Charis

Yesterday, I wrote about the start of Andrew Murray’s book Humility and the tremendous blessing that humility brings. Murray states that humility is “being clothed with the very beauty and blessedness of Jesus.” Having offered this enticement, he moves in the second chapter to graphically describe the fruit of pride.

As Murray sees it, we will either walk in pride because we are bearing the fruit of sin, or we will walk in humility because we are bearing the fruit of Jesus Christ living in us. Adam and Eve walked in humility—total dependence on God—until they believed the lie of Satan and allowed pride in. Murray writes that the life that came from Adam and Eve

Yesterday, I got out Andrew Murray’s Humility: The Journey Toward Holiness, a wonderful and powerful little book (just over 100 pages). I read it back in early 2004, and it seems like a good time to read it again.

Murray starts by making the point that all most Christians know of humility is in regard to sin: we are humbled when we realize our sinfulness, but once we are saved, we hear nothing more of humility. In response to this misconception, he writes….

Shortly after writing yesterday’s post, I read 1 Peter 3:8: “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” That pretty much covers it, right? If we have these five characteristics, we should not have many people problems. The last one—a humble mind—caught my attention.

Pride is the root of offense. It is only when we think something of ourselves that we can be offended. If my sense of self and my security come from and rest in God—that which is unchanging—then my sense of self and my security cannot be rocked or shaken by the behavior of others. As my pastor has said, “Dead people don’t get offended.” When I die to myself and find my life hidden in God, I’ve moved to another place where offense can’t touch me…

The Little Book of Hours has included readings from Psalm 119 every day for the past week, and Saturday’s portion blessed me. The writer says,

This is my comfort in my affliction,
that your promise gives me life.
The insolent utterly deride me,
but I do not turn away from your law. (v. 50–51)

In the past, I read affliction as sickness or some other source of physical suffering. And it can certainly mean that. For most of us, though, we likely experience more pain and suffering in relationships, and relational issues—people problems—can suck the life out of us pretty quickly…

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Happened upon this passage (the final verses of Jude) yesterday: wow! Not sure I ever read it before; if I have, I didn’t pay much attention. I should have.

It’s a beautiful and rich hymn of praise, and it seems an apt way to start the week. I would encourage you to read it aloud slowly and meditate on all that Jude tells us about our God.

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

In her book The Open Door, Frederica Mathewes-Green writes about coming under the gaze of Christ, letting ourselves be known in the way that David describes in Psalm 139…

I run in the path of your commands,
for you have set my heart free. (Psalm 119:32, NIV)

I’m tempted to add nothing, and let this verse speak for itself. If we were together, I would ask you to tell me what you think when you read this. Does it excite you? move you?

I’m not a runner—I’d rather walk two miles than run one (supposing I could even do that!). Still, this verse speaks to me. I remember the first time I read it…

I’ve been thinking about Jesus calling himself “the good shepherd” and wondering why He added good. In John 10, He identifies the various players in this picture of sheep and shepherd: there’s the gatekeeper, the stranger, the shepherd, the hired hand, and the thief.

As He sets up His illustration, Jesus makes clear that the shepherd enters by the door or gate and that the sheep know his voice; the shepherd is legitimate. He makes clear that only the shepherd has the true interest of the sheep at heart. Then He brings it home, declaring…