Selling Out His Presence
Posted by jerrywhite on Jul 18, 2010
“Sadly, like the biblical Esau (see Genesis 25:29-34), we sometimes feel pridefully tempted to sell this amazing birthright of Christ’s presence for our own presence. We focus on our work, our influence, and our ministry. One of the biggest threats to incarnational living is pride. Instead of manifesting Christ’s presence, we want to showcase our own presence; instead of dispensing Christ’s wisdom, we want to spotlight our own insight; instead of speaking Christ’s truth, we want to spout our own opinions; instead of adopting Christ’s agenda, we want to accomplish our own five- or ten-year plans; instead of building Christ’s kingdom, we want to spread our own ‘ministry.’”
Gary Thomas
The Beautiful Fight, 38
~~~
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8: 18 (ESV)
~~~
“I was nothing. You had no need of me. Even now my service has not even the value of a laborer tilling his master’s land, because even if I did not work, You would bring forth the same harvest. I can only serve You and worship You with the good that comes from You. It is from You alone that I receive strength and without You I am nothing.”
Augustine
Quoted by Nick Harrison
Magnificent Prayer, 186
~~~
Someone has said that men aspire but God condescends. Our flesh wants to be something, but Christ made Himself nothing. To become like the beautiful Lord Jesus is to become humble and to live humbly.
Email This Post
Pride And Self-Pity
Posted by jerrywhite on Jun 10, 2010
“The nature and depth of human pride are illuminated by comparing boasting to self-pity. Both are manifestations of pride. Boasting is the response of pride to success. Self-pity is the response of pride to suffering. Boasting says, ‘I deserve admiration because I have achieved so much.’ Self-pity says, ‘I deserve admiration because I have sacrificed so much.’ Boasting is the voice of pride in the heart of the strong. Self-pity is the voice of pride in the heart of the weak. Boasting sounds self-sufficient. Self-pity sounds self-sacrificing.
The reason self-pity does not look like pride is that it appears to be needy. But the need arises from a wounded ego, and the desire of the self-pitying is not really to see them as helpless, but as heroes. The need self-pity feels does not come from a sense of unworthiness, but from a sense of unrecognized worthiness. It is the response of unapplauded pride.”
John Piper
Desiring God, 222
~~~
“Count yourself most fortunate—happy indeed!—if people overlook you, take no notice of you, or treat you with little respect. For then you have the opportunity to seek only the respect of God Himself. If you make this a spiritual principle that guides your life, you will have no lack of honor in this life (at least in the eyes of truly spiritual people), and you will be honored when you finally step from this life into the next. Believe me when I tell you this!”
Theresa of Avila (1515-1582)
Majestic Is Your Name, 132, Arranged and Paraphrased by David Hazard
~~~
How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
John 5:44 (ESV)
Email This Post
God Hates Pride
Posted by jerrywhite on Jun 7, 2010
“Whatever the thorn was that made Paul groan, one thing is plain: It was a truly humbling experience. It brought Paul to the dust. Why was this given to him? To keep him from being exalted above measure. This is stated twice (see 2 Cor. 12:7).
What a singular thing is pride! A natural man is proud of anything. Proud of his person, although he did not make it, yet he prides himself on his looks. Proud of his dress, although a block of wood might have the same cause for pride if you would put clothes on it. Proud of riches, as if there were some merit in having more gold than others. Proud of status, as if there were some merit in having noble blood.
Pride flows through the veins, yet there is a pride more wonderful than that of nature—pride of grace. You would think a man never could be proud who had once seen himself lost, yet Scripture shows a man may be proud of his measure of grace, proud of forgiveness, proud of humility, and proud of knowing more about God than other people. This pride was springing up in Paul’s heart when God sent him the thorn in the flesh.”
Robert Murrray McCheyne
~~~
Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!
2 Corinthians 12:7 (NASB)
~~~
What God abhors we should fear, and what God values we should pursue. God hates pride; He exalts the humble. Watchful Christians guard against every subtle expression of pride in their life and immediately confess it with abhorrence and repentance. Jesus was proud of nothing and only boasted in His Father. He alone should be our boast. ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord’ (1 Corinthians 1:31).
Email This Post
Lowliness Glorifies Christ
Posted by jerrywhite on Apr 15, 2010
“Maybe you have thought of the glory that Christ receives from brilliant genius and profound talent, from splendid gifts and glowing zeal, from costly sacrifices, and even extensive usefulness. But have you ever thought of the glory, the far greater, richer glory, that flows to Him from a contrite spirit, a broken heart, a lowly mind, a humble walk; from the tear of godly repentance that falls when seen by no human eye, and the sigh of godly sorrow that is breathed when heard by no human ear; from the abhorrence of sin and loathing of self, the deep sense of vileness, poverty, and infirmity that takes you to Jesus with the prayer, ‘Lord, here I am. I have brought to Thee my rebellious will, my wandering heart, my worldly affections, my peculiar infirmity, my besetting and constantly overpowering sin. Receive me graciously; put forth the mighty power of Thy grace in my soul, subdue all, rule all, and subjugate all to Thyself. Will it not be for Thy glory and the glory of Thy great name if this strong corruption were subdued by Thy grace; if this powerful sin were nailed to Thy cross; if this temper so sensitive, this heart so impure, these affections so truant, this mind so dark, these desires so earthly, these pursuits so carnal, and these aims so selfish, were all entirely renewed by Thy Spirit, sanctified by Thy grace, and made each to reflect Thine image? Lord, it would be for Thy glory, through time and through eternity.’ ”
Octavius Winslow
Morning Thoughts, 451
~~~
For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.
Psalm 51: 16-17
~~~
Any believer can offer to the Lord a broken and contrite heart for His glory. Lowliness of heart is like the Lord Jesus and pleases the Father. God resists all others because of pride (1Peter 5:5; James 4:6).
Email This Post
An Humble Servant
Posted by jerrywhite on May 18, 2009
William Carey (1761-1834) was a missionary to India. From sixteen until twenty-eight he worked as a shoemaker. Converted at age eighteen and while working he became a preacher and eventually a pastor. He became burdened for the lost heathen and proposed the formation of the first modern missionary society. In 1793 he and John Thomas sailed for Bengal, India where he quickly mastered the Bengali language. He was made manager of an indigo factory. While working he translated the whole Bible into the Bengali language while at the same time he was doing evangelistic and pastoral duties. He then had to set up his own press to print the newly translated Bible. He established schools and medical work. In 1800 he moved to a Danish colony where he worked untiringly at his missionary service, which included Bible translation and production, evangelism, church planting, education, and medical relief. His influence spread throughout India. He served as professor of Saskrit, Bengali, and Marathi at the College of Fort Williams, supervised and edited translations of the Scriptures into thirty-six languages, produced a massive Bengali-English dictionary, pioneered social reform, and founded the Agricultural and Horticultural Society of India. He is considered the “Father of modern Missions.”
~~~
Charles Spurgeon wrote:
“When Dr Carey was suffering from a dangerous illness, the enquiry was made, ‘If this sickness should prove fatal, what passage would you select as the text for your funeral sermon?’ He replied, ‘Oh, I feel that such a poor sinful creature is unworthy to have anything said about him; but if a funeral sermon must be preached, let it be from the words, ‘Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy loving-kindness; according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.’ In the same spirit of humility he directed in his will that the following inscription and nothing more should be cut on his gravestone:
WILLIAM CAREY, BORN AUGUST 17TH, 1761 DIED—
“A wretched, poor, and helpless worm
On Thy kind arms I fall.”
~~~
So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, “We are unworthy servants, we have only done what was our duty.”
Luke 17:10 (ESV)
Email This Post
