“True humility and fear of the LORD lead to riches, honor, and long life.” (Proverbs 22:4)

Heaven’s resources are not limited. Short supply or hunger is not spoken of in heaven; there is no want in heaven! They have as the Lord promised fullness of life and joy with no more sorrows to call to mind. This fullness of life spoken of is open to everyone who calls upon the Lord. He said, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3 (NKJV). Calling God includes praying our desires. He has invited us, saying, Call to Me, with the promise of His answer, He will show us great and mighty things we do not know. What are these great and mighty things? The life of the apostle Peter can shed light to this.

Peter experienced one of the darkest trials any disciple would have, he denied the Lord on the eve of His execution. The One he promised to never let go and guard even when others will flee suddenly could not stand even before a servant girl. Peter learned that in this life, one could not depend on his own boldness. He learned that he cannot depend on his vain confidence. There are few people who would love to be dependent and most of them are children. When I was babysitting my uncle’s children, I found that I cannot do another household chore without risking these beautiful children I was entrusted to care for. Whether they are walking or running or playing, they are very dependent on my guidance and care. Once they stumble, I have to get them up and cheer them again.

They are very dependent on me lest they cry all day without any help. This is actually the meaning of the words inscribed in Jeremiah 33:3, when we cry for help unto the Lord with a humble heart, he will show Himself mighty and He will strengthen us, He will empower us. Those who become dependent on Him will rise up like the apostle Peter did. His admonition is one of humility that opens us to Christ’s sufficiency.

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” I Peter 5:6-7 (NKJV)

Humility opens doors

Humility is not weakness or just bowing low outside. It is a heart attitude that is resting on God’s generosity and mercy. It is inadequacy treated with Christ’s sufficiency. The Word of God declares that He is sufficient for all problems in this life, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God (2 Cor 3:5 KJV). There is really no remedy for any malady except Christ’s sufficiency. Whether we like it or not, He has called us to be very dependent on Him otherwise we will be walking in presumption. It is pride to think or say that we have everything when in fact we are nothing.

With today’s modern convenience, we still are as nothing as the cavemen before. If we think otherwise, the Lord counsels us to buy from Him gold that do not perish and a white cloth that is far better than any fashion industry could produce or an ointment that could rival any binoculars (Rev 3:17-18). We are really wretched, miserable and poor. We may encamp for a long time in many fairs such as what we may call as the post modern age, yet that does not distinguish us from anything before nor does that put us above our nagging need inside us, the need to know God. Our rebellion has really brought us far, but all rebellions still end in death. If we are living in God’s Kingdom, we will prepare and plan what we must do. We will devote our lives to the things which waste not and to the very end has the etch of eternity in them.

“Fear of the LORD teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor.” (Proverbs 15:33)

“Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, but humility goes before honor." (Proverbs 18:12)

The Lord declared that the humble He will teach His ways. He also said that Moses has known the way of the Lord but the Israelites have always erred in their hearts. Moses was distinguished from other servants of God by his meekness (Num 12:3). When one is meek it does not mean one is weak. To be meek means to be tender, gentle in such a way as free from pride. It means one is able to control one’s spirit well. When Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses for marrying an Ethiopian woman, he did not defend himself.

But God rescued him and she suddenly became leprous so that even Aaron who was part of those who tried to speak against Moses was forced to ask him to intercede in their behalf. This shows us how the favor of the Lord rests on those who are meek, for to the meek belongs the whole earth (Matt 5:3-5). When one speaks against those in authority, that one has thrown his lot with the fools. He walks in pride he who thinks he is better than the others. Miriam and Aaron thought that they are in fact better than the judgment of Moses to marry an Ethiopian woman. This brought them under God’s judgment so that Miriam receive what is just for her, a leprosy. Let us beware when we think we know better how to handle the lives of others than those in authority because the Lord will find us.

The root of unforgiveness

“If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.” (Luke 17:3-4)

"For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. "But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” (Matthew 6:14-15)

The root of this evil is pride in one’s position. This is why an unforgiving person ends up being opposed by God Himself because pride brings in the opposition of God. When we think that we are right, we are self-justified but there is one who judges all and who knows everything. He holds the scepter of the universe in His hand for justice and righteousness is the foundation of His throne. When we take matters of justice into our hands, we cannot abide by the law of the Lord. We keep Him away. We become helpless for many are the accusations of the enemy. If we work to be an accuser of another person whether we are right or wrong, we will not get anything in the end.

More so your brother becomes your enemy. The only solution for this is to actually agree with your enemy, forgive him if he has debts to you and if it is you, pay him back for the sum of your debts. For if we keep resentments in our hearts we become murderers (1 John 3:15) who are forbidden in the City of New Jerusalem. It is not right that we hold grudge against anybody for even the Lord will not accept our offering of thanksgiving if we do (Matt 5:24). This spirit of unforgiveness must be cut off from us. No one who is truly seeking the Lord daily will continue to harbor bitterness and unforgiveness. David said, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalms 66:18). How can we deal with this?

We must go back to the cross of Jesus. He was condemned to die though sinless and if we think of fairness, was His trial before Pilate and the Sanhedrin ever fair? Not one bit. Yet He took the sins of the world in His shoulders for the sake of us all. He became sin for us. What does that mean? To be sin for us? We possibly cannot comprehend how dark, how gruesome sin could be or even its after effects, yet Jesus took them all in so much that the Father of whom He communes and walks as one on earth has separated Himself from Him, so He cried, “Father, Father why have you forsaken me.”

“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, " Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? "that is," My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? " (Matthew 27:46)

“All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him.

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth.

By oppression and judgment He was taken away;
And as for His generation, who considered
That He was cut off out of the land of the living,
For the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due?” (Isaiah 53:6-8)

In all of these sufferings and humiliation, Jesus never opened His mouth nor spoke foul words to those whom we may think deserves to be cursed. He simply walked like a lamb before its shearers, silent, waiting for the judgment. In his last moments, He would still speak out, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” Who among us would say that before a party uproar of bloody murderers? Yet, Jesus forgave even those who tried and murdered Him. He died for each one of us. It is therefore the call of all Christians to be forgiving as He was the captain and the bearer of all sins. It is not in our hands to take the debts of others and throw it on their faces asking for retribution because we did not pay for any sins.

“Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge;  I will pay them back,” says the LORD.

Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.” (Romans 12:17-21)