10/5/2014
Promised Care of God
"6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7
While it is very true that the Lord cares for His own children and for you in particular, we must not forget that the beginning of His promised care begins with this condition: we must humble ourselves “under the mighty hand of God.”
Eating a slice of “humble pie” can be difficult; yet, grace is given to those who are humble (James 4:6). If we want God’s care and providence to operate in our life, we must believe that God helps those who have submitted themselves to Him. Humility is the opposite of pride. Pride tries to convince us we are better than everyone else, we deserve the best in life, and we don’t really need God’s help in our everyday experiences. Pride began in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3) when Satan convinced Eve that if she partook of the fruit that was not to be eaten, she would not die. All 'pride' questions the plans, motives, and truthfulness of God. Just as Eve disbelieved God’s word, when we live our lives in superiority over others or even over the Lord - how can we expect to even recognize God’s loving kindness in our life?
It is equally as possible that doubt (a seed of pride) can also hinder God’s providence in our life. If we bring up a lot of our worries, sins, and concerns to other people, there is always a possibility they will not believe our concerns are of very much significance. If something is a “big deal” to you, it’s a “big deal” to God; don’t convince yourself that since others don’t care, God must not care either. Coming to such a conclusion will cause lack of trust and lack of faith that God can take care of all your needs. Always remember - God cares for you! But don’t let haughtiness stop you from receiving that care.
Listen to the rest of this audio sermon here:
Eating a slice of “humble pie” can be difficult; yet, grace is given to those who are humble (James 4:6). If we want God’s care and providence to operate in our life, we must believe that God helps those who have submitted themselves to Him. Humility is the opposite of pride. Pride tries to convince us we are better than everyone else, we deserve the best in life, and we don’t really need God’s help in our everyday experiences. Pride began in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3) when Satan convinced Eve that if she partook of the fruit that was not to be eaten, she would not die. All 'pride' questions the plans, motives, and truthfulness of God. Just as Eve disbelieved God’s word, when we live our lives in superiority over others or even over the Lord - how can we expect to even recognize God’s loving kindness in our life?
It is equally as possible that doubt (a seed of pride) can also hinder God’s providence in our life. If we bring up a lot of our worries, sins, and concerns to other people, there is always a possibility they will not believe our concerns are of very much significance. If something is a “big deal” to you, it’s a “big deal” to God; don’t convince yourself that since others don’t care, God must not care either. Coming to such a conclusion will cause lack of trust and lack of faith that God can take care of all your needs. Always remember - God cares for you! But don’t let haughtiness stop you from receiving that care.
Listen to the rest of this audio sermon here:
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