Lessons in Being Humble Before God....
James 4: 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He shall lift you up. (KJV)
This particular verse kept coming to me over the months that followed and continued memory of several verses that I repeated and memorized along the way began to support what God was saying in this first verse.
I began to remember a friend of mine in High School that a Christian friend of mine and me had visited as he was dealing with a severely broken arm. It was so badly broken at the time that he was quite bed-ridden in an effort to keep it stable enough to heal properly. We went to support him and remind him of our friendship and that we were there for him if there was anything we could do. He assured us he was fine and quite able to heal over time and that he really didn’t need anyone and he could do this alone. The pain he was experiencing was severe enough that the expressions on his face told us it was quite physically difficult at that time to cope with this injury. We tried to introduce him to Christ and to let him know that no one could ever love and care for him like Jesus can, but as we tried to convince him he continued to put wall after wall up and block our efforts to help in any way. In that short time we realized we were making matters worse and that it was better if we would just leave. We tried to close in prayer and he would have nothing to do with it so we left. How sad. We were intending to do something good thinking that He would hear Christ through our hearts but he would have nothing to do with our efforts. After he returned to school he avoided us, and we realized our friendship was in the past and to keep our distance and maybe one day he would come to us again but to this day it never happened.
Looking back I see powerful pride in the life of that young man, but I still could not relate to this verse. But God had a plan and He continues to this day to work that plan out to His great pleasure. To see His Word in action does bring great pleasure to God. And in my life this verse was beginning to come around. As I encountered complicated issues in my life along the way, and the many complexities of one’s life I began to see my need for a deeper relationship with God, more so than just a quiet time and time alone reading the scriptures. I remember the first time I had asked my future wife what her favorite Bible Verse was. I even now still remember exactly where we were when I asked her that question. Her answer plays heavily on this verse today. Her favorite verse was Philippians 4: 13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. “ I thought what a wonderful verse, and I memorized that one as well. But this verse held the first key to my understanding of James 4:10. It is Christ who strengthens me. It is He who provides for me. It is He, who guides me. It is He to whom I pray for my beloved wife, and my wonderful children and their families.
As time has moved on, God has provided many other directives in my life in a continued effort to deliver this verse to my heart and life in ways I still have never dreamed of. We will continue into that deeper time with Him tomorrow as we bring to a conclusion this devotional on James 4: 10.
Prayer: Oh heavenly Father, I pray that you will open my heart in the deeper areas of my life that I may see you more clearly as you move about day by day. Help me to be ever mindful of your presence, in Jesus’ name, AMEN!
This particular verse kept coming to me over the months that followed and continued memory of several verses that I repeated and memorized along the way began to support what God was saying in this first verse.
I began to remember a friend of mine in High School that a Christian friend of mine and me had visited as he was dealing with a severely broken arm. It was so badly broken at the time that he was quite bed-ridden in an effort to keep it stable enough to heal properly. We went to support him and remind him of our friendship and that we were there for him if there was anything we could do. He assured us he was fine and quite able to heal over time and that he really didn’t need anyone and he could do this alone. The pain he was experiencing was severe enough that the expressions on his face told us it was quite physically difficult at that time to cope with this injury. We tried to introduce him to Christ and to let him know that no one could ever love and care for him like Jesus can, but as we tried to convince him he continued to put wall after wall up and block our efforts to help in any way. In that short time we realized we were making matters worse and that it was better if we would just leave. We tried to close in prayer and he would have nothing to do with it so we left. How sad. We were intending to do something good thinking that He would hear Christ through our hearts but he would have nothing to do with our efforts. After he returned to school he avoided us, and we realized our friendship was in the past and to keep our distance and maybe one day he would come to us again but to this day it never happened.
Looking back I see powerful pride in the life of that young man, but I still could not relate to this verse. But God had a plan and He continues to this day to work that plan out to His great pleasure. To see His Word in action does bring great pleasure to God. And in my life this verse was beginning to come around. As I encountered complicated issues in my life along the way, and the many complexities of one’s life I began to see my need for a deeper relationship with God, more so than just a quiet time and time alone reading the scriptures. I remember the first time I had asked my future wife what her favorite Bible Verse was. I even now still remember exactly where we were when I asked her that question. Her answer plays heavily on this verse today. Her favorite verse was Philippians 4: 13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. “ I thought what a wonderful verse, and I memorized that one as well. But this verse held the first key to my understanding of James 4:10. It is Christ who strengthens me. It is He who provides for me. It is He, who guides me. It is He to whom I pray for my beloved wife, and my wonderful children and their families.
As time has moved on, God has provided many other directives in my life in a continued effort to deliver this verse to my heart and life in ways I still have never dreamed of. We will continue into that deeper time with Him tomorrow as we bring to a conclusion this devotional on James 4: 10.
Prayer: Oh heavenly Father, I pray that you will open my heart in the deeper areas of my life that I may see you more clearly as you move about day by day. Help me to be ever mindful of your presence, in Jesus’ name, AMEN!
May God richly bless us as we continue to seek His will and His way, through His Word.
Have a Great Day!!
In Christ,
Rev. Ted J. Wilkins
Founder/Director of “Good News Brief For Men” Ministries
© Copyright 2015, Ted J. Wilkins, Good News Brief For Men.
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