I grew up in an argumentative home and learned to escape to the woods and open fields to find peace and quiet. I learned to reflect on God at a young age, even without having a personal experience with Him.
In my senior year of high school I was invited to a Pentecostal church, pastored by a gentle, praying man of God. Pastor Cook quickly showed me, by his manner of speaking and interacting with the congregation and me personally, that there was another world besides constant strife and bickering over the cares of this life.
I quickly associated my quiet times in the woods and meadows with the serene and calm atmosphere of this pastor and his flock. His gentle and warm personality reflected what I had felt from God without knowledge of God’s Spirit personally.
When the altar call was given, I found myself drawn to go pray, asking for forgiveness for my sins, and acknowledging my need of a personal savior in Jesus Christ. To my amazement I found that the Spirit of Christ was as gentle and loving as the Pastor, and in a much deeper and more profound way than I had experienced in my alone times among the trees and nature.
David said that His (God’s) gentleness had made him (David) great. Gentleness is what drew me to Pastor Cook and it is what drew me to Christ and my Heavenly Father. It is what draws me to people to this day.
The moment I sense in my spirit that someone is insincere or wants to debate or wants to be superior, I withdraw from that person. The Bible speaks a lot about pride and the self-righteous, both in and out of the church. Jesus taught us that when we exalt ourselves, then we move ourselves out of fellowship with our Heavenly Father. We may impress a few fellow humans with our knowledge and accomplishments, by our cleverly worded remarks and answers, but we fail to impress the one who is important – God as our Father and Creator. Jesus teaches us that the way up is down; the way to honor is to humble ourselves and to honor others first. The first shall be last and the last shall be first.
This is in direct opposition to our American society that trains us from birth to fight for our rights and take care of number one; before we worry about anybody else. Just take a look at those people riding your rear bumper on the highways, and watch their facial expressions as they speed around you, cutting in and out of traffic, only to arrive at the same exit as you by a few seconds – first.
This competitive atmosphere of strife is everywhere: the check-out lanes at the local stores, the lines at the gas station, waiting to park at a restaurant, paying for items at the mall, and even checking books out at the library. Our schools, jobs, sports, and even some of our churches ingrain in us to take care of self, while stepping on those below us if necessary. Pay raises, grades and promotions go to the fastest and brightest, even if they arrive first by questionable means.
Take time to contemplate on the following scriptures while watching the reaction of your spirit-man.
Deuteronomy 8:2-3 And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Psalm 25:9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
Psalm 55:19 God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, because they do not change and do not fear God.
1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Philippians 2:5-8 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
2 Corinthians 10:1 I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ. I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!
Psalm 18:27 For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down.
Psalm 149: 4 For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.
Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
The devil fell from heaven as lightning, because of pride and self-exaltation. Adam and Eve fell because of pride and failing to submit themselves to the authority of their Maker. Cain committed murder because of pride and failing to accept God’s correction. Saul had his kingdom taken from him because of pride and failing to obey the word of the prophet and the Law, by consulting with a Witch and offering sacrifices that he was not authorized to offer. Judas betrayed his Lord because of pride and lusting after reward of money and approval of the enemies of Christ. The list is long in the Bible.
Jesus healed and delivered those who drew His compassion. When He looked at the oppressed and enslaved, He spoke His Word and healed and delivered them from the bondage of unclean spirits and self-destructive lifestyles. The Spirit of His Father was upon Him as prophesied in Isaiah 61:1 and quoted by Jesus in Luke 4:18 – The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound,
It has been fifty years since my first trip to the altar. I wish I could say that I have been faithful to my Lord in all of His teachings since those first shed tears over my sins, but I can’t. I have made many mistakes in my earthly journey, sinning greatly against the one who died for me. However, Jesus Himself appeared to me at the beginning of my ministry, giving me a vision of Himself with His hands stretched outward toward me in love and assurance, speaking the words of Joshua 1:9, that He would be with me wherever I went; and He has kept His Word. He had prayed for me and you while he was here on earth, just like He did for Peter; that his faith failed not, during the sifting of his soul by Satan.
I have wept many tears before the Lord over the years, I have prayed many prayers, and seen His hand of protection, healing and deliverance for myself, my family and many others. He always shows up just in time to refresh and renew me and others back into fellowship with Him, and I love Him more today than I have ever loved Him before. I look forward to that day when He calls me home to be with Him forever, in His kingdom of peace, in all purity and wholeness.
We as Americans need to stop giving our energy to the false gods and idols that are promoted by Hollywood and the music industries, while blindly accepting everything that comes out of Washington DC. We are humans and not our own little gods, and we all have sinned and come short of the glory of our Heavenly Father; thus we need to acknowledge our sins and failings, and ask Him for forgiveness and healing of our souls and spirits. We are in need of living water, that only Christ can provide through the power of the Holy Spirit; waters that spring up from the depths of our innermost beings into eternal life. Holy Spirit-generated, gentle water that calms our souls, allowing our spirits to rule our natural man; while we honor those around us as they submit themselves to our God.
This is directly opposite of what we see in the world around us and what was foretold by the Apostle Paul, while writing a letter to his spiritual son, Timothy. Read it for yourself and watch the reaction of your spirit-man. What is your spirit, your heart, your conscience, telling you about yourself? The Word of God is a mirror for our spirit and soul, and reflects what is deep in our subconscious being. This is why the unbelievers hate the Bible and why many believers do not read it on a daily basis. It reveals who we really are before our Creator and convicts us that we need a change of heart. It is much easier to never look in the mirror and pretend that there is no dirt on our spiritual faces. But we age, and then we die, or we have a terrible disease or accident and then we stand before Christ; only then it will be too late to wash the dirt from our faces. His Blood is the only means to a clean soul and spirit, and today is the Day of Salvation. Today He knocks, and today we must choose to open the door or not, for tomorrow it may be too late, and when He walks away from the door of our hearts, the dirt can never be removed.
II Timothy 3:1-5, You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!
And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:15