Tohearfrometernity's Blog

In considering the word ‘humility’ the websters dictionary states:’the quality or state of being humble.   Whereby the word, ‘humiliating’ is defined as: ‘ extremely destructive to one’s self-respect or dignity.’   Whereas ‘humiliate’ means: ‘to reduce to a lower position in one’s own eyes: mortify.

 The Bible in the book of Proverbs, Chapter 18 verse 12:

12  “Before his downfall a mans heart is haughty, but ‘humility’ goes before honors.”

With Christ as our example we can see He asks no more of us than He did for us.    In the book of Philippians Chapter 2 verses5-11

5 “your attitude must be that of Christ:

6 Though he was in the form of God, he did not deem equality with God something to be grasped at

7 Rather, he emptied himself and took the form of a slave, being born in the likenss of men.

8 He was known to be of human estate, and it was thus he humbled himself, obediently acceptiong even death, death on a cross!

9 Because of this, God highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name above every other name,

10 So that at Jesus’ name every knee must bend in the heavens, on the earth, and under the earth,

11 and every tongue proclaim to the glory of God the Father:

JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!”

So as to not confuse the issue; it was nescessary to define the differnces in the words, Humility, Humilation, humiliate.   It does not make sense to ignore the comparatives of these words, when though similar, they are vastly different.   Two, are of evil discord, and one of goodness, Humility, to be humble.   Think of it:  Is there anything more beautiful than one who is greatly talented and blessed, to be humble before the many, and anything more loathing than he who boasts of arrogance.   For one is of God and another of evil.   For we can find in the book of Sirach chapter 1 verse 24 :

24   “For fear of thee Lord is wisdom and culture; loyal humility is his delight.”

Whereas in the same book same chapter, we find in verses 27-29

27 “Exalt not yourself lest you fall and bring upon you dishonor;

28 For then the Lord will reveal your secrets and publicly cast you down,

29 Because you approached the fear of the Lord with your heart full of guile.”

Duties Toward God:Sirach Chapter 2 verses1-6

1 “My son, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials

2 Be sincere of heart and steadfast, undisturbed in time of adversity.

3 Cling to him, forsake him not thus will your future be great.

4 Accept whatever befalls you, in crushing misfortune be patient;

5 For in fire gold is tested, and worthy men in the crucible of humiliation.

6 Trust God and he will help you make straight your ways and hope in him.”

I have said before that Jesus is a love affair.   I do not mean that in a disrepectful way; but rather to prove a point.   We living are living in the world and so are subject to the worlds cravings.   To overcome the worlds ‘cravings’ takes constant vigilance and prayer.   Without the vigilance and prayer we are caught unaware.   This brings us into sin.   For sin is in the world.    In the words of Christ in the book of John Chapter 14 verses 29-31

29 “I tell  you this now, before it takes  place, so that when it takes place you may believe.”

30 ” I shall not go on speaking to you longer; the Prince of this world is at hand.   He has no hold on me,

31  but the world must know that I love the Father and do as the Father has commanded me. Come, then!   Let us be on our way.”

 
It is continued in verses 9-14 ‘A Disciiple’s Love’:

9 “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you.   Live on in my love.”

10 “You will live in my love if you keep my commandments, even as I have

 have kept my Father’s  commandments, and live in his love.”

11 “All this I tell you that my joy may be yours and your joy may be complete.”

12 “This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you.”

13  ” There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for ones’s friends.”

14 “You are my friends if you do what I command you.”

So the words of Christ are Love.   Christ himself is Love.   To know Christ is to love Christ.   So pure, and perfect is He, that if one accepts Christ, follows Christ, then one will most definitly love Him.   So this is why I say, Jesus Christ is a Love Affair. To love someone is to want to please someone, and keep company with them. Keeping company with Jesus in prayer and following His commandments, is loving-A true Love affair!

How does one equate and arrogant man?   Through self-examination,   we can detail our own indescretions.   Yet, are we honest?   Can one grow without honesty?

Consider if you will the reading of the book of Peter: Chapter 2 verses 10-12

PUNISHMENT OF EVILDOERS:

10) “HE KNOWS, ESPECIALLY, HOW TO TREAT THOSE WHO LIVE FOR THE FLESH IN THEIR DESIRE FOR WHATEVER CORRUPTS, AND WHO DESPISE AUTHORITY.   THESE BOLD AND ARROGANT MEN HAVE NO QUALMS WHATEVER ABOUT REVILING CELESTIAL BEINGS, 11)ON WHOM ANGELS, THOUGH GREATER THAN MEN IN STRENGTH AND POWER, PASS NO OPPROBRIOUS SENTENCE IN THE LORD’S PRESENCE. 12) THESE MEN POUR ABUSE ON THINGS OF WHICH THEY ARE IGNORANT.   THEY ACT LIKE CREATURES OF INSTINCT, BRUTE ANIMALS BORN TO BE CAUGHT AND DESTROYED, SUFFERING THE REWARD OF THEIR WICKEDNESS.”

When I was a small child and we went to visit my grandparents, my grandfather would always say, ‘come give us a kiss’!  I hated it so, because he always had whiskers.   It was never a kiss, but a ‘whisker rub.’   He would laugh and I woud rub my cheek.  Evidently it made his day to see me ‘frown’.    My Father, unlike my Grandfather always was clean shaven and took delight in hugging and kissing me with his newly shaved face.   This brothers and sisters, is what sin is like.   How you say?    Well, the bearded man does not see the change in himself.   Rather he sees himself as ‘funny’.   He takes delight in his actions, and watching others squirm.   Whereas, He who is clean, and freshly manicured, is a delight to be around.  He smells good and enjoys the delight he gives to another.   This why sin is so hard to detect.   We do not see ourselves as others do.   We think when we become lax and lazy no one notices.   Yet, contrary to popular opinion that is not the case.   It is so true, that a very spiritual person, (one who prays and is in communion with the Lord) comes in contact with the one in darkness, they can feel the evil.   This is a gift from the Holy Spirit.    Eventually, the sinner will become heavily laden.   He will not know why but he will be tired all the time.   Similar to one who eats and thinks he is not putting on weight.   Only difference is he eventually sees the change.   Often times the sinner does not see the error of his ways.   Things begin to change.   People are not as receptive and the ‘distractions’ take over.   They are not comfortable around people who are in the ‘light’.   The light exposes the darkness.  Then the company he keeps is no longer of interest.   This can lead to divorce in marriages, even suicide.  

Evil is real.   Its interest is only in what it deems needs to be.   We can look at History,Osama Bin Laden, and Adolph Hitler, to name a couple. By the same token we can look at people in the ‘light’.  Pope John Paul the II and Mother Theresa for instance.   The paralell is obvious.    This is why there is no disputing evil is real.   Evil destroys.  

Evil starts in the mind!   It is the truth!  For if evil did not start in the mind, we would not have needed Jesus Christ.   To oppose this truth is to deny the need for Jeus Christ.   Truly, a misconception on the part of so many.

Many believe that knowing who Jesus is, is enough.   Many believe that accepting Him as Lord is enough!   Wrong!   Jesus is a love affair!  What friend do you have that  you do not build a relationship with through time and confidence?   Do you really believe that to Love Jesus Christ is complete without sacrifing yourself for the love of the friendship?   Really now; where does that work?  That is really being taken for granted.   On a human level, embracing, and loving through doing and giving brings joy.   Why would it be different on a spiritual level?   Was Jesus Christ not a human being once?  Of course He was.  So His love is all the greater because He is familiar with the trials and sacrifices worldly life expects!  Where is He in the mix?   In your life, where is He?   Do you even care to give Him a thought?   Relationships take time!

Do you have the time?   Faith is a quest!  Faith is a desire!  Faith is absolute!   To achieve faith, you must choose faith against the temptations of this life.  (ie)  You have the choice to be on the computer, facebook, twitter, and all the rest.  Or you have the choice to pray.   Few, very few choose to pray!   Jesus Christ gave of himself!  He asks no less of us!   A true friend gives of himself for another.   Jesus, Himself said, ‘there is no greater gift than to lay down ones life for his friends’!!   Is He really your friend?! 

Ah the power of Speech!  James Chapter 3 Verse7-12

“Every form of life, four-footed or winged crawling or swimming, can be tamed, and has been tamed by mankind;8The tongue no man can tame. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.9We use it to say,”Praised be the Lord and Father”, then we use it to curse men, though they are made in the likeness of God.10Blessing and curse come out of the same mouth. This ought not to be my brothers!11Does not a spring gush forth fresh water and foul from the same outlet?12A fig tree, brother, cannot produce olives, or grapevine figs; no more can a brackish source yield fresh water.”

Whether it is an echo when it is first heard, or a mirage seen in a desert, or a shadow in a distant, all are imaginary, and misleading of the senses!    A Lie!   So it is with Sin!   Sin is Compelling and appears to be ‘real’.   Yet, when analyzed it is revealed for the lie it is!

Sin is a vaccuum in this life! It pulls  you in.  The only off switch is prayer.   Why? Simply because prayer is the ‘truth’ and sin is a ‘lie’.   If one is brave, one chooses to live in ‘truth’.

Truth, is bold, it does not mince words, and gives peace to the soul.  Truth is revealed through the teachings of Our Lord Jesus Christ.   He, teaches us the way.   His way is ‘truth’.   Yet, He reveals to us where we are in need of ‘change’ in our lives and this takes courage to face.Life has two choices, Automatic, or manual.  In the automatic life, we let life take us where it will.

In the maual life we choose, to learn as we go, applying God’s teachings daily, and growing in His designs for our life.

One choice offors peace and contentment, and the other confusion and chaos.

When life is a ‘breeze’ and you’re in it to enjoy the ride, you know not where you’ll land.

When life is a ‘challange’ life offors rewards, Gods Grace.

Sin is a poison.   It is poisonous bread.  Eventual death, the result.

Prayer is the ‘life raft’! it gives peace, comforts the soul and brings one to eternal life.

The First Epistle of John Chapter 1 verses 5-10

5) Here, then, is the message we have heard from him and announce to you:

That God is light, in him there is no darkness.

Claims of False Teachers

6) If we say”We have fellowship with him,” while continuing to walk in darkness, we are liars and do not act in truth.

7)But if we walk in light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and )the blood of His Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.

8) If we say, “We are free of the guilt of sin,” we decieve ourselves; the truth is not to be found in us.

9) But if we acknowledge our sins, he who is just can be trusted to forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrong.

10) If we say,”We have never sinned,” we make him a liar and his word finds no place in us.

Chapter 2  verses 1-11     1) My little ones,I am writing this to keep you from sin.   But if anyone should sin, we have, in the presence of the Father, Jesus Christ, an intercessor who is just.   2) He is an offoring for our sins, and not for our sins only, but for those of the whole world. 

Keeping the Commandments,

3)The way we can be sure of our knowledge of him is to keep his commandments,

4)The man who claims, “I have known him,” without keeping the commandments, is a liar; in such a one there is no truth.

5) But whoever keeps his word, truly has the love of God been made perfect in him.   The way we can be sure we are in union with him

6) is for the man who claims to abide in him to conduct himself just as he did.

7)Dearly beloved, it is no new commandment that I write to you, but an old one which you had from the start   The commandment, now old, is the word you have already heard.

8) On second thought, the commandment that I write you is new as it is realized in him and you, for the darkness is over and the real light begins to shine.

9) The man who claims to be in the light, hating his brother all the while, is in darkness even now.

10) The man who continues in the light is the one who loves his brother; there is nothing in him to cause a fall.

11) But the man who hates his brother is in darkness.   He walks in shadows, not knowing where he is going, since the dark has blinded his eyes.

What is it?  Easter eggs? Easter Bunnies? Easter Candy? Easter is a Victory!  Jesus Christ is Easter!   Jesus Christ it the victor!  Inasmuch as one comes to Jesus and yet falls, he is forgiven!   Yet, not with a complacency of heart does this apply.  In other words, if you knowingly enter into sin, without regard to the pain it inflicts upon our Lord and Savior, then contrition of heart will be nescessary to overcome the sin.  Contrition of heart is the burning desire for forgiveness from Jesus Christ through prayer and confession of the aformentioned sin or sins.   This is Easter!

Jesus Christ the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, came into the world for the sake of us all.   That we may believe and recieve this incrediable Joy!

The Joy is experienced when an invitation is openly expressed and extended to Jesus Christ from our hearts to His heart.  He lifts our burdens and washes the hurt away. When He does this, the experience is Real!!  The washing away truly experienced and the humility is joyful.   Why?   We experience ‘Heaven’ at this time.  The unbelieveable truth!  The truth that Jesus is ‘Real’ That ‘Sin’ is real, and He loves us unconditionally.   This friends is what ‘all the shouting is about’!!   Yet, like any of us, He wants to be wanted.   The friendship, the joy, the warmth one enjoys with a friend is what our Lord wants from us.  This is what we want and this is what He wants!   Complacency is not His delight!!  Anymore that you or I wish to be forgotten or ignored!   Been there done that!!  Yikes it hurts!  Though He is devine, He was once a man, and the hurt is real for Him as it is for us!!

Consider this:   Why is it; everything connected to God is Beautiful, yet not enjoyed for its truth?   Chistmas, Easter, and Holloween, are Holy Days!   Yet, the world,(Satan) is empowed and deems to deminish Christ through fun!   Jesus is the Joy of the ‘spirit’ in body and soul.   Whereas, Satan, is only in  it for himself.

There is a ‘battle’ between good and evil.   We must choose whom we will serve.   If we choose to serve ourselves, we choose Evil!  The Devil!!   If we choose to serve good, God, we are His and His is who we wish to be, through our actions and our thoughts.   This is why Prayer is essential!   It is communion with God and releases the evil designs Satan wishes to impose on us.   Why?   The Soul is the crown!!   The Soul is from God!   Satan wants what is Gods!   God made the earth and Satan wants the earth!  God made me and Satan wants me!  God made us all and Satan wants all !   Make no mistake about it, Satan is not love.  Satan is Evil and He has his advocates, demons to possess the soul.   Here again the soul, belonging to God is satans desire.  

MANS SIN THROUGH ADAM AND MANS GRACE AND LIFE THROUGH CHRIST:  ROMANS CHAPTER 5 VERSES17-19

17) ” If death began its reign through one man because of his offense, much more shall those who recieve the overflowing grace and gift of justice live and reign through one man, Jesus Christ.   18) To sum up, then: just as a single offense brought condemnation to all men, a single righteous act brought all men acquittal and life. 19)Just as through one mans disobediance all became sinners, so through one mans obedience all shall become just.”

So what is sin?   How does one explain sin.   Sin is a conscious desire to elevate ourselves above God.   This occurs when we desire our will rather than Gods will.

Where to begin?

In the desire to follow Christ and live according to the desire of Our Heavenly Father we must choose to apply the Ten Commandments to our mind and our hearts.  This is the beginning.  After accepting and applying the Commandments a transfiguration of character will emerge.  Healing and restoration of  the spirit will bring forth joy.   The knowledge of the teachings of God and His desire for oneself is the beginning.    The Son of God, Jesus Christ came, and lived out the teachings for us.  He, Jesus, will teach each of us when we call upon His Holy name.   Accepting Jesus Christ into the heart is the living experience of the love if God.  Ask and you will recieve the desire of your heart, seek and you will find the treasure of heaven, knock and the door will open and the joy that surpasses all understanding will fill your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.  You may reference Chaptr 17 verses 1-8 in the Book of John. Also reference John Chapter 15 verses 8-17

In a quick glance, one can check out the book of proverbs and find an answer to Gods perspective of mankind.   For instance:

The wicked man is defined as desiring evil. Proverbs Chapter 21 verse 10

“The soul of the wicked man desires evil; his neighbor finds no pity in his eyes.”

Again it is revealed the definition of a man is determined by God In Proverbs 2

“All the way of a man maybe right in his own eyes, but it is the LORD who proves hearts”.

The poor have their place in this life and God deems giving nescessary in verse 13:

“He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will himself also call and not be heard.”

The importance of ‘fear of the LORD’ is addressed in Chapter 19 verse 23 

“The fear of the LORD is an aid to life; one eats and sleeps without being visited by misfortune.”

Our Lord addresses resentment and folly in Chapter 19 verse 3:

“A man’s own folly upsets his way, but his heart is resenful against the LORD”.

The mystery of derision through quarreling is addressed in Chapter 17 verse 14:

“The start of strife is like the opening of a dam; therefore, check a quarrel before it begins!”

Here lays a favorite of old, the concerns of a haughty spirit is address in  Chapter 16 verse 18:

“Pride goes before disaster, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Trusting in the Lord, while laying lifes plans will be rewarded, found in  chapter 16 verse 20

“He who plans a thing will be successful; happy is he who trust in the LORD!”

In avoiding avarice, we find the advice of God in Chapter 16 verse 19:

“It is better to be humble with the meek than to share plunder with the proud.”

God is glorified in Chapter 14 verse 31:

“He who oppresses the poor blasphemes his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy glorifies Him.”

In a world in turmoil the author addresses Adultery: Chapter 5 verses 1-6

1) “My son, to my wisdom be attentive, to my knowledge incline your ear,

2) That discretion may watch over you, and undertanding may guard you.

3) The lips of an adultress drip with honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil;

4) But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, as sharp s a two-edged sword.

5) Her feet go down to death, to the nether world her steps attain;

6) Lest you see before you the road to life, her paths will ramble, you know not where.”