God Opposes . . .

“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” James 4:6 (ESV)

How many times have you heard or read that scripture? Whether it was in a congregation, in a family situation, or with friends, the odds are you have heard it enough to pay barely any attention to it. If you had paid any attention, I bet it was nothing more than a nod of your head and some mental assent, maybe even a “Yes, Amen.”

Recently, while studying to deliver a sermon in our congregation, I came across the actual original meaning in Greek for the word “opposes” or in some translations “resists”. To say that it rocked my world would be an understatement. Apparently, it’s original meaning is far more active than most of us would believe. The root meaning of the word “opposes” in Greek is that the Lord dresses in battle array to go to war. In other words, if you are proud or display pride of any type, the Lord not only opposes you with a mental assent of opposition but he actively opposes you. He dresses himself for battle and goes to war.

I would suggest you think about that thought for a few minutes.

I can think of the obvious prides:

• I don’t need God
• I don’t want God’s help
• I don’t want your help
• I can do it alone
• I am too wealthy or powerful to consider doing such a low position
• And so on

What about the types of pride that aren’t talked about as much:

• I have to do it or it won’t get done (only the Holy Spirit can say that)
• My pastor or rabbi is the best in his field (can’t objectively be proven, by the way – ever – in any field)
• Second guessing God- “are you really sure God” (Can be said only if you are smarter than God)
• Afraid to ask for help from God (fear-pride)
• Afraid to ask for help from others (fear-pride)
• Unwilling to be accountable to others (pride and arrogance)
• The list is endless

Just imagine, in each of the above types of pride listed as well as all the others not listed, God not only opposes the pride, He dresses himself in battle to go to war with it and destroy it. Any guess on who wins?

How Do You Want to be Remembered?

What do you think about when you read the title of this article?

Do you start thinking about doing more and more things in the hope that you will be remembered? Do you think you should brag about your accomplishments? What about giving money to a cause or putting your name on plaques?

Many people spend their life trying to make a name for themselves. They spend time trying to succeed in business, sports, arts, politics or even religion. Some want to be remembered as a philanthropist, some as a business genius or notable sports great. Whatever the reason, people spend an inordinate amount of time trying to make others believe they are someone great or will soon to be someone great.

What do you think about when you hear the name Moses (Moshe)?

Some of the things that come to mind are national leader, prophet, teacher, writer, husband, father and intercessor. He saw the Lord face to face and let the Lord work mighty miracles through him for the nation of Israel. If I had to choose two people who have had the greatest influence throughout history, the first would be Yeshua (Jesus) and the second would be Moses. People have done paintings and sculptures of Moses. Pastors preach about him. Books have been written about him. The Jewish people still consider Moses one of their greatest Rabbi’s.

However . . . .

How does the Lord refer to Moses?

In the book of Joshua, chapter one, the Lord refers to Moses as “My servant Moses”. If you look in scripture, you will find several places where Moses is referred to simply as a servant of the Lord (or some form of that phrase).

Why?

In the Kingdom of God, a servant is the very definition of the word “great”. There can be no greater honor than having the Lord calling you His servant. Moses did great things, but he was great because he was first a servant of the Lord. Being a servant was not just a title to him but an attitude and a way of life.

Yeshua stated that the greatest people in the Kingdom of God are servants. He is not trying to be a poet or a philosopher. He means every word. God’s word says that if you spend your life trying to make a name for yourself you will find yourself humbled. However, those who humble themselves will be exalted.

“In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’ ” Luke 17:10 (New Living Translation – NLT)

Stop Right There!!!

Recently while doing the “everyday” things of life, I was taking some time at the beginning of the day to read the Bible. I came across one little verse that stopped me in my tracks. It wasn’t a shocker or a “Wow I never saw that” type of verse. It was more along the lines of a sudden crash into a wall and take stock of things kind of scripture. Here I was reading God’s word when all of a sudden it was as if the Lord said “Stop right there and read no further for a while!!! Take time to read this verse and meditate on it.”

The verse was from John 1:3: “… God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.” (New Living Translation-NLT)

I get so involved in going to work, participating in activities in my congregation or even doing something like reading a fiction book that I forget the source of all that I am and what I do. I forget that everything is from the Lord. Think about that for a minute. EVERYTHING is from Him. Though humanity may be involved in the manufacture of things, the very ideas or abilities come from Him.

Let’s have a little prayer time. Look around you. Start making a quick list of what you see. Now, one by one, start thanking Him for each one of them. It doesn’t matter how trivial the object. The very concepts for everything we see were known by the Lord before the foundations of the world. Even our own lives come from Him. Humbling isn’t it?

Are you a Pastor or Rabbi? Do you own a business? Are you a Doctor? Are you a housewife taking care of your children? Maybe you are a policeman or a farmer? You may even drive the Zamboni® ice-resurfacing machine used in indoor hockey arenas. What ever you do, never forget that the Lord is the source. The very idea for you being there is His idea. Your skills are from Him. Your future is in His hands.

“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?
For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor.
You have made him to have dominion over the works of your hands; You have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen-even the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth. Psalm 8:3-9 (New King James Version-NKJV) emphasis with bold added