Cultivate Humility - Part 2

by Ryan Townsend

"God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."James 4:6

Here's more great stuff to read slowly and prayerfully from Stuart Scott's From Pride to Humility:

A list of 24 manifestations of what Christ exalting humility should produce in your life.

1. Recognizing and trusting God’s character (Psalm 119:66)
2. Seeing yourself as having no right to question or judge an Almighty and Perfect God (Psalm 145:17; Romans 9:19-23)
3. Focusing on Christ (Philippians 1:21; Hebrews 12:1-2)
4. Biblical praying and a great deal of it (1 Thessalonians 5:17; 1 Timothy 2:1-2)
5. Being overwhelmed with God’s undeserved grace and goodness (Psalm 116:12-19)
6. Thankfulness and gratitude in general towards others (1 Thess. 5:18)
7. Being gentle and patient (Colossians 3:12-14)
8. Seeing yourself as no better than others (Romans 12:16; Ephesians 3:8)
9. Having an accurate view of your gifts and abilities (Romans 12:3)
10. Being a good listener (James 1:19; Philippians 2:3-4)
11. Talking about others only if it is good or for their good (Proverbs 11:13)
12. Being gladly submissive and obedient to those in authority (Rom. 12:1-2, 13:1-2)
13. Preferring others over yourself (Romans 12:10)
14. Being thankful for criticism or reproof (Proverbs 9:8, 27:5-6)
15. Having a teachable spirit (Proverbs 9:9)
16. Seeking always to build up others (Ephesians 4:29)
17. Serving (Galatians 5:13)
18. A quickness in admitting when you are wrong (Proverbs 29:23)
19. A quickness in granting and asking for forgiveness (Colossians 3:12-14)
20. Repenting of sin as a way of life (Colossians 3:1-14; 1 Timothy 4:7-9)
21. Minimizing others’ sins or shortcomings in comparison to one’s own (Matthew 7:3-4)
22. Being genuinely glad for others (Romans 12:15)
23. Being honest and open about who you are and the areas in which you need growth (Philippians 3:12-14; Galatians 6:2)
24. Possessing close relationships (Acts 20:31-38)

Cultivate Humility - Part 1

(from http://blog.9marks.org/2010/01/cultivate-humility-part-1.html)
by Ryan Townsend

"God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."James 4:6

In his booklet From Pride to Humility, Stuart Scott has compiled an insightful list of 30 biblical indicators as to whether pride is resident in our hearts. Read these slowly and prayerfully.

1. Complaining against or passing judgment on God (Numbers 14:1-4, 9, 11; Romans 9:20)
2. A lack of gratitude (2 Chronicles 32:25)
3. Anger (Proverbs 28:25; Matthew 20:1-16)
4. Seeing yourself as better than others (Luke 7:36-50)
5. Having an inflated view of your importance, gifts and abilities (Acts 12:21-23)
6. Being focused on the lack of your gifts and abilities (1 Cor. 12:14-25)
7. Perfectionism (Matthew 23:24-28)
8. Talking too much (Proverbs 10:19)
9. Talking too much about yourself (Proverbs 27:2; Galatians 6:3)
10. Seeking independence or control (1 Corinthians 1:10-13; Ephesians 5:21)
11. Being consumed with what others think (Galatians 1:10)
12. Being devastated or angered by criticism (Proverbs 13:1)
13. Being unteachable (Proverbs 19:20; John 9:13-34)
14. Being sarcastic, hurtful, degrading, talking down to them(Proverbs 12:18, 24)
15. A lack of service (Galatians 5:13, Ephesians 2:10)
16. A lack of compassion (Matthew 5:7, 18:23-35)
17. Being defensive or blame-shifting (Genesis 3:12-13; Proverbs 12:1)
18. A lack of admitting when you are wrong (Proverbs 10:17)
19. A lack of asking forgiveness (Matthew 5:23-24)
20. A lack of biblical prayer (Luke 18:10-14)
21. Resisting authority or being disrespectful (1 Peter 2:13-17)
22. Voicing preferences or opinions when not asked (Philippians 2:1-4)
23. Minimizing your own sin and shortcomings (Matthew 7:3-5)
24. Maximizing others’ sin and shortcomings (Matthew 7:3-5; Luke 18:9-14)
25. Being impatient or irritable with others (Ephesians 4:31-32)
26. Being jealous or envious (1 Corinthians 13:4)
27. Using others (Matthew 7:12; Philippians 2:3-4)
28. Being deceitful by covering up sins, faults, and mistakes (Proverbs 11:3; 28:13)
29. Using attention-getting tactics (1 Peter 3:3,4)
30. Not having close relationships (Proverbs 18:1-2; Hebrews 10:24-25)

Augustine on Free Will

"Free will is more destroyed than establised by its defenders." (Augustine, in In Evangelium Johannis tractatus tract. 81)

John Calvin expounds, "Those who invests us with more than we possess only add sacrilege to our ruin. For when we are taught to contend in our own strength, what more is done than to lift us up, and then leave us to lean on a reed which immediately gives way? Indeed, our strength is exaggerated when it is compared to a reed. All that foolish men invent and prattle on this subject is mere smoke..."

The Groaning of Creation

I've just finished watching several videos from recent earthquake in Haiti. Initially my heart goes out to the people but my second response is 'God, why?'.

"...those eighteen on whom the tower of Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." Luke 13:4-5

"For creation was subjected to futility, not willingly but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage of decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for the adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." Romans 8:20-23

Amidst devastation God calls us to a 'greater reality' with radical introspection. In Luke 13:4-5, Christ dismantles our natural propensity to judge the situations ourselves.Our responsibility is to consider our own end trusting in God "...who made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him." Furthermore, our responsibility is to pray that God might open the eyes of others to see their need for Jesus. And finally, our responsibility is to proclaim through word and deed the salvation of Jesus that has been afforded to this fallen world.

Also, amidst devastation God calls us to a 'greater reality' with radical extro-spection. In Romans 8:20-23 God shows us the larger storyline of creation wherein he has given it up to its own fallen state. The inherent result is devastation, but it is not devastation that is without hope. Rather, the central purpose of creation 'groaning' is so that we ourselves would groan in hope for another creation. We graciously receive a foretaste of this hope as Spirit-indwelt believers. Our hope is for a new creation but our hope is in Jesus who through his life, death and resurrection provides the redemption or the deliverance of creation from its fallen state. A new creation has been purchased through his blood for the glory of our Father, and the good of his people. Wait in hope!
(Matt Marek/American Red Cross/AP Photo)