Wanted: Humble Hearts 4 God

Wanted: Humble Hearts 4 God

All my Bible readings today spoke about the importance of having a humble heart. The words of Jesus in Matthew 11:29 captured my attention right away: “I’m gentle and humble in heart.” We are called to be like Jesus.

“Lord, how can I live this in my life? How can I be gentle and humble in heart”, I pray.

I currently reading through Judges. Today’s passage happened to be about Gideon whose faith was even admired in Hebrews (11:32-34). Gideon certainly did believe (and act upon it) but he needed signs and a lot of assuring from God. Yet, even when he fought for the Lord he guided his men to shout ‘For the LORD and for Gideon!’ (Judges 7:18). His heart was not humble. Even though he knew he was no conventional hero material he was ready to take half  the credit. Sounds too familiar. We are ready to work for God as long as we get half the credit, too.

“Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. My fault, Lord; have mercy!”, I plea. “How can I learn to be truly humble and bring all glory to you?”, I ask.

Are any of you wise and understanding? Show that your actions are good with a humble lifestyle that comes from wisdom. However, if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, then stop bragging and living in ways that deny the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above. Instead, it is from the earth, natural and demonic. Wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and everything that is evil. What of the wisdom from above? First, it is pure, and then peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good actions, fair, and genuine. Those who make peace sow the seeds of justice by their peaceful acts. (James 3: 13-18, CEB, emphasis added)

We are called to “do justice, embrace faithful love, and walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8, CEB).  In order to do so we need to surrender our egos and selfish ambitions to God. When we lose ourselves, we gain our true identity. When we let our Selves die on the cross with Christ, God raises our true selves from death with Christ. Hence We don’t capitalize our selves (Not Self but self), but God. We put God first, us second. Because God is God, we are not. And when we serve God with humble hearts and true selves, we  live fully in grace and we will -by God’s grace- bear fruit that brings glory to God.

“Crucify my Self with Christ, raise my true self from death with Christ. Create in me a humble heart. May my life bring glory only to you”, I pray.

You unfaithful people! Don’t you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? Or do you suppose that scripture is meaningless? Doesn’t God long for our faithfulness in the life he has given to us? But he gives us more grace. This is why it says, God stands against the proud, but favors the humble.Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will run away from you. Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you double-minded. Cry out in sorrow, mourn, and weep! Let your laughter become mourning and your joy become sadness. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (James 4: 4-10, CEB, emphasis added)

God desires exclusive loyalty, obedience, and faithfulness. The Israelites were not able to do so and we are not able to do it on our own, either. But that’s why God sent Jesus to die for our sins. That’s why God raised Jesus from death so we could have grace upon grace. So we could have the Spirit living in us and enabling us to live humbly and obediently.

“Lord, purify my heart! Enable me to serve you humbly” I plea. “May all the glory be yours now and forever!”

When we humble ourselves before the Lord, God will lift us up.
When we surrender our egos to God, he will bless us with our true selves.
When we submit ourselves to God, he will bear fruit through us.
When we give all the glory to God, he will bless us with his peace.

 

Gracious God,
We humble ourselves before you.
Forgive us our selfishness, neglect, and stubbornness.
Purify our hearts!
Enable us to walk humbly with you.
Show us personally
what is means to lead a humble lifestyle.
Thank you, Father, for your love!
Thank you, Jesus, for your grace!
Thank you, Holy Spirit, for your power!
In Jesus’ name,
Amen

Q4U: Have you crucified your ego with Christ? How do you respond to God’s add “Wanted: Humble Hearts for God”?

Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you serve God humbly and obidiently!

Giving thanks today for
#61 God’s living Word
#62 God’s patience with us
#63 enabling grace
#64 God’s holiness
#65 standing invitation to the cross
#66 finding my true identity in Christ
#67 it’s not about me but about God
#68 rest we find in Jesus
#69 peace we have in Jesus
#70 being a child of God

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The 10th WINNER of the Common English Bible softcover edition is Debbie !

All these CEB give aways are possible because I am participating in the Common English Bible (CEB) blog tour. Let’s check out this fresh new Bible translation!

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Image courtesy of ochristian.com.
Linking up today with Sharing His Beauty & Hear it on Sunday, Us it on Monday &

12 thoughts on “Wanted: Humble Hearts 4 God

  1. God bless you sista. I really needed to read this, the flesh must be crucified so that Christ can live through us. He died for us!!!

  2. Yes, God desires us to have humble hearts.  Amen to this!

    How exciting to learn that I won the giveaway.  I look forward to receiving the CEB.  Thank you so much.

    Blessings and love,
    Debbie

  3. Gideon always cracks me up.  Talk about unlikely heroes. His lack of humility becomes even more ironic when it is laid against his cowardice earlier.  It all encourages me.  If God can use such an unlikely vessel for a victory that has been recorded as a lesson for the ages, He can certainly use the rest of us!

  4. “God desires exclusive loyalty, obedience, and faithfulness. The
    Israelites were not able to do so and we can not able to do it on our
    own, either. But that’s why God sent Jesus”  GREAT STUFF!  Thanks so much.

  5. A “crucified ego”…I love that!  Yes, I believe I have crucified my ego…but I’m also sure that my ego keeps growing back! lol  However, if I daily come before Him and leave my ego at His feet each day, He will accept my humble service.  I think that it is something that we can never stop giving Him, you know?  

    Blessings, Joan

    1. Thanks so much, Joan. Yes, we need to crucify our egos daily and keep on giving our humble hearts day after day. But the benefits are out of this world: a close relationship with God Almighty! Thankful for sharing this wonderful faith journey with you, sis. Stay blessed!

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