to be humble

To be humble. That is something that most Christains would believe to be a viture. But what does it mean. Late the other night God spoke to me about hummility. To be honest at first I was kind of annoyed because all I wanted was sleep. But that was not to be. Intead as I lay there thinking and praying to God my mind wandered to missions and ministry as it often does. it was then that my thoughts strayed to this picture I recently saw of Fred Fulford and a gentleman from Africa. I caught myself thinking about how much harder it must be for him to minister over there in Africa. All he had was his Bible and a love for Christ. Some where the thoughts began to rise up out of my subconcious that he didn't even know the proper theology of wht he was teaching. This is when God struck. As I thought this I began appaled at what I had just thought. There was no way that could have come out of my mind. It must have been some one else's thought that I was remembering. But the Holy Spirit in his gentle yet blunt manner did not let me dismiss this replusive line of thought so easily. Yes, I felt the Holy Spirit convicting me that this was my thought and the view I subconcious self held.
After some repentance and inward struggle dealing with this new foundaspect of my sinful self, God also showed me how this is true of much of the church in the Westren world. We who live in such access and blatant wealth, (which no matter how poor we feel we know we are compared to the rest of the world) seem to fall into the trap of believing because we appear to have so much more in knowledge and philosphy and material possesions must also have more spiritual wealth and knowledge as well. This is so far from the truth. We have become proud. We use our status and wealth and position to support our pride. We often without realising it take this pride and palce oursleves in a place of honor. To our shame, yet justly, God has told us in his Word that those who place themsleves in the seats of honor will be lowered when the host arrives to the party and those in the low will be raised up. "The last shall be first and the first shall be last." We have a choice when it comes to humilty, choose to be humble or be humbled. That is our only choice.
Upon futher reflection of this I can not help but think that maybe the moral decay that we see happening around us in our country is a result of pride and the process of humbling the is result in response. Not to say God is causing it as a punishment, but rather it just seems to follow a pattern. Isreal thought they had it all figured out. They had the rules and the methods. But they missed the truth in following them. For decades Canadains concidered themsleves a strong Christian nation and have now missed the very nature of our nations spiritual state until it is possilby too late.
I believe now that the man with just his Bible and and Love for Jesus is a great man. A greater man than I. A man that if I were to ever meet in person, I would sit down and be taught by. Actually as I sit here typing this out, I realize that I have been taught by him. A very important lesson. God is not looking for perfect theology. He knows we will never achieve that. (not to say we should never study it) Instead first of all, He is looking for submission and loyality. That my friends is now a goal of my heart. To spread a passion for the name of Jesus Christ and to live a humble life in accordance to His Word, some how while in the midst of a culture obbsessed with position and posessions. How I do not know. But this I do know God has promised to help and with that help I will some how manage.
originally posted and written by Monster