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Posts Tagged ‘humble’

Day 124, “What is the Veil Upon Your Heart”

Posted in Under-the-Influence, Devo Shorts 2011, tagged , , , , , on July 15, 2019| Leave a Comment »

“But whenever a person turns [in repentance] to the Lord, the veil is stripped off and taken away.”  2Cor 3:16 AMP

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Part of the walk of a believer in Christ is becoming increasingly mature in Him.  This requires putting off things that obstruct seeing in clarity.

Perhaps our greatest adversary in this can be our own preconceived ideas, notions of truth that have taken anchor in our hearts which are neither true, nor easily dislodged.

Like seeing with rose-colored glasses, everything is tinted because of that heart-attitude.

You may wonder, “Where is what she is referring to in the Bible?”

Slide over to 2Corinthians 3.  In this chapter the Apostle Paul gives us a stark contrast between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant of the Bible. Between the Old Testament and the New.  Between what he calls the “dispensation of death’’ (or the Mosaic Law), and the “dispensation of the Spirit” (The Gospel – Law of Spirit of Life).

Moses, in fact, had chosen to wear a veil to obscure the diminishing glory of God from upon his countenance which he obtained upon the mountain as he received the Ten Commandments from God. This becomes important! Moses, the most humble of all men, in fear and pride chose to wear a veil so the diminishing glory on his face wouldn’t be detected. But that glory had to decrease!

The Glory of the Mosaic Law and all its importance is always superseded by the Glory of the Gospel! Even though the dispensation of the Mosaic Law was attended with great glory, it pales in significance to the Glory of the dispensation of the Spirit (where men obtain and are governed by the Holy Spirit).

This was the bias that was created and still exists today. When the Old Covenant is lifted up and read as preeminent, that same veil that was upon Moses lies upon a person’s heart – it is not lifted away to show that in Christ it is made void and done away with!

Head over to Hebrews 9 for a second.  Hebrews 9:8 gives insight into this same phenomenon. 

By this the Holy Spirit points out that the way into the [true Holy of Holies is not yet thrown open as long as the former [the outer portion of the] tabernacle remains a recognized institution and is still standing,”

Don’t lose the point here now:  as great and wonderful as the Mosaic Law was – and while it was delivered to man by Angels, it must make way for the greater work of God – the work of Jesus in the Gospel and the life in the Spirit.

So where the Old Covenant hasn’t been superseded by the New, the way is not yet opened to new life, new understanding, new relationship, and new leading by the Holy Spirit, and certainly new and greater glory!

The point is God doesn’t give us all insight at once, and the ground you are standing so confidently on today as “all truth” may very well be the thing in God’s crosshairs to move you further along. So be vested fully in God, not simply your understanding!

Where we tend to park our hearts in dogmatic ways, we are in danger of falling short of going on in our journey with the Holy Spirit. It is in this place that we have placed a veil upon our heart giving superiority then to teachings and understanding that only validate our position.

Watchmen Nee says we become like lawyers whose first thought is to refute a revelation and dismiss it as nonsense even when much Scripture validation is provided. Don’t let this be your posture!

This posture is like wearing rose-colored doctrinal glasses: I only now will receive further understanding that tracks along my current sacred cow thinking.

This is how denominations came into being, and it is how we get into very deep trouble, presuming that we hold the 411 on a particular understanding.

Why is this critical to see? We are deep into the last days. This is a time when the enemy is trying and already working great deception, and his favorite target is not the lost, but believers.  He cannot thwart your salvation, but he can derail you into a sidling path of error and deception taking you captive by the very veil that you have chosen to defer to and make the singular truth.

The point is:  THIS DAY ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO DISSASEMBLE AND OBLITERATE STRONGHOLDS OF THINKING THAT ARE NOT FULL TRUTH!

We are so apt to allow our greatest confidence to be in our own thinking, instead of in the Lord. Our greatest loyalty should be towards Him, and not our own understanding. Our leaning should always be in trust upon Him, and not our own plan.

We should always stay in a place where in humbleness the Holy Spirit can minister greater truth.

We should always remain tentative in trusting even our own template for assessing:

Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!  And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Ps 139:23-24

Remain in the posture by faith where the greater work God desires can have its way in you!

Acts 5:38-39, a wise Pharisee of the Sanhedrin who taught Paul weighed in concerning the plans of God:

…if this doctrine or purpose or undertaking or movement is of human origin, it will fail (be overthrown and come to nothing); but if it is of God, you will not be able to stop or overthrow or destroy them; you might even be found fighting against God!”

What then should be our course? Be vessels for God’s use. Do not elevate your plans as the assured thing! They may get modified, or taken out altogether. But rather set apart God in your heart as the Preeminent One, letting everything flow from faith in Him!

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Day Ninety, Security in Being Humble

Posted in Under-the-Influence, Devo Shorts 2011, tagged , , , , on January 1, 2016| Leave a Comment »

“When they make you low, you will say there is a lifting up; and the humble person He lifts up and saves.” Amp Job 22:29

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There is a place of safety even when it appears you are actively being sidelined, overlooked, discounted, neglected, or persecuted. It is a place of shielding and security in the very Presence of God and the walls of it’s structure are lined with the wallpaper of submission and humility before the God with Whom we have to do.

This is a place in the very stronghold of God! But the price of your admission is the Cross of Christ and your continued willingness to align in submission to the likeness of Christ’s submission to the Father as He went to the Cross.

Deviate from that spirit of humility and a humble posture… and you will be coming around this mountain again… and again!

It won’t be enough to posture as humble.  It must be congruent within you through and through!  It must radiate out of you as truth!

It will not be without pain and suffering.  But even that you will need to roll and commit to God moment by moment. And even though all things seem to cooperate in making you low, you must continue to believe …There is a lifting up!

This must be the confidence in your heart!  God is Faithful… there is a lifting up! Declare and degree it to your own heart! As an act of your will in faith before God …proclaim it in your own hearing, enforce in it your own flesh.  Bring every thought that would deny it, to the captivity of Christ Jesus!

His will will be done on earth as it is in Heaven!  And you are simply one of His earthen vessels that He desires to download Heaven into … that it can be poured out upon others!

It is the very reason you find yourself in this situation. But remain in confidence before the Lord.  He has Got This!  And He has got YOU!

It is the Humble person He lifts up and saves!  That process of being lifted up will make every impact and facet of being made low pale in comparison!

You can count on it! Count on Him! Go quickly to humbleness and stay there before Him!

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Day Seventy-Three, Finding the Gate of Greatness Through Humility

Posted in Under-the-Influence, Devo Shorts 2011, tagged , , , , , on December 12, 2013| 1 Comment »

Day Seventy-Three

Finding the Gate of Greatness — Through Humility

“Whoever exalts himself [with haughtiness and empty pride] shall be humbled (brought low], and whoever humbles himself [whoever has a modest opinion of himself and behaves accordingly] shall be raised to honor.” Mt 23:12 Amp

            Jesus Christ is our pattern, our example, and He is our way.  For that reason it is of great profit to look at Jesus through the lens of humbleness that He walked out from the cradle to the grave for our benefit, and realize – this should be our path as well.  So let us not just take note of that this season, but allow a full work of the word to change our thinking that we may be made low…

            The Greek meaning of humble in James 4:6 is tapeinos — #5011, not rising far from the ground, lowly, of low degree, low with grief, depressed, lowly in spirit, humble.  It is the same meaning used in Matthew 11:29 where Jesus tells us to come to Him to learn of Him — and describes Himself as gentle and humble and that we will find rest for our souls in Him.

            Now think of Christ’s entrance into this world – in a lowly manger.  In an animal feed trough even: born to Mary and Joseph in mean estate – having nothing as far as this world’s riches – but ushering into this world a way of knowing true riches of His Kingdom.  He made Himself so very low – so that you and I could become very rich – in Him (Phil 2:5-10).  He covered His glory in a tent of inglorious flesh and took upon Himself our image.  Then in that image went to a place of cursing – to be crucified on a tree – so that He could bear the sins of the world and the reproach due mankind for its disobedience.  But now even though He has been raised from the dead to glory once again, He continues to hold the frame of the Son of Man for all time.

            As I read through the Scriptures detailing the humbleness of Christ, I am not only connecting with Who He is, but how He is – for He changeth not.  It is an astounding thing that the Creator of all is so humble and meek.  For our sake He demonstrates power in restraint — not only so that we may know Him, but that we would recognize the profit of becoming subject to Him and thus like Him – even in this humility.  The gate to the greatness of Christ is indeed found through humility! In reference to Him – we should not rise far from the ground!

            I highly recommend you do a word study of “humble” in the Scripture.  Allow the word to come into your heart and wash away every notion of self-pride or high opinion.  Finally, end in your reading with this verse from 1Peter 5:5-6.  It is sure to open your eyes concerning humility.

            “Likewise, you who are younger and of lesser rank, be subject to the elders (the ministers and spiritual guides of the church) – [giving them due respect and yielding to their counsel]. Clothe (apron) yourselves, all of you, with humility {as the garb of a servant, so that it’s covering cannot possibly be stripped from you, with freedom from pride and arrogance] toward one another.  For God sets Himself against the proud (the insolent, the overbearing, the disdainful, the presumptuous, the boastful) – [and He opposes, frustrates, and defeats them], but gives grace (favor, blessing) to the humble.”

            Because the Son of God came as the servant of God, we now have the choice and ability to be humble ourselves, and serve in His Name.  He has both become the Way and made a Way for us – with Himself, not far from the ground… but also to be seated in heavenly places with Him.  To choose the one – we must receive also the other.  It is less about being clothed as a servant – it is about being clothed with Christlikeness!

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