A Great Humbling
Recently, those were the words God put on my heart. Hmm? Not a popular "word" for sure! No "likes" or high-fives on that one. But the two words that are standing out for 2015 are "humbling" and "obedience". God was showing me that before the next Great Awakening--before the next great revival can sweep our country--His church must humble themselves. Now is the opportunity for us to examine ourselves and root out any pride that is within us and within our churches and ministries. We don't point out other's pride, but our own. Search our hearts and root it out. If we don't, He will.
Today, body cleanses are quite popular...colon cleanses, liver cleanses, kidney cleanses, etc. What the church today needs is a spiritual cleanse. Cleanses are uncomfortable, inconvenient and painful. But once you are through it, you feel so much better. The pain is worth the results.
We, as citizens of the Kingdom of God, must root out all the pride and arrogance within us. We must not seek a good show in the place of an encounter with God. We must stop feeding our spirit junk food and begin to take in the good nourishment of God's Word and intensely seeking His face in worship and prayer. He wants you to grow and fulfill His purpose for your life, but without proper nourishment you will stay a malnourished, weak, carnal Christian.
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. If we don't humble ourselves, God will. He is gracious and merciful and patient. He gives us many opportunities to humble ourselves and obey His Word. But we can all name examples of well-known people who became "famous" preaching God's Word who didn't humble themselves and, in time, God allowed them to BE humbled by their sin and pride. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.
People are watching your life. What you do, matters. You have a purpose to fulfill. Let's get serious about rooting out pride and carnality in our lives. Let's make humility and obedience our top priority in 2015. Now THAT is a New Year's resolution!
As God spoke these words to Solomon, He is speaking them to us today:
..if My people who are called by My name will 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. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.
He who has an ear, let him hear, what the Spirit is saying to the church.
Proverbs 16:18-19 Galatians 6:7 I Peter 5:6 2 Chronicles 7:14-16
~~Arlene Luchie
Recently, those were the words God put on my heart. Hmm? Not a popular "word" for sure! No "likes" or high-fives on that one. But the two words that are standing out for 2015 are "humbling" and "obedience". God was showing me that before the next Great Awakening--before the next great revival can sweep our country--His church must humble themselves. Now is the opportunity for us to examine ourselves and root out any pride that is within us and within our churches and ministries. We don't point out other's pride, but our own. Search our hearts and root it out. If we don't, He will.
Today, body cleanses are quite popular...colon cleanses, liver cleanses, kidney cleanses, etc. What the church today needs is a spiritual cleanse. Cleanses are uncomfortable, inconvenient and painful. But once you are through it, you feel so much better. The pain is worth the results.
We, as citizens of the Kingdom of God, must root out all the pride and arrogance within us. We must not seek a good show in the place of an encounter with God. We must stop feeding our spirit junk food and begin to take in the good nourishment of God's Word and intensely seeking His face in worship and prayer. He wants you to grow and fulfill His purpose for your life, but without proper nourishment you will stay a malnourished, weak, carnal Christian.
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. If we don't humble ourselves, God will. He is gracious and merciful and patient. He gives us many opportunities to humble ourselves and obey His Word. But we can all name examples of well-known people who became "famous" preaching God's Word who didn't humble themselves and, in time, God allowed them to BE humbled by their sin and pride. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.
People are watching your life. What you do, matters. You have a purpose to fulfill. Let's get serious about rooting out pride and carnality in our lives. Let's make humility and obedience our top priority in 2015. Now THAT is a New Year's resolution!
As God spoke these words to Solomon, He is speaking them to us today:
..if My people who are called by My name will 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. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.
He who has an ear, let him hear, what the Spirit is saying to the church.
Proverbs 16:18-19 Galatians 6:7 I Peter 5:6 2 Chronicles 7:14-16
~~Arlene Luchie
