Submission To The King

Last night as I went to bed, I resigned myself to the fact that we now have President-Elect Obama. He wasn’t my first choice, but it’s kind of funny how things worked out.

Over the past week or so, God has really been dealing with me about the election. As it became evident that McCain’s chances were low, I began to be reminded that it’s not the president of the United States who ultimately determines the course of history. Nor is it the legislative or judicial brances.

In the grand scheme of things, Jesus Christ, the “Captain of our salvation” is at the helm.

A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)

It’s interesting to see that my friend Jason had a similar revelation.

I get so tired of selfish praying that happens in so many churches. I get so tired of Christians who say things like, “I don’t think a true Christian could possibly vote for Obama!” As if the balot box is how God determines a person’s eternal destiny!

When we allow ourselves to say these kinds of things, we open ourselves up to being overtaken by pride.

I’m sick of pride. Not just in others, but in myself too.

This is a simple issue to overcome. Unfortunately, simple doesn’t mean easy. By simple, I mean it is one step.

How to overcome pride

1.  Submit to God (James 4:7)

How do you submit to God?
Unfortunately, this is a lifelong struggle. I am about to begin rereading The Pursuit of Holiness, and will be blogging about it over the next few weeks as I work my way through the book. Presumably, I will find myself submitting more and more to Him in my journey.

The first step to submission to God is denying self. This comes in the forms of fasting, prayer, and giving.

Freedom or Bondage?

So today is Independence Day. I think to myself about what things still have me in bondage and what things I am now free from. God’s grace is powerful. The victory that He provides is monumental. In Christ I am truly have victory over:

My human nature
Selfishness
Pride
Fear
Temptation
Lust
The world
Sin
Death
Hell

Now I don’t always walk in this freedom, but I can and strive to do so more and more each day.

What about you?

Perfected Praise

“Out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise.” – Matthew 21:16

We are the redeemed children of God! It only seems natural for us to come before the Lord in such great humility and reverence. So often though, it seems that our flesh has in mind for us to worship Him not in spirit and in truth, but in pride and in superficiality. “The tongue is a fire,” reminds James (3:6). God spoke through Ezekiel about the people of Judah saying, “for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain” (Ezekiel 33:31). John called those who profess to love God and yet hate their brother liars (1 John 4:20).

Pride is such a divisive state of mind. It twists our own understanding and comprehension of reality such that we esteem ourselves as more than we really are. Consistently throughout Scripture, pride is the spiritual opposite of humility. Also, pride leads to destruction (Proverbs 11:2, 13:10, 16:18, 18:12), and humility leads to honor (Proverbs 3:34, 11:2, 15:33, 18:12, 29:23). In Galatians 5:20, selfish ambitions are listed as works of the flesh whereas gentleness or meekness is a fruit of the Spirit. In the wilderness, Satan tried to appeal to Jesus through pride. “All this authority I will give to you, and their glory” (Luke 4:6). He still appeals to us the very same way. We can have the same response as Jesus, remembering that our worship is not to be towards anyone but God alone. Pride is self exaltation. When we give in to pride, we dishonor the Lord.

The heart of God is broken when we come into His assembly out of a sense of obligation rather than in sincere desire to worship the almighty Creator of the universe. If we honor Him with our lips, but not with our lives, then Jesus says that our hearts are far from Him (Matthew 15:8). James gives us the ultimate remedy for such double-mindedness. “’God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.’ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded…Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4:6-8,10).

God wants his own children to come to Him in all humility! When we are humbled as little children, then our mouths can produce perfected praise and honor to God, who alone is worthy of such praise!