THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD WORKS IN THE CHRISTIAN’S LIFE
In the short message (Sunday 16th May 2021, Pastor Adedayo Anjorin described the value of good deeds in a person’s life! It is true that we cannot be saved by any good works we do, ( Eph 2: 8, 9). However the bible tells us that one of the reasons we were made children of God, was so that we are able to do good deeds that God had planned for us to do from before the world was created, (Eph 2:10). Pastor Adedayo Anjorin tells us that modern medical science has proved conclusively that doing good deeds is great for everyone’s mental health! Our Lord and saviour Jesus told us…..” ‘It ismoreblessedto givethan to receive.’, *Acts 20:5). Our God is wise indeed!
On Sunday 9th May) 2021 Pastor Adedayo Anjorin spoke on the danger of PRIDE and the blessings of humility. God gives faith and righteousness to the humble in heart! Pride was the sin that caused satan to be cast out of heaven. Pastor Adedayo Anjorin proclaimed the wonderful kindness and mercy of our God to those who humble themselves and cast themselves on this wonderful mercy . They do this knowing that only the mercy and the precious Blood of Christ can buy the FREE GIFT of heaven for them and fill their hearts with the very faith of Christ.
HUMILITY’S CHARACTERISTICS
For the Christian believer, humility is the very ‘seedbed’ of true FAITH as well as the starting point for every other godly virtue. Humility’s characteristics are many and many other virtues flow out of a humble heart. In this teaching we are going to look at how God blesses the humble and list some of the godly character traits and attitudes that reside ( and flow out) of a humble heart.
FAITH’S JOURNEY
Turning to the second chapter of the Old Testament book of Habakuk, we see that the starting point of faith’s journey is a humble heart. Humility is God’s key to a trust in God that is able to believe and overcome all things. Humility is the basic principle that leads to ‘the fountain of faith.’ God is speaking to the prophet Habakuk and telling him to be patient and listen attentively to what is about to transpire in his nation of Israel.
Hab 2: 2 to 4 – Jehovah answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run that reads it. 3For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it rushes toward the end, and shall not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay.4Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him; but the righteous shall live by his faith.
HUMILITY VERSUS PRIDE
In this passage of scripture Jehovah is showing us very clearly the battle between humility versus pride. All humanity is divided clearly into two types of people; the humble and the proud. The man filled with pride mistakenly and arrogantly thinks he can do without God’s mercy, grace and help. He sees no need in coming in humble dependence upon Jehovah. His self-sufficiency is an impenetrable barrier against faith in God. On the other hand, God says that the humble man is not a man who is boasting in himself but is looking up to God in humble dependence. Such a man is able to hear God’s message, receive help and develop a true faith.
In the verse of scripture below the prophet Isaiah is addressing the arch rebel and the arch enemy of God’s people Satan.
Isa 14: 13 to 15 – You said in your heart: “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High. 15But you will be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.
In his exalted arrogance and pride, Satan imagined that he could to take over the throne of God. The devil’s attitude is the VERY ANTITHESIS of a man who his humble. A humble man who rather than trust in himself looks up to God for EVERYTHING is able to have strong faith in the living God.
THE HUMILITY OF JESUS CHRIST
So we can see that humility is the VERY OPPOSITE of pride and arrogance. This leads to a deep recognition of one’s dependence upon God. This humble attitude is the very seedbed of faith. A man or woman with this attitude is able to live a life in the power of God because he knows that is authority is not in himself but in the mighty God who is able to fill him and cover him with His power. The prime example of this true and beautiful humility was in our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. Yes he was God, – but when he “stepped out” of heaven and became a man he laid aside his power and Glory, He gladly submitted himself in obedience to the will, authority, power and guidance of God’s Holy Spirit . There is a beautiful passage in Philippians witch describes how beautiful and powerful His humility was.
Phil 2: 5 to 11 – Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 5who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the Name that is above every name, 10 so that 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.
ENCOURAGING SCRIPTURES
The following two Biblical accounts illustrate the dynamic truth of how the virtue of humility issues in both saving grace and miraculous, God-given FAITH. In the second example we will see that the Roman centurion’s faith, born out of humility actually AMAZED Jesus! The centurion’s understanding of WHY Our Saviour had so much authority illustrates how humility can not only issue in powerful faith , but also in clarity of spiritual vision . The centurion was able to see that Jesus power and authority as a man of God issued from His humility and dependent obedience to His heavenly father. Our wonderful ALMIGHTY saviour ‘laid aside’ his omnipotence and lived his life in humble reliance on His fathers power!
The weeks sermon, (Sunday 2nd May) inspired us with scriptures concerning our Omnipotent, all-powerful wonderful God who’s promises will stand forever!
