Heart Cry: Keep Me Small & Humble (Jam. 4:6) (Part 4)

As we begin to wrap up this message, we must engage today's heart cry.  Our heart cry is, or at least it should be, “Lord, keep me small and humble.”

“They that know God, will be humble, and they that know themselves cannot be proud.”¹ (John Flavel)

   A little boy came to his father one day and said, “Dad, I measured myself, and I’m eight feet, four inches tall.”

   His father said, “Son, you know you’re not eight feet tall.”

   “Yes, I am,” the boy replied. “I measured myself, and I’m more than eight rulers tall.” 

   The father went to see what the boy was measuring himself with and discovered it was a six-inch ruler. You can always get taller if you’re using the wrong gauge.

   A lot of us think more of ourselves than we ought to think because we’re measuring ourselves against the wrong people. We’re comparing ourselves with each other instead of with God. We need to measure ourselves against the right standard.² (Tony Evans)

1 Pet. 5:6

Bring your heart cry to Jesus.

1 http://www.preceptaustin.org/james_46_commentary.htm (accessed 3.2.16)

2 Evans, Tony. The Battle Is the Lord's. Chicago, IL: Moody Press, n.d.

Heart Cry: Keep Me Small & Humble (Jam. 4:6) (Part 3)

Several questions arise from this verse (Jam. 4:6).

What is pride?  Pride is the tendency to declare or think of yourself as being above other people, that you are better than or superior to them.  Pride is the mindset that keeps you thinking you have no need to obey God.

Never let it be said God didn't warn you! “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling” (Prov. 16:18). “A man’s pride will bring him low . . .” (Prov. 29:23). “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall” (1 Cor. 10:12).

Why is God opposed to pride? Pride is illustrated in the building of the Tower of Babel (Gen. 1:28; 9:1; 11:4). God's instruction:  Multiply, spread out and fill the earth.  Man's intention:  Multiply, stay put and don't fill the earth.

Read Jam. 4:1-6a. This is the context of today's Bible verse. God is opposed to pride because it says, “God, I know that You want exclusive rights to me (Jam. 4:5) and that, though it is difficult sometimes to give up selfishness and worldliness (Jam. 4:1-4), You give extra grace (Jam. 4:6a) so I can please You and obey You; no thanks, my way is better.”

What does it mean when it says God is opposed?  A good example of God's opposing someone is found in Numbers 22:22. God's opposing a person means He stands in that person's way so that he or she cannot prosper.

By the way, it isn't just that God is opposed to pride. God hates it! (Prov. 8:13). In the Greek, the word “opposed” means 'God sets Himself to do battle against.' You can be sure about this: If God sets Himself to do battle against you, you will neither prosper nor prevail.

Have you ever met someone who never seems to catch a break – not ever – in life? How much of this person's misery does he bring upon himself, simply because he will not humble himself before God?  

Heart Cry: Keep Me Small & Humble (Jam. 4:6) (Part 2)

“GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” (Jam. 4:6)

Today's verse contains a contrast.  The contrast is illustrated in the “Parable of the Pharisee And the Publican” (Read Lu. 18:9-14).  Did you see the pride of the Pharisee and the humility of the publican?

Let's go back to the verse in James.  Several questions arise from this verse.  (We will examine those questions tomorrow.)

Heart Cry: Keep Me Small & Humble (Jam. 4:6) (Part 1)

Three Sundays ago we started a new series called “Heart Cry.”  I asked the question, “What is on God's heart?”  Do you remember the candy hearts?  On each was written a saying, expressing the giver's desire.  

Three Sundays ago, this is what was on God's heart: “Be true.”  We looked into 3 John 3-4, considering the meaning of “walking in the truth.”  In response to this, our heart cry was, “Keep me true, Lord Jesus.”

Two Sundays ago, this is what was on God's heart: “Be dependent.”  We looked into John 15:5, considering the meaning of “abiding in Jesus.”  In response to this, our heart cry was, “Lord, keep me dependent.”

We're going to switch Bible authors, from John to James.  Today's Bible verse is James 4:6 - “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, 'GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.'

How many of you have a translation in which half of those words are in capital letters?  When you see this, you now that the writer is quoting from or alluding to the Old Testament, which is the left section in your Bible.  In this case the writer, James, is alluding to Psa. 138:6 and quoting from Prov. 3:34. (Read these two verses.)

So far in our series, here is the conclusion that holds the sermons together: God's heart is that you would want what He wants for you.  The natural question becomes, What does God want for you? More specifically, what does God want for you today, hearing this message?  God wants for you to be small and humble before Him.

Heart Cry: Keep Me Dependent (Jn. 15:5) (Part 5)

As we begin to wrap up this message, we must engage today's heart cry.  Our heart cry is, or at least it should be, “Lord, keep me dependent.”

Is your relationship with Jesus personal, vibrant, thrilling and productive or is it impersonal, dead, boring and unproductive?  If it is the latter, why do you settle for that?

You know the good work that Jesus did for you; what good work have you been doing for Him?

Remember, you are not saved by works, but you are saved for works.  Gently I prompt you, “Get to work.”

Remember . . . abiding leads to action, staying leads to serving, remaining in leads to reaching out, dwelling leads to doing, and mutuality (You abide in Jesus and He abides in you) leads to ministry.

Heart Cry: Keep Me Dependent (Jn. 15:5) (Part 4)

Second, what happens when you don't abide in Jesus?  “ . . . for apart from Me you can do nothing.” In context, this means you can't and won't bear fruit.  In other words, you won't be profitable in the Lord's service; instead, you will be helplessly frustrated and fearful in your purpose and pursuits. You will be like the servant who had zero increase to present when it was time for accounting.

Heart Cry: Keep Me Dependent (Jn. 15:5) (Part 3)

Do you see that the idea of abiding includes satisfaction, enjoyment and intimacy?  In the “Westminster Shorter Catechism¹,” question number one reads “What is the chief end of man?”  The answer is, “To glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.”

The opposite of “abiding” is self-dependence or independence.  In football terms, a player doesn't want to stay with his current team, thinking he can get a better deal, so he files for free agency.  In John 15:5, Jesus warns against the free agency mentality that tempts His disciples.

What is the result of abiding in Jesus?  “ . . . he bears much fruit.”  What is meant by “fruit”?

• The inward fruit is Christian character (Gal. 5:22-23).
• The outward fruit is good works (Psa. 1:3; Mt. 5:16 cf. Jn. 15:8; Tit. 3:14).  
• You were created for good works (Eph. 2:10).
• Jesus expects you to do good works (Jn. 15:16).

1 http://www.reformed.org/documents/wsc/index.html?_top=http://www.reformed.org/documents/WSC.html (accessed 02.18.16)

Heart Cry: Keep Me Dependent (Jn. 15:5) (Part 2)

Today's verse highlights two things.  First, what happens when you abide (remain) in Jesus?  “ . . . he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit . . .”

What does it mean to “abide” in Jesus?

• To abide means “to remain in”, “to continue in”, “to stay in.”
• To abide means “to draw life and support from.”  (This applies only to your abiding in Jesus, not His abiding in you.)
• To abide means “to maintain a living communion with.”¹
• To abide means “to stay united with.”²
• To abide means “to share the life.”³
• To abide means “to hold an unbroken fellowship and personal communion with Him.”⁴
• To abide means “to remain vitally connected . . . , sustaining a spiritual union through the Holy Spirit.”⁵

1 Wuest, Kenneth S. The New Testament: An Expanded Translation. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1961 (reprinted 2002). p. 251.

2 Stern, David H. Jewish New Testament: A Translation of The New Testament That Expresses Its Jewishness. Jerusalem, Israel: Jewish New Testament Publications, 1989. p. 142.

3 Phillips, J. B. New Testament In Modern English. London, England: Harper Collins Publishers, 2000. p. 179.

4 Tourville, Robert E. The Gospel of John: A Verse-By-Verse Commentary From The Classical Pentecostal Point of View. New Wilmington, PA: House of Bon Giovanni, 1986. p. 315.

5 Kostenberger, Andreas J. A Theology of John's Gospel And Letters: Biblical Theology of The New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009. p. 241.

Heart Cry: Keep Me Dependent (Jn. 15:5) (Part 1)

February 14, we started a new series called “Heart Cry.”  I asked the question, “What is on God's heart?”  Do you remember the candy hearts?  On each was written a saying, expressing the giver's desire.  In part one, this is what was on God's heart: “Be true.”  We looked into 3 John 3-4, considering the meaning of “walking in the truth.”  In response to this, our heart cry was, “Keep me true, Lord Jesus.”

We're going to move from the letters of John to the Gospel of John.  Yesterday's Bible verse was John 15:5.  “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing”

God's heart is that you would want what He wants for you.  What does God want for you?  God wants for you to remain in His Son, Jesus, and depend on Him for everything.

Heart Cry: Keep Me True (3 Jn. 3-4) (Part 4)

We must reciprocate God's heart cry with our own.  Our heart cry is, or at least it should be, “Lord, keep me true.”

In the early eighties, there was a worship chorus that went like this:

“Keep me true, Lord Jesus, keep me true.
Keep me true, Lord Jesus, keep me true.
There's a race that I must run.
There are victories to be won.
Every hour, give me power to be true.”

The writer of that chorus understood that staying true (walking in truth) wasn't always easy.  He also understood that so much is at stake when someone doesn't remain true to Jesus. 

Bring your heart cry to Jesus.  Tell Him: “Keep me true, Lord Jesus. Help me to know the truth, love the truth and live the truth. Just as the people in 3 John brought Pastor John joy because of their testimony that they walked in the truth, my desire is that I might bring You joy, Jesus, as Your Holy Spirit leads me into the truth and enables me to live it.'

Heart Cry: Keep Me True (3 Jn. 3-4) (Part 3)

Second, let's deal with the word “walking.”  “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him” (Col. 2:6).  The word “walking” suggests three things.

• It suggests beginning.  There was a time when you were not walking in the truth.  Something happened that compelled you to start walking.  That something is called repentance.
• It suggests process.  Once you took the first step, you took the second step, and then the third step, and so on.  Each successive step might not have been as easy as the previous, but you kept putting one foot in front of the other.  Process is determined by repetition, not distance.
• It suggests progress.  You don't want to keep putting one foot in front of the other, only to end up getting nowhere.  It is okay if progress is slow, so long as you are making progress.  If you aren't making progress, check the process.  If the process is altered, then progress is stalled.  In baseball a pitching coach talks to his pitchers about mechanics. If a pitcher's mechanics (process) are wrong, he won't consistently throw strikes (progress, results).

Pastor John didn't write that he was glad those in the congregation started in the truth.  He wrote that he was glad they were continuing in the truth, that they had adopted truth as their lifestyle.  The congregants lived it, and their testimony was obvious enough to Pastor John's helpers that they had to tell him.  These weren't just good people or moral people; they were truth- saturated people.  What they believed about Jesus affected every area of their lives.

We can't talk about walking (living) in the truth without mentioning certain things.

• Those who walk in the truth will develop the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).
• Those who walk in the truth will follow through on their word (Mt. 5:37).
• Those who walk in the truth will not avoid reality by pretending (Prov. 13:7).
• Those who walk in the truth will not pursue crooked business deals (Prov. 20:14).
• Those who walk in the truth will not seethe on the inside while they smile on the outside (Eph. 4:25)

Heart Cry: Keep Me True (3 Jn. 3-4) (Part 2)

First, let's deal with the word “truth.”  Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” (Jn. 18:38).   I don't think Pilate was trying to be philosophical – sarcastic, maybe, but not philosophical.  It seems to me that he didn't know what truth was, or didn't believe such a thing was attainable, so he asked.

Pilate is similar to many people today.  They have been taught to believe that there is no such thing as absolute truth.  They have been taught that truth, whatever it might be, is for each person to define. When this happens, you end up with a situation similar to Judges 21:25: “ . . . every man did what was right in his own eyes.”  Why had truth become so relative, so individualized, so neutered?  “In those days there was no king . . .”

You can say you live in a Christian nation all you want.  That isn't the issue. The issue is whether you will submit to the King. His name is Jesus.  It appears we don't have a King (capital 'K' - Jesus) in the United States.  We have 380 million of them!

Truth is your final authority to which you appeal when making decisions or declaring statements.  It is a system of belief that invades, infects and directs your thoughts, intentions, desires, behaviors, pursuits, actions, conclusions and speech.  It is a filter that determines what you will and won't consider, allow or investigate.

When someone says, “There is no such thing as truth,” he or she is not speaking truthfully.  Certainly, he or she has some rationale for choosing to live the way he or she does, even if that rationale is selfishness or rebellion.  That rationale usually begins with the word “I.”

• I feel that . . .

• I think that . . .

• I believe that . . .

The problem is that the King has written His own truth and He expects all people to follow it.  Once His truth is altered, minimized, trivialized or marginalized, it displeases Him, and the failure to adhere to His standard won't produce His desired results for individuals, families, businesses or nations.  Once His truth is customized, editorialized or criticized, the King takes notice.  The King of the Universe takes offence at the profaning of His high standard!

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life . . .” (Jn. 14:6).  Notice the three-letter word “the.”  It doesn't say “a.” That's the indefinite modifier.  No, it says “the.” That's the definite modifier.  The definite modifier is absolute and exclusive.  When Jesus said, “I am . . . the truth . . . “, He said that there could be no other source.  That doesn't mean people listen to Him. That doesn't mean people agree with Him.

When it comes down to it, you must decide who is right: Jesus or you? Jesus or man? Jesus or society? Jesus or the philosophers? Jesus or postmodernism?  If you believe a source other than Jesus is right, then you are calling Jesus a liar. I'd be careful, if I were you!

Heart Cry: Keep Me True (3 Jn. 3-4) (Part 1)

Yesterday morning, we began a new series called “Heart Cry.”  The idea of crying might not be popular, but the idea of heart tied in with Valentine's Day.

When you think of Valentine's Day, what comes to mind? Responses from the congregation included

love, romance, flowers, candy, cards, and expense.  Every man knows that, on Valentine's Day, you bring your wallet.  He is also wise enough to know this is money well invested!

Heart is an essential thing at Valentine's Day.  Agreed?  It helps if you have a heart.  It helps if you show it.  Aren't you glad for God's Valentine, Jesus Christ?  The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus were Hallmark moments: God showed his heart, his love, for sinners (Rom. 5:8).  He cared enough to send the very best.

We distributed boxes of heart candy and then asked, "Do you remember these from when you were a child?"  Congregants opened the boxes and put a few hearts in their hands.  I asked what the hearts said and allowed for responses.  (Some candy maker had a very long day at the office, and you can tell he or she was quickly losing creativity – and maybe sanity!)

Those were sayings written on candy hearts. I wonder what's written on God's heart?  Did anyone get a heart that said, “Be true”? Truth – that's one of the things on God's heart.

Our main Bible verses were Third John, verses three and four.

God's heart is that you would want what He wants for you.  What does God want for you?  God wants for you to walk in truth – to know the truth and live it.  If John, as a pastor, was so moved to hear that people in the church walked in the truth, how much more is God Himself moved when He sees this!  The key phrase in these verses is “walking in the truth.”

Heart Cry Series Begins Today!

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Today is Valentine's Day.  At some point, you will read what's on your valentine's heart.  Jesus is God's Valentine to you.  God's sending His Son, Jesus, was the Hallmark moment -- God cared enough to send the very best!  Do you ever wonder what's on God's heart for you?  What's on His heart for you should affect what's in your heart toward Him.