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Important Considerations
Am I proud of my humility? Are you? Remember, let him who thinks he stands take heed, lest he fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12. There are two important considerations that keep us from relapsing into prideful inclinations. The first is acknowledging the state from which I have been brought – by grace. The second is bearing in mind the fast-approaching day of judgment.. a day to which we are hastening.
Exemplary Tale
Last autumn I used a very strong weed-killer on the surrounding paving stones in my home. I jet-washed the entire area, and poured in blessed sand and cement to complete the task! It was weed-free for a few glorious months.. and I smugly rejoiced with exceeding great joy! Yet now a few short months later weeds of all sorts and shape abound on my driveway – in greater profusion than ever before! In the same way…am I proud of my humility?
Weeds of Presumption
Am I proud that the weeds of self-importance were weeded out in some bygone days. Do I rejoice that weeds of presumption have been flushed away from my character? Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall again. We are apt to forget that unholy weeds of self-worth, ego, pride or arrogance.. too readily spring back up to choke lovely flowers – like hearts-ease and other precious things.
Weeds of Corruption
What a catalog of ‘weeds’ have we been delivered from. What a list of Scriptures remind us of who we were – and where we are going. We have been delivered from the pit of corruption – the miry clay.. rescued from the hand of our enemy – delivered from the sword of the Egyptians. We have been freed from the ambush along the road and those who hate us. We have been saved from the violent man and all fears and failings. We have been liberated from death. We have been released from the depths of Sheol. We’ve been set free from the sins of corruption – the guilt of our original iniquity.
Weeds in the Heart
Redeemed from trespasses and sins. Released from the kingdom of darkness.. but there is no ground for pride or self – for it is all of grace. It is all from Him. It is all by grace. And today is still our day of salvation. Today is still the day of our sanctification. Today is still the day for forgiveness and the day for love. Today is still the day for grace and the day for mercy. Today is still the time to root out unholy weeds.. weeds that daily spring back up in our daily lives.
Position of Purity
He brought each of us up out of the miry clay and set our feet upon the Rock. He has put a new song in our mouths and praises on each of our lips. He lifted us up and caused us to be seated in new positions.. a position in Christ, seated in heavenly places. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us.. but to Your name give glory, because of Your mercy.
Process of Cleansing
This was our unenviable condition, but we were redeemed. Today we are washed.. and need continual washing. Today we are anointed, yes we need continual anointing. Today we should be dressing ourselves in the robes of righteousness. Today we should be making preparations for our coming bridegroom. Humility being the inner garment with which we each first needs to be covered.
O.T. Warning
Moses was a very humble man we read.. but he first needed to be brought to the end of himself. Moses tried by self-effort; Moses tried by personal influence; Moses even tried by violent means to bring about the deliverance for his people. Moses tried every way he could to serve God.. but Moses only succeeded in serving his ego, for forty whole years! But after forty years of trying God confined his activity to forty more long waiting, refining years.. forty years in the wilderness. Forty more long years – to prepare him for his one important task.
N.T. Caution
The Beloved John, at the end of his earthly toil was banished to his Patmos, before his vision. Paul’s was shut away in prison chains, before he wrote many words of salvation and truth. Each required the solemn reminder:- let him who thinks he stands take heed – lest he fall. 1 Corinthians10:12 Have we like Moses tried by self-effort, personal influence and even violent means, to bring about deliverance for His people? Does God need to do in our lives what he did with Moses, John, and Paul? Does He need to root out those last weeds of pride, that spring back so readily?
Present Application
Your life may be strewn with deep disappointments; great sorrow; unspeakable loss.. You may have been flung into a hard and troubled place.. You may have been submerged in a pool of miry clay for many a long year. You may be confined to a Horeb’s wilderness. You may be bound in prison chains or have a Patmos banishment, in order to allow patience to have her perfect work in your life – that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Continuous Weeding
Don’t kick against the pricks of your hard place and great troubles. Embrace your difficulties and fears and commit all to Him. Praise Him that He makes all things work together for good.. even your Patmos banishment. There are yet helps and revelations and even future blessings of God that can not be received until the last vestiges of pride or arrogance be rooted out.. continuously rooted out – little by little.. day by day are weeded out.. precept upon precept – line upon line.
Learning Process
But consider this.. He only chooses those saints whom He knows have a teachable spirit! Saints like Moses, John and Paul. Do you have a teachable spirit, child of God? – do I? Are you prepared to walk the weary wilderness and to have every drop of ego squeezed away? Are you prepared to bear the confines of the prison walls – in order to strip you of the Pharisee’s necklace of pride? Are you prepared to suffer the loneliness of the Patmos experience.. in order to receive a ‘vision’ of Jesus? He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says….Revelation 2:29
Bible References
51 Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?
3 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
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