Our latest book comes out of the CTM Prayer Classics section. It is from the 1830’s. Here is a post, from today’s devo, that I sent to my Kenyan Ministry partners:
A Threefold Cord in Spiral Bound for ease of daily use
As I read today’s Devo I believes it sets the proper tone for our seeking the Lord, namely, humility.
JUNE 25
Precept (Principle)
James 4:10
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.
Promise (from God)
Matthew 23:12b
He that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
Prayer (to God)
Psalm 38:18
I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.
Do you remember me telling you about the 82 children that sang for us the first day we were in Kenya last month? Do you remember the body language they used when singing, “We humbly come before You, God”? Do you remember what they did? They bowed low, right? And do you remember how I joked about the way we as adults come “humbly” before God? I thrust my fist up into the air and then said with a loud voice, “We HUMBLY come before You, God.” All of you laughed, and why did you laugh? I think that it was a bit of a laugh of embarrassment wasn’t it? It was embarrassment because you know that at times your attitude and my attitude when coming before God is FAR FROM humble.
So let me ask you a question, which are you more likely to talk to God about, favour or humility, strength or humility, wealth or humility, blessing or humility, revelation or humility, material things or humility?
Would you pray this prayer with me, from the verses above?
“Oh great sovereign Lord (Psalm 103:19), I have been reminded today of the proper view of humility. I have been reminded that my will is not the basis of humility, rather, submitting to You is the focus. And Father, if you lift me up (James 4:10) here on earth, or in heaven, whatever You want to do is fine with me. I recognize Lord that it is not humility when I tell you to lift me up here on earth, in front of other people. You may choose to, or You may not. I am fine with WHATEVER You choose to do. Exalt me Lord (Matthew 23:12b) whenever and where ever You choose to, here on earth or in heaven. Out of, I think, true humility, I leave that choice to You. And then finally Lord, I recognize that when I humble myself before You, that You make plain to me my sins, which I will own, agree with You and not make excuses, and then ask for forgiveness (Psalm 38:18), turning from them. Thank You for the reminder in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that when I seek Your face, NOT Your strong Hand, that You show me my sin, and when You show me my sin, my job is to ask forgiveness, which is the prayer You hear and answer, and then, the separation/barrier caused by my sin (Isaiah 59:2) is gone and in a very real sense, You have just healed the land where I trod. Oh Lord I praise You for continuing to teach me true humility. Thank You Lord.”
(THESE DAILY DEVOS are all posted on Mark’s Common Thread Ministries FB page https://www.facebook.com/CommonThreadMinistries/)
Blessings,
Another Daily Devo that I spend time with is from Andrew Murray. “Coincidentally.” he too talks about humility today. Let his encouragement sink deep into your heart as you too may believe, like I do sometimes, that I am unworthy to pray, let alone “pray aright.” Andrew Murray is a great encourager. Note what he calls “true humility.” Do you have “true humility?” Andrew Murray wrote this over 100 years ago, but it is applicable to us today, isn’t it? Now enjoy his words today, enjoy and let the Holy Spirit press them into your heart:
How to Pray – In Deep Humility
Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs . . . O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. -Matthew 15:27,28.
You feel unworthy and unable to pray aright. To accept this heartily, and to be content still to come and be blest in your unworthiness, is true humility. It proves its integrity by not seeking for anything, but simply trusting His grace. And so it is the very strength of a great faith, and gets a full answer. “Yet the dogs” – let that be your plea as you persevere for someone. . . . Let not your littleness hinder you for a moment.