Humility

Humility is the heart of worship. Humility is worship.

 

Humility is so important to the Lord because it determines:

 

            -Your depth and connection with the Lord

            -Your effectiveness in others lives

            -Your worship life

            -If you’re a worship leader or pastor it determines your influence in your ministry

            -Essentially, your effectiveness in the kingdom

 

Pride

 

Pride is the greatest threat to a worshipper and it is the exact opposite of worship.

 

Pride has caused the greatest of kings to fall and the greatest of kingdoms to crumble.

 

PRIDE WILL DESTROY YOUR LIFE

 

What the bible has to say about pride:

 

            Proverbs 8:13 “All who fear the Lord will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.”

 

            1 John 2:16 “ For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father but are from this world.”

 

There is no place for pride in worship!! Pride and arrogance are not from God they are of this world. Everything we are is from God anyway. All of our gifting’s and our talents from Christ alone. The bible says, “Every good and perfect gift comes from God”. That means anything good that’s in you is from Christ.

 

 

The Greatest Example

 

Phil 2:1-11  “1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. 3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God
 as something to cling to.
 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges he took the humble position of a slave^[ and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God
 and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names,10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
 to the glory of God the Father.

 

This passage shows the greatest example of what humility is. I think it is the greatest act of humility ever recorded. It’s amazing that the almighty God, the creator of the universe would come down to earth and take on human form. He could have come as a wealthy king or come with earthly riches and authority but He came as a servant. He came and put on an imperfect body and gave up his divinity to dwell with us. He gave up His rights and then died a criminal’s death on a cross. He dies unjustly and for me and you. He didn’t even defend Himself or His rights.

 

How often do we defend our rights? How often do we fight for that which we are “entitled” to? What are we even entitled to?

 

The God of the world dealt with the ignorance of man everyday without ever walking out of love or without pride ever rising up. He never made people feel inferior. Without judgment He served the selfish with a glad heart. He loved the unlovable, extended a hand of grace to those who didn’t deserve it, and offered Himself as a sacrifice so that I might live. In His sacrifice He never asked for recognition or flaunted this act. Humility.

 

I had the privilege and honor of being raised and mentored in worship by Pastor Tim Smith. (www.worshipwithoutborders.org) If anybody gets humility that guy does. He drilled it into me and I am so grateful for that. He challenged me constantly in the area of humility. I learned that everyday you have to die to yourself. When I wake in the morning my prayer should always be “God, how can I serve you today? “ How can I live for you and not me today?”

 

What kind of musician are you?

 

Humility determines what kind of musician you are.

 

Every team I have ever ministered with I’ve noticed one trait. I can close my eyes and listen to determine who is practicing humility in their lives and who is struggling with it. Pride affects everything in your life including the way you play music. As ugly as pride is inside and in our daily lives it’s also ugly in our worship. I mean, how can we worship Jesus when we are to busy worshipping ourselves. To be candid for a moment, pride sounds like overplayed, loud, and busy noise. It typically clashes with the rest of the team or band.

 

Lets work it out!!

 

So how do we get a hold of this humility thing? How do we walk this out daily? I can tell you one thing, it’s not easy!!! It takes work and desire; a desire to be more like Christ.

Ask yourself these questions:

 

-Where am I currently serving?

            If there are not opportunities right in front of you then search them out. Remember that faith without works is dead.

 

-How often do I have to be right?

            I don’t think I need to say anything for this one.

 

-How do I respond when I’m not right?

            Do I remain quiet when I am wrongly accused? Do I lash out in defense?

 

-How often do I put others needs ahead of my own?

            I’m talking gut reaction. Are you more concerned with making sure you’re taken care of?

 

Getting a grasp on humility happens as we spend time in the word daily. We have to know the Father. As we press in and learn Him we begin to take on His character. We will take on humility.

 

A Prayer Challenge

 

There is a prayer I have prayed for a long time. I remember the first time I prayed it I could barely get the words out because it was such a risky prayer. The prayer is simply, “Jesus, keep me humble no matter what it takes”. Sounds simple enough right? For me praying that prayer is saying, “God, if it means taking away everything I care about and stretching me until I break, I want you to do it. If this means you cross my path with people and situations that force me to lay my life down then I want that.” Jesus has taken me on a journey in my 23 short years of life. He has broken me open time and time again and He humbles me everyday.

 

I dare you to pray that prayer today. Can you do it? Can you really ask God to work His humility in you no matter what the cost?

 

Jesus,

 

My nature is selfish and my eyes are constantly on myself. Help me to be a servant like you. I pray that my heart would be moved for others need more then mine. I ask that you would help me to not only respond to my life in humility but that I would be eager and seek out opportunities to lay my life down. I understand that humility is worship and that walking in humility is such an important and necessary way to worship God. Amen 

 

A Call To the Christian Artist

 

As “Christian Artist” we have an incredible opportunity not only to touch people with the power of music and worship but we get a chance to touch them with our lives.

 

What differentiates the Christian Music Industry and the secular industry? Simple, one industry glorifies God and the other self. We carry a HUGE responsibility if we so choose to wear the “Christian” name. What does your life look like when you get off the stage? How are you treating and serving your band or worship team? What about your family and friends, do you serve them?

 

Humility is knowing who you are in God and who God is in you. “Christ in Me the hope of Glory.” You’re gifted because God put the gift in you!

 

I implore you to search your heart. Ask the Lord to take you to a whole new level of humility. Ask Him to make you more effective in this. We need not to compete with each other in the industry. The way I see it is the more voices we have the better. There is whole world that needs hope that needs a touch from God. Lets be one big voice and an army for Christ.

 

Just like we read earlier in Phil 2:2 lets be artists of one mind and one purpose. We are all working for the same thing and there is power in numbers. Serve each other and help each other succeed. Pray for one another. Lets shift the atmosphere and extend a hand to each other. Jesus, restore unity and love unto us!