The Bible teaches that God humbles those who exalt themselves. Jesus received the humbling that our constant and unremitting self-exaltation merits. What does it deserve? Crucifixion! In other words, our self-exaltation is so heinous in God’s sight that it must be crucified. That is the humbling our pride deserves!
– William P. Farley in Gospel Powered Humility
Here are some good posts on parenting I’ve been collecting:
Five Things We Teach Our Kids When We Don’t Know They Are Watching – Melissa Edgington
When My Fashion Accessory Told Me To Take A Hike – Tim Challies (Yes, this is about parenting, and if you are reading this, you should probably consider this post.)
Daddy, Does God Want To Save Me? – David Murray
Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you. – 1 Peter 5:5-6 (ESV)
Peter tells us to clothe ourselves with humility. We are to humble ourselves toward others and before God. How do we do that? Today, I want to look at two general principles for growing in humility. Then once a week for the next several weeks, we will look at a specific application of those principles. Here are the two principles:
First, we need to renew our minds with Biblical truth (Romans 12:2). Our cultural is full of proud lies seeking to conform us into its way: “Life is all about me.” “You need to get yours.” “It doesn’t matter what God thinks; do your own thing.” “Buy this product so you can impress others with your superiority.” And so it goes. In midst of all this pride, we need to renew our minds in Biblical truth. We need to soak in the Bible that we might develop minds of humility.
Second, we need to train ourselves for godliness (I Timothy 4:7). There are certain habits or disciplines that we can practice to train ourselves in humility. We might call them habits of humility that not only flow out of humility, but also reinforce humility in our lives.
Two principles to help us grow in humility. Next week we will begin looking at some specific applications of those principles. In the meantime, perhaps you can think of your own applications of these principles for your own life.
A weekly collection of current news and issues in the church, country, and world.
The debate on the Hobby Lobby decision continues, so here are a few of my own thoughts, followed by some good posts from others to ponder.
1. Much of the outcry against the decision seems to be that an employer could be involved in such a private, personal matter as birth control. And I agree. But of course Hobby Lobby didn’t ask to be in that position. It was the Obama administration that made birth control public policy by requiring employers to pay for it. As soon as you require someone else to pay, it is no longer a private matter, but a very public matter involving other people. If you want to keep birth control a private, personal choice, save your money and pay for it yourself.
2. Which brings us to the second point: what is the purpose of insurance? I have life insurance to support my family in case I die unexpectedly. I have car insurance to cover the costs if I have an unexpected car accident. I have life insurance to pay the bills if I get an unexpected disease or my health in some other way deteriorates unexpectedly. The point is that insurance is designed so the many can cover the costs of the few who have the unexpected happen. So where does this leave birth control? Good question, because birth control has nothing to do with the unexpected – certainly not in the way of a disease or other health failure. If you want some form of birth control, save your money and buy it. Why should you expect your insurance company pay for it?
3. The answer to that last question of course is because there is a large group of people who want sex to be completely free without any possibility of pregnancy, and of course someone else should fit the bill to make sure there is no pregnancy. But last time I checked, sex without pregnancy was not a Constitutional right. Again, if you want birth control, pay for it yourself. Take responsibility for your actions and stop expecting (or demanding) a handout.
4. While I am not necessarily against birth control in general, any birth control that could cause an abortion shouldn’t even be on the market, let alone be mandated in insurance policies. It would be nice if the current administration would stop trying to shove their pro-abortion views down our throats.
5. Finally, there is the issue of priorities. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion, not free birth control. And that is as it should be.
Here are some other helpful takes on the issue:
Was Hobby Lobby All Wrong About Emergency Contraceptives? – Kevin DeYoung
A Simple Solution to Healthcare Woes: Separate Health Insurance from Employment – Leslie Loftis (The Federalist)
A Company Liberals Could Love – Ross Douthat (The New York Times)
Non-hysterical comments welcome….
– George Whitefield
Why is humility the indispensable virtue?
You can’t get close to God without it.
You can’t love God or man without it.
You can’t obey without it.
You can’t become anything that God wants you to be without it.
– William P. Farley in Gospel Powered Humility
Clothe yourself in humility
With truth renew your mind
Practice habits that are godly
Pursue that you might find
We are created – small are we
Dependent – so we pray
We have value – both you and me
Respect others today
Consider your sin and repent
Cry out for His mercy
Believe in Him whom God has sent
Give thanks – He set you free
Jesus died so that we might live
For righteousness today
In love He served and did forgive
Follow His humble way
– From a sermon on humility
(To the tune of “O God Our Help In Ages Past”)
Here are some good posts on small town/church ministry:
You Won’t Waste Your Life – Jonathan Parnell (DG)
Millions, even in the States, call home those small towns and wide-open spaces that don’t make it on global maps. And the people who live there, the ruralites, need the gospel.
6 Ways Small Churches Can Love Their Communities – Trevin Wax
Is it possible to do acts of mercy in your local Jerusalem with a tiny band of volunteers? Surprisingly, it is. Here are six tips for small church outreach….
Seeing Potential Out in the Corn Fields – Phil Somers (RHMA)
Pray. As you dream, do it on your knees. Pray that God will open your eyes to see your people, church and community as He sees them. Ask Him to help you see what they
could be if He gets hold of them. (Note: This is a PDF)
Our Compassion for People
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
– Mark 12:31
Humility is the crucial virtue.
Without it, the Christian will not be fruitful. Humility is the fertilizer that nourishes our souls and makes us fruitful. Without it, we will lack zeal, be unable to mourn sin, and have little compassion and patience for others. In short, without the pursuit of humility, our souls will wither.
– William P. Farley in Gospel Powered Humility
Brian J. Mikul 