   but humility comes before honor.
13 If one gives an answer before he hears    it is his folly and shame.
14 A man’s spirit will endure sickness,  but a crushed spirit who can bear?
15 An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16 A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before the great.

                                                                                – Proverbs 18:12-16

PROVERBS 18 HUMILITY PRECEDES HONOR

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When we give in to our nature, pride comes easily

In our sinfulness, we are unable to walk in humility

When we automatically gratify our desires and cravings

We are giving in to the flesh and begin to be more prideful

Humility precedes honor that is why Jesus sampled it for man

Without emulating him, we will be living in sin and shame.

In these following verses Solomon gives us a wise proverb on haughtiness or pride. In verse 12, he gives us the aftermath of a heart that is proud which is ruin or destruction. In verse 13, he shows us that a haughty person boasts and reacts before he actually hears others which leads him to foolishness and shame. In verse 14, he shows us again another manifestation of a proud person: it cannot endure suffering or sickness but it shows that he has a spirit that is crushed because it doesn’t long to please the Lord but to please himself. Verse 15 shows the unteachable spirit that the proud possess. They cannot hear wisdom because they are so busy glorifying and raising themselves up. When we hear these wise sayings, it is wise for us to examine our hearts and heed Solomon’s advice.

The term haughty is defined in biblehub.com as an attitude of arrogance, pride, and disdain towards others. It is characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance. Notice that the highest in rank of importance in a haughty person is their inflated sense of self. They raise themselves up to a pedestal based on their own standards. They cannot think of others because they are so full of themselves. Their world revolves around their needs, their wants and desires and their appetites. Greed, power and pride are what powers them up.

Why is a haughty person an abomination to the Lord as Proverbs 16:5 mentions? Remember the first sin of Adam and Eve? It has to do with pride because they wanted to know everything that God knew. In other words, they wanted to elevate themselves higher than they really are. They want more than what they have and cannot be satisfied with what they already have. A haughty person cannot see others. They definitely cannot see God because their god is “self-love.” This is why Jesus set an example of humility for us all when he who is a God gave up his divinity to become human.

REFLECTION

  • What are some manifestations of a haughty person as different from a humble one?

2 CHRONICLES HUMBLE YOURSELF & TURN FROM IDOLATRY

March 2

2 CHRONICLES 7

 14 If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. 17 And as for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my rules, 18 then I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to rule Israel.’19 “But if youturn aside and forsake my statutes and my commandments that I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, 20 then I will pluck youup from my land that I have given you, and this house that I have consecrated for my name, I will cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all people – 2 Chronicles 7:14-20

2 CHRONICLES HUMBLE YOURSELF & TURN FROM IDOLATRY

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

As a covenant child of God, you need to follow what is required

A true believer keeps himself holy, pure and undefiled

He does not have idols since that will mean treason

God is faithful and he does not tolerate competition

You either serve the Lord or love the things of this world

So, humble yourself, turn away from idols and eat his Word.

The book of Chronicles was attributed to Ezra but modern scholars refer to “Chroniclers” as the writer of this book. Matthew Henry comments on this chapter as God’s answer to Solomon’s prayer. God publicly answered his prayer by fire from heaven, which consumed the sacrifices (verse 1) with which the priests and people were much affected. By that token of God’s acceptance and they were encouraged to continue the solemnities of the feast for fourteen days, and Solomon was encouraged to pursue all his designs for the honour of God.”

The account gives the people of God a nod of approval for the place of worship in this temple that Solomon designed and finished. He approved of the temple and consecrated it for his name’s sake. God would answer their prayers if made in this temple but there were requirements for them to follow on their end. In 1Kings 6:2-4 and in 2 Chronicles chapters 3 and 4, we can see how God instructed them how to construct and build the temple. It was designed for the purpose of worship alone and for following all the details of God’s own design and preference where his people will worship him. In this account, he specified his demand from his own people so that this temple will be a meeting place for them and their God. They must follow all his commandments, turn away from all their wicked ways and also from all other idols that they worship. If they fail to do so, verses 19-20 spells out what would be the consequence of such disobedience befall them. They’ll be cast out from the land and the temple will be ruined.

REFLECTION

  • Can a believer be humble if they are still holding on to idols? Why or why not?

MICAH 6 WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD

March 1

MICAH 6

6 “With what shall I come before the Lord,
    and bow myself before God on high?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
    with calves a year old?
7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
    with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
8 He has told you, O man, what is good;
    and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
    and to walk humbly with your God?– Micah 6:6-8

MICAH 6 WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Humility is an act of the heart, not of the will

When we fear the Lord, we will be humble

Because he gave us his own image to follow

Let us let go of the nature that is all so shallow

We ought to remember our place in his presence

He gave us his Son so we could emulate his meekness.

In this account, the prophet Micah narrates God’s case against his people for their sins. The tone of the queries of the Israelites about how to appease God’s judgment seems to me very far-fetched from hearts that acknowledge their breach in the covenant between them and God. It sounds like they are pretending not to know what is required of them with regards to this agreement between their Maker and themselves. Asking what kind of sacrifices and offering they have to give the Lord to appease his wrath showed that they have not been convicted of the displeasure they have caused the Lord to confront them with their sins. Micah replies on behalf of God himself what is required from them in verse 8: justice, kindness and walking humbly with God. Spurgeon spells out some points on when and how to walk humbly with God:  Walk humbly when you are spiritually strong, when you have much work to do, when studying God’s word, when under trials, when dealing with sinners. Walk humbly in all your motives, in your devotions and when you are with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Spurgeon further says “True humility is thinking rightly of thyself, not meanly. When you have found out what you really are, you will be humble, for you are nothing to boast of. To be humble will make you safe. To be humble will make you happy. To be humble will make music in your heart when you go to bed. To be humble here will make you wake up in the likeness of your Master by-and-by.”

REFLECTION

·       When and where do you think many Christians struggle with to walk humbly with God?

EPHESIANS 4 MATURING OUR FAITH THROUGH GRACE

February 28

EPHESIANS 4

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high, he led a host of captives,
 and he gave gifts to men.” 9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.  – Ephesians 4:1-14

EPHESIANS 4 MATURING OUR FAITH THROUGH GRACE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When Jesus Christ died on the cross for us, we were freed from sin

We no longer have to stay in bondage to evil and wickedness

Grace was given to each one of us according to Christ’s gift

He died for us so we can move forward to our purpose and calling

Grace gives us courage to face all of life’s struggles and battles

It makes us hopefully focused on eternity awaiting all of God’s people.

In this account, Paul points out the importance of changing prisons from the world to Christ’s. It is ironic that Paul uses the word “prisoner of Christ” since being a slave of Christ would mean so much freedom. Opposite such freedom is bondage to sin which unbelievers are enslaved with. As a slave of Christ, they were all called to humility, gentleness, patience, love and self-control. It is very different from being a slave of the world which lives for arrogance or pride, selfishness, partiality, and pleasure-seeking feats.

Verse 7 explains how the shift from world-focused to kingdom-seeking lifestyle was brought about by the grace given to the elect through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Without that precious gracious undeserved favor, no one has the ability to change their selfish nature. If one does not believe and know Jesus, there is no way they can escape the power of Satan’s dominion. But how many Christians truly understand this amazing grace? Because we have been born in the world and a lot of us raised without the true knowledge of our God, our minds and hearts have been twisted by culture and the world systems because they are subconsciously ingrained in us at birth. Unless we are born of God, we won’t be able to escape such self-indulgent prison.

REFLECTION

  • How can Christ’s blood pave the way to our maturity of faith?

1 CORINTHIANS 15 NOT I BUT THE GRACE IN ME

February 27

1 CORINTHIANS 15

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

                                                                             – 1 Corinthians 15: 3-11

1 CORINTHIANS 15 NOT I BUT THE GRACE IN ME

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When God chose me as his own child

My life was changed; it is no longer I

Jesus’ death gave me a new creation

The new one has begun and the old self is gone

It is not my own will that did the transformation

It is the grace from God that made the reformation

I cannot boast that I contributed to any of this

Not I, but the unmerited favor I received from Christ.

In this account, Paul emphasizes in his letter the witnesses that have seen the resurrection of Jesus Christ which Scripture had promised long before he was amongst them. Paul’s humility is clearly manifested in these verses when he mentioned that he was the least to be among those people to deserve to witness such glory and miracle. He declared that the only reason why he was given such privilege and honor is because of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. He didn’t deserve to be chosen because he used to persecute the Christians before Jesus called him to conversion. Yet, his old life didn’t exclude him from being showered with such grace from God. The following account also shows God’s plan of salvation happening in the midst of all these apostles and disciples. God’s promise came true right before their very eyes.

According to some sources, these 500 witnesses mentioned here aren’t detailed in the gospels but are suggested by Matthew 28:10,16-17. Guzik comments, “There really were five hundred followers of Jesus before His Ascension, though Acts 1:15 mentions only the 120 who were in the Jerusalem area. Jesus met with these 500 followers in the region of Galilee. They knew Jesus rose from the dead.” In history, there will be nothing that would surpass the witnesses mentioned in this account to give testament to the grace of God in fulfilling his salvation plan to man.

REFLECTION

  • Why is it important that a Christian constantly acknowledge the gift of grace in them?

ROMANS 3 GRACE THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST

February 25

ROMANS 3

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

                                                                                         – Romans 3:21-26

ROMANS 3 GRACE THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you are chosen by God from the beginning of time

You will be able to receive the grace he gave through faith in Christ

There will almost be no effort on your own understanding

It becomes second nature for you to believe in his teachings

When Christ was given to us, it overpowered human laws

Grace through faith in him became the focus of a Christian’s life.

In this account, Paul focuses on the righteousness of God who is manifested in his Son Jesus Christ. We know that grace is a gift given to undeserving people. All of humanity bears the original sin of Adam and Eve. We are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God. Nothing we can do can make us right with God.

For many unbelievers and false Christians, that will be hard to fathom. Unless you have been chosen by God to be his, you will never have the ability to accept him. By nature, we reject and hate God. That was the result of sin. We want to be like God. We want to make ourselves the center of attention. We automatically rebel when we don’t get our way or someone opposes our views or beliefs. We battle with our desires and pleasing God only if we are chosen. There is no battlefield to those who do not belong to him. There is no war between which master to choose. By nature, we always choose the “self” and nothing else, so there is no conflict. You will only have a dilemma if you are called to be one of God’s children. When he calls you, you will now hear the voice of truth. You are now going to have to choose between what is inherent in you and what is supernatural. Your sinful nature is intrinsic and automatic. You breathe “sin.” It is your source of power. This is true for every human being. Without God, you will never do what is right. Everything you do will be bent and leaning towards evil.

For the elect, this state of spiritual death is transformed to life because of the grace given to them. The grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is what makes the big difference to those who are truly chosen by God himself from the beginning of time. They are indwelled by the Holy Spirit who allows them to hear truth and apply it in their lives. Their lives’ purpose becomes serving the Lord rather than serving themselves. Faith in Christ is the amazing grace that brings righteousness to be truly present.

REFLECTION

·       How can “grace” be clearly seen in the life of a Christian based on these verses?

JOHN 1 GRACE UPON GRACE

February 24

JOHN 1

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. – John 1:14-18

JOHN 1 GRACE UPON GRACE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

At the beginning of all creation, God showed his grace to us all

He provided all the needs of Adam and Eve even after the fall

Though God banished them from Eden, he still clothed them when they left

No human can appease God’s wrath, so, Christ was given to redeem us

Then, more grace was showered to undeserving sinners that we are

Grace upon grace is displayed as Jesus paid a high prize for us on the cross

Until Jesus’ return, truth will fill us up with grace from God himself

Let us rejoice and live in fullness from his unending love and grace.

Biblestudytools.com speaks of the origin of grace. It says that it originated in God’s heart and wove its way throughout the Old Testament into the New Testament. Jesus became human as the Son of God, so that we will know God whom we have not seen yet. It was the gift of grace that we are able to see a way out of our sinfulness. It was only through Jesus, who is grace itself that we can be saved. The website continued to explain that “Out of the fullness of God in Jesus, we can now receive the gift of grace. Grace was already given in the beginning, but it was replaced with a new and greater grace! The story of grace goes back to the beginning of time, all the way back to the first few chapters in the book of Genesis.”

How do we continue to receive the grace that overflows from the love of God to his own people? One way we can continually receive grace is by focusing on his truth and living a life that is uncorrupted by the world system. Since he is a holy God and if we are to have a relationship with him, we need to ensure that our lives must be lived for the purpose of giving God all the glory. It is unwise for us to take for granted the gravity of our sins because when we do so, we are being ungrateful to the Lord himself. How can we dismiss or discount the value of the biggest sacrifice ever done on earth by Jesus himself? We can easily miss the value of grace when we are so corrupted and defiled by the systems of the world. Imagine that someone gave you a precious gift that you didn’t expect. It was an undeserved gift that solved all your problems with finances and difficulties. Would you not be forever grateful to that person? It is the same thing with grace. God only wants us to remember the giver and not focus on the gift itself. He wants to be praised for what we have received and be given the glory for it.

REFLECTION

  • How can grace be made manifest in a Christian’s life?

EPHESIANS 1 ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF GOD’S GRACE

February 23

EPHESIANS 1

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making knownto us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth in him. – Ephesians 1:2-10

EPHESIANS 1 ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF GOD’S GRACE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When God chose us before the foundation of the world

We were showered with much blessings in His word

Through Christ’s death on the cross, we were adopted by God

According to the riches of his grace, we can overcome the world

Because God has blessed us with much spiritual blessings and favors

We are able to know his will, stay pure through the Scriptures

Let us then be thankful for the lavishing of God’s grace to his people

This amazing grace will enable us to conquer sin and live in freedom.

In this account, Paul passes on God’s grace to God’s people. His letters always opened with a salutation and greeting of peace and grace. He praises God in this letter to the Ephesian church. He speaks to them about predestination or the doctrine of the elect and also adoption. It is interesting how Paul uses the analogy of adoption and election to expound on the riches of God’s grace.

According to sources, in Ontario, Canada where I live, there are four ways to adopt: 1)Public adoption who is in the extended care of a children’s aid society; 2) Private domestic adoption from a licensed private adoption agency or licensed individual; 3)International adoption, adopting a child who lives outside Canada, from a private adoption agency or individual licensed by the government to facilitate inter-country adoptions; 4)Adoption of a stepchild or relative who lives in Ontario. There is a process to follow when you decide to adopt a child. There are children presented to you to choose from and you go through such steps to get to the child you want to become a member of your family.

How did God adopt his children? He did the choosing from before the world was created. He already had elected who would belong to his kingdom. As elected heirs of his kingdom, we automatically become privileged to have the same benefits as Jesus have towards his Father. Isn’t that amazing grace?

REFLECTION

  • How does the doctrines of the elect and adoption manifest the grace lavished on his children?