TITLE: A Symphony of Miracles Book 2 Chapter 26 The Spirit of Humility 11/21/14 By Richard McCaw 11/21/14 |
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Chapter 26
The Spirit of Humility
Henry White had been a true mentor and servant of the Lord, strong and tough, the kind of man who inspired men. He was always very gentle and patient and I observed how tirelessly he worked, building up the spiritual life of the people. Although a man of great discipline, he never lorded it over anyone, but above all, he was a meek and loving example of a servant.
James A. Stewart, a Scottish evangelist once sent me one of his books entitled “Hollywood Evangelism,” that set me on a solid path as I began my ministry. He wrote, “Gospel preachers who used to be mere humble servants of God, exalting a great and mighty Lord Jesus, are now glamorized into celebrities. They are advertised as colossal, famous, terrific, charming and even as “Gospel artistes.”
Church trends today within the professing Church suggest a return to a practice Jesus sharply rebuked. “All their works they do to be seen of men: they make broad phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.”
Many modern preachers are scrambling to be called “Prophet,” “Apostle,” “Evangelist” and appellations that can set them apart from other believers and that exalt them.
Jesus warned his disciples, “Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased, and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”
During the latter part of the 20th century, scandals within several TV empires that men regarded almost as God on earth were publicly disgraced because Jesus Christ was not truly exalted and given the focus that rightly belongs to Him. Suddenly, the media portrayed the church with great skepticism, and began to deride it as just another hypocritical, money-making business.
Today, God is calling His people back to the original pattern that Jesus Christ displayed before His disciples and the world: that everyone who names the name of Christ must let the world see the life of Christ manifested through a spirit of humility and service.
Paul, the Apostle, encouraged his protégé, young Timothy, to be a vessel God could not only use but put on display with great distinction.3 Such a life is one of humility, wholly surrendered to the will and purposes of God that brings great glory to Him.
As a young man embarking on spiritual ministry, I remembered the words of the Lord, “I am among you as the One who serves!” I remembered how Matthew’s gospel recalled Isaiah’s prophecy of the coming Messiah, “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will declare justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel nor cry out, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break and smoking flax He will not quench till He sends forth justice to victory; and in His name Gentiles will trust.”
I wanted to be a man of God like Brother White. I wanted to follow Jesus Christ, demonstrated in the meekness and gentleness of this true servant of the Lord. Jesus. Christ was my Role Model, but he used a man to throw me out of the nest and to make me fly.
When Jesus Christ came to the river Jordan to be baptized by John, the Baptist, John objected.
John had always presented himself humbly, always placing himself in the background, and projecting Jesus Christ as the One to Whom everyone should look. If you follow the history of this humble servant, you will see that He stood up for righteousness and for obeying God rather than seeking the applause of men. He challenged the wickedness of his generation, was finally imprisoned and executed for declaring the truth of God’s Word to the adulterous King Herod.
At the beginning of his ministry he meekly announced, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness.” In other words, “I am not the person crying in the wilderness, but only the voice of that Mighty One!”
Then he compared his own ministry to the ministry of Jesus. “I baptize only with water, but Christ is coming after me and I am not even fit to be his slave.” He also told them, “Soon a man, far greater than I am is coming, who existed long before me! I didn’t know he was the One, but at the time God sent me to baptize He told me, when you see the Holy Spirit descending and resting upon someone - He is the One you are looking for. He is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit” And later he declared l, “He must increase, but I must decrease!”
To this humble servant of God Jesus humbled Himself and came to be baptized in the Jordan river. At first John tried to prevent Him, protesting, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”
Jesus answered him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John baptized Him.
The moment Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and the Spirit of God descended like a dove and alighted upon Him. Suddenly, a voice came from heaven, proclaiming, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Jesus was an obedient servant, a man of integrity on display, ready for the Father’s use!
Today, God is calling for men of integrity, first to humble themselves, then to be willing to serve Christ and even to die for Him, Who sacrificed Himself for us on the cross. This same Jesus Christ was finally crucified and exalted at the right hand of the Father, to whom every knew will one day bow and every tongue confess that He is King of kings and Lord of lords.
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