25-Jan-15

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:1-4What or Who is Jesus to you?  Comfort and encouragement?  Joy and love?  Oh, yes!  When there is love, there is giving.  Loving Jesus is thinking as He thinks, loving as He loves and this takes a quality that can only come through Jesus, Humility.  When a culture emphasizes and glorifies Number One, humility is lost.  Humility is thinking of the interests of others rather than self.  He loved us first, can we love the unloved first?  That is forgetting self.It is a commitment to seek to serve others.  It is a lifestyle.  Serving and loving others brings joy.  How like us to ask, “What is in it for me?”  Remember young Daniel?  What made him so special that King Nebuchadnezzar valued him?  Who taught Daniel?  How did Daniel know?  For the words Daniel heard validated his commitment:  Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard.  Daniel talked to God.  He didn’t groan and complain about his plight…rather he turned to God.We do well, no matter what befalls to set our mind on God and humble ourselves before God.  Think of others more than ourselves.  This is prudent and wise.  For God hears and responds to such a man or woman.  Praise God!  Join me in worshiping our Lord and King in all humility and joy.  We are His and He is ours forever.He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. Daniel 10:11-12