Humble Yourself

I have a love/hate relation with teaching. I love to teach and preach especially at the Colony of Mercy. I love being with the men.

I love to study God’s Word and glean insights from it. But teaching/preaching for me is always very humbling because before I get to share it with the men, the Holy Spirit takes the message and shines His light on me – on my life.

This week’s theme at the Colony is on humility. Normally the message/topic that I get to address has to do with sexual temptation. But this time I landed on the Sunday with the topic of humility!

Ouch! This one hurt. It was painful. It revealed my heart. It was supposed to speak the men’s heart not mine. But it did.

In preparation for the message, I came across a cool outline from Bill Gothard. Now if you are not a BG fan, not hit delete or unsubscribe. God has greatly used this man over the past several decades. I certainly do not agree with everything he says – but neither does everyone agree with everything I say.

He gave a great checklist from James 4:6-10 on how to achieve humility:

1. Submit yourself to God with total, unconditional surrender to His will.
2. Resist the devil, allowing no secret sin or hindering weight.
3. Draw nigh to God by seeking His face through the Scriptures.
4. Cleanse your hands by confessing all sin and making restitution.
5. Purify your hearts, making sure there is no secret desire to continue sinning.
6. Be afflicted and mourn and weep. Grieve over the awfulness of sin.
7. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness.
8. Do all this in the sight of the Lord, and HE will lift you up.

Wow, that is a text that preaches. Take a moment to read those verses and look at the outline. Can it be said of you that you are a humble man? In what ways has God taught you about humility?

Running the race with joy,

Bill Welte
President/CEO of America’s Keswick

Daily Bible Reading: Isaiah 50-52; Mark 12:28-44

Quote of the day:  Those who think too much of themselves don’t think enough. – Amy Carmichael

Bible Memory: I cling to your testimonies, O Lord; let me not be put to shame! I will run the course of your commandments when you enlarge my heart. – Psalm 119:31-32