Daily Devotional Week of 3-11-2002

Monday 3-11-02

A PRAYER FOR HUMILITY AND GRACE

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
- 1 Peter 5:5

"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." What more incentive do I need to ask the Lord daily to search out my heart, to reach into the far corners of my soul and to root out pride? Root it out O Lord in all its ugly forms. I want to know more of your grace; I NEED your grace O Lord. Would you grant me this prayer? Would you shine the light of your truth into the hidden places and the not so hidden places of my heart and show me my pride that I might confess my sin to you. O Lord I do not want you to oppose me; I need you to lift me up. Come Lord Jesus and have Your way with me. Amen.

For further study: Psalm 51:1-6

Tuesday 3-12-02

KNOWLEDGE VERSUS WISDOM

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. - James 3:13

Hmmm, James says that humility comes from wisdom; Paul says knowledge puffs up (1 Corinthians 8:1). Are not wisdom and knowledge simply two sides of the same coin? How do we resolve this apparent conflict? On the one hand it sounds like knowledge is the root of pride, and wisdom the root of humility. How can this be? Matthew Henry helps to clarify. He says, "A truly wise man is a very knowing man... he will not value himself merely upon knowing things, if he has not wisdom to make a right application and use of that knowledge." The proud exercise their knowledge by speaking about what they know and being quick to correct others. The humble, on the other hand, demonstrate their knowledge through godly living, which is wisdom. The wise seek no recognition for their knowledge; they do not seek out a platform on which to dazzle others with their knowledge. They are content to reap the benefits of their knowledge rightly applied through godly living. Pray earnestly today for humility that comes from wisdom.

For further study: Psalm 1:1-3

Wednesday 3-13-02

THE MARKS OF HUMILITY

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men. Titus 3:1-2

According to the New Geneva Study Bible, the purpose of Paul's letter to Titus, a gentile convert, was to encourage Titus to complete his work of organizing the churches on the Island of Crete and prepare to move on to his next assignment. In this passage Paul is reminding Titus to encourage the church to go beyond simple submission to their governing authorities by looking for opportunities to demonstrate the goodness of God to their political leaders. He goes on to say, speak poorly of no one, live in peace and show humility to all.

This kind of humility comes from remembering from whence we came as Paul points out in verse 3. Humility comes from remembering that we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. That is until our Lord Jesus Christ appeared and saved us! The truly humble one is always in touch with who they are apart from Christ and because of that they willingly extend the same grace and kindness of our Lord to those who do not yet know Him. Pray today that God would especially give you the grace to demonstrate the marks of humility to your supervisor and others in authority over you.

For further study: Titus 3:1-7

Thursday 3-14-02

A PRAYER FOR THE GARMENT OF HUMILITY

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
- Colossians 3:12

Dear Lord of heaven and all the universe, thank you first of all that you have chosen me. Thank you that I am one of your holy and dearly loved children. To you I am more precious than the sparrow, more beautiful than the lilies of the field and you promise to array me in even grander splendor than these. Oh Lord clothe me with your raiments of compassion and patience, kindness and gentleness, as well as humility. Lord clothe me with the beauty of these virtues and over all of them adorn me with your garment of love. Father enable me to everyday dress myself in Your fine apparel, embroidered with the fruits of Your Spirit. May my soul continually rejoice in you who has through Christ Jesus clothed me in a garment of salvation and a white robe of righteousness.

For further study: Isaiah 61:10-11

Friday 3-15-02

HUMILITY AND THE LAW

Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules...?
- Colossians 2:20

Humility does not come from submitting to rules and regulations. Humility is not imparted by the law. In verse 23 Paul says adherence to worldly rules and principles to demonstrate religiosity is a type of false humility, an impersonator if you will, that would deceive us into believing that humility comes through pharisaical adherence to rules. Consider how proud were the Pharisees. They were so proud they were blinded to recognizing the Messiah, the One they had waited thousands of years for. They missed Him, because they did not need Him. They thought they had found a righteousness of their own in following the law. Humility says, "I have no righteousness of my own; I could never be acceptable enough to earn God's saving grace apart from a relationship with Jesus Christ." When I die and reach heaven's door and the angel of God asks me why he should let me in to His Kingdom, I will not speak of anything I have done, I will simply look to my Savior and say, "I am His and He is mine." Then my heavenly Father will recognize that I am wearing the white robe of righteousness that His Son, Jesus Christ, adorned me with when I placed my faith in Him. It will be on His merit alone that I will be ushered into the Kingdom of God.

For further study: Galatians 2:17-21

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