Dave’s Monday Blast – February 26, 2018
Last week we mentioned that Louis Palau has been diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. Palau has been a faithful servant of the Kingdom for decades. His obvious “success” as an evangelist can be attributed to the fact that he has been obedient to the Word all these years. I believe that his obedience is intimately connected to his character. His character is framed by humility.
In his book Humility: True Greatness, C.J. Mahaney offers several practical steps toward humility that we can all glean from:
1. Reflect often upon the wonder of the cross. Begin each day with a simple acknowledgment that you are dependent on God. Quoting John Stott, “Nothing in history or in the universe cuts us down to size like the cross. All of us have inflated views of ourselves, especially in self-righteousness, until we have visited a place called Calvary. It is there, at the foot of the cross, that we shrink to our true size.”
2. Begin your day by expressing gratefulness to God. Spend time in the spiritual disciplines of prayer, Bible study and worship. Memorize Scripture, especially during what Mahaney calls your “mundane moments.” Cast your cares on Jesus (1 Peter 5:6 – 7), as this will cause you to realize your need for your Lord. And end your day by expressing gratitude to God for His grace.
Pastor Jim Denison comments: “Faith does not exempt us from the peril of pride. Mahaney quotes John Owen’s warning: ‘There is no duty we perform for God that sin does not oppose. And the more spirituality or holiness there is in what we do, the greater is its enmity to it. Thus, those who seek the most for God experience the strongest opposition.’ The more you serve Jesus, the more opposition you will face, but the more you will experience his abundant life (John 10:10). And the closer you get to God, the farther away you will realize you are.”
That is the challenge, the joy, and the mystery of humility.
Next week I want to chat a bit about the recent passing of another truly humble man and great evangelist, Billy Graham.
