Gotta Get Humble

This is from Wire - A devotional for men. . . . count others more significant  than yourselves—Philippians 2:3 Let’s first get straight on what “getting humble” is not. It’s not trying to think poorly of ourselves or denigrating ourselves or anything like that. It actually involves taking the focus offourselves. Getting humble is checking our tendency to think ourselves better than others, or more important, valuable, worthy of time or mindshare or respect. Getting humble is shutting down our tendency to "size people up” and position them on some scale—based on money, title, education, geography, whatever. Getting humble is recognizing all people as the careful works of God, equally worthy of love and sacrifice. Getting humble is counterintuitive, and it moves against prevailing culture. You see, we men want to feel successful, important—and have others consider us so. Culture trains us, therefore, to promote ourselves; to be strategic with our time and attention; to let positions determine our treatment of others. This training is foolish. It misses the senseand strength of humbleness. Imagine someone humble. They’re often fearless, able to act on convictions, rather than trying to impress. Their decision-making is often sound, unclouded by insecurity or prejudice. They listen and welcome honest differences. They abide critics, crushed not by their criticism. They’re often magnetic, treating all people with respect. They engender loyalty, camaraderie. King Solomon wrote, “with the humble is wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2). We want to work with humble people. We want to work for them and have them work for us. We want them as spouses, friends. But, mostly, we should want to get humble ourselves.

Okay, so what do we do? Practice getting humble. Choose something this week: initiate a conversation and listen more than you talk; serve in a way that’s mundane or difficult (unpleasant, even); help someone anonymously; give someone the credit they deserve (even if you deserve some too).

Be

                                    

Lunch Break Prayer For Missions

Father in Heaven,

During this brief pause in the day I want to thank you for lunch, work, small businesses and my health. God, I lift up to you the Missions Emphasis for the BGAV during this week. I join thousands of your servants who are calling out to You. Hear our prayers. Please say, "Yes." to our request. God, I want to see your Spirit move in a mighty way. I thank You for the mighty work You are doing in Ghana Africa and ask You to do the same in the US. I thank You for the opportunity I have had to plant a Church and I ask that hundreds of more Churches be planted in Virginia. Please provide the servants and funding needed.

Lord, thank you for the ladies who gathered last night and called out to You and participated in mission work - THANK YOU. Strengthen and empower those ladies today. 

Author and Provider of Salvation may all of the mission work through the BGAV bring people to You, develop disciples, and bring You glory.

In Christ's Name, Amen. 

Part 1 - Prayer

Part 1. Prayer - talking, listening, whispering, hearing, screaming, humbling, standing, bowing, crying, rejoicing.

Work Is A Good Thing

Leisure is a beautiful garment, but it will not do for constant wear.

Hope

                                 

Graded With Grace

From ODB 9-6-16.

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

My son’s blue eyes sparkled with excitement as he showed me a paper he had brought home from school. It was a math test, marked with a red star and a grade of 100 percent. As we looked at the exam, he said he had three questions left to answer when the teacher said time was up. Puzzled, I asked how he could have received a perfect score. He replied, “My teacher gave me grace. She let me finish the test although I had run out of time.”  

As my son and I discussed the meaning of grace, I pointed out that God has given us more than we deserve through Christ. We deserve death because of our sin (Rom. 3:23). Yet, “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (5:8). We were unworthy, yet Jesus—sinless and holy—gave up His life so we could escape the penalty for our sin and one day live forever in heaven.

Eternal life is a gift from God. It’s not something we earn by working for it. We are saved by God’s grace, through faith in Christ (Eph. 2:8–9).

Dear God, Your undeserved favor has made it possible for us to be saved from our sin. You have shown us amazing grace. Thank You for

the gift You gave. Use me to tell others about You and what You have done.

Grace and mercy are unearned blessings.

It's Time To Pray

“Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.” (James 5:13)

Have you ever been in what appeared to be an impossible situation with no way out? Have you ever desperately needed or wanted something, but it seemed as though there was no way you would ever have it? Or, have you ever thought there was no future for you? If so, you need to know about the power of God that can take place through prayer.

One thing that comes out very clearly in the pages of God’s Word is that prayer can dramatically change situations, people, and sometimes even the very course of nature.

But what prayer actually changes the most is you. You change when you pray. The objective of prayer is not to change God or to get Him to do something differently. The objective of prayer is to align yourself with the will and purposes of God.

God will allow hardship and challenges and need—and sometimes even tragedy—so that He can reveal Himself to us and put His power and glory on display. He allows things to happen in our lives so we will turn to Him in prayer.

Yet we usually regard prayer as a last resort: Well, I’ve called all my contacts. I’ve pretty much done everything I can do. . . . So I guess all I can do now is pray.

In reality, the first thing we should do is pray and ask the Lord for His help, His direction, and even His provision. We need God’s help—that is why we pray. When we see our own weakness, we have a greater glimpse of the strength of God.

As someone wisely said, “If you are swept off your feet, it’s time to get on your knees.”

No matter what situation in which we find ourselves, we need to pray.

Taken from YouVersion.com - Grow In Prayer