Humility

And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. Then all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. Nehemiah 8:6

Being humble is something that is difficult for most people. The world tells everyone to hold their head up high and be proud of who they are. Then the world strives to be the god of their life and of others. People want to be the one that is in control and is the one that is worshipped and adored by others.

As Ezra blessed God the people agreed and bowed down with their faces to the ground to worship God.

Everywhere one looks it is always about self, how one looks, what one has, who one knows and other things about self. The individual is the most important and one is to look out for self. In the eyes of the world there is no right or wrong, but it is all about what self wants and desires. Pride is the number one feeling to have.

God is against pride because it is about self, removing Him and others from the equation. However, without God there is nothing. If God had not created everything, there would be nothing and man would not exist.

It is God who gives life. It is God who forgives. It is God who gives meaning to life. It is God who gives meaning during suffering. It is God who gives strength and abilities.

Instead of being filled with pride, believers are to be humble before God. They are to look down to the ground recognizing that they are nothing without the work of Jesus in their lives and humbly worship God from their hearts knowing it is all about God.

You may have done some great things in your life but remember that it was God who gave you the ability to do those things. Do not allow pride to build up and place yourself upon the throne.

Humble yourself and bow down to worship God, the creator of the heavens and the earth, the giver of life, the One who forgives, the One in control. Allow God to be high and lifted up to be worshipped by all beginning with yourself. Let your entire life be completely all about God and what He has and is doing.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will recognize who God is; that you will humble yourself before God; that you will worship God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength; and that you will not allow self pride get in the way of loving, serving and worshipping God first.

There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. Ezra 8:21

Asking for help is something that many people do not like to do. It often means that one is weaker and unable to accomplish something on his own and needs the strength and abilities of someone else. Admitting one needs help and then going about seeking help becomes one of the last things a person may do. A level of humility is required.

As Ezra was getting ready to lead the people back to Jerusalem, he proclaimed a fast to humble themselves before God and ask Him to protect them on the journey.

While the world looks at asking for help as a sign of weakness, believers must understand that everything they are is dependent upon asking for help. One is not saved until he seeks God’s help in being forgiven of his sins.

Even once saved, the power of pride often creeps into the hearts of believers causing them to not want to seek help from God or others. To help break that pride, believers can proclaim of time of fasting, going without something that they need so that they can humble themselves before God. Fasting is denying one’s prideful self and abilities to place God’s will in first place and in complete control. As one fasts, he can ask God for His will and favor.

During the fast, he is depending upon God for whatever is needed. It is no longer about self, but about God and His will and ways. The moment a believer takes self off of the throne in humility and places God on the throne, it allows God to do great and mighty things in his life.

No matter how strong or great you are, there are things that you cannot do without God’s help and strength. If God does not give you the abilities, you will fail.

Do not allow pride to rise up in you and cause you to walk without God’s direction. Humble yourself and deny yourself in a fast. Allow God to step in and meet every need you have in His own way. During the fast, allow God to be in complete control and watch Him meet needs in a supernatural way.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will humble yourself before God; that you will allow God to be in complete control of your life; that you will fast and deny yourself before God; and that you will see God do great things in your life and through you.