Why do people go to church?  How do they choose the church? A simpler question is why people leave a church?   My husband recently said that he has heard people say that they leave because they are not, "getting anything" out of it.  He suggests that the real statement should be, "what can I give."  Hebrews 10:25 says, "Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."  I agree with my husband.  Too many people choose a church because they can hide in the crowd and not get involved; they do have to be challenged; or they get to say they go to church but don't have to deal with accountability.  It is clear from Hebrews that we are not to ask, (to take from JFK) what can the church do for me, but what we can do for the church.  Not only are we not to neglect meeting together, but we are to encourage each other.  It's hard to encourage if you don't get involved.  It's hard to encourage if you don't meet with each other.  It's hard to encourage if you don't hear the Word.  My encouragement to my fellow believers is to find a church that challenges you with the Word; encourages you with the Love of God; and gives you an opportunity to Love, Learn, and Live the Word of God.

I've been thinking about "grace" lately.  Especially because I am involved with a Bible study on Ruth.  Talk about a women full of grace.  Then I wanted to see what the dictionary says about grace.  Webster's 1828 definition says "favor; goodwill; kindness; disposition to oblige another."  It also gives Biblical references!  Can you believe it?  Of course, this is the 1828 publication.  The Biblical references are: Romans 11:5; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Romans 5:2; Ephesians 4:29 and 3:28; and 1 Peter 1:13.  This definition was nothing new.  It just satisfies my curiosity as sometimes words tend to change their meaning after a few centuries.

I have always been told that grace that it is a free gift from God that we don't deserve. I believe that, but Ruth was given grace and I think she deserved it.  This woman showed grace under pressure.  Imagine leavving your family and all you know as familiar to go with your mother-in-law to a land that has just come out of a famine to follow a God you only know through the love that was shown to her by her mother-in-law.  She did all this without complaining or griping or moaning.  She showed grace and obedience.  Naomi must have been quite the mother-in-law.  I have a mother-inn-law I would follow, but not everyone does.

Even when Ruth got to Naomi's hometown, she showed more grace by working in a wheat/barley field to take care of Naomi and herself.  She went from being a Moabite princess to a field hand.  Again, no complaining or griping or moaning.  I want to be Ruth when I grow up.  Why did she do all this.  It was because Naomi showed the love and grace of God.  It was clear that God was a part of her.

I God a part of you?  Do people you encounter see God's love through your actions? Does God's grace show in your attitude?  I believe Ruth is a picture of what our obedience to God should look like.  I believe that Naomi is a picture of how Christians should show God's love to others who do not know him.  As it has been said, "we may be the only Christ people see".  In other words, our actions as Christians can make or break someone's faith.

Many people do not attend church because they have seen how "so-called" Christians have treated others in the name of God.  We have to look to the Bible and the examples God has given us to show the love of God to everyone.  God created everyone and everyone deserves to feel the love and grace of God.  He can deal with them regarding sin.  Our job is to bring them to Him by being an example of grace and love.

May God grant you all the strength, compassion, grace, and love you need to spread it over your community.

I want to talk to you all about humility vs. leadership. Wayne Cordero, Pastor of New Hope Christian Fellowship in Hawaii said, “The measure of a true leader is how they respond when they are treated as a servant.” I want to examine God’s word regarding humility in the life of Jesus and in the teaching of Jesus.

First, what is humility? Revelations 4:10 – 11 says, “…the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one who lives forever and ever. And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, ‘You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created everything, and it is for your pleasure that they exist and were created.’”

God created us to be partakers of His perfection and blessedness; and to share with us His love, wisdom, and power. As God is ever-living and ever-present; and the one who upholds all things by the power of His word; and the reason all things exist; we can only respond by being unceasingly, absolutely, and universally dependent on Him.

Humility is a place of entire dependence on God – it is the root of every virtue.Therefore, pride, or the loss of humility, is the root of every sin and evil!

Humility is simply the “sense of entire nothingness which comes when we see how truly God IS ALL, and in which we make a way for God to BE ALL.” Andrew Murray

"Pride...is the root of every sin and evil"

HUMILITY in the life of Jesus:

“I assure you, the Son can do nothing by himself.” John 5:19a

“I do nothing without consulting the Father. I judge as I am told. And my judgment is absolutely just, because it is according to the will of God who sent me, it is not merely my own.” John 5:30

“Your approval or disapproval means nothing to me…” John 5:41

“For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do what I want.” John 6:38

“I am not teaching my own ideas, but those of God who sent me.” John 7:16

“When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will realize that I am he and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak what the Father taught me.” John 8:28

“If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God, I am not here on my own, but he who sent me.” John 8:42

“And though I have no wish to glorify myself, God wants to glorify me. Let Him be the judge.” John 8:50

“Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I say are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me.” John 14:10

“Anyone who doesn’t love me will not do what I say. And remember, my words are not my own. This message is from the Father who sent me.” John 14:24

These scriptures tell us how it was that the Almighty God was able to work His redeeming plan through Jesus. They tell us that Jesus became nothing that God might be all. It is our example of complete submission and dependent on the Father’s will, and; when we are in complete submission and dependent on the Father’s will we can find perfect peace and joy; as did Christ. Also, it is with this complete submission and dependence on God that allows us to humble ourselves before others and to be the “servant of all”. Christ’s humility was simply the surrender of Himself to God, to allow Him to do in Him what He pleased, no matter what men around him might say or do. This is our example of perfect service and humbleness towards others. This type of humility must not be temporary sentiment – used when easy – it must be our whole life, just as it was Christ’s whole life.

Humility in the teaching of Jesus:

I have pointed out humility in the life of Christ, as he laid open His heart to us. I want know to look as his teaching and how much he expects us to be as humble as He was.

1. In the Beatitudes He says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.”The poor, who have nothing in and of themselves and the meek, who seek nothing in and of themselves, theirs is the kingdom of heaven and the earth.The blessings of heaven and earth are for the humble and gentle of heart. In short, humility is the secret of blessing.
   

2. Matthew 11:29 – “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls.” Here, Jesus shows himself as a teacher. He offers us humility and gentleness where we will find perfect peace. Humility is to be our path to salvation.
   

3. In Luke 9:46 and Matthew 18:4 the disciples were arguing about who would be the greatest in the kingdom. When they asked Jesus, his reply was, “Whosoever shall humble himself as this little child, shall be exalted.”Humility is the chief glory of heaven and the chief of the graces.
   

4. Later, James and John asked Jesus to be His right and left “arm”, to sit at the highest places in the kingdom. Jesus responded be telling them it was not his to give, but the Father’s. Matthew 20:27-28 – “…and whoever wants to be first must become your slave. For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many.” NLT Humility will be the one standard of glory in heaven: the lowest is the nearest to God.
   

5. When speaking to the Pharisees about their love of power, Jesus again said, “The greatest among you must be a servant.” Matthew 23:11. Humility is the only ladder to honor in God’s kingdom.
   

6. Yet again, when Jesus was telling the parable of the dinner guest who wanted to be seated near the host. He said, “For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored.” Luke 14:11 Humility alone will be exalted.
   

7. And again, in Luke 18:14b Jesus says, “For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored.” In fellowship and in worship, everything is worthless if there is not a true, deep humility towards God and men.
   

8. After washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus said, “And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet.” John 13:14. This command and example make humility the first and most essential element of discipleship.
   

9. At the last supper, the disciples were still disputing as to who was to be considered the greatest. Jesus said to them, “But among you, those who are the greatest should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.” Luke 22:26 The path Jesus walked, the one God chose us to follow, is that of a humility that will make us the servant of all.
   

What exactly is a fully devoted servant or slave? It is Devotion to the master’s interests, thoughtful study and care to please him, delight in his prosperity and honor and happiness. It is “Mr. French”! This type of servitude seems impossible. That’s because pride still counts itself as something in our lives. To become this type of servant, to reach this pinnacle of humility, we must first learn to be nothing before God. We must welcome the heart of discipline that has us serving even those that hurt us. When our heart is set upon God and His glory, there will be no place too low, and no stooping too deep, no service too long. Christ is in the midst of those that serve – Luke 22:27 “Normally the master sits at the table and is served by his servants. But not here! For I am your servant.”

HUMILITY – WRAP UP!

We speak of humbleness, gentleness and meekness as something that might rob us of what is noble and bold. But, these things are the nobility of the kingdom of heaven. These things are Godlike. These things are the path to joy and the glory of Christ’s presence in us. Jesus calls us to learn from Him; to open our hearts and fill them with the thought, “My one need is humility.” We must believe that what He shows, He gives; and what He is, He imparts. As the humble and gentle one, He will come in and dwell in the longing heart.

The question is; do we have a longing heart?