Blessing for Persons with Humility

Proverbs 29:23,
23 A man’s pride brings him low,
but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.

Psalm 25:9,
9 He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.

Psalm, 37:11,
11 But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy great peace.

Zephaniah 2:3
3 Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land,
you who do what he commands.
Seek righteousness, seek humility;
perhaps you will be sheltered
on the day of the LORD’s anger.

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1. From the verses above, the blessings that will be received by those who are humble are that God will lead them in doing right, teaching them His way. It will bring honor. The humble will live in peace and prosperity and perhaps the Lord will protect them (protect them from His anger on “that day of destruction).

2. The attitude of someone with humility when they’re taught or corrected is that they listen without complaining or grumbling.

Blessing for Persons with Humility (1)

1 Peter 5:5-7,
5Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”[a] 6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Proverbs 18:12,
12 Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud,
but humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 22:4
4 Humility and the fear of the LORD
bring wealth and honor and life.

1. The blessings that someone with a humble character will receive is honor, and if they also fear the LORD, then also riches and long life. This person will also receive God’s favor.

2. A humble person handles anxiety by giving all their cares and worries to the Lord.

3. What will happen to an arrogant person is that God will oppose them, which is bad!!!

Building a Character of Humility: Obedient without Complaint

Philippians 2:12-16,
Shining as Stars
12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16as you hold out[a] the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.

Ephesians 6:1,
Children and Parents
1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

Titus 3:1-2
Doing What is Good
1Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.

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1. Obedience is important in God’s eyes because God is working in us, “giving us the desire and power to do what pleases Him.” When we disobey, it’s like we denounce God’s authority over us.

2. The kind of obedience that God desires is one without complaining and arguing, and obedience that makes us shine liek bright lights; in a “world full of crooked and perverse people,” we are to live innocent lives as children of God.

3. Obedience to God will be mirrored in obedience to humans. The blessing of obedience to God is that if we honor and obey our parents, then we are doing the right thing and “things will go well for (me) and (I) will have a long life on earth.” I also should submit to the government and officers…but God is first. God’s number one! Jesus is number one!

Blessings for Persons with Humility

1 Peter 5:5-77,
5Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”[a] 6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Proverbs 18:12,
12 Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud,
but humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 22:4
4 Humility and the fear of the LORD
bring wealth and honor and life.

—

1. The blessing that will be received by the humble person is that they will have riches, honor and long life and God’s favor!
2. A person that’s humble handles anxiety by giving all their worries and cares to God, for He cares for us!
3. What will happen to an arrogant person is that their haughtiness precedes destruction, and God opposes them. That’s bad and frightening, really.

Developing a Character of Humility: Don’t Compare Ourselves with Others

2 Corinthians 10:12-18,
12For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

13But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

14For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:

15Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,

16To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.

17But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

18For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

Galatians 6:3,
3For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

Philippians 4:6
6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

—

1. I think yes, I have felt dissatisfied with myself, my appearance wealth and conditions before, but I’ve learned to give thanks and know that all those things are not necessarily bad things, I just needed to change my perspective. Dissatisfaction is caused by negative thinking and comparing ourselves to others, but having a heart that is satisfied brings more happiness and a more positive outlook on life. What we do have, we are able to enjoy. There are rich people who aren’t content and they may be miserable because that’s what they create for themselves. On the other hand, there are parapalegics who feel blessed and have joy. I want to choose to give thanks to the Lord for He is good and His mercy endures forever.
2. The result of comparing ourselves with others is our focus is not on God but on shallow ways of measurements that are meaningless. What we do is in vain-means nothing- because everything in this world will pass away anyways. We should focus on the prize in the upward call of Christ Jesus.
3. To guard ourselves from having discontent and comparing ourselves with others is to make it habit to change the way we think. We need to remember to give thanks and speak with God always…not “anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petitino, with thanksgiving, (presenting) our requests to God (Phil 4:6).”

Cultivating Humility: Guarding Your Heart from Arrogance

Mark 9:33-34,
Who is Greatest?
33They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

1 Corinthians 1:26-29,
26Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29so that no one may boast before him.

Jeremiah 9:23-24
23 This is what the LORD says:
“Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom
or the strong man boast of his strength
or the rich man boast of his riches,

24 but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me,
that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,”
declares the LORD.

—

1. What caused disagreement among Christ’s disciples was arrogance and self-pride among those that were arguing about who among them was the greatest (excluding Jesus of course).
2. Arrogance can cause disagreements because instead of focusing on any valid purpose or goal, the focus is on the self, and only one person cares most for self and that is that person him/herself!
3. To guard myself from arrogance, I need to remember that first God does not want us to ever boast in His presence (and He is omnipresent). Secondly, I need to remember that without God, I am nothing and nothing else matters. And it’s not because of me or for me or by me, but it’s all because of Him and for Him and unto Him and by Him.

Having a Character of Christ: Humble Heart

Matthew 11:29-30,
29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Philippians 2:5-11
5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

—

1. Characteristics of Christ that are most evident in the verses above are humility, submission, trust and a desire to do the Father’s will.
2. Faithfulness requires humility because it’s submitting your own want and will to fulfill the will of another-in this case God.
3. My attitude in being faithful to God’s commands are that I need more disciplin. I am good sometimes and okay other times.  I still want to improve in this area and I believe the Holy Spirit will help me.

Developing an Honest Character

Psalm 120:2,
2 Save me, O LORD, from lying lips
and from deceitful tongues.

Psalm 144:11,
11 Deliver me and rescue me
from the hands of foreigners
whose mouths are full of lies,
whose right hands are deceitful.

Ephesians 4:25,
25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

Psalm 17:1,
A prayer of David.
1 Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea;
listen to my cry.
Give ear to my prayer—
it does not rise from deceitful lips.

Proverbs 4:24
24 Put away perversity from your mouth;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

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1. To “put away perversity from your mouth,” and to “keep corrupt talk far from your lips” means that our mouths should speak words that bless, that are honest and pure…even if we think the other person won’t enjoy hearing it. We can be diplomatic and edifying while still speaking the truth.
2. To build a habit of speaking honestly, I must trust in the Lord that if I choose to obey Him and honor Him with my mouth, that even if the thing I speak may get in me in trouble, that if I pray to God that He is God and can do all things and will bless me and reward me for speaking the truth and not lies.

Blessing of an Honest Person-2

Psalm 24:3-5,
3 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD ?
Who may stand in his holy place?

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false. [a]

5 He will receive blessing from the LORD
and vindication from God his Savior.

Proverbs 15:8,
8 The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked,
but the prayer of the upright pleases him.

Proverbs 16:13
13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value a man who speaks the truth.

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I want to have clean hands and a pure heart and not worship idols or ever tell lies. Psalm 24:5 says this is the key having the Lord’s blessing and the key to having a right relationship with God. This is so important to me because having a right relationship with God impacts every aspect of my life. I want to be right before the Lord. It also says that when I have righteous (honest) lips, God loves it. So I want to guard my mouth and words today so God will delight in my prayers. If I act wickedly God detests it. So therefore I want to live in righteousness so I can delight in Him and my God in me.

Lying- Cause and Effects-1

John 8:44,
44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

James 3:14-16,
14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

2 Timothy 3:1-2
Godlessness in the Last Days
1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,

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1. The one behind the sin of lying is the devil.
2. Jealousy, arrogance and egoism causes people to act in a way or say things that aren’t according to the truth of reality because they aren’t satisfied with reality or they’re afraid they’ll get in trouble.