Quiet Time

I have found myself wondering lately what others do for their personal quiet time with the Lord.  There are so many ways to practice His presence!  One of my favorite things to do is to take Scriptures or the devotionals I'm reading and turn them into prayers that I write out in my journal.  This way, when I'm having a rough time and feel stuck or don't know how to pray, I just open my journal and read it aloud. It soothes my soul and reminds me of God's love, grace, and mercy. It helps me exalt him above every problem and circumstance.  It's so easy to knock the personal, intimate time to the bottom of the shuffle in a busy day, but my day feels so off when I allow that!  When I seek God first, I am just a much more peaceful person.  I'm pretty sure everyone around me appreciates it.  :)

Honor

Looking further into aspects of humility, I studied honor with the Youth and Young Adults groups.

By definition, honor is regarding something or someone as precious; reverence or respect.

We no longer live in a culture where most people are taught to honor others. Oh, we hear terms like "tolerance," but to merely put up with something someone does is not the same as honoring them.

Enjoy these discussion notes, based on the book, Honor's Reward by John Bevere.

Honor

*Before you can honor another, you must choose humility

Honor is to value; see as weighty and precious; to reverence and respect

You receive many blessings just by becoming a child of God through the acceptance of the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  But, there are other blessings/rewards you only receive by honoring those God has appointed in your life.

Think about it like this:  just by being your parents’ child, you receive some things like a place to live, clothes to wear, and food to eat.  By honoring your parents, however, you can receive other privileges/rewards/blessings, such as driving a car, having a phone, or using your parent’s credit card.

By choosing humility and honor, you determine which rewards you receive.

Obviously, we know we should honor God above anyone else, but He has also set up a kingdom, not a democracy!  He has appointed leaders in positions of authority.  If you say you honor authority yet refrain from submission and obedience to it, you deceive yourself.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 13:1-2, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.  Therefore, whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God.

Paul is referring to all areas of delegated authority (this is authority entrusted to another; people are God’s delegated authority on earth).  The New Testament speaks of 4 divisions of delegated authority: civil, social, family, and church. 

Here are some verses to give you an idea of what God expects of you in each area.  Note, however, that though we are told that all authority is of God, He doesn’t say that all authority is godly!

Harsh leaders will give an account to God, but those placed under their rule will be tested like David under Saul.  If they choose to honor, they will be rewarded!  It is profitable for us to honor the position and our Father who placed the leader there, even if we dislike them or disagree with them.  Also realize this though:  you are not required to obey a leader who is asking you to sin!

Civil Authority/Honor: (government)

Romans 13:3-7

3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

1 Peter 2:17

17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the king.

Social Authority/Honor: (employers, teachers, coaches, etc…)

(*These verses refer to the work we have to do)

1 Timothy 6:1

6 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.

Ephesians 6:5-8

5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.

Family Authority/Honor:

Ephesians 5:33

33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

1 Peter 3:7

7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

Ephesians 5:22

22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.

Titus 2:4-5

4 Then they (the older women) can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Psalm 127:3

3 Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.

(*The following two verses can be applicable in the other areas of delegated authority as well.  “Little ones” can mean children or newer believers in the faith.)

Matthew 18:6-7

6 If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!

Matthew 18:10

10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

Ephesians 6:2-3

2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

Leviticus 20:9

9 “‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death. Because they have cursed their father or mother, their blood will be on their own head.  (Thank heaven for Jesus and grace!  God was pretty serious about this, wasn’t He?)

Proverbs 29:15

15 A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom, but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.

Church Authority/Honor:

Ephesians 4:11

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.

Hebrews 13:17

17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

John 13:20

20 Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”

Matthew 10:40-42

40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”

Do you treat all people with dignity and respect (honor)?  God makes it clear in 1 Peter 2:17 that He indeed means all people. 

Do you find yourself criticizing, judging, or making fun of others…even if it is in your mind but you don’t say it aloud?  Or maybe you do say it aloud.   Do you gossip about others behind their back?  Do you repeat things you've heard and slander others?  Do you know that God says you will give an account for every idle word you speak? 

Do you make it a point to be a friend to those who others don’t deem worthy or are you too cool for that?  Do you exclude others from your circle? 

Do you do what authority asks of you with a happy and willing heart? 

Do you give honor where honor is due? 

Honor is displayed through submission (attitude) and obedience (action). 

Your honor determines your reward.

Isaiah 1: 17-20

17 Learn to do right; seek justice.  Defend the oppressed.  Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.  18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord.  “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; 20 but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.”  For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Humility

In the Young Adults group at our church, we have been discussing humility. It was an eye-opening study!  Enjoy these notes :)

Humility is not:

~Feeling sorry for yourself

~Putting yourself down

~Pretending you can’t do anything right; God has given you gifts & abilities

~Thinking/focusing on yourself all the time

~Lowering yourself to other people and letting them walk all over you

~Completely denying yourself (for example, taking a vow of poverty…that doesn’t make you humble; that makes you poor!)

Humility is:

~Loving yourself in a way that does not put you over anyone else; you are not better or worse than anyone!

~Recognizing that you are who you are and what you are because GOD gifted and enabled you; you are not an amazing self-creation!

~Submitting to the will of God, believing He knows all the answers and the way to your best life

James 4:6 God opposes the proud but gives grace (His empowerment) to the humble. 

God provides His empowerment to those who don’t rely on their own power and strength, but instead allow Him to lead the way.  The proud are those who believe that they know best, try to do everything in their own power, by their own ego.  This doesn’t mean a person is to just sit back and not act.  It means one watches and listens for His leading and follows Him.  Therefore, greater humility is greater power.  When you become less, God and others can become more, and in return, God will exalt and promote you.  Over and over, we are told in the Bible to humble ourselves; it is our choice.

*Humility comes before honor

Proverbs 15:33 The fear (the reverence, awe, and honor) of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, and before honor comes humility.  (You can’t honor another until you humble yourself.)

*Grace is given to the humble

1 Peter 5:5-6 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.  (You don’t have to make yourself something great.  You follow God and HE will make you great for His glory.)

*Humility goes hand-in-hand with prayer

2 Chronicles 7:14 And My people who are called by My name shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land (their inheritance-what they have been given and entrusted with).

*Humilty and faith

Romans 12:3 For through the grace given to me, I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.  (You may think you are better than others, but God doesn’t see it that way!)

*God has given us the gift of grace

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.  (You have nothing to boast about; it’s all God!)

*We all fall short

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 

*Humility involves putting others first

Philippians 2:3-11

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (It’s not about you!)

*Humility shows we have been chosen by God

Colossians 3:12 And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Your fruit will prove where your heart really is no matter what your words say!  Can others watch you and know you are a Christian, or do they get confused or even turned away from Christianity because your walk doesn’t match your talk?)

*The humble shall be exalted

Matthew 23:12 And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted. 

Remember what God said to Cain in Genesis 4:6-7?  “Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.’”  Do you trust God to exalt you or do you find yourself doing things to be accepted?  One of the saddest tragedies in life is to look back years later and regret the actions or lack of actions of your youth.  Choose humility.