To be...

This past week, God has been speaking to me regarding humility, pride and confidence.  It is so funny to me, how, when He wants to gain my attention, He can and will get it, regardless of how much I struggle or fight against it!  A couple Wednesday nights ago, we studied in Luke chapter 18, about being humble before the Lord.  When we come to Him we are not to boast proudly about how we are not like "those other people - such sinners", but rather that we realize how unworthy we are and so thankful to accept his forgiveness.  We are to be humble. 

But does humble mean we are worthless?  NO.  On the contrary, when we are humble we set aside ourselves and put on the likeness of Christ.  Listening to a radio program the other day I heard the most convicting information I have heard in a long time...we are to be humble in ourselves and what we have to offer, but we are to have GREAT CONFIDENCE in what Christ can and will do THROUGH us.  WOW!!  He is willing and even longs to use me no matter what my mistakes are.  But, the key is, I have to allow Him to use me and to work through me.

Did you know we can be proud and boastful of our short-comings?  Labeling ourselves as useless to others and to God.  That is not being humble, that is a form of pride and such a common way that satan attacks us and attempts to remind us that we are not worthy of our Redeemer.  It's true, we are not worthy to be redeemed, but He is worthy and His sacrifice is more than sufficient for us to enter into a life worth living for Him.  If we are not living for Him, there is no one else to live for. 

Christ lived a sinless life.  Then while on the cross, He felt the pain of every sin you and I have ever or will ever commit.  He took our sin upon Himself.  He felt the conviction, turmoil, anguish and the hopelessness that many of us feel when we are in sin.  He felt the loneliness of life without the Father.  God could not look at Christ because Christ became our sin.  Then, He gave His life up.  It was not taken from Him, He willingly laid it down.  On the third day, He rose from that grave, walked, talked and ate with others for 40 days, then ascended into Heaven to be with the Father, where He sits at His right hand.  But guess what...He sent His Holy Spirit to live within us while He is away, and He is coming again to bring us home.  Oh, how I long for that day!

But what are we to do while we wait?  Come back and read the next post what He is continually revealing to me as I press on to walk in His presence, and strive to love Him with my all.
In Christ, have a blessed day!