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Living in Humility

Living in Humility

Sean Vickers

Living in Humility 

1 Peter 5:1-7

As Peter finishes his letter of encouragement to the church, he encourages the leaders and young leaders to clothe themselves with humility. Peter describes his qualification to lead, the proper motivation for leadership, the reward of leadership, and an essential quality of leaders.

Before addressing the leaders of the church, Peter reminds them that he is a “fellow elder” who was a witness of Christ’s suffering and will share in the reward when Christ is revealed. Peter is reminding his readers of his qualifications to lead leaders. After establishing his leadership credentials, Peter describes the proper motivation for Christian leadership:

  • Christian Leaders must serve willingly by God’s leading, not out of man-made obligation. (1 Peter 5:2)
  • Christian Leaders must serve eagerly, not for monetary gain. (1 Peter 5:2)
  • Christian Leaders must serve by example, not attempting to manipulate others’ behavior. (1 Peter 5:3)
  • Christian Leaders who lead this way will receive an eternal reward (1 Peter 5:4)

Peter then tells the leaders to “clothe themselves with humility.” To clothe oneself is a deliberate act to put on clothing. Our daily routine involves putting on the clothing we will wear today, and there are choices that we must make. Should you wear warm or cold weather clothes? Does our day require more formal attire or casual? Will you need a change of clothes at some point during the day. These are all willful decisions about your clothing for any given day. In the same way, Peter tells his reader that they must “clothe themselves with humility.” They must deliberately put off pride and put on humility.

Humility is a personal quality in which an individual shows dependence on God and respect for others. Each person has a choice to make. Will they rely on themselves or will they rely on God? Peter quotes Proverbs 3:34, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” The idea of humility is a foreign idea in popular American culture where being an independent individual is valued. The idea that you can be whatever you want to be based on your hard work and effort is a common life theme for many. A humble person is one who understands that for them to be all that God planned them to be, they must submit themselves to God and follow His Son, Jesus. Peter writes, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6)

With leadership and life comes struggle and anxiety. Peter encourages the reader to, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) This is a great example of a person with the quality of humility present in their life. When anxiety comes, they give it to God, thereby showing their dependence on Him rather than relying on their own strength. Humble leaders with the right motivation for ministry are a powerful tool in the hand of God for His Kingdom.

Pray the Pledge

Pray the Pledge

Sean Vickers

Pray the Pledge

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America,

Thank God for our country and the blessing of being a citizen of the greatest nation the world has ever known.

and to the Republic for which it stands,

Pray for the political process as we elect those who will represent us.

one Nation under God,

Pray that our nation would return to God. 2 Chronicles 7:14

indivisible,

Pray for unity for our nation as the political debate continues.

with liberty and

Thank God for the religious liberty that we have and ask Him to preserve that liberty.

justice for all.

Pray for justice for all Americans including the unborn, elderly and defenseless.

Sean Vickers

Kinsman-Redeemer

In Ruth, chapters 2-3, there is a great love story recorded about the widowed Ruth and her kinsman-redeemer, Boaz. This is a beautiful account of grace, love, and redemption. This account can be seen as a representation of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Understanding the details of the love story of Ruth and Boaz helps us understand the love relationship we can have with our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Ruth and her mother-in-law had traveled back to Bethlehem after their husbands died. They were in a tough situation and needed to find a way to survive. Ruth began gleaning in Boaz’s field where she met Boaz face to face. Boaz was kind to Ruth and provided safety and food. Once Naomi hears that Ruth met Boaz, they develop a plan for Ruth to offer herself to Boaz. Ruth must prepare herself as she goes to Boaz. This preparation is also how the believer prepares themselves to be acceptable to a holy God. These are the five things Ruth did before going to Boaz:

  1. Ruth washed herself. Ruth 3:3 – In order to be acceptable to God, we must cleanse ourselves from the sin that displeases God.
  2. Ruth anointed herself. Ruth 3:3 – This is a picture of a bride getting ready for her groom. We are called to be the “fragrance of Christ” by our character and conduct. These are the decision we make as we live for Him.
  3.  Ruth changed her clothes. Ruth 3:3 – In the Bible, clothing has a spiritual meaning. Salvation is pictured as putting off the “old self” and putting on Christ.
  4. Ruth learned how to approach her Redeemer – Ruth 3:3-4 – Naomi instructed Ruth about how to offer herself to Boaz. Approaching him in the wrong way would be a deal breaker. Ruth approached Boaz by lying at his feet. We approach Christ by kneeling at His feet and placing our faith in Him and what He did to redeem us.
  5. Ruth acted on what she knew was true. – Ruth 3:5 – Ruth did not only listen to Naomi, she did what she said. In the same way, we must be doers of the Word, not just hearers only.

God wants to cleanse our sin so that we become the fragrance of Christ. We do this by placing our faith in Jesus Christ and putting off our “old self” and putting on the garments of Christ. This allows us to approach God with confidence as we strive to live a life that honors God.

Ruth

Sean Vickers

Hope, Love and Redemption

The book of Ruth in the Old Testament is a compelling story that contains hope, love and redemption.

During the time of the Judges, there was a famine in the land. The book of Ruth is the story of Naomi and Ruth making a pilgrimage back to the Promised Land where they encounter their Kindsmen-Redeemer, Boaz.

Elimelek, Ruth, and their two sons traveled to Moab to find food during the famine. While they were in Moab, their two sons married Moabite women named Orpah and Ruth. After the father and two sons die Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth are widows with a bleak future. Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem. During this journey Naomi tells her daughter’s-in-law to return to Moab where they can remarry and live out peaceful lives. Orpah decides to return, and Ruth refuses by expressing her commitment to Naomi and to her God.

Ruth 1:16-17 says,

16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.
17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.”

This amazing confession represented Ruth’s commitment to her mother-in-law, Naomi, and a decisive rejection of the pagan religion of the Moabites. This is a bold statement of her faith in the God of Israel.

When they arrive in Bethlehem, Ruth begins gleaning in a field owned by Boaz. Ruth has a face to face conversation with Boaz which starts the most famous love story found in the Bible.

This love story becomes a representation of Jesus Christ and His relationship with His bride, the church. Like Ruth, we are lost and outside the covenant family of God. We are bankrupt with no hope of God’s mercy. But God took the initiative and provided a way for us to enter His family through faith in Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Clear Application for Today

  • Commitment to family is valuable.
  • God blesses hard work.
  • God blesses His children in the midst of their circumstances.
  • God provided a Redeemer, His name is Jesus!

 

Gideon’s Poor Finish

Sean Vickers

Gideon was used by God to defeat the Midianites and restore peace to Israel. He is remembered as the reluctant leader that had a great victory with 300 soldiers. His story however is tarnished by how he finished the race of his life.

In Judges 8, Gideon conquers the two kings of the Midianites, Zebah and Zalmunna. Judges 8:22-23 records how the Israelites wanted to make Gideon King. To his credit, he refused this offer and redirected the people back to their real ruler, the Lord. Although Gideon refused kingship he began living an extravagant life style of wealth with many wives and children. Gideon then used his wealth and influence to build an altar to foreign gods that caused God’s people to prostitute themselves. This altar also became a snare to Gideon’s family.

The Scottish Presbyterian pastor Andrew Bonar said, “Let us be as watchful after the victory as before the battle.”

It is painful to see leaders that God used in a great way finish poorly. This is a wake up call for all of us, who follow Christ in a leadership position, to make sure that we finish well.

During our staff meeting this week, Pastor Hank encouraged the staff to stay humble and stay clean. This is a great prescription for finishing strong.

Gideon let his wealth, success, and popularity lead him to pride. When we go the way of pride we get into dangerous territory. Only when we remain humble, realizing that we need God to fight our battles can we walk close to Him and avoid pride. We also need to realize that we are nothing apart from God. This will help us stay close to God and finish strong. Stay humble.

Gideon began living an extravagant lifestyle with riches and many wives. He turned to the gods of the Canaanites and forsook the Lord. He became so confident in himself that he stopped placing his faith in God. Gideon’s service as a Judge and mighty warrior was marred by pride and unholy living. This resulted in a “dirty” finish to his life.

As a child of God, you must stay clean before God. Where there is sin, confess it. Where there is harmful habits you cannot break, get help. Holiness is to be the pursuit of every believer. Stay Clean.

Judges 3 – 5 Broken People – Faithful God

Judges 3 – 5 Broken People – Faithful God

Sean Vickers

Judges 3 – 5 Broken People – Faithful God

The book of Judges is named after a group of leaders who led Israel after Joshua’s death. During Joshua’s farewell address Israel had committed themselves to honor and serve God. Joshua 24:14-18 As is the case with nations and individuals, that promise was soon broken. Through the grace of God Israel would be disciplined by God. Joshua 21: 25 is a verse that captures the situation in Israel, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

There is a pattern that emerges from Judges. Keep this pattern in mind as you read this book.

1. God is faithful to His children and will keep every promise.

2. The people abandoned the Lord’s instruction.

3. God punished them by raising up a foreign power to oppress them. He quits fighting their battles.

4. The people cried out to God for deliverance and mercy.

5. God raised up a deliverer, or judge, for them to follow.

6. The people follow the judge and repent. This leads to peace and the favor of God.

7. After a time the people forget and return to step 2.

This is the pattern for the Israelites in the book of Judges. This can also be the pattern of our lives.

1. God is faithful to us offering us salvation and strength to live a life that honors Him.

2. We choose to follow our own way and turn away from God’s plans for our lives.

3. God disciplines us as an act of love and we feel the consequences of our sin.

4. We cry out to God for mercy.

5. God shows us the way back to Himself.

6. We repent and recommit our lives to Him.

7. We forget the mercies of God and return to sin and return to step 2.

Clear Application for Today

We must understand this process and take whatever means necessary to stay close to God. It is better to live a life that honors God than it is to live a life where we follow our own desires.

 

Joshua 7 Defeat on the Way to Victory

Sean Vickers

God gave the people of Israel a great victory when He caused the walls of Jericho to fall. He was fighting for His people and giving them victory that they could not accomplish by themselves. Joshua 6:27 says, “And the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.” As is the case after spiritual victories, defeat and discouragement closely followed.

In Joshua 6: 17-19, Joshua clearly instructs Israel that everything taken from the city belonged to God. He warned them to stay away from “devoted things.” He told them that failure to obey God would make the camp of Israel “liable to destruction and bring trouble on it.” (NIV) One of the soldiers, Achan, son of Carmi, disobeyed this clear instruction which led to defeat for the people of God.

The next nation to conquer in the Promise Land was the people of Ai. After Joshua scouts them out, he determines that the conquest of Ai will be easy for the army and only sends three thousand men to fight. They are defeated and embarrassed by the army of Ai. The victory of Jericho is quickly overshadowed by the defeat of Ai. It is important to understand what caused the defeat at Ai. It was the disobedience of Achan, which resulted is God allowing the Israelites to fight in their own strength, leading to defeat. Sin must be dealt with in the lives of God’s people for God’s presence and power to be experienced.

Joshua is broken over this defeat and seeks the face of God. God leads him to consecrate the people and search out the disobedient tribe. Achan is found out, and he and his family are judged and stoned.

After the sin of Achan is discovered and confessed, the conquest of Ai continues. With God once again fighting for His people, Ai is soundly defeated and taking possession of the Promise Land continues.

Clear Application for Today

  • God is the source of victorious Christian living. By faith we can be strong and courageous.
  • Knowing right from wrong must be followed by obedience. Achan knew what was right and chose his will over the will of God.
  • Seeking more knowledge about God is important, but not as important as obedience to what we already know.
  • Disobedience to God strips the power of God working in our lives.
  • If we want God to fight our battles and give us power to do what He has called us to do, we must be obedient to do things God’s way.
  • Like Achan, our sin affects our family.
  • Confession of sin leads to restoration and renewed spiritual power.
  • When you surrender to the Lord, no defeat is permanent and no mistake is beyond remedy.

Is there a spiritual barrier present in your life that must be dealt with before the power of God returns in your life?

True Love Waits

True Love Waits

Sean Vickers

I am proud of our Students this Valentine’s Day season. Traditionally I do a True Love Waits Emphasis during the month of February. This year I decided to challenge our students to go public with their decision by taking their picture while holding a sign that said “I am True Love Waits.” After these pictures were taken they were posted on our Student Ministry Facebook Page. The challenge was for the students to make their True Love Waits picture their profile picture until Easter. It was incredible to see these pictures showing up on facebook. We created an environment where students were bold in their walk with Christ.

True Love Waits Commitment

Believing that true love waits, I make a commitment to God, myself, my family, my friends, my future mate, and my future children to a lifetime of purity including sexual abstinence from this day until the day I enter a biblical marriage relationship.

 

 

A Heart towards God

Sean Vickers

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”  1 Samuel 16:7

There is a fascinating account in the Bible in 1 Samuel 16. When it was time to replace King Saul, Samuel went to Bethlehem and called together Jesse and his sons. Each of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel and God would select a new King. As seven sons passed by Samuel there was no suitable replacement found. Samuel asked if all of Jesse’s sons were there. Jesse had one more son, David, who was tending the sheep. They called for David and he was the one and was anointed by Samuel to be the future king of Israel.

This compelling story raises the question: What was the difference between David and his brothers? 1 Samuel 16:7 demonstrates that it was a matter of the heart. We tend to look at the exterior and God looks and the interior, the heart. 2 Chronicles 16:9

What does God see when He looks at your heart?

  • Pride – Proverbs 21:4, Jeremiah 17:9
    Our hearts will naturally focus on me, myself and I.
  • Guilt – Matthew 5:19
  • Brokenness – Psalm 51:17
  • Emptiness – King Saul – 1 Samuel 13:14
  • Belief – Romans 10:10
  • Jesus – Ephesians 3:14-19

What should we do?

  • Examine our OWN hearts
  • Eliminate pride and sin by confession and repentance
  • Turn our hearts toward God
  •  Trust Christ to dwell in our hearts as Savior and Lord