PASTOR JOHN COLLINS REDEEMING THE GOSPEL: HUMBLE
PASTOR JOHN COLLINS: RESIST PRIDE
“Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would
be greatest. And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little
child and set him by Him, and said to them, ‘Whoever receives this little child
in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For
he who is least among you all will be great.’” Luke 9:46-48 (NKJV).
Who is worthy to be lifted up? How does God choose those
that He would separate and use for His purposes? He chose Abraham and Abraham
was considered a friend of God’s. He chose David and David was a man after
God’s own heart. He sent His Son who died for us all. Even those who walked with Jesus thought of
themselves and the impact that they would have on this world. This is so
wonderful to know that the human instinct to desire to rise above and be great
was felt in those men who walked with Christ. This allows us to recognize this
in ourselves and work to overcome that ego. They were corrected and they
learned what true humility is. They witnessed their Lord humble Himself to the
Cross. Yet there are so many that want to be great in the name of the Lord.
They call attention to themselves and think highly of themselves. But, God
resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. Believe me when I tell you
that God knows what He is doing and He knows our hearts.
God has no use for pride.
God does not want servants that think highly of themselves
and their eligibility. God wants people to serve Him that are humble of heart.
When we choose to walk with Jesus it should be with a pure heart and a true devotion to obedience to the Lord. We should never seek our own acclaim. We
should not care what others think of us. We should be concerned only with
whether we are an asset to the kingdom of God or a burden. If we have selfish ambition in our heart and a desire to stand out and be important, we are
seeking status in this life and we are then unworthy to be a true servant of
the Lord.
We must be careful when we desire to leave a name for
ourselves, to want to be recognized for our importance or to be valued among
men. A truly worthy person that will serve God well is a person that has no
ambition in his heart. This person thinks of salvation when he looks upon the
souls of this world. This person has sadness in his heart because of the
condition of the human race. This person worries of the state of others’ faith
in their lives. This person considers opportunities to share the gospel and
help others come to Jesus. This person wants to see others go to heaven and
lives his life as an example. This person will sacrifice and find ways to be a
light in a world of dark. This person will please God.
“Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of
this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to
those who love Him?” James 2:5 (NKJV).
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed
are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger
and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:3-6 (NKJV).